by California Casualty | Safety |
Today, an 8.9-magnitude quake struck Japan, causing widespread devastation and setting off a chain of tsunamis that are affecting coastlines as far away as California. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those whose lives have been turned upside-down by this historic disaster.
When things like this occur – it’s important that we remind ourselves of steps to take in the face of disaster.
Earthquake safety is all about preparedness. We found a list of 7 Steps to Earthquake Safety, and wanted to share them with you here:
– Identify hazards such as heavy items that aren’t secured, and repair them
– Create a disaster plan
– Prepare disaster kits that contain first aid items and fresh water
– Identify building weaknesses and repair them
– Drop, Cover, and Hold on
– After an earthquake, check for injuries and damage
– Follow your disaster plan
We encourage you to read the full description of the steps here.
We also recently posted a guide to flood safety, which can be important in the aftermath of a tsunami. Follow the link to read.
by California Casualty | Educators, Safety |
In many areas, a major safety concern is the ongoing threat of earthquakes. While they can’t be avoided, it is possible to take steps to mitigate the damage from these occurrences.
As part of our commitment to educators, I want to share an interesting webinar offered by the Applied Technology Council. This webinar will provide more information on steps that can be taken to improve the earthquake safety of schools. It may be a little too scientific for some, but I thought it would be of interest to some folks out there!
Here’s more info:
Numerous school buildings located in multiple States and U.S. territories are vulnerable to earthquake losses and damage. This includes potential:
• Death and injury of students, teachers, and staff
• Damage to or collapse of buildings
• Damage and loss of furnishings, equipment, and building contents
• Disruption of educational programs and school operations
• Inability of the community to use schools as temporary shelters
At this webinar, you will learn the following:
• How to assess and analyze your earthquake risks
• How to develop an actionable plan to reduce and manage earthquake risks
• How to initiate an earthquake risk reduction plan for existing school buildings that were not designed and constructed to meet modern building codes
• How to secure “non-structural” elements of the school facility
• How to apply “incremental seismic rehabilitation” to protect buildings and ensure occupant safety
• Why “incremental seismic rehabilitation” is an affordable alternative for school safety
