WAYS TO PROTECT PEOPLE DURING EARTHQUAKE

 The “Drop, Cover and Hold” methods  are the best ways to protect yourself during an earthquake.

 If you are inside during an earthquake, pick out a sturdy table or desk nearest to you and hold on to it until the shaking stops. If you are in a lecture hall, put your head near your knees and protect your head and neck. Stay away from any windows, hanging objects, tall furniture or cabinets. If you are in bed when an earthquake occurs, stay in your bed and cover your head with a pillow until the shaking stops. Before getting out of bed, look for broken glass or anything that may be hazardous to your feet.  

‘If you find yourself outside, move to an open area clear of power lines, trees, buildings or anything that could possibly become a hazard. If you are near the coast and an earthquake lasts for more than 20 seconds, evacuate inland at least two miles from the coast or to higher ground at least 100 feet high.

Once the shaking has stopped, check to see if you or your roommates, co-workers or families are all okay. If you are trapped by fallen objects or are stuck underneath debris, cover your mouth, nose and eyes from dust. Signal for help by using a cell phone, whistle or tapping on objects as emergency crews will be listening. Check for damage in your apartment, office or dorm, and put out any small fires that may occur. If there is any electrical damage in your building, power may be cut off, so avoid using elevators or other electronic equipment. 

If an earthquake happens and there is no possibility of escaping by getting out the door or window, it is advised to lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or table. If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed, a safe void will exist around the bed.

During earthquake, it is very dangerous to stay under or near doorway, a doorway and the doorjamb can fall forward or backward and a person can easily get crushed by the ceiling above and if the door jamb falls sideways then a person will be cut in half by the doorway. So nobody should stay near the near.

Never go to the stairs during the earthquake. The stairs swing separately from the main part of the building and continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. Therefore people can easily chopped up by the stair treads. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. Stairs should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged. 

If you’re inside your vehicle, urgently get out of it. People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; people could easily be survived by getting out and lying in the fetal position next to their vehicles.