Once you hear ‘Haiti, Chile and Japan’, what thing or event comes to your mind? If your answer is earthquake, you’re absolutely right. Those countries were hit by disastrous earthquakes. Earthquake is one of the scariest and deadliest disasters in the world. But the thing is earthquake can’t predict when and where it will happen. For us to save our lives, we should know the safety tips we need to do during and after an earthquake. But before we discuss it, lets us know about earthquake.
Scientifically, earthquake is trembling or shaking of earth’s crust. There are two types of earthquake: the tectonic and volcanic earthquake. Volcanic earthquake is easy to locate because it occurs when there is a volcanic eruption while tectonic is hard to locate. Tectonic earthquake always occurs if the area is in a fault, a crack in the earth’s crust. Unfortunately, this type of earthquake is sometimes strong that can damage properties and even it can take our lives. Until now, no device or equipment can predict when and where will be the next place to target by an earthquake. The only chance to make sure that we will survive during and after an earthquake is preparation. We need to make plans to survive.
Do you want to know the safety tips we need to know to keep alive? We bring you the ‘Ten Safety Tips for Earthquake’. Follow these instructions to stay alive.
10. Make sure that electricity and gas are off before evacuation.
After an earthquake, fire is always there. To make sure that you want to secure your house from fire, you need to do actions that will prevent scenarios that lead to fire. If you found out that there are electrical appliances that are plug in, you need to unplug it. Also, make sure that the gas tank is off. If we leave the home with plugged appliances and the gas is on, your house is very risk in fire. If better, you must switch off the main switch of your electrical supply to make sure that your house is safe. If you follow these, you may now leave your house.
9. Work together on rescue and first aid.
Injuries and trap in a building are always scenarios after an earthquake. If you know that you are safe and you can help other to rescue or you have an idea in performing first aid, you are allow. You are a big help to the rescuers! Your cooperation in searching and rescuing can decrease the work of the rescuer and also you can also save lives. How about if you are trap in an establishment or you are injured and you need help? Make a noise so the rescuers will help you. Also, you must follow the instructions given by the rescuers. It is for your sake. Cooperate with them to make your life in safe.
8. Make sure that your family and neighbours are safe.
If you are sure that you are safe, check your surroundings and observe your family and neighbours. Did they need a rescue or a first aid? Don’t be selfish when the earthquake occurs. Your responsibility is also making sure that the people around you are safe. If they are not safe, find someone that can help you to save him or give first aid. Wait until the rescuers come and help your family and neighbours. Helping others means that you are concern to others life and you want to make them save. Help them even they are our enemy. If you can’t help, call the rescuers so they will be in-charge in helping the person.
7. Get the right information and take the right action.
In order to be safe, first you must need to do is to know all the information regarding to the calamity. But what information do we need to do to know? There are lots of things you need to know for you to be prepares and to be safe. You must know the things you need to bring, where are the place you should avoid and if the authorities give instructions especially in evacuation plan, you need to obey. One more important thing is stay watch to the news. Why? There are advisories that we need to know such as tsunami warnings and landslide alerts. If we take the right action according to the information you collected, your life with your accompaniment will be on safe.
6. Stay away from fires and tsunami.
Fires are always common in earthquake. Because of the electrical wiring or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), it may cause fires or even explosions. What do we need to do? During earthquake, the thing that automatic you do is to find a place wherein you can seek. Make sure that the pace you will seek is far away from LPGs or plug. It may explode that will burn you. When the earthquake stops, you must find a place that is away from electrical wires. Sometimes, the partner of earthquake is tsunami such as what happen to Japan. In case that we heard news that there is a tsunami coming, what do need to do? Evacuate yourself to a higher place so you will not injure or die.
5. Keep away from gateposts and walls.
If you will leave the building or you are in outside when the earthquake happens, avoid walls and gateposts. Why? Those areas can collapse, also those areas with higher building. Avoid them. One of the reasons why many people died after an earthquake is they buried in a collapsed building or walls. Don’t ever think that walls are safe. It may lead you to death. Go to an open place that is free from collapse things. How about if I buried in a collapse building or walls? Instead of using your voice in calling a rescue, find objects that can create sounds and noise especially objects that are made up of metals.
4. Make sure that you have ways out such as open doors and windows.
In terms that the earthquake ended, you must leave the establishment. So before the earthquake occurs, you must know how you can go out. If you planning to build a house, you must also include your plan are the exits in terms of earthquake. It is better if your doors are slightly wide. Why? In case that you have visitors at your house then an earthquake hits your place, you and your visitors can go out safely. How about if you in a building? What do we need to do? Mostly, establishments have an exit plans. Why don’t you take a look and observe it? Be familiar about the building. So in case the earthquake occurs, you now know how to get out on that place.
3. Keep calm and don’t panic.
Authorities always remind us that if a calamity occurs such as earthquake, don’t panic. Never panic if it is happens and stay calm. Why? Our body, if we are in panic, releases adrenaline hormone. This will make our body move fast but also make our mind didn’t focus on the things that we need to do. Panic may cause injuries to you or to others. Keep calm in case that the ground shakes. It will help you to stay focus on the things that you need to do. Also, it will avoid accidents due to the unnecessary movements. We remind again: don’t panic.
2. Keep calm and check all fire sources and put out fire quickly.
Just what we told in tip no. 6, you must avoid fires. Before you leave your house, don’t forget to check those things that can cause fires. Did the LPGs open? How about appliances? Did I make sure that all of them are unplugged? You must consider those things. Just what a simple proverb says,’ it is better to stole you ten times than your belongings were on fire’. It is true. But the question is ‘how about if my house was on fire?’ What action do we need to do? Instead of waiting for the fire trucks to come until the fire became larger, why don’t you take an immediate action? Before the fire became larger, try to put it out by water. It will avoid more damage to the properties.
1. Protect yourself first right an earthquake.
Our number one rule is to protect ourselves first. You cannot help others if you are in danger. How can we protect ourselves? First is early preparation. You need to prepare and plan for you to know what I need to do. Second is you must have presence of mind. You cannot think properly if you are absent-minded. Maybe it will cause you to danger. Last is to follow safely precautions. These ten tips that are stated here will help you to be safe, you and your family. If we follow this, one thing is sure; you are possible to survive to this dangerous calamity.
All of us want to live longer. We don’t want to die. Unfortunately, thousands of people died because of calamities such as earthquake. These ten safety tips will help you to survive and continue our lives. But just what we told earlier, earthquake never predict. The best way to do is early preparation. We need to be prepared. We hope that you will follow these tips for you to be safe.
