Survival Skills: Earthquake
Ryan Nabil
November 02, 2008
The other midnight, I was in front of my computer, chatting when it occurred. The chair began to shake and I felt light. At first, I thought the newly bought chairs were of poor quality but then it came to me: I had just experienced an earthquake.
Imran, a sophomore at Dhaka University was coming back to his home late that night when he saw thousands of students rushing frenziedly out of their rooms. He thought that there was another political shootout but then one of them shouted as he ran: God Help Us! Earthquake! He also joined them. He was one of the some twenty students who injured themselves in the panic jump.
So, was it the right thing to do? Run for a safer location even when the building is still shaking? Run for a safer place right after the earthquake? Or, what would you do if some thing like this occurs?
And the fact that Dhaka is topping the list of worldīs most earthquake prone cities with a staggering density of over people per square kilometer and the minor earthquakes in the past few months only gives us a reason to self-equip ourselves with the knowledge of what is the wisest thing to do during an earthquake and how to save ourselves.
What Hurts During an Earthquake?
Before I conducted an extensive study on earthquake, I had the idea that itīs the shaking that hurts during an earthquake. But heck, I was wrong.
During an earthquake, itīs actually the things that fall on our body, especially head and hurt us. That accounts for such a great toll of death during an earthquake in contrast to any other natural disaster. Wall of a structure or any other movable objects can fall on a person and cause casualties.
So, when an earthquake takes place: almost everything that you thought was your precious belongings turns into lethal enemies. They include: windows, doors, cupboard doors, heavy and tall furniture that might fall, shelves containing dishes, book shelves, china cabinets, TVs, CRT monitors, glass-made objects.
It must be mentioned that sometimes pipes for gas leaks and sets a house on fire. It may also occur due to short circuit or any other anomaly in electric circuit.
Hello! Itīs time to wake up
We know that Dhaka tops the list of worldīs most earthquake prone cities of the world. Also, an eminent earthquake is due in Dhaka in about twenty years, seismographic research reveals. An earthquake of 7.5 is enough to uproot half of the buildings of Dhaka.
Have we ever asked ourselves, what would we do if thereīs an earthquake? This is the question considered to be the basis for disaster management awareness at personal level. The reason why most of the people are not preparing themselves is lack of consciousness.
How is the condition of Fire Service in Dhaka, let alone Bangladesh? I guess I donīt really have to answer that, everybody knows. The ratio of fire service department to area is a far cry from scarce. So, itīs high time we gave up the hope of getting any help from the Fire Service. The fire department might itself get destructed during an earthquake due to dilapidated condition of the buildings.
The minor earthquakes in the past few months are actually wake up calls for the nation. We have to start taking necessary preparation from this moment. Ask yourself, "What would you do if thereīs an earthquake right now?" This is the basis of survival during any natural disaster, which includes earthquake.
Where do we start?
Pre-Disaster preparedness is considered to be the most important step in any disaster management cycle and itīs applicable in case of earthquake as well.
Take a look around in your house, and by that I mean the movable objects. Itīs better to keep them in such a way that they donīt fall during earthquake if possible and if not, then keep them away from a place where people usually sit or sleep. For instance, keep heavy picture frames or mirrors away from bed and sofa, or even computer seat, if you are a heavy user. Same goes for tall furniture that might fall over. You can try keeping TV in such a table where edges are elevated and can prevent it from toppling.
First Aid Kit and Stock of Foods
Once you are done with a safer plan for your house or even your workplace, itīs time you prepare a first aid kit box and keep it at an accessible place. You will also be needing food stock for at least 2-3 days and make sure you change the foods at regular intervals. Foods packed in air tight packet or box should be used for purpose, as they are less susceptible to rotting.
First Aid Kit:
1. Adhesive bandage of different sizes
2. Disposable Gloves
3. Scissors and tweezers
4. Antibiotic Towel and Antibiotic ointment to stop infection
5. Soap and dettol, a type of antiseptic liquid
6. Sterile Eye Wash
7. Antacid, Saline and Paracetamol
8. Thermometer
9. Torch
Food:
1. Water Supply, 2-4 liters a person per day
2. Canned Food
3. Foods should be changed regularly after every two months at best.
4. Foods should be kept at an easily accessible place
Other Essentials:
1. Radio(as emergency instructions might be aired)
2. Pencil batteries
3. Sharp blades or multipurpose knives
4. Heavy shoes(so that feet does not get hurt by debris)
5. Regular gloves for rescue operation
6. Cell phone
7. Candles and matches or lighter
8. Feminine supplies
9. Extra Clothes
10. Ropes, hammers, screw drivers and shovels.
11. Plastic bag or polythene(for water and food protection and waste disposal)
And when it strikes
i) If you are inside
On sensing earthquake, you must move away from window and other objects that can fall as listed above and take shelter under a strong table. Cover your head with hand to protect it from falling debris and also protect your eyes. You can use a pillow for this purpose.
Once the earthquake has started, Iīd strongly suggest not to try to run out of the building because as that time falling debris or other objects might fall on your head and cause serious injury.
If you are in kitchen, then you should know kitchen is the most dangerous place during an earthquake. In such a situation, you must turn off the furnace and move out of the kitchen as it might catch fire due to gas leakage.
Once the earthquake has stopped, donīt run out of the building as debris can still be falling. Besides, a major earthquake can be followed by a few aftershocks.
ii) If you are outside
If you are outside, move away from building, electric poles and trees. You can lie down on the ground and get your hand over your head to shield it from falling debris or tree.
If you are in a vehicle, instruct the driver or drive the vehicle calmly to a stop, get out of it and take the safest possible position.
After the nightmare
Firstly, if you are injured, ask for help. If you are not, then check if others are injured and try to help them out.
Secondly, try to guess the condition of the building. If itīs fragile, get out of it and take position in another building which is still in good form or open field.
Thirdly, the kitchen. If you can smell any gas or sense any other anomaly, turn off the gas, open the windows and get out of the building. When concerned professionals are available, contact them and get it repaired. Never ignite anything in the kitchen as it might cause the kitchen to be on fire.
Fourthly, electricity connection. If you see any spark or smell burnt wire, turn off the electricity at the main power switch or the main fuse box. Unplug the major electric appliances to avoid possible damages to the appliances when electricity gets back.
Lastly, donīt use the phone unless itīs urgent. You may be blocking the network for someone who really needs to use the phone for an emergency.
Miscellaneous
Keep a copy of all certificates and important documents in a fireproof locker or in the bank. Itīs better if few copies are kept in multiple places. Always carry the key to that locker wherever you go.
Itīs essential to keep a small amount of money scattered in many easily accessible places. Trust me, they might come handy.
You can tell a friend or relative who lives in a different district to call you and come forward with help whenever thereīs an earthquake and vice versa. And donīt forget about your neighbors. Discuss with them how you can be helped and conversely they can be helped by you during an earthquake.
Lastly, Practice, practice and practice. Practice makes a man perfect. Practice with your family about how to take your position and thereby save your life. Learn to think in a way, "What would I do if it happens right here and now?" This attitude forms the basis of survival skills in cases of all disasters and earthquake is no doubt one of them.
Imran, a sophomore at Dhaka University was coming back to his home late that night when he saw thousands of students rushing frenziedly out of their rooms. He thought that there was another political shootout but then one of them shouted as he ran: God Help Us! Earthquake! He also joined them. He was one of the some twenty students who injured themselves in the panic jump.
So, was it the right thing to do? Run for a safer location even when the building is still shaking? Run for a safer place right after the earthquake? Or, what would you do if some thing like this occurs?
And the fact that Dhaka is topping the list of worldīs most earthquake prone cities with a staggering density of over people per square kilometer and the minor earthquakes in the past few months only gives us a reason to self-equip ourselves with the knowledge of what is the wisest thing to do during an earthquake and how to save ourselves.
What Hurts During an Earthquake?
Before I conducted an extensive study on earthquake, I had the idea that itīs the shaking that hurts during an earthquake. But heck, I was wrong.
During an earthquake, itīs actually the things that fall on our body, especially head and hurt us. That accounts for such a great toll of death during an earthquake in contrast to any other natural disaster. Wall of a structure or any other movable objects can fall on a person and cause casualties.
So, when an earthquake takes place: almost everything that you thought was your precious belongings turns into lethal enemies. They include: windows, doors, cupboard doors, heavy and tall furniture that might fall, shelves containing dishes, book shelves, china cabinets, TVs, CRT monitors, glass-made objects.
It must be mentioned that sometimes pipes for gas leaks and sets a house on fire. It may also occur due to short circuit or any other anomaly in electric circuit.
Hello! Itīs time to wake up
We know that Dhaka tops the list of worldīs most earthquake prone cities of the world. Also, an eminent earthquake is due in Dhaka in about twenty years, seismographic research reveals. An earthquake of 7.5 is enough to uproot half of the buildings of Dhaka.
Have we ever asked ourselves, what would we do if thereīs an earthquake? This is the question considered to be the basis for disaster management awareness at personal level. The reason why most of the people are not preparing themselves is lack of consciousness.
How is the condition of Fire Service in Dhaka, let alone Bangladesh? I guess I donīt really have to answer that, everybody knows. The ratio of fire service department to area is a far cry from scarce. So, itīs high time we gave up the hope of getting any help from the Fire Service. The fire department might itself get destructed during an earthquake due to dilapidated condition of the buildings.
The minor earthquakes in the past few months are actually wake up calls for the nation. We have to start taking necessary preparation from this moment. Ask yourself, "What would you do if thereīs an earthquake right now?" This is the basis of survival during any natural disaster, which includes earthquake.
Where do we start?
Pre-Disaster preparedness is considered to be the most important step in any disaster management cycle and itīs applicable in case of earthquake as well.
Take a look around in your house, and by that I mean the movable objects. Itīs better to keep them in such a way that they donīt fall during earthquake if possible and if not, then keep them away from a place where people usually sit or sleep. For instance, keep heavy picture frames or mirrors away from bed and sofa, or even computer seat, if you are a heavy user. Same goes for tall furniture that might fall over. You can try keeping TV in such a table where edges are elevated and can prevent it from toppling.
First Aid Kit and Stock of Foods
Once you are done with a safer plan for your house or even your workplace, itīs time you prepare a first aid kit box and keep it at an accessible place. You will also be needing food stock for at least 2-3 days and make sure you change the foods at regular intervals. Foods packed in air tight packet or box should be used for purpose, as they are less susceptible to rotting.
First Aid Kit:
1. Adhesive bandage of different sizes
2. Disposable Gloves
3. Scissors and tweezers
4. Antibiotic Towel and Antibiotic ointment to stop infection
5. Soap and dettol, a type of antiseptic liquid
6. Sterile Eye Wash
7. Antacid, Saline and Paracetamol
8. Thermometer
9. Torch
Food:
1. Water Supply, 2-4 liters a person per day
2. Canned Food
3. Foods should be changed regularly after every two months at best.
4. Foods should be kept at an easily accessible place
Other Essentials:
1. Radio(as emergency instructions might be aired)
2. Pencil batteries
3. Sharp blades or multipurpose knives
4. Heavy shoes(so that feet does not get hurt by debris)
5. Regular gloves for rescue operation
6. Cell phone
7. Candles and matches or lighter
8. Feminine supplies
9. Extra Clothes
10. Ropes, hammers, screw drivers and shovels.
11. Plastic bag or polythene(for water and food protection and waste disposal)
And when it strikes
i) If you are inside
On sensing earthquake, you must move away from window and other objects that can fall as listed above and take shelter under a strong table. Cover your head with hand to protect it from falling debris and also protect your eyes. You can use a pillow for this purpose.
Once the earthquake has started, Iīd strongly suggest not to try to run out of the building because as that time falling debris or other objects might fall on your head and cause serious injury.
If you are in kitchen, then you should know kitchen is the most dangerous place during an earthquake. In such a situation, you must turn off the furnace and move out of the kitchen as it might catch fire due to gas leakage.
Once the earthquake has stopped, donīt run out of the building as debris can still be falling. Besides, a major earthquake can be followed by a few aftershocks.
ii) If you are outside
If you are outside, move away from building, electric poles and trees. You can lie down on the ground and get your hand over your head to shield it from falling debris or tree.
If you are in a vehicle, instruct the driver or drive the vehicle calmly to a stop, get out of it and take the safest possible position.
After the nightmare
Firstly, if you are injured, ask for help. If you are not, then check if others are injured and try to help them out.
Secondly, try to guess the condition of the building. If itīs fragile, get out of it and take position in another building which is still in good form or open field.
Thirdly, the kitchen. If you can smell any gas or sense any other anomaly, turn off the gas, open the windows and get out of the building. When concerned professionals are available, contact them and get it repaired. Never ignite anything in the kitchen as it might cause the kitchen to be on fire.
Fourthly, electricity connection. If you see any spark or smell burnt wire, turn off the electricity at the main power switch or the main fuse box. Unplug the major electric appliances to avoid possible damages to the appliances when electricity gets back.
Lastly, donīt use the phone unless itīs urgent. You may be blocking the network for someone who really needs to use the phone for an emergency.
Miscellaneous
Keep a copy of all certificates and important documents in a fireproof locker or in the bank. Itīs better if few copies are kept in multiple places. Always carry the key to that locker wherever you go.
Itīs essential to keep a small amount of money scattered in many easily accessible places. Trust me, they might come handy.
You can tell a friend or relative who lives in a different district to call you and come forward with help whenever thereīs an earthquake and vice versa. And donīt forget about your neighbors. Discuss with them how you can be helped and conversely they can be helped by you during an earthquake.
Lastly, Practice, practice and practice. Practice makes a man perfect. Practice with your family about how to take your position and thereby save your life. Learn to think in a way, "What would I do if it happens right here and now?" This attitude forms the basis of survival skills in cases of all disasters and earthquake is no doubt one of them.
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