So this morning I was having a discussion with my boss when all of the sudden my desk moves to the left and then to the right and it wasn't no baby move, it was like a huge shift!!!! Then the entire floor, as in the entire 4th floor (the top floor) of my building started shaking and swaying back and forth. It took us about 15 secs to realize what was going on and my boss told me to get up and get in the the door frame. Everyone was hugging their door frame and little Emily was under her desk.
The whole thing lasted under a minute but I was freaked out!!! I have experienced a few small quakes in the past but never one like this. My building is on rollers and boy, did we have a good shake! It ain't fun rolling back and forth and knowing you are a couple stories up in the air! Luckily, 5.4 wasn't big enough to knock a lot of stuff off the walls (except a picture frame in my boss' office). I was already frightened that the walls were moving. Not sure if I could take falling items on top of that. I certainly wouldn't want to be at work for something bigger! But at least I know this place is on rollars which I am told is supposed to be a good thing because it means your building is built for earthquakes.
After the 45 second hoopla, I spoke to Brian and he too felt the quake in Burbank. The cell phones lines were tied up but luckily he called my office and we connected. It's scary to feel the earth shake and not be with the person you love most. We both immediately thought about our house and all the Knick Knacks (dishes in the kitchen and the room of picture frames) and the big screen TV!
I was so paramoid I drove home to check on my lunch break...luckily only one picture frame had fallen off my display case in the dining room to the hardwood floor. It was in tack when I found it. I walked around the house and looked at all the stuff that could have fallen down and I think I need to rearrange some stuff or buy this putty stuff and put things in place.
This whole thing has also made me want to reconfirm my emergency plans like having enough water in stock, etc. Luckily, this wasn't a bad one. But it was enough shaking to make me want to be prepared going forward. Brian and I had already put in place a meeting place should something bad happen to LA. But I think I need to work on earthquaking my house and having enough stuff in stock just in case.
I was watching "Design Star" last night and the final challenge was in New Orleans. Those poor people are still waiting to get homes three years later. I won't get started on how much Bush sucks but watching those families last night and then rolling around this morning in the air made me realize something bad could happen in my city so I need to be prepared.
One thing I did learn as I was driving home to check my house is that it is not good to stand in the door frame anymore. I guess the door can swing in and hit you either killing you or seriously hurting you.
Read this story for more.
Earthquake Safety! - a must read
Is this ever an eye opener. Directly opposite of what we've been taught
over the years! I can remember in school being told to, "duck and cover"
or stand in a doorway during an earthquake. This guy's findings is
absolutely amazing. I hope we all remember his survival method if we are
ever in an earthquake!! !
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 anearthquake.
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 two years. 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.
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 b abies often naturally curl up in the foetal
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 feotal 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 the building).
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 their
vehicles. 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 not compact.
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 Real TV.
The whole thing lasted under a minute but I was freaked out!!! I have experienced a few small quakes in the past but never one like this. My building is on rollers and boy, did we have a good shake! It ain't fun rolling back and forth and knowing you are a couple stories up in the air! Luckily, 5.4 wasn't big enough to knock a lot of stuff off the walls (except a picture frame in my boss' office). I was already frightened that the walls were moving. Not sure if I could take falling items on top of that. I certainly wouldn't want to be at work for something bigger! But at least I know this place is on rollars which I am told is supposed to be a good thing because it means your building is built for earthquakes.
After the 45 second hoopla, I spoke to Brian and he too felt the quake in Burbank. The cell phones lines were tied up but luckily he called my office and we connected. It's scary to feel the earth shake and not be with the person you love most. We both immediately thought about our house and all the Knick Knacks (dishes in the kitchen and the room of picture frames) and the big screen TV!
I was so paramoid I drove home to check on my lunch break...luckily only one picture frame had fallen off my display case in the dining room to the hardwood floor. It was in tack when I found it. I walked around the house and looked at all the stuff that could have fallen down and I think I need to rearrange some stuff or buy this putty stuff and put things in place.
This whole thing has also made me want to reconfirm my emergency plans like having enough water in stock, etc. Luckily, this wasn't a bad one. But it was enough shaking to make me want to be prepared going forward. Brian and I had already put in place a meeting place should something bad happen to LA. But I think I need to work on earthquaking my house and having enough stuff in stock just in case.
I was watching "Design Star" last night and the final challenge was in New Orleans. Those poor people are still waiting to get homes three years later. I won't get started on how much Bush sucks but watching those families last night and then rolling around this morning in the air made me realize something bad could happen in my city so I need to be prepared.
One thing I did learn as I was driving home to check my house is that it is not good to stand in the door frame anymore. I guess the door can swing in and hit you either killing you or seriously hurting you.
Read this story for more.
Earthquake Safety! - a must read
Is this ever an eye opener. Directly opposite of what we've been taught
over the years! I can remember in school being told to, "duck and cover"
or stand in a doorway during an earthquake. This guy's findings is
absolutely amazing. I hope we all remember his survival method if we are
ever in an earthquake!! !
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 anearthquake.
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 two years. 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.
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 b abies often naturally curl up in the foetal
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 feotal 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 the building).
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 their
vehicles. 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 not compact.
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 Real TV.
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