When I moved to California I started to research earthquakes and how to be ready for them. People thought I was nuts. When we got married, I had a number of things done that made my family think I was crazy. Then, on a cold January morning we were hit with the Northridge earthquake. Suddenly no one thought I was insane.
Read: In order to survive a natural disaster you will need information. There are several different types of faults and we don't know where all of them are. In fact, Northridge was on a previously undetected blind thrust fault. The internet is a good tool but make sure the resource is reliable. Ready.gov is one of the best as is the USGS site.
Find Faults: There are fault maps done on many major fault lines. These maps will tell you if you are on or near any fault line. You will also want to know about the soil under and around your house. Some homes built on sediment will suffer from a problem called liquifaction. To understand that, think about what happens when you pour milk into a power cake mix. Some of the dry powder floats to the top and that can happen to your house.
Make a Kit: There are two things to think of here. First is the strategic location of flashlights and other items around the house. For years I had to tell someone who had moved a flashlight out of its destined location and left it there to put it back. Now the flashlights stay where we need them.
The second is the real kit. In it you will need food and water for every member (including pets) of your house for three days. Medications, first aid kits, a battery operated radio and so fourth needs to be in it. You'll need tools such as a wrench to shut off the gas if it leaks and don't forget to add something to do. Our children were scared *and* bored by the afternoon of the earthquake.
Make a Plan: Look around each room of your house and decide what to do if you should be in that room during an earthquake. There are some areas (like the garage) that you may want to get out of as soon as possible, but still... have a plan.
Plan how to get out of the house if there is a partial collapse. Plan who is going to pick up the children at school and make sure the school has that person's name. Plan where to meet up if everyone is away from home. Again, ready.gov is great in helping both with a kit and the plan.
Practice: Remember fire drills in school? We actually had a fire in our elementary school. Those practice sessions paid off. You and your family need to practice just like they did (and do) at school.
We've been told that it may be as long as two weeks before we can expect help after a major earthquake. Being prepared will help you and your family survive.
Earth Quake Frightens The Newzealand Citizens by TheT1TV5News
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8884895
Read: In order to survive a natural disaster you will need information. There are several different types of faults and we don't know where all of them are. In fact, Northridge was on a previously undetected blind thrust fault. The internet is a good tool but make sure the resource is reliable. Ready.gov is one of the best as is the USGS site.
Find Faults: There are fault maps done on many major fault lines. These maps will tell you if you are on or near any fault line. You will also want to know about the soil under and around your house. Some homes built on sediment will suffer from a problem called liquifaction. To understand that, think about what happens when you pour milk into a power cake mix. Some of the dry powder floats to the top and that can happen to your house.
Make a Kit: There are two things to think of here. First is the strategic location of flashlights and other items around the house. For years I had to tell someone who had moved a flashlight out of its destined location and left it there to put it back. Now the flashlights stay where we need them.
The second is the real kit. In it you will need food and water for every member (including pets) of your house for three days. Medications, first aid kits, a battery operated radio and so fourth needs to be in it. You'll need tools such as a wrench to shut off the gas if it leaks and don't forget to add something to do. Our children were scared *and* bored by the afternoon of the earthquake.
Make a Plan: Look around each room of your house and decide what to do if you should be in that room during an earthquake. There are some areas (like the garage) that you may want to get out of as soon as possible, but still... have a plan.
Plan how to get out of the house if there is a partial collapse. Plan who is going to pick up the children at school and make sure the school has that person's name. Plan where to meet up if everyone is away from home. Again, ready.gov is great in helping both with a kit and the plan.
Practice: Remember fire drills in school? We actually had a fire in our elementary school. Those practice sessions paid off. You and your family need to practice just like they did (and do) at school.
We've been told that it may be as long as two weeks before we can expect help after a major earthquake. Being prepared will help you and your family survive.
Earth Quake Frightens The Newzealand Citizens by TheT1TV5News
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8884895
