I just attended a seminar on emergency preparedness. This is especially important for those of us in public service, because if something happens, our families will have to deal with most of the issues on their own because we’ll have to respond for work.
As I was listening, I couldn’t help but think how myths and lessons learned could offer interesting twists for stories with natural disasters. Of course I will post a public service announcement at the bottom so you have the most current information for the real life that goes on around you while you are writing.
MYTH: I think most of us have heard that you are suppose to get to a doorway during an earthquake.
FACT: Doorways are hard to hold on to, the doors swing open and closed, and not everyone can recognize which doors are in a load bearing wall, especially in renovated buildings.
MYTH: You should run out of buildings during an earthquake
FACT: One-third of injuries occur when people try to run during the shake.
So what should you do? DROP, COVER & HOLD. Get under desk or table, lay on floor along bottom of your couch, between church pew…anything that is BENEATH, BESIDE OR BETWEEN something heavy that will protect your neck.
Please take the time to prepare emergency kits – they will serve for any kind of disaster – flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.
Seattle Office of Emergency Management and FEMA both have good planning suggestions on their sites.
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