Earthquake: Necessary Citizen Response

Proper citizen response requires that you are prepared before the earthquake, know what to do during an earthquake, and finally what actions to take once the earthquake is over. Thus, we have decided the necessary citizen response into the following three parts.

Before an earthquake

You should have a definite state of preparedness, especially if you are located in a city or town situated on a fault line (i.e. San Francisco and Tokyo). This essentially entails:

  1. Preparing an emergency plan for your household or office floor which details which secure location to take refuge.
  2. Taking a first aid course, especially one including CPR, or cardio pulmonary resuscitation, techniques.
  3. Shying away from having too many windows in an office building or home; glass is easily shattered.
  4. Gaining familiarity with the external natural gas and utilities regulators in your house so in case of an earthquake, you are able to ensure basic needs can be met.
  5. Making a stockpile of batteries, food, water, flashlights and bedding in the situation that power and running water are stopped.

During an earthquake

During an earthquake, you should follow the following guidelines, depending on your location:

If you are...

Inside
Stay in your building and take cover under a very sturdy piece of furniture. Avoid doorway and cover your head and face.
In a hotel
Keep your shoes, ID and money near you in the event that you might have to seek help afterwards. Stay in your room and do NOT use an elevator.
Outdoors
Move to a location away from windows and power-lines and poles.
In a Vehicle
Pull over to a safe, flat area. Stay away from bridges or overpasses.
In a shopping complex or store
Take cover away from shopping items, as they can fall on top of you. Make sure to cover your head and chest by kneeling down.
In school
Immediately get under a table and place your hands over your head and tuck your head towards your body. Stay away from windows. Besure to follow your professor's advice.

After an earthquake

After an earthquake, you should make sure to check your utilities to ensure you can meet basic electric and water needs. If these are not working, try to immediately contact your utility provider and ascertain when service will be reinstated. Then, check to see there was no interior damage to your building (i.e. personal objects that were toppled and broke into shards upon impact). Afterwards, check for external structural damage. If you notice any foundation tilting or off-kilter arrangements, immediately call for emergency services, as the building is in danger of collapsing.

Sources Consulted

Sources