Being Prepared during an Earthquake

Being Prepared during and Earthquake

Keeping your House Safe

·         If you want to have an overall safe house, check your foundations. This is a key to have a solid structural foundation, if it isn’t solid or strong this might fall in when a natural disaster kicks in. If any sign of a broken beam or ceiling have it immediately checked out by engineers so that you can keep your family safe.

·         If you want to keep your family safe take the time to get protective materials such as- shutters for hurricanes or install book shelves that are nailed to the wall so that they don’t topple over you during an earthquake.

·         Remember your home is somewhere that you should feel safe. Take the extra safety precautions to keep you and your family safe.

Being safe outside

o   If you are outside go immediately to an open space. Try to stay away from large buildings because of falling debris.

o   The worst place that you can be is right outside a building wall. During an earthquake falling glass, walls and other material can be lethal.

o   Stay away from utility wires; they can still have energy in them which also can be lethal.

o   Once in an open space stay there till the shaking stops

Being Safe Inside

§  When in an earthquake it is essential to DROP and COVER – go under a sturdy chair or desk. And Hold on, in earthquake a lot of movement happens, causing the piece the furniture to move around. To be safe hold on!

§  Try to stay away from windows, book shelves, or large light fixtures. During an earthquake these have a potential to fall over on you.

§  After an earthquake it is even more important to be careful, because the house or apartment building is still not very safe.

§  Keep flip-flops under your bed, so in case of an earthquake you are able to quickly to put on your shoe and get to safety quickly.

§  Do not go into an elevator!!

Earthquake Safety on Prezi

If in a vehicle

o   Safely stop on the side of the road, try not to stop under any bridges or over passes. Stay away from wires and trees, both of these things have a potential to fall over during an earthquake.

o   When earthquake has stopped remember to still keep away from bridges. After a large disturbance, they could be unstable.

My families Safety Plan

If a natural disaster occurs our family had a plan to

During

v  During the quake- stay calm and think before you act.

v  Hold on to a sturdy desk or chair.

v  Do not move before the shacking stops.

v  Go away from any windows!

After

• v  Check for injuries. If anyone is hurt, Mom takes over.
• v  Locate family, call out, careful not to take too much dust.
• v  Retrieve the first aid kit and earth quake supply box.
• v  Must turn off gas or any other dangerous things in the house.

Where do you go?

Our house has a very big yard, our plan is to go into the middle of the yard and wait till everything has calmed down. We have an emergency radio; we will take that out with us and try our best to understand the Serbian radio. Also the American Embassy provides each family will a walky-talky, that we can use to call the embassy.  

How would you wait it out?

 After getting out of the house (if we can, and if it is safe enough) going out to the yard to wait till Post One calls us. Since my mom is a doctor we can lend a hand to all the other neighbors who need help.  

Evacuation

The US Embassy provides each house with an emergency walky-talky and a fire hydrant. We can use the fire hydrant incase of any sort of fire, and the walky-talky to contact Post One. Hopefully we can contact Post One for help.

Saftey Kit

• Ø  Water
• Ø  Food that doesn’t expire very fast
• Ø  First Aid kit including: band aids, gauze, Advil, tape to hold bandages, sissiors for cutting the tape, sanitizer/disinfectant.
• Ø  Flash Light with extra batteries
• Ø  Possible a blanket- always was to be to safe rather than not safe enough.
• Ø  Portable radio – with extra batteries

Issues in your house- what would need to change?

Top Floor:

Lu’s room- unstable light fixture on top, mirror on the wall, heavy lamp, window

Blaise’s Room- unstable light fixture, window, two heavy lamps

Middle Floor:

Parents Room- Big mirror, big windows, unstable light fixture, heavy lamp, hanging mirror

Jo’s Room- Books shelves, big windows, heavy lamp

Kitchen- Cabinets doors not fastened, clock hanging, big windows.

Living Room- Chimney

Boiler Room- Unattached water heater