Earthquake safety Safety + Health

As a longtime California resident, Mimi Gatins has seen her share of earthquakes. However, none of them felt or looked quite like the ones that woke her up early on August 24, 2014.

“It appears to have been going on for several minutes, in fact, it was about 25 seconds,” Gatens said. “It's really like a freight train passing through your house.”

Thousands of earthquakes occur annually in the United States, according to data from the National Earthquake Information Center of the Geological Society of America. The vast majority of them are between 2.0 and 3.9 magnitude, strong enough to be noticed, but unlikely to cause major damage. On average, about five to 10 earthquakes a year in the United States register magnitude 6.0 or greater — and the one Gatins witnessed was a magnitude 6.0 event.

Although most buildings are built to withstand earthquakes, there are still a lot of risks. Earthquakes have killed more than 140 people in the United States over the past three decades. Two of those events were particularly deadly: a 6.9 magnitude earthquake in September 1989 south of San Francisco that killed 63 people. In January 1994, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck Northridge, California, killing 60 people.

Unlike other natural disasters, earthquakes often occur without warning, and no one knows where or when the next major earthquake will strike.

“Half the population of the United States is exposed to shaking at some level, according to the National Seismic Hazard Maps,” said Jason Balman, a communications specialist at the Southern California Earthquake Center. “The best thing you can do ahead of time is to practice how to stay safe when shaking occurs.”

Millions of Americans have helped prepare themselves for earthquakes by participating annually in the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill. The annual training event – held in several regions of the country, including the Midwest and Southeast – reinforces the SEC's focus on “Low, Cover and Resilient” during an earthquake.

“This means that when you feel shaking, you get down on your hands and knees, find cover under a desk or sturdy table, and hold on until the shaking stops,” Balman said. “If you find yourself in a situation where you don't have a sturdy table or desk, you want to try to find an inside corner of the room if you're inside. If you're outside, you want to try to find a place that's away from trees, power lines, or anything else that could It falls on you.

There is a common myth that people can protect themselves by standing in the doorway.

“The problem with the entrance is when you feel strong tremors, you try to protect yourself from falling and flying objects,” Balman said. “Going into the hallway actually exposes you more to those.”

When the ground stops shaking, wait at least one minute before exiting due to the possibility of an aftershock or larger mainshock. Breathe the air for evidence of fire or other hazards. Get up from under the desk or table, but do so very carefully. The floor could be covered in broken glass and other sharp objects that have been thrown around the room.

To help prevent loose items from falling during an earthquake, Gatens suggests people purchase earthquake putty to attach display items to walls and shelves.

“Stuff falls, but the crazy thing is that it falls, and then it gets put in a martini shaker, and the whole thing gets shaken up and thrown around whatever building or ground it's on,” Gatens said. “It's crazy when it's over and you see where it all went.”

Gatins has practiced earthquake drills since she was a child. She now works as marketing director for Trefethen Family Vineyards, where they hold a monthly safety meeting.

The 2014 earthquake that struck Napa, California, severely damaged the historic Trefethen Winery, built in 1886 — and coincidentally, in the same year, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake destroyed much of Charleston, South Carolina, which remains the largest earthquake It hits the southeast.

Gatens offers sound advice for those who may one day experience an earthquake.

“The most important thing is to stay calm and move safely,” Gatens said. “You definitely don't want to run outside, especially if you're in an area with tall buildings. You want to stay inside and keep calm. And hold on.”

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos