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Prepare for the Natural DisasterBefore the next big earthquake we recommend these four steps that will make you, your family, or your workplace better prepared to survive and recover quickly.
- Secure your place by identifying hazards and securing moveable items. Plan to be safe by creating a disaster plan and deciding how you will communicate in an energy. - Organise disaster supplies in convenient locations - Minimise financial hardship by organising important documents, strengthening your property and considering insurance. - Look around places where you spend time. Identify safe places such as under a sturdy piece of furniture or against an interior wall in your home, office or school so that when the shaking starts, you Drop to the ground, Cover your head and neck with your arms, and if a safer place is nearby, crawl to it and Hold On. - Before an earthquake occurs, secure items that could fall and cause injuries (e.g., bookshelves, mirrors, light fixtures). - Store critical supplies (e.g., water, medication) and documents. - Plan how you will communicate with family members, including multiple methods by making a family emergency communication plan. - When choosing your home or business, check if the building is earthquake resistant per local building codes. - Work with your community to be prepared. If there aren't given civic groups present in your area focused on earthquake preparedness, work on putting one together. The first step in keeping everyone safe is education. - Practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” - To react quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake. |
Action Plan:
Stay calm. By calming yourself down, there will be a better chance that you will be able to see how much damage was done and help others. Take cover If you are inside a building: - Stay inside - Move underneath a sturdy table, desk or bed and stay there - Stay away from windows - Protect your head and face with any available material If you are outdoor - Stay outside - Move away from tall buildings and trees - Stay away from power lines - Proceed to an open area (if possible) If you are in a vehicle - Pull over and stop - Remain clear of tall buildings and trees - Stay in your vehicle as it will provide some protection from falling debris Earthquake science and the technology of monitoring systems to alert devices and people are both used for sending out early warnings. The advance of seconds to minutes can allow both people and systems to take actions to protect life and property from the shaking. A few seconds of warning can allow actions such as: Public - Citizens (including children) to go under cover - Safely stop vehicles Business - Move to safe locations - Automated systems ensure elevators door open to get out - Production lines are turned off - Sensitive equipment are placed in safe mode |
Respond During Disaster
Messages of alerts could pop up onto every device that was in that area of where the earthquake is happening. Such as the user of ShakeAlert receiving a message like this on the screen of his computer which alerts the user to how many seconds before the shaking wave arrive at their location. Medical services - Surgeons, dentists and others stop procedures Emergency responders - Open firehouse doors Power infrastructure - Protect power stations from shaking |
Responding After Earthquakes
There are many important ways that Chile should respond to after an earthquake. Earthquakes can occur in Chile at any time. Citizens should plan and practice what to do in the event of an earthquake in order to properly respond before, during, and after the shaking begins. Chile must:
There are many important ways that Chile should respond to after an earthquake. Earthquakes can occur in Chile at any time. Citizens should plan and practice what to do in the event of an earthquake in order to properly respond before, during, and after the shaking begins. Chile must:
- Provide immediate First Aid within the first few hours. This has been shown to save a significant number of lives. This is best provided by local doctors, nurses and other community members trained in First Aid. This includes:
- Establishing Field Hospitals within the first week after the earthquake.
- Addressing the needs of those with chronic illnesses or on medications.
- Surveillance to prevent disease outbreaks should be carried out.
- Proper identification and management of dead bodies. This needs to be done by the appropriate authorities and must not be rushed. They need to wear protective equipment and be given psychological support.
- Provide mental health and psychological for the people affected by the earthquake. This should be provided by experienced personnel through existing community structures and support groups. Community members and volunteers could be trained to provide this.
- Establish and maintain contact amongst family members especially for children, the elderly or injured people. This can be done by phone or internet or through radio.
- Have a plan for adequate water distribution and storage as the supply of clean water can be disrupted during an earthquake.
- Appropriate sanitation e.g. building of trenches or equipment for storage, transport & disposal of excreta.
- Appropriate distribution for food.
- A damage assessment needs to be done to assess the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
- Regular and ongoing needs assessment need to be performed to ascertain where people are and what their needs are and what service are available to them. This can be done with the use of radio to communicate messages and the setting up of toll free help lines.
- Emergency shelter needs to be organised. This can include tents and tarpaulin sheets; providing kits to help households repair damage to their houses if possible; relocation with host families and supplying cash grants or vouchers for repair technical guidance and support should be provided wherever needed.
- Managing the clearance of of debris by:
- Salvaging parts of collapse structures that can be reused .
- Paying people to clear the rubble.
- Filling of sites on which new structures are to be built.
- Maintaining law and order especially in urban settings (cities) to prevent looting from shops and businesses.