Earthquake Safety Tips for Children and Adults

Earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis - disasters lurk on every continent and in any weather. Throughout the years more and more focus has been placed on techniques for surviving such catastrophes. We’ve learned to run to a basement or low land should a tornado strike and we’ve also learned more now about earthquake safety in recent years. Some things we were previously taught about earthquake survival has since been updated to totally different precautions.

Formerly many people were taught to believe that you should stand in a doorway during an earthquake, but not true, say the experts. Should the ceiling collapse onto the door frame you’ll be crushed. The same goes for hiding under heavy objects. No matter how heavy the object it can likely be crushed by the weight of the building’s ceiling and roof. Many people have been found dead following an earthquake because they hid under a desk, table, or other seemingly heavy object.

The floor of a building is the best place to be when you find yourself indoors during an earthquake. That’s because, as the ceiling and roof crumble and fall, they flatten heavy objects until they are compact. There is generally an area, between the place where they collapse stopped, and the floor, where a person can survive. To some rescue workers, this space is known as the “triangle of life” or the “triangle of survival”. Lying next to a heavy object - not under it - will strengthen your chances of survival.

Not only is it important to lie next to a heavy object during an earthquake but you should also curl into a fetal position. The less space you take up the less likely you are to be injured. The fetal position is a natural response, for most animals, when faced with a sudden catastrophe.