Earthquake preparation and safety
On Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, a 3.8-magnitude earthquake disturbed the Buffalo area. People who felt the impact of this quake reported nothing more than a small shaking that quickly dissipated. Also on Feb. 6, there was a far more devastating earthquake that hit parts of Turkey and Syria with a measured magnitude of 7.8. This earthquake had extremely detrimental impacts on these areas with the death toll crossing over the 34,000 mark, according to CNN.
With the recent earthquakes, I think it would be beneficial to go over some basic readiness steps that could help you and your family in the event of one of these terrifying natural disasters.
The top suggestion I have for you is to create a disaster kit. According to Ready.gov, there are several things that you should include in a kit, for example: water, flashlights, first aid kits, a whistle to signal others, and a battery-operated radio. Of course, there are other things that you should consider putting in your kit like medications (both prescription and over-the-counter), pet supplies, menstrual products, a sleeping bag, or activities to occupy small children depending on your circumstances. Having a kit like this will take some of the stress off of you in the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, because you will not have to stress about finding necessities in the immediate aftermath.
New York as a whole doesn’t see many earthquakes, so there can also be confusion as to what you should do during the earthquake itself. According to ShakeOut.org, most injuries and deaths occur as a result of falling objects; they say that at the first sign of an earthquake you should drop, cover, and hold. This means that when you feel an earthquake or get a notification that one is coming you should drop to the floor as you are able and crawl to a safe area. Safe areas include underneath sturdy tables or furniture or being next to a wall if there is no furniture in the vicinity. Once in your safe location you should protect your head by any means possible. It is also important to be away from windows to avoid injuries from glass. Not all earthquakes are strong enough to break glass or cause falling debris, but it is important that you take these safety measures just in case, regardless of the magnitude of the quake.
According to Ready.gov/Earthquakes you should do the following in these special circumstances: “If you are in a car, pull over and stop. Set your parking brake. If you are in bed, turn face down and cover your head and neck with a pillow. If you are outdoors, stay outdoors away from buildings. If you are inside, stay and do not run outside and avoid doorways.”
After an earthquake it is very important to remember that there may be aftershocks, which refers to the shaking that can occur after an earthquake has already taken place. Britannica also states that aftershocks are likely to occur 30 minutes to a couple days after the initial shock. It is important to be hypervigilant in time following the initial disaster to ensure your safety.
One final note I have for you on earthquake preparedness is to secure your large furniture items such as refrigerators and water heaters to prevent them from causing damage or injury to both your house and self. It is also a good idea to be mindful of what and how you hang items on your walls so they have a smaller risk of falling during an earthquake.
While it may seem like knowing this information is semi-pointless as New York is not a state that frequently experiences earthquakes, the more you are prepared for these disasters the less likely you are to be blindsided if or when something like this were to occur. While preparation does not always guarantee your survival, there is no harm in being prepared. While New York only experienced a quake a small fraction of the magnitude as the one in Syria and Turkey, we should all take this opportunity to prepare and educate ourselves on earthquake preparation.
