Earthquakes pose significant risks and dangers to modern communities and can easily cause widespread destruction and loss of human life. To prevent that from happening, it is essential to be fully aware of earthquake safety protocols and to educate your children about them.
Below, we’re going to shed light on the importance of educating yourself and your children about earthquakes and earthquake safety. We’ll also mention several important tips and guidelines that can save lives in the event of an earthquake.
Read on to learn more about the importance of seismic safety in schools and how we can ensure the safety of our children.
Understanding Earthquakes And Earthquake Safety
Before teaching your children the basics of earthquake safety protocols, it’s important to familiarize yourself with them first. This involves understanding how earthquakes occur, the risks and dangers they pose to human life, and the factors that determine the amount of destruction caused.
Besides learning about the basics of earthquakes, it is also important to educate yourself about the fundamentals of earthquake safety, especially the “drop, cover, and hold” technique. Other key practices include seeking open areas away from houses and buildings and staying informed about any further seismic activity.
Preparing For Earthquakes Effectively
Once you are fully aware of the essentials of earthquake safety, you should put this knowledge to practical use. Start by establishing safe spots in your school/home that could provide shelter and protection during an earthquake. Moreover, you can make an evacuation plan for your building, put together an emergency first aid kit, and get basic first aid or CPR training.
The next step is to establish communication mechanisms that will allow you to stay up to date on any seismic activity. This includes setting up USGS’s Earthquake Notification Service on your device and getting in touch with neighbors.
Earthquake Safety Tips
Below, we list down some critical, life-saving earthquake safety tips everybody should know about:
- In the event of an earthquake, practice the “drop, cover, and hold” technique if you are indoors
- Move away from any dangerous items such as wires, glass, and bookshelves, that can hurt you
- Remember to cover your mouth if debris is falling to prevent the contamination of your airways
- If you can move safely, try to get outdoors to open space as quickly as you can
- If you’re driving, immediately slow down, stop, and stay put in an open area
Educating Children About Earthquakes
After you have learned about the basics of earthquake safety and know what to do in case one occurs, teach children around you what you know.
Educating children about earthquake safety can be done in a plethora of ways. If you are a teacher, you can conduct earthquake drills and teach important safety tips via visual aids or catchy slogans.
In addition to that, you can conduct seminars or workshops to educate schoolchildren about earthquakes, the dangers they pose, and the importance of safety tips and guidelines.
If you want to make your home safer and more earthquake-resistant, check out Seismic Safety’s website. The company serves many areas in Southern California and offers services such as:
- Seismic retrofit
- Earthquake brace bolt installation
- Foundation building
- Foundation Repair