Ten tips for Earthquake Safety

This is interesting and makes a lot of sense. >>>> Earthquake Safety Tip -
This is totally different than what we >>>> were>>>> told:>>>> Please read this and pass the info along to your family members; it>>>> could save their lives someday!>>>>>>>>

EXTRACT FROM DOUG COPP'S ARTICLE ON THE: "TRIANGLE OF LIFE">>>>>>>> My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of>>>> the American Rescue Team International (ARTI), the world's most >>>> experienced rescue team.
The information in this article will save >>>> lives in an earthquake.>>>>>>>>

I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue >>>> teams from 60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries,>>>> and I am a member of many rescue teams from many countries.>>>>>>>>>>>> I was the United Nations expert in Disaster Mitigation for twoyears.>>>> I have worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985, >>>> except for simultaneous disasters. The first building I ever >>>> crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the 1985 >>>> earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was crushed>>>> to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying >>>> down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene, unnecessary>>>> and I wondered why the children were not in the aisles.>>>> I didn't at the time know that the children were told to hide under>>>> something.>>>>>>>> Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings >>>> falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects,>>>> leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what I call the>>>> "triangle of life".>>>> The>>>> larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less>>>> the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the >>>> probability that the person who is using this void for safety will >>>> not be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on >>>> television, count the "triangles" you see formed. They are >>>> everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a >>>> collapsed building.>>>>>>>>

TEN TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY>>>>>>>>
1) Most everyone who simply "ducks and covers" WHEN BUILDINGS >>>> COLLAPSE are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like >>>> desks or cars, are crushed.>>>>>>>>
2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal >>>> position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural >>>> safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get >>>> next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object >>>> that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.>>>>>>>>
3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in >>>> during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of >>>> the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large >>>> survival voids are created.>>>> Also,>>>> the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick >>>> buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many>>>> injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.>>>>>>>>
4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, >>>> simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. >>>> Hotels can achieve a>>>>>>>> much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign>>>> on The back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down>>>> on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.>>>>>>>>
5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting>>>> out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal >>>> position next to a sofa, or large chair.>>>>>>>>
6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse >>>> is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls>>>> forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If >>>> the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway.>>>> In either case, you will be killed!>>>>>>>>
7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different "moment of >>>> frequency" (they swing separately from the main part of thebuilding).>>>> The stairs and>>>> remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until >>>> structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on>>>> stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - >>>> horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay >>>> away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building >>>> to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the >>>> earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing >>>> people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the >>>> rest of the building is not damaged.>>>>>>>>
8) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If >>>> Possible>>>> - It>>>> is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than >>>> the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter>>>> of the building the greater the probability that your escape route >>>> will be blocked.>>>>>>>>
9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above >>>> falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly>>>> what happened>>>>>>>> with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims>>>> of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of theirvehicles.>>>> They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting >>>> out and>>>>>>>> sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have>>>> survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or >>>> lie next to them.>>>> All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for>>>> the cars that had columns fall directly across them.>>>>>>>>
10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper >>>> offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does notcompact.>>>> Large voids>>>> are found surrounding stacks of paper.>>>>
Spread the word and save someone's life... The Entire world is >>>> experiencing natural calamities so be prepared!>>>>>>>>
"We are but angels with one wing, it takes two to fly" In 1996 we >>>> made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct. >>>> The Turkish Federal Government, City of Istanbul , University of >>>> Istanbul Case Productions and ARTI cooperated to film this >>>> practical, scientific test. We collapsed a school and a home with >>>> 20 mannequins inside. Ten mannequins did "duck and cover," and ten >>>> mannequins I used in my "triangle of life">>>> survival method. After the simulated earthquake collapse we >>>> crawled through the rubble and entered the building to film and >>>> document the results.>>>> The>>>> film, in which I practiced my survival techniques under directly >>>> observable, scientific conditions, relevant to>>>>>>>> building collapse, showed there would have been zero percent >>>> survival for those doing duck and cover.>>>>>>>> There would likely have been 100 percent survivability for people >>>> using my method of the "triangle of life." This film has been seen >>>> by millions of>>>>>>>> viewers on television in Turkey and the rest of Europe, and it was >>>> seen in the USA , Canada and Latin America on the TV program RealTV.