MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY SAFE, BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES
What to do BEFORE an earthquake?
· Learn about Earthquakes, its causes and effects and talk about it with your friends and family, especially children, in a calm and composed manner.
· Keep a torch and portable transistor radio, at a handy place.
· Arrange your work place and house in such a way that it is possible to move more easily, keeping corridors clear of furniture and toys.
· Attach shelves, vases and flowerpots to the walls of your home.
· Place heavy or bulky objects on the floor or on the lowest shelves.
· Teach all members of your family how to turn off electricity, water and gas supply.
· Keep your important documents at a safe location, near the exit of your house, so that you can remove them in case of an emergency.
· Scan all important documents and email to yourself. You can take a print out later, if required and apply for duplicates.
· Learn First Aid, Fire Fighting, Search and Rescue.
· Join Civil Defence and Red Cross etc.
What to do DURING an earthquake?
If you are at home or inside a building.
· Do not panic. Keep calm and keep others calm.
· Do not rush to the doors or exits; don’t use lifts;
· Keep well away from windows, mirrors, chimneys and furniture.
· Protect yourself by staying under the lintel of an inner door, in the corner of a room, under a table or even under a bed.
· Practice Drop Cover and Hold.
If you are in the street:
· Walk towards an open place; in a calm and composed manner.
· Do not run and do not loiter around the streets
· Keep away from buildings, especially old and tall buildings, electricity wires, bridges, slopes and walls which may collapse.
If you are driving:
· Stop the vehicle away from bridges, flyovers, buildings, walls, slopes, electricity wires and cables and stay in the vehicle.
What to do AFTER an earthquake?
· Keep calm, switch on the radio and obey instructions given.
· Expect aftershocks and be prepared.
· Turn off water, gas and electric supply, if the building is damaged.
· Do not smoke and do not light matches or a lighter, do not turn on switches. There may be gas leaks or short-circuits.
· Use a torch.
· If there is fire, try to put it out. If you cannot, call the fire brigade. Call 101.
· If people are seriously injured, do not move them unless they are in danger.
· If you know that people have been buried, tell the rescue teams. Do not try to evacuate the injured unless you are trained. Remember Safety first.
· Avoid places where there are loose electric wires and don’t touch any metallic object in contact with them.
· Do not drink water from open containers without having examined and filtered it through a sieve, a filter or an ordinary clean cloth.
· Eat something. You will be more capable of helping others.
· If your home is badly damaged you should leave it.
· Collect important documents, water containers, food, medicines, before leaving the house.
· Do not re-enter badly damaged buildings and do not go near damaged structures.
· Do not believe in rumours.
Issued in public interest:
Aamir Ali, Deputy Chief Warden, Civil Defence, Srinagar and Executive Director/Secretary J&K State Social Welfare Board