Earthquake prep tips
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2024 9:15 pm
Earthquake prep tips
by Jonathan Hewitt
Forgive me for the long message but it might just be helpful one day. Having been through 3/11 and missing the Kobe quake of 1995 by a couple of weeks, the Nankai quake yesterday reminded me that a little preparation goes a long way. This is not intended to be a comprehensive but just provide food for thought especially for those who are relatively new. Hope you find them useful and feel absolutely free to ask any questions!
The Emergency Medical Number is 119
First things first: Take a deep breath!
So what will happen in the event of a major earthquake?
1 The ground around you will shake (a lot);
2 Mobile phone services will be out in around 10 mins (internet communication may still work: FB Call, Line Call, What’sApp Call etc);
3 Roads will be log-jammed in a few minutes. If you’re on the highway they may not let you off, train stations will not let you out until the external facades are declared safe;
4 Hotels will fill quickly and you may have to share a room;
5 Trains will stop until tracks have been confirmed safe (possibly next day);
6 There may be tsunami; coast lines and river valleys will see the main effect;
7 There will be aftershocks and these may continue for several weeks, but they will eventually fade.
Home Preparation
1 Prepare your house / apartment and relocate anything over the bed such as heavy pictures, re-arrange furniture so it will fall away from you;
2 Identify safety zones in the house especially for the kids;
3 Prepare an earthquake bag including water, rain-poncho, some clothing, a stack of 10 yen coins as pay phones will probably still work funnily enough;
4 Check the school evacuation policy, (do you pick the kids up, are they released to come home on their own, is it ok for a friend to pick them up?) (Note: YIS has a buddy system with the local community for students who can’t make it home);
5 Know where your gas meter is. In a severe earthquake there’s a safety trip which will cut the gas automatically. The reset button is the small red one next to the meter;
6 InterFM will probably be broadcasting updates in English;
7 Ensure you have an Earthquake alarm on your phone, there’s a lot you can do with a few seconds warning, you’d be surprised;
8 If you live, or are vacationing near the coast, know your route to high ground and run;
At work
1 Act quickly;
2 Try to stay in the office unless there’s a concern the building is no longer safe. FYI the highest concern is falling glass;
3 Keep a pair of comfortable shoes under your desk. Walking home in heels or leather soled shoes will become painful very quickly;
4 IT: Create an email account that includes all staff including temps, you may need to send “All Staff" communications over the next few days
5 If senior level, your teams will be watching for guidance. They’ll need your reassurance;
6 Know the route how to walk home, if you always travel by Metro, you may not know;
7 The first items to go in Combini will be battery powered phone chargers, good idea to keep one in your desk draw;
8 And finally, to paraphrase FDR: When your neighbour's house is on fire, you lend them your bucket. Help where you safely can.
by Jonathan Hewitt
Forgive me for the long message but it might just be helpful one day. Having been through 3/11 and missing the Kobe quake of 1995 by a couple of weeks, the Nankai quake yesterday reminded me that a little preparation goes a long way. This is not intended to be a comprehensive but just provide food for thought especially for those who are relatively new. Hope you find them useful and feel absolutely free to ask any questions!
The Emergency Medical Number is 119
First things first: Take a deep breath!
So what will happen in the event of a major earthquake?
1 The ground around you will shake (a lot);
2 Mobile phone services will be out in around 10 mins (internet communication may still work: FB Call, Line Call, What’sApp Call etc);
3 Roads will be log-jammed in a few minutes. If you’re on the highway they may not let you off, train stations will not let you out until the external facades are declared safe;
4 Hotels will fill quickly and you may have to share a room;
5 Trains will stop until tracks have been confirmed safe (possibly next day);
6 There may be tsunami; coast lines and river valleys will see the main effect;
7 There will be aftershocks and these may continue for several weeks, but they will eventually fade.
Home Preparation
1 Prepare your house / apartment and relocate anything over the bed such as heavy pictures, re-arrange furniture so it will fall away from you;
2 Identify safety zones in the house especially for the kids;
3 Prepare an earthquake bag including water, rain-poncho, some clothing, a stack of 10 yen coins as pay phones will probably still work funnily enough;
4 Check the school evacuation policy, (do you pick the kids up, are they released to come home on their own, is it ok for a friend to pick them up?) (Note: YIS has a buddy system with the local community for students who can’t make it home);
5 Know where your gas meter is. In a severe earthquake there’s a safety trip which will cut the gas automatically. The reset button is the small red one next to the meter;
6 InterFM will probably be broadcasting updates in English;
7 Ensure you have an Earthquake alarm on your phone, there’s a lot you can do with a few seconds warning, you’d be surprised;
8 If you live, or are vacationing near the coast, know your route to high ground and run;
At work
1 Act quickly;
2 Try to stay in the office unless there’s a concern the building is no longer safe. FYI the highest concern is falling glass;
3 Keep a pair of comfortable shoes under your desk. Walking home in heels or leather soled shoes will become painful very quickly;
4 IT: Create an email account that includes all staff including temps, you may need to send “All Staff" communications over the next few days
5 If senior level, your teams will be watching for guidance. They’ll need your reassurance;
6 Know the route how to walk home, if you always travel by Metro, you may not know;
7 The first items to go in Combini will be battery powered phone chargers, good idea to keep one in your desk draw;
8 And finally, to paraphrase FDR: When your neighbour's house is on fire, you lend them your bucket. Help where you safely can.