This Saturday is April 18th, the 108th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires. It’s a time when we reflect on the earthquake risk in the Bay Area and do some public service announcements to get folks to prepare.
Too bad you’re not listening.
Yes, I’m talking to YOU! You know that being informed, making a kit, and making a plan is what you should be doing. But since we both know you’re not going to do it, let me give you some more realistic advice about earthquakes.
Here's the good news. You really don't need to worry about earthquakes. Here's why:
- You’re not going to die. The odds of you dying in an earthquake are actually pretty low, given our building codes. However, you’ll probably be injured because you forgot about non-structural hazards like heavy mirrors, filing cabinets, lamp fixtures, and such. You’ll probably be standing in a doorway or looking for a void spot rather than doing duck, cover, and hold. Either that or you’ll forget to keep shoes and a flashlight by your bed and hurt yourself in the dark walking over broken stuff. Where’s that first aid kit when you need it?
- You’re not going to starve to death. It takes about two weeks for the average person to begin to starve to death. Of course, if you have medical issues that require you to eat regularly, start raiding your pantry and hope you’ve got enough on hand until feeding stations get set up. And don’t expect haute cuisine and large portions when they are.
- You’re not going to die of thirst. Water is your most serious concern – you’ve got about three days before things start getting really bad. Stress and fear will also make your feel extremely thirsty. Fortunately, every home comes with a 30 to 50 gallon supply of water in your water heater. Wait – you did strap it down as required by the building code and you do know how to isolate it from contamination (shutting it off from the main supply), right? No? Then you’re going to get real thirsty until water distribution begins.
- You’re not going to be alone. People are at their best in a disaster. You will be helped by people you never expected to be helpful. Neighbors will help neighbors and total strangers will volunteer services and resources. And, criticize it all you like, but we have the best response system in the world. There will be mistakes and screw-ups and it will take time to organize but help will come. It’s too bad you won’t be able to help out because you’ll be a victim, not a volunteer.
Is this getting through to you? You don’t have to do a whole lot. Don’t want a kit? No problem. Don’t build one. Don’t want to do formal planning? Fine. But at least educate yourself on earthquake safety, learn how to shut off your utilities, and make sure your home is safe. Just doing these three things can mean the difference between being a victim and being a survivor.
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