What Are Three Things You Should Do During An Earthquake?

Earthquakes are unnerving, to say the least because there’s no hiding and running from it and not stopping it. Many, if not most, people would panic because earthquakes are formidable forces of nature! Fortunately, some steps can be done to increase your chances of making it out alive.

What are the three things you should do during an earthquake? You have to stay calm, immediately drop, cover, and hold. You have to assess the situation for possible exit points, among others.

A Must Read: What Are The Best Mountain House Meals?

Read on and find out more details about these steps. You will agree that it may well save your life and that of others. 

Stay Calm During The Earthquake

Of course, an earthquake will take you by surprise! Earthquakes, after all, aren’t like hurricanes and typhoons that can be predicted days in advance. But it doesn’t mean that you can go into panic mode as soon as you feel the earth move.

Instead, you have to stay calm as much as possible! You will then be able to walk calmly to wherever you can shelter in place. You should never run during an earthquake because with the ground moving violently, you’re likely to fall, slide or trip.

You will have a difficult time staying calm, obviously, but it’s something that must be done. You can take deep breaths while you’re sheltering in place to maintain steady breathing. You can focus on what needs to be done afterward so you can subdue your fight-or-flight response. 

Drop, Cover and Hold

If you’re indoors when an earthquake hits, you should do the drop, cover, and hold routine. It is true whether you are in an upstairs or downstairs room and a low-rise or high-rise building. You should never walk and run outside since there’s an increased risk of falling debris.  

• Wherever you may be, find a sturdy place to shelter in, such as under a table or open cabinet. You should drop onto your hands and knees and crawl into the shelter, if available. It is the drop part of the safety plan.


• Protect your neck and head by covering with one arm even when you are sheltering under a table. You don’t want these sensitive parts of your body to be injured. You have to keep your wits, and it includes keeping your head and neck free of serious injuries.


• Hold one leg of the desk or table you’re hiding under if you’re sheltering in place. If you’re not in a shelter, you should hold your head and neck with both arms.

You should stay away from windows, outside doors and walls and glass during an earthquake, too. If you can, you should not be in the kitchen. If you’re in bed, you can protect your head and neck with a large pillow. But move away from the bed if it’s near or below a heavy light fixture.

Plan Your Next Step

Earthquakes last for just several seconds, although it may seem like an eternity. During this time, you should ideally think about your next step once it’s over. You can look around to assess the situation, look for the nearest and safest exit, and bring your emergency kit.

Conclusion

Earthquakes are serious phenomena that demand your utmost presence of mind! You can’t go off the deep end since your life depends on your ability to do the three abovementioned things.