Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Earthquakes safety Tips

An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the earth caused by the breaking and shifting of rock beneath the earth’s surface. Earthquakes strike suddenly, without warning, and they can occur at any time of the year, day or night.
  With the spate of earthquakes around the world these days,it would do no harm to brush up on some safety tips.  Recent death tolls - Haiti, over 250,000,  Chile, over 300,  and Turkey 57.
 This is a three part series which will be published every Tuesday starting today. Please encourage your friends and loved ones to read the articles. You never know when it will be our turn.

What should you do during an earthquake?


If you are inside when the shaking starts...

Drop, cover and hold on. Move as little as possible.

If you are in bed, stay there, curl up and hold on. Protect your head with a pillow.

Stay away from windows to avoid being injured by shattered glass.

Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit. If you must leave the building after the shaking stops, use stairs rather than an elevator in case there are aftershocks, power outages or other damage.

Be aware that fire alarms and sprinkler systems frequently go off in buildings during an earthquake, even if there is no fire.

If you are outside when the shaking starts...

Find a clear spot and drop to the ground. Stay there until the shaking stops (away from buildings, power lines, trees, streetlights).

If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location and stop. Avoid bridges, overpasses and power lines if possible. Stay inside with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Then, drive carefully, avoiding bridges and ramps that may have been damaged.

If a power line falls on your vehicle, do not get out. Wait for assistance.

If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris. Landslides are often triggered by earthquakes.

Source:http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.53fabf6cc033f17a2b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=6f461c99b5ccb110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&currPage=13cbb969ae282210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

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