How to Survive an Earthquake

　Doug Copp is the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI), the world's most experienced rescue team.Here are a few tips from his article called "The Triangle of Life," that just may save your life.

This is information that I have never heard of on surviving an earthquake. I really have not thought much about earthquake survival living in Indiana. Floods effect certain areas in Indiana but our biggest concern is that of tornadoes. Earthquakes are not something that we have much concern with. Maybe we should be concerned about earthquakes. There are more natural disasters effecting all parts of the world now than any other time in my life time. We have felt tremors before and didn't even know what was going on until hearing about it on the news.

Places like California are always concerned about earthquakes. Hoosiers rarely think about the possiblity of an earthquake here. We never know when we may need it. I always heard that if you are in an earthquake that you should stand in a doorway or get under a piece of furniture for safety. According to Mr. Copp who has served in over 60 countries on rescue teams this is the most dangerous thing that you can do.

He crawled into a school in Mexico City in the earthquake of 1985 to find all the children crushed to death under their desks. They were using the duck and cover method for safety during an earthquake. Next to their desks there were triangles of safety. When you duck and cover under a desk or any other large object it will crush you to death. You should lie next to the object.

If you are in bed you should roll out of bed and lie next to it in a fetal position. Next to the bed there will be a triangle of safety. If you are inside and can not get out of your house or building lie close to a sofa, chair or piece of furniture. Do not lie under anything for protection or you will be crushed to death.

Never get on the stairs. People who have been on stairways get killed and mutilated by the stairs. If you are in a building that has been in an earthquake don't try to escape by the stairs. They will most likely collapse and kill you if you try to escape by going down the stairs.

The safest place during an earthquake is outside. Try to lie next to a car or close to the outer perimeters of a wall. If you are in a car, get out and lie next to it. There will be a triangle of safety next to it. People in cars during earthquakes are crushed to death.

In a film that has been viewed in Turkey, Europe and in the United States the results of a demonstration by Mr. Copp's team showed the results of the duck and cover and the triangle of safety methods of earthquake survival.

100% of the duck and cover mannequins were crushed to death and 100% of the ones using the triangle of safety techniques survived. When an object is crushed it creates a void next to it. Look at photos where there has been an earthquake, notice the triangles of space around the objects that has been collapsed. These are the safest places for you to be.

Wooden structures are much safer than cement structures. Cement structures will most likely crush you to death. Wooden structures are more flexible and not as heavy as concrete or brick structures.

No one likes to think of the possibility of an earthquake but knowledge is power. I am glad that I have this information in case I or anyone else that I know and love may need it.

Homeland Security Defense Coalition

Linked In

Dangerous Teachings: Potential Liability for Martial Arts Instructors
www.Homeland-Security-College.org
A National Security Organization
Office: (585) 266-4832 Cell: (585) 472-0820 http://www.linkedin.com/in/drrichardhoyerwww.mararts.org/articles/art006.htm