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Great California Shakeout 10/21/10
The Big One is coming. Are you ready?
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Yes I am. I'm in Delaware for the week. When I get back I won't be prepared.
But that is by plan. If I prepare for an earthquake then no earthquake will happen. I want a big earthquake to happen so I'm locked in a battle of wills with the universe. |
What irks me is that I really don't know where I should hide during the earthquake itself. Instructions like this aren't helpful. The only piece of furniture I can get under in our place is the dining room table, but that is right next to our sliding glass windows. Should I hide there anyway? What about when I'm upstairs and nowhere near a table? Perhaps jump onto the bed? Since this says doorways aren't helpful at least I don't have to worry about that anymore. Doorways often have doors in them, which can flap around and whack you. Are hallways more structurally sound? Also, if Theo is down for a nap and if I'm in our bedroom, should I run down the hall past the stairway, or is it too possible to fall down the stairs?
Where's my friendly neighborhood door-to-door earthquake advice person? |
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I would think that during the shaking, you don't want to run anywhere. Stay put, somewhere, so that you don't get hurt. It'll stop in a second, then go where you need to.
I think specific information is less useful than a general guide that you use to look at your own home and determine your course of action. Prethinking, so that you have a clue where you want to be when we get a shaker. In our house, we can't get under the bed, so I'd get as close to the wall as I could. In the living room, no tables to get under, so again, close to the wall. I think a hallway is a decent choice in a quake- there's usually fewer items to fall on you, and one of the walls in the center of the house is probably a load-bearing wall. Bathrooms are probably good shelter places- smaller rooms, maybe more stable. |
The worst thing you can do in an earthquake is to move or run. I hope I'm in bed with the pugs, cats and Chris.
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I figure that, since our house survived the '33 quake ok, I'm not going to worry about it if I'm home when it happens.
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I would think if under the bed isn't possible, then huddled up next to it on the floor might be 2nd choice
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Depends on what is likely to fall on you- pictures? lamps? bookshelves? During the 1994 earthquake we had a tall floor lamp come down. Could have hurt us if it had fallen on us.
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I have heard that in a bed is pretty safe, but do not EVER go under a bed or any other furnature (the Duck & Cover under a school desk from the 50's was a bad idea). The best place is next to them. In the rubble of a damaged building, the survivors are next to things that held up chunks of buildings causing safe spaces.
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I'm still trying to find a credible agency to endorse the "Shout '**** Happens' and Enjoy the Ride" approach.
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But I'm not an agency and I am certainly not credible. |
Would it be wrong of me to hope for a major earthquake at like 9:00am on 10/21?
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I'm about 10 feet from the door and into a parking lot... but have to pass next to a large freestanding piece of furniture unless I jump over the reception desk thingy. Guess I'll have to duck and cover and then run later.
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Where? In DC? Yes, that would be wrong since I won't be there and would have missed it by only a day and a hundred miles.
In SF? That's fine for me, I'll pencil it in. |
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5 minutes!
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I'd better go pee and call someone.
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I didn't feel it.
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I of course meant the fake earthquake, not NA's pee.
Though I didn't feel that either. |
Me either. If one hits at work I'll die from all the crap* falling off the shelves in my office.
*And by crap I mean computers and monitors. Oh and the giant projection screen. |
We had our drill 30 minutes early. I supose that was meant to create some element of surprise after getting detailed evacuation instructions this morning.
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Do not panic.
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We had one lady who didn't get under her desk. Her excuse was that, in the event of a real earthquake, she would be running out the door in wild panic - screaming her lungs out; therefore she did not need to practice getting under her desk.
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Our building sent out an email warning that the city's sirens would be going off (normarlly they go off Tuesday's at noon). I didn't even hear them.
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