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An Earthquake Safety Plan Can Spell The Difference Between Life And Death
Natural disasters are not easy on anyone. All of us still reel from the after effects of the disaster that struck New Orleans. But typhoons and tornadoes are one thing while earthquakes are an altogether different thing. And knowing how to create a plan for earthquake safety can often spell the difference between life and death.
Earthquake safety begins with the kind of terrain on which the structures – whether they are homes or office areas – are built. While there is very little that most of us can do about the terrain on which the house is built, we can keep it in mind when the actual construction is happening. For instance, if we are aware of the fact that the house is built on a fault line, we can ensure that adequate precautions are taken.
When one talks about earthquake safety, the first place that comes to mind is Japan. The Japanese have for long battled earthquakes. And there are several valuable lessons for the rest of us, based on their experiences. It would not be wrong to say that the Japanese are pioneers in earthquake safety.
One of the earliest lessons they learnt about earthquake safety was the relation between earthquakes and fires. Since most of Japanese construction is based on bamboo, wood and paper, they are especially prone to being struck by earthquakes. While the earthquake itself does not harm these materials, it is the fire that comes afterwards that causes the maximum damage.
Coming back to the essentials of good design to ensure earthquake safety, it is also important to keep in mind the fact that the overall design of the house or structure needs to be flexible enough to absorb minor shocks. While conventionally one would think that larger, heavier building materials would give the house stability, in earthquake areas, it is not the case. Because, in such cases, the heavier the materials, the more damage they are likely to cause by falling on objects or even people.
Finally, important earthquake safety depends a whole lot on the preparedness of the residents themselves. It would be a good idea to prepare an earthquake safety kit. This kit could contain essentials like first aid elements, basic clothing, some pre-packaged food and nourishment and some emergency cash and other basic resources. This will ensure that even if all else is lost, the residents at least have enough to pick themselves up and keep going. At least till they find some alternative means that is!
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