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For those of you who didn't grow up in earthquake country, some tips: DO NOT get into a doorway, that's a myth. It's not a terrible place to be if it's a door

For those of you who didn't grow up in earthquake country, some tips: DO NOT get into a doorway, that's a myth. It's not a terrible place to be if it's a doorless frame, but if there is a door, it's more likely you get injured from the door smacking you than the earthquake. DO get under a strong table. That's the safest place to be in a quake if it happens when you are indoors. If you're outside get as far away from trees and power lines as possible (and glass), but if the ground is shaking too hard to maintain balance, stay in place. Again, you're more likely to get injured falling down than from whatever may be nearby. If you're inside and not near a table, at the very least cover your head if possible and move away from bookcases and other tall or top heavy objects. Also, if you did feel it, please help the USGS study earthquakes by filling out a Did You Feel it survey: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000ma74/dyfi/intensity https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000ma74...

duxup 3y ago
I suppose depending on the structure and the individual's inclination strong table might be a good call. But in my single family home situation it really doesn't take more than a few seconds and I can be out the door provided I'm not knocked off my feet entirely type situation.
- nostrademons 3y ago
  Being out the door is usually riskier than being inside a wood-frame SFH. You're exposed to falling trees, branches, power lines, and roof debris, as well as unsecured cars or other loose items. Wood-framed 1-2 story SFHs almost never collapse in an earthquake; the wood can bend to absorb the shock, and there's a lot of redundancy in the studs, and not a whole lot of weight on floors above you.
  - duxup 3y ago
    I guess I'm fortunate / unfortunate that my outdoors ... doesn't have a lot of that. It might be interesting to somehow determine earthquake injuries / ability to get in or outdoors and measure the real risk from actual events.
- sensanaty 3y ago
  You really shouldn't run out the door during and immediately after (as in, as soon as it seems to have stopped) large earthquakes. The building, structurally, will most likely be fine (unless it's a truly massive one in an area that doesn't get massive earthquakes normally), however the facade and whatever else is on the outside of the building probably won't be. Think roof shingles, billboards, windows, planter boxes, trees, powerlines, antennae... Plus you'd be surprised how hard it is to even stand straight during particularly strong quakes yet alone walk/run, there's no possible description I can give to explain adequately how strange it is to feel the ground underneath your feet shaking violently, especially in buildings.
nostrademons 3y ago
The standard advice now taught in California schools is "Duck, cover, hold." Basically everything that parent poster said, but in a pithy 3-word aphorism you're more likely to remember.
- dylan604 3y ago
  Sure, but at some point, you have to be told what "duck, cover, hold" actually means. Your comment as the first comment someone hears is like a news article using acronyms throughout the article without ever expanding the acronym.
  - throwup238 3y ago
    It’s the first thing we teach new arrivals to California along with “stop, drop, and toll” and what real Mexican food tastes like.
    - alexb_ 3y ago
      > “stop, drop, and toll” In California, even saving yourself from being on fire is taxed.
      - coolspot 3y ago
        Guys, calm down, it is actually an ok pun joke. “Toll”, get it?
        alexb_ 3y ago
        I didn't think this would get hate rofl
        throwup238 3y ago
        I don’t know why you got downvoted. I liked the joke! I guess my fellow Californians can be a little touchy about taxes.
aerojoe23 3y ago
You forgot the advice of "don't run outside from a building." In the US, most buildings are going to be fine structurally; however, the facade of the building or glass, etc., may fall off. In other parts of the world, it'll depend on the local building codes and their enforcement.
- rob74 3y ago
  The scaffolding-covered sidewalks in front of many buildings in NYC are a good reminder of that actually. I wouldn't trust the scaffolding to protect me if major parts of a building were to fall off in an earthquake however...
deleted 3y ago
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duxup 3y ago

I suppose depending on the structure and the individual's inclination strong table might be a good call. But in my single family home situation it really doesn't take more than a few seconds and I can be out the door provided I'm not knocked off my feet entirely type situation.

nostrademons 3y ago
Being out the door is usually riskier than being inside a wood-frame SFH. You're exposed to falling trees, branches, power lines, and roof debris, as well as unsecured cars or other loose items. Wood-framed 1-2 story SFHs almost never collapse in an earthquake; the wood can bend to absorb the shock, and there's a lot of redundancy in the studs, and not a whole lot of weight on floors above you.
- duxup 3y ago
  I guess I'm fortunate / unfortunate that my outdoors ... doesn't have a lot of that. It might be interesting to somehow determine earthquake injuries / ability to get in or outdoors and measure the real risk from actual events.
sensanaty 3y ago
You really shouldn't run out the door during and immediately after (as in, as soon as it seems to have stopped) large earthquakes. The building, structurally, will most likely be fine (unless it's a truly massive one in an area that doesn't get massive earthquakes normally), however the facade and whatever else is on the outside of the building probably won't be. Think roof shingles, billboards, windows, planter boxes, trees, powerlines, antennae... Plus you'd be surprised how hard it is to even stand straight during particularly strong quakes yet alone walk/run, there's no possible description I can give to explain adequately how strange it is to feel the ground underneath your feet shaking violently, especially in buildings.

nostrademons 3y ago

The standard advice now taught in California schools is "Duck, cover, hold." Basically everything that parent poster said, but in a pithy 3-word aphorism you're more likely to remember.

dylan604 3y ago
Sure, but at some point, you have to be told what "duck, cover, hold" actually means. Your comment as the first comment someone hears is like a news article using acronyms throughout the article without ever expanding the acronym.
- throwup238 3y ago
  It’s the first thing we teach new arrivals to California along with “stop, drop, and toll” and what real Mexican food tastes like.
  - alexb_ 3y ago
    > “stop, drop, and toll” In California, even saving yourself from being on fire is taxed.
    - coolspot 3y ago
      Guys, calm down, it is actually an ok pun joke. “Toll”, get it?
      - alexb_ 3y ago
        I didn't think this would get hate rofl
        throwup238 3y ago
        I don’t know why you got downvoted. I liked the joke! I guess my fellow Californians can be a little touchy about taxes.

aerojoe23 3y ago

You forgot the advice of "don't run outside from a building." In the US, most buildings are going to be fine structurally; however, the facade of the building or glass, etc., may fall off. In other parts of the world, it'll depend on the local building codes and their enforcement.

rob74 3y ago
The scaffolding-covered sidewalks in front of many buildings in NYC are a good reminder of that actually. I wouldn't trust the scaffolding to protect me if major parts of a building were to fall off in an earthquake however...

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]