In this article we will discuss about how to be cautious against earthquakes.
Introduction to Earthquake:
Earthquakes strike suddenly and destructively causing deaths, injuries and property damage. Although earthquakes are an act of God but the results are of man-made. Damage, injury and loss of life can be prevented if appropriate earthquake resistant design and preparedness measures are adopted. An earthquake itself never kills people. It is the poorly designed and constructed man-made structures that do.
The devastation in Gujarat due to a recent earthquake was avoidable, if only the guidelines for earthquake resistant construction, available in the country since 1960 were complied with. The Rann of Kutch has been marked as an extremely high-risk earthquake zone since the first seismic hazard surveys conducted in the country in 1935. Historically, way back in June 1819 Gujarat Kutch area was hit by a big tremor measuring 8 on the Richter scale. The frequency of occurrence of major earthquakes in this region has been roughly once in thirty years.
Planning Preparedness:
Think what you can do if an earthquake strikes when you are at home; driving your car; at work; in a store doing shopping; in a public hall, a theatre or a stadium; visiting friends; or involved in any of other regular activities. Your planning may enable you to act calmly and constructively in an emergency.
Planning individual, family and neighbourhood earthquake schemes can help us to improve our chances of surviving an earthquake without injury or serious damage. Plan for family, friends and neighbours to check on each other after an earthquake. Guidelines have been prepared to make them aware of the consequences of earthquakes and, educate them about various measures to be taken before, during and after the earthquake and to reduce or avoid entirely their sufferings caused by injuries, loss of life or damage to the property.
Family Earthquake Plan:
We know that we live in a compact space. Many earthquake hazards cannot be eliminated, but they can be reduced. Be aware of the dangers during tremors, avoid them or protect yourself and your family or your neighborhood from their particular dangers. Windows may shatter and send glass flying. Pictures and mirrors will also be a source of broken glass. Try to locate beds, desks and tables away from windows.
Before an earthquake, family plan consists of knowing completely the layout of your house and its surroundings. Your contingency plan should include special provisions for children, elderly and disabled persons in the family. Prepare a plan with your family, friends and neighbours assigning specific responsibilities to each person to take care after an earthquake.
Organize the contents of your house so that the heavy articles are located at lower levels. Securely fasten shelves to walls. Keep spaces under tables and desks clear so you can seek shelter in an earthquake.
Your family plan should concentrate on the following specific items:
1. Know Your Environment:
i. Safest Place in the House:
a. Know the safest place in each room of your house. It will be difficult to move from one room to another during a major earthquake. Stay away from heavy furniture, appliances, large panes of glass and shelves holding heavy objects. These items tend to fall or break and can injure you. Usually corridor or hallway in the house is one of the safest places if it is not crowded with objects. Kitchen and garages tend to be the most dangerous places and should be avoided.
b. Always locate the possible ways to leave your house and work place in an emergency situation.
c. Know the location of the shutoff valves for water, gas and electricity, and how to operate them.
ii. Make Special Provisions:
a. For elderly, disabled or sick persons under medication.
b. These people may have difficulty moving around after an earthquake. Plan to have someone help them to evacuate if necessary. Also, they may need special food or medication. Be sure to store several days’ supply of their special provisions.
c. After an earthquake, you should be concerned with your own safety before taking care of pets. Storing extra food and water for pets is always a good idea. Keep them in a secure place at home after an earthquake. If you are evacuated, they will not be allowed at the emergency shelter
2. Know Your Community Resources:
a. Police, fire brigade and social workers will provide necessary guidance during an earthquake.
b. Know the location of the nearest fire and police stations.
c. After a damaging earthquake, emergency services and temporary medical centres will be operating in your community. Contact your local centre of emergency services to find out the plan for your area.
d. Know your neighbours and their skills; you may be able to help each other after an earthquake. Also know where to go to help your community after a disaster. It may be days before outside emergency assistance arrives. It is important to help each other
3. Plan to Meet:
a. Make a plan on where and how to reunite family members. Better choose a person outside the immediate area to contact if family members are separated. Long distance telephone services will probably be restored sooner than local service. Remember not to use the telephone immediately after an earthquake, and make local calls only for emergencies.
b. Know the policies of the school or the day care centre your children attend. Make plans to have someone pick them up if, after an earthquake, you are unable to do so.
4. Plan Responsibilities:
There will be many things to take care of before and after an earthquake. Make a plan with your family, friends and neighbours assigning specific responsibilities to each person. Stage occasional home drills so that your family will know how to avoid injury and panic during an earthquake.
Provide for your family to receive basic first aid instructions because medical facilities may be overloaded immediately after an earthquake. Conduct calm family discussions about earthquakes. Remember that it may be difficult to get around after an earthquake, so each person’s task should be related to where he/she may be.
Individual, Family, Home and Community Planning Guide:
If a major earthquake struck in your area today, try to remain calm. Try to calm and reassure others. You might be without direct assistance for up to 2 to 3 days. Are you, your family and neighbourhood prepared to be self-sufficient? Have you or your community organized rescue programmes or acquired special training to be of assistance in the event of a damaging earthquake?
Some guidelines have been prepared in order to cope with such a situation and are listed below:
Individual and Family Preparedness:
i. Know the safe spots in each room: under sturdy tables, desks or against inside walls.
ii. Keep the areas below the tables and desks clear all the time.
iii. Know the danger spots like windows, mirrors, hanging objects, fireplace and tall furniture.
iv. Conduct practice drills. Physically place yourself and your children in safe locations.
v. Learn first aid from your local community Red Cross organization.
vi. Decide where your family will reunite, if separated.
vii. Keep a list of emergency phone numbers.
viii. Keep your mobile phone charged, if you have one.
ix. Choose an out of state friend or relative whom family members can call after the quake to report whereabouts and conditions.
Home Preparedness:
i.. Learn how to shut off gas, water and electricity mains in case lines are damaged.
ii. Check roof and wall foundations for stability.
iii. Secure properly water heater and other appliances that damage utility lines during earthquake.
iv. Keep heavy and breakable object on the lower shelves.
v. Securely fasten shelves to walls to avoid injuries from their falling.
vi. Secure hanging plants and heavy picture frames or mirror (especially those hanging over beds).
vii. Put latches on cabinet doors to keep them closed during shaking.
viii. Keep flammable or hazardous liquids such as paints, pest sprays or cleaning products in cabinets or secured on lower shelves.
ix. Keep a flashlight and battery-powered transistor radio in the home ready for use at all times.
x. Maintain emergency food, water and other supplies including medicine, first aid kit and clothing.
Community Preparedness:
i. Ensure that local organization of which you are a member undertake a specific preparedness programme or acquire special training to be of assistance in the event of a damaging earthquake.
ii. Organize a neighbourhood earthquake preparedness programme.
iii. Conduct training for neighbourhood residents in preparedness, first aid, fire suppression, damage assessment, search and rescue.
iv. Develop self-help networks between families and neighbourhood which includes a listing of tools, equipment, materials and neighbourhood members who have special skills and resources to share.
v. Identify neighbours who have special needs or will require special assistance.
vi. Have neighbours agree to hang some sort of a sign like a white flag out after the quake to indicate everyone and everything is OK.
Community Response Team Planning Guide:
After a major earthquake or other emergency, fire, police and other Disaster Response agencies may be overburdened and may not be able to reach community immediately. You and your neighbours may have to take initial emergency responsibilities and defend yourselves for at least 72 hours. Experience during the past earthquakes has shown that the first rescuers on scene are usually volunteers who reside in, work in, or are visiting the area.
Volunteers from the community have played vital role immediately following the earthquakes by putting out small fires, providing first aid and searching for and rescuing trapped persons. However, untrained volunteers can endanger their own lives as well as the lives of those individuals who are trapped and they are trying to assist.
Local municipalities should work out plans to organize and train volunteer community response teams in basic emergency response techniques. If a response team has not already been formed in your community, join now with other interested individuals to form one for any community (home, work, school, etc.) in which you routinely spend more than 4-6 hours a week.
Joining or forming a community response team can greatly improve your chances of surviving an earthquake or any other emergency and can improve the self-sufficiency of your entire neighbourhood.
The various activities included in the community response team-planning guide are described as follows:
1. Training:
The members of the community response team should learn how to assist:
(1) Themselves and their families for injuries,
(2) Their homes (or work place) for hazards or damage, and
(3) Their neighbourhoods for injuries, hazards, needs and available resources.
Contact your local police and fire department, city/district office of emergency services, community college to arrange for training staff and training workshops. Response teams should arrange to participate in bi-annual earthquake exercises sponsored by local government bodies or businesses, and develop their own community exercises in cooperation with local emergency service agencies.
2. Inventory of Neighbourhood Skills:
As part of the community response team planning process, team should conduct an inventory of the skills and resources available within their home/office and neighbourhoods. For example, who in your community has medical, electrical, childcare, leadership, firefighting, or survival skills? Who owns equipment like chain saw, cutters, power generators, citizens band radio, four wheel drive vehicles, motorcycles, water purifier, etc.?
Who is physically able to become a “runner/bicycle” to deliver messages if telephone lines are down? What kind of local businesses are nearby? Having this vital information on hand before an earthquake is essential for an efficient and effective response.
3. Evaluate Special Needs:
Every home/office, neighbourhood has individuals with special needs. Do you have a neighbour or co-worker who is deaf or with hearing impaired, Blind? Require Oxygen? Are there homes where children are likely to be alone during daylight hours? Your community response team should work with these individuals in advance to determine what extra assistance or supplies they may require after an earthquake or any other emergency.
4. Store Supplies:
In addition to water, food and other supplies that everyone needs to stock, members of the community response team should store tools such as gloves, goggles, crescent wrenches, hard hats, flashlights, and other items that the team determines will be useful after an earthquake. These items should be stored in a central and easily accessible location.
Residential Care Facility Earthquake Plan:
Residential care plan is designed for all the residents of the facility with an objective to educate the residents of what could happen during an earthquake. Training programmes are devised for their safety by incorporating their suggestions so as to ensure their serious participation. Periodic bi-annual drills are planned to test the facility’s earthquake preparedness plan.
The various steps involved in designing this specific plan are:
Each plan may be unique. It may be beneficial to work with others when developing plans, but make sure the plan you adopt fits YOUR situation. If you are in a facility in which there is only one caregiver at a time, in that case convince your staff members to coordinate family plans with the one for the residential care home. Offer the facility as a meeting place for families of staff.
This will provide peace of mind for staff members and supply extra personnel at a crucial time. Inform residents of what it could happen during an earthquake and the steps being taken to provide for their safety. Involve residents in the process whenever possible by incorporating their suggestions.
Develop an employee-training programme. Include training on procedures for providing first aid, securing utilities, suppressing fire, calming/directing residents, conducting light search and rescue, evacuating the facility, providing emergency power, supplying water and food, and providing care to residents with special needs. Ensure that each employee knows his/her earthquake assignment.
Evaluate each move in the facility to determine how it might perform in an earthquake and eliminate hazards. Secure properly medical equipment, heavy appliances, bookcases, plants and other items that might fall. Place heavy objects on bottom shelves. Move beds from windows. Check exit routes and remove items that might block them after an earthquake. Determine a gathering place outside, far enough from the building to be clear of falling debris and safe in the case of fire.
Stock Supplies- As a guide, use supply lists developed for homes and businesses.
Be sure to add the following items:
i. Canned fruits and vegetables.
ii. Glucose or equivalent.
iii. Sturdy but light weight folding chairs.
iv. Blankets carpets or bamboo mats or any equivalent.
v. A commode or plastic toilet with a seat, plus a supply of waste paper bags and toilet paper (optional).
vi. Cards, games and books.
Keep part of your emergency supplies, including an extra first aid kit, outside the place itself in a storage shed or other nearby secure location known to staff members.
Identify a spot in each room where residents can go when an earthquake occurs. If they can’t reach the safe spot, teach them to get down on the ground, or as low as possible and cover their heads with their hands and arms.
Hold drills at least annually to test the facility’s earthquake plan. Emphasize to the residents that their caregivers are prepared. Hold private discussions with staff after each drill to determine what went wrong and what procedure needs to be changed.
When the earthquake occurs, staff members need to consider their own safety first. They will not be able to provide for the needs of those in their care if they are severely injured themselves. Staff should assist able residents to safety before returning to assist the more frail, disabled or injured people.
Maintain a list of the medication and equipment each resident needs; the name, address and phone number of each patient’s doctor and pharmacist; and the name, address, and phone number of the relative or other responsible person with whom you deal or can deal.
Practice Earthquake Procedures:
Earthquake preparedness procedures should be tested periodically and updated continuously. Make sure that a maximum number of your family members, neighbourhood and co-workers take part in earthquake drills. Review the responsibility of each family member after the earthquake. Do not hesitate to improvise or update the procedures, if necessary.
i. Encourage your family and co-workers to participate in earthquake drills. Emergency procedures should be reviewed and practised periodically.
ii. Practice Taking over:
Practice taking over if an earthquake was taking place. This will make people aware of the safe places in their immediate environment.
iii. Practice Exiting:
Walk through the possible escape routes from your home and work place. Check to see if the planned exits are clear, and if they can become blocked in an earthquake.
iv. Practice Shut Off:
Practice turning off electricity and water mains at your home and office. Be sure everyone can do this quickly. Know how to turn off gas but do not practice this step.
Check supply of emergency food and water. Check medication, first aid materials for all members of the household including the children, disabled and elderly. Replenish expired supplies of food, water, medicine, fire extinguishers and batteries.
Review the responsibility of each family member after the earthquake. Call the appointed contact person outside the area TO REMIND THEM OF THEIR ROLE. Review plans to pick up children and check with school and daytime centres to ensure family plan is still satisfactory.
Contact your neighbours periodically to review earthquake plans. Contact your local office of emergency services for an update on the local emergency plan.
Self Defence Techniques:
It is important to know certain self-defence techniques to protect yourself during an earthquake whether you are in your house, a school classroom, a high-rise or any other type of building.
It is quite likely that during an earthquake you get panicky, nervous and under such circumstances you should opt for quick protection techniques as mentioned below:
When an Earthquake Strikes:
When an earthquake strikes, remain calm and reassure others. Think through the consequences of any action you take.
i. Duck, Cover and Hold:
Whether you are in your home, a school classroom, a high rise or other type of building, it is important to know how to protect yourself during an earthquake. Practice what to do during an earthquake and teach yourself and your family members to react automatically when the shaking starts. If you are outdoor when the shaking starts, get into an open area away from trees, buildings, walls and power lines.
If you are indoors, follow the steps given below:
a. Duck:
Duck or drop down to the floor and take shelter.
b. Cover:
Take cover under a sturdy table, desk, or other furniture; in a corner away from windows; or in a strong doorway, if that is not possible, seek cover against an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms. Avoid danger spots near windows, hanging objects, mirrors, or tall furniture.
If you take cover under a sturdy piece of furniture, hold on to it and be prepared to move with it. Hold in that position until the ground stops shaking and it is safe to move.
When you feel an earthquake. Duck under table or a desk. Stay away from windows, book cases and file cabinets, heavy mirrors, hanging plants, and other heavy objects that could fall. Watch for falling plaster, bricks, light fixtures or ceiling tiles. Stay under cover until the shaking stops. Hold on to the desk or table, if it moves, move with it. Here are special tips for specific location.
i. If you are in High Rise Building and you are not near a desk or table move against the interior wall, and protect your head with your arms. Do not dash for exits or elevators, since stairways may be broken and jammed with people. Power for elevators or escalators may fail. Do not be surprised if the fire alarm or sprinkler system comes on.
ii. If outdoors, avoid high buildings, walls, power poles and objects which could fall. Do not run through the streets. If possible, move to an open area away from all hazards.
iii. If you are on a sidewalk near buildings duck into a doorway to protect yourself from falling bricks, glass plaster, and other debris.
iv. If you are driving, pull over to the side of the road and stop. Avoid flyovers, power lines and other hazards. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking stops.
v. If you are in a crowded store or other public place, do not rush for exits since hundreds may have the same idea. Move away from display shelves containing objects that could fall.
vi. If you are in a wheel chair, stay in it. Move to cover, if possible, lock your wheels, and protect your head with your arms.
vii. If you are in the kitchen, move away from the refrigerator, stove and overhead cupboards.
viii. If you are in a theatre or stadium, stay in your seat and protect your head with your arms. Do not try to leave until the shaking is over. Then leave in a calm, orderly manner.
i. Check for injuries in your family and neighbourhood. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury.
ii. Check for any fire hazards.
iii. Wear shoes in all areas near broken glass or debris.
iv. Do not touch power lines or objects in contact with the downed wires.
v. If water is off, emergency water may be obtained from water heaters, toilet tanks and melted ice cubes.
vi. Check to see that sewage lines are in place before flushing toilets.
vii. Do not drink or eat from open containers near shattered glass. Liquid may be strained through a clean handkerchief or cloth.
viii. Do not use your telephone except for emergency calls. Turn on your radio for public broadcasts and information.
ix. When checking cupboards, open doors cautiously and watch for objects falling from shelves.
x. Do not go sightseeing. Keep the streets clear for the passage of emergency vehicles.
xi. Clean up spilled drugs and potentially harmful materials.
xii. After an earthquake be prepared for aftershocks. Although most of these are smaller than the main shock, some may be large enough to cause additional damage to already vulnerable buildings which are already in an advanced stage of the limit of their resistance to lateral loads and may bring weaker structures down.
xiii. Respond to requests for help from police, fire fighting, defense and relief organizations, but do not go into damaged areas unless your help has been requested. Cooperate fully with public safety officials. In some areas, you may be arrested for getting in the way of disaster operations.
Special Topics:
In order to make the presentation comprehensive, special topics have been added to provide planning guides for earthquake preparedness for schools, businesses, local governments, childcare centers, senior citizens and disabled persons.
Earthquake Preparedness for Schools, Businesses and Local Governments:
The following guidelines are proposed:
i. Prepare and regularly update disaster plans. Address both response and recovery issues.
ii. Institute ongoing training programmes in emergency procedures, first aid, cardio arrest, search and rescue, use of fire extinguishers and damage assessment. Hold periodic exercises and drills.
iii. Consult local building codes to ensure that your buildings meet current structural safety.
iv. Conduct “hazard hunts” to find non-structural hazard in offices, classrooms, storerooms, laboratories, warehouses, and manufacturing areas.
v. Determine and post primary and alternate routes for emergency evacuation of the buildings should that be necessary after an earthquake.
vi. Educate staff, as applicable; on earthquake effects on highrise buildings. (Lower floors will shake rapidly. Movement on upper floors will be slower, but the building will sway farther from side to side).
vii. Secure and anchor equipment and furniture including bookshelves, cabinets, computers, water heaters, gas appliances and laboratory equipment.
viii. Include articles on business and home earthquake safety in brochures for public distribution.
ix. Make agreement with vendors for post-earthquake operations.
x. Prepare an inventory of critical supplies and equipment.
xi. Assemble emergency kits with water, first aid supplies, radios, flashlights, batteries, heavy gloves, food, and sanitation supplies. Keep them in a secure, accessible location.
Child Care Centre Earthquake Plan:
Conceive a working plan of your children centre with staff and parents input. When developing your plan, assign responsibilities based on specific needs, interests, and training.
Also consider the following:
i. Know Your Environment:
Determine the safest place in each room. Identify the locations of all exits, utility shut off valves, and storage sites for emergency supplies and equipment. If child care services are offered through a social centre, school, community centre, or employer, check to see that your emergency plan and procedures are compatible.
ii. Maintain Routine:
Try to closely maintain normal diets and routines for all age groups.
iii. Make Special Provisions:
Infants will not understand or response to emergency instructions. Therefore, you should place special emphasis on ensuring that the environment is as safe as possible. For example, cribs could be placed away from unanchored windows and tall unsecured book cases and shelves that may slide or topple. Store at the minimum a 72 hour supply of extra water, juices, diapers, food, and clothing. Use trailers, wagons, blankets, and cribs with appropriate wheels to transport infants if evacuation becomes necessary.
Toddlers may be able to understand simple emergency instructions. Some centre staff instructs young children to take duck, cover and hold position with the command. “Kiss your Knees”. Store at the minimum, a 72 hour supply of extra water, juices, diapers, food, and clothing. Also have plenty of toys available for children and activities planned to occupy their attention.
Children with special needs require all of the above, plus additional assistance. Include provision in your plan for extra staff, parents and older children to help.
iv. Conduct Earthquake Drills:
Drills can save lives. Childcare centre should conduct and document drills every six months. Teach staff and children to “duck, cover and hold” using sturdy tables or desks for protection. In a room with no sturdy tables or desks, have them crouch down and cover their heads with their arms, ensuring that the back of their heads is protected. Outdoors, have them duck, cover and hold in an open area away from the power lines and other hazards. Know how, where and when to evacuate.
v. Identify Resources:
Survey staff, parents and members of community to identify professional assistance (engineers, doctors, nurses, etc.) and resources, which might be provided on volunteer basis.
vi. Conduct Hazard Assessment:
Conduct internal and external assessment of the facility. Childcare providers tend to store heavy, breakable items high and out of reach of children; however, these items can become dangerous missiles during an earthquake. Instead store heavy, potentially breakable items in low secured cabinets.
Take special care to secure or remove any item above the head level of the children, including TV’s, hanging plants and air conditioners. Have windows filmed preventing shattering of glass during an earthquake. Have professional survey of buildings for structural safety and integrity.
i. Plan:
Major earthquakes can kill and injure thousands of people. Even a moderate earthquake can cause death, injury and property damage. They can also seriously disrupt all of those things we have come to take for granted and to depend on for our well-being. Developing individual, family and neighbourhood earthquake plans can help you improve your chances of surviving an earthquake without serious injury or damage.
Plan for family, friends, and neighbours to check on each other after an earthquake.
Maintain a list of your medicines, allergies, and special equipment. Include name, address and telephone number of your doctor, a family member or a friend. Take the list with you if you must leave your home after an earthquake.
ii. Prepare:
Falling objects pose one of the greatest hazards in an earthquake. Older people may not be as mobile as they once were making difficult or impossible to quickly get under a piece of heavy furniture such as a table or a desk for protection. Therefore, it is very important to eliminate hazard in the home that could fall and cause injury. If you cannot do these things yourself, ask a friend or a family member for assistance.
a. Securely anchor any medical equipment, heavy appliances, bookcases, china cabinets, hanging plants, and other items.
b. Place heavy objects on low shelves.
c. Move beds from windows.
d. Make sure doorways, corridors and exits are clear so that you may exit safely.
e. Add latches to cabinets and drawers to keep them from opening in an earthquake.
f. Keep 72 hour supply of emergency food and water. Have a well-stocked first aid kit, flashlights and batteries, portable radio, and essential medicines.
Know where to go for protection when shaking starts. Find a safe spot in each room: under a heavy piece of furniture like a desk or a sturdy table, against inside walls or under supported archways. If you cannot reach a safe spot, sit down or stay sitting where you are until the shaking stops. Cover your head with your arms. If outside move to safe spot away from buildings, overhead wires and windows.
Many seniors have special needs. Taking the actions proposed below will increase their chances of surviving safely during an earthquake-
a. If you use a wheel chair, walker, crutches, canes, or other type of mechanical walking aids, keep them near to you at all times.
b. Place a security light in each room.
c. Have a whistle to signal for help in an emergency.
d. If you use battery-operated equipment store extra batteries and replace them annually.
e. Have a smoke and fire alarm detector system installed.
f. If you wear glasses keep an extra pair with your emergency supplies.
Planning Guidelines for People with Disabilities:
i. Plan:
Develop a “close relationship or buddy” system with family, friends, neighbours and co-workers. Plan how you will help each other in an emergency, if you live alone you may wish to give your buddy a key to your house.
Make a list of your medicines, special equipment, names and addresses and telephone number of your doctor, family members and friends, and any other important information. Give a copy to each buddy, and keep a copy with you all the time.
Eliminate hazard in your own home. Securely anchor loose equipment, heavy appliances, bookcases, hanging plants, and other items. Place heavy objects on low shelves. Move beds away from windows. Check, corridors, exit doorways and other areas and remove hazards and obstructions, which may impede your safe exit after an earthquake, install security night-lights to provide emergency lighting if power is interrupted.
Gather emergency supplies. Assemble 72 hour emergency supply kit, which includes water, any special diet foods, sanitary aids, cooking and eating utensils, flashlight, radio, blankets, a change of clothes and a whistle for signaling for assistance. Include a well- stocked first aid kit. Store extra batteries for your hearing aids, wheel chairs and other battery-operated equipment.
If you are deaf or have hearing impaired, keep a battery-operated television on hand, if available, for receiving emergency information when power is out. Store flashlights, pencil and a pad for communicating. Arrange for hearing friends or co-workers to relay information broadcast by radio.
If you are blind or have impaired vision keep extra “canes” in strategic areas around your home. Plan alternate evacuation routes from home and office
If you use a wheel chair, tie to it a lightweight drawstring bag containing your medications, your special emergency sanitary aids, a small flashlight, and a whistle for emergency use or evacuation. Determine at least two usable exits from each room, and from your building. Participate in earthquake drills, moving to cover, if possible, locking the wheels, and protecting your head with your arms, a pillow, lap robe, books, or any handy object.
Public Preparedness of Tsunami Hazard:
Public should be prepared and educated about various measures to be taken before, during and after the tsunami event as listed below to reduce or avoid their sufferings caused by injuries, loss of life or damage to the property.
i. Find out if your home is in a danger area.
ii. Know the height of your street above sea level and the distance of your street from the coast. Evacuation orders may be based on these numbers.
iii. Be familiar with the tsunami warning signs because an underwater disturbance or an earthquake can cause tsunamis, people living along the coast should consider an earthquake or a sizable ground rumbling as a warning signal. A noticeable rapid rise or fall in coastal waters is also a sign that a tsunami is approaching.
iv. Make sure all family members know how to respond to a tsunami. Make evacuation plans.
v. Pick an inland location that is elevated.
vi. After an earthquake or other natural disaster, teach family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water.
vii. Teach children how and when to call emergency number 911, police or fire department, and which radio station to listen for official information.
viii. Have disaster supplies on hand.
a. Flashlight and extra batteries
b. Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
c. First aid kit and manual
d. Emergency food and water
e. Non electric can opener
f. Essential medicines
g. Cash and credit cards
h. Sturdy shoes and umbrellas
Develop an emergency communication plan.
ix. In case family members are separated from one another during a tsunami (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for reuniting after the event.
x. Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the “family contact.” After a disaster, often it’s easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.
xi. Contact your local emergency management office or local Red Cross chapter for more information on tsunamis. Roads in and out of the vicinity may be blocked, so pick more than one evacuation route.
i. Stay tuned to radio or television to get the latest emergency information, and be ready to evacuate if asked to do so.
ii. If you hear an official tsunami warning or detect signs of a tsunami, evacuate at once. Climb to higher ground. A tsunami warning is issued when authorities are certain that a tsunami threat exists.
iii. Stay away from the beach.
iv. Never go down to the beach to watch a tsunami come in. If you can see the wave you are too close to escape it. In Chennai, India, some of the spectators were sucked away from the Marina beach when they came to watch the tsunami waves.
v. Return home only after authorities advise it is safe to do so.
vi. A tsunami is a series of waves. Do not assume that one wave means that the danger is over. The next wave may be larger than the first one. Stay out of the area. In Phuket, Thailand the tide record showed that the tsunami arrived as a negative wave that dropped the sea level to a level corresponding to low tide in a matter of 20 minutes; this was followed by two major wave crests in quick succession (20 minutes apart).
vii. If during tsunami wave you get trapped in a building, try to stand in the corner of the room away from the window or the door. If safe and possible, try to get to the roof.
viii. Help elderly people and children to vacate the building and guide them to climb to higher spots.
i. Stay tuned to a battery-operated radio for the latest emergency information.
ii. Help injured or trapped persons.
iii. Give first aid where appropriate. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.
iv. Remember to help your neighbours who may require special assistance—infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities.
v. Stay out of damaged buildings. Return home only when authorities say it is safe.
vi. Enter your home with caution.
vii. Use a flashlight when entering damaged buildings. Check for electrical shorts and live wires. Do not use appliances or lights until an electrician has checked the electrical system.
viii. Open windows and doors to help dry the building.
ix. Shovel mud while it is still moist to give walls and floors an opportunity to dry.
x. Check food supplies and test drinking water.
xi. Fresh food that has come in contact with floodwaters may be contaminated and should be thrown out. Have tap water tested by the local health department.
xii. Inspect utilities in a damaged building.