At 10:21am on October 21, 2010 Shakeout is going down

mommy

 

Sad, that huge compaign and they show the people under a table, one of the worst places to be. For those that don't know, DON'T stay under an object like a table or doorway. While that is what we were all taught when we were kids, anything that is going to bring pieces of the roof down will also likey bring the entire structure down and crush the table AND YOU. Your best bet is laying NEXT TO an object like a strong chair, table, or couch. You may still be hit with falling material but you will at least have a chance to survive due to the cavity formed (the falling material will likely create what could be compared to a pup tent and you will be inside the open space, not crushed under a table).

Very good point.

Oh, BTW I saw a Mexican high school building - a very nice looking modern multistory building - 'pancake' layer on layer in
a late 80s quake.  The kids lived and got out - because the stories were held up and "not fully pancakded" by rows upon
rows of steel-legged school desks.

-Bill

   LOL!  It's my wife and I  21st anniversary and I told her that I have a "big" surprise for her.  She does not know it yet but a mock quake drill .

I had to take part in this on campus today - Holy crap are a lot of people going to die on my campus should a massive earthquake hit lol

I was in awe <read: Horror> at the lack of preparedness of the faculty, and in one case, the utter incompetence of one faculty member in regards to safe areas. She was trying to corral her class AND mine right next to a building with an overhang easily 12 feet, and in the direct path of a faculty parking lot exitway *facepalms* I'm not kidding I literally went on like a 10 minute rant to my actual Instructor which highlighted my growing lack of faith in the strategic plan as the drill went on. What made matters worse, was that he agreed with me but did nothing.

Don't you think that if it's heavy enough to collapse a table, it's enough you crush YOU? Lay NEXT to a table? Really? California believe it or not has some of the strictest earthquake codes, buildings, AND furniture.
I saw something like this on the discovery channel by some so called genius, who obviously had never been in an earthquake. his other advise was to RUN outside.

You CANNOT run during an earthquake, let alone look for a place to hide. Hiding under steel or thick wood table IS the best choice, I'm sorry to say, and how many couches do you think you can fit under?

Doorways, also, are structurally stronger than most parts of a building. That genius's excuse you MIGHT get hit by the door. ouch. Big freaking deal. I'll take a hit by a door in order to avoid a falling roof.

Aaaaaannnnndddddd..... 40 minutes later, there really was a big earthquake... just down in mehico...

I am sorry you didn't take the time to read what I had taken the time to type but some of what you say supports my personal theory. First, I said next to a couch, not under. You say CA has strict laws about furniture. I didn't know about this but at least these strict laws will mean that my couch will help obsorb some of the blow while I lay flat on the ground next to it Ya, the couch will get crushed but I won't be under it and the triangle it creates might provide me enough room to survive.

Yes, Ca has some strict laws on building codes and assuming you are in a newer home, IF a quake big enough to bring down your house hits, that fancy table you bought at your local furniture store isn't going to save you. Maybe a custom all wood table might but I have no faith in my dining room table let alone cheap computer desk. It is fact that searchers will look first in these "triangles of life" that I tried to describe. I wonder why that is? Also fact that since so many people have faith in our building codes that they still teach people to get under something. Again, I simply contend that if the quake is big enough to bring down the building, you have bigger problems. Yes we all know doorways have big headers and extra 2x4s (why they are called 2x4s I still don't get) but again, if your house can't support its roof, do you think that doorway is going to protect you? I actually have more faith getting under a steel desk in a third world country because those building are NOT built has heavy duty as ours. They will come down easier but there is often times less bulk so that small steel school desk will have a better chance at supporting the pieces that are falling around you.

I do believe (just my own personal twisted imagination) the experts stick to the "under the desk thing" because, again, they are relying on our great construction. But, since the our buildings in the states don't collapse very often, how much data do we really have? Of course our data shows getting under something works becuase buildings don't come crashing down on people to kill them. Granted I haven't taken the time to research the data, but I wonder where the experts get their facts from?

At the end of the day we all have to make a decision how to best protect ourselves. I have my why and you have yours, on that we just have to agree.

The main reason I am saying what I'm saying, is because this is a California forum, Granted, in other states or countries, there are big differences (like Haiti). My home was built in the 60's, and my previous address was built in the 30's. Both have survived with very minimal damage after several quakes. I have much more faith in cali homes - minus homes built in the 80's, because of damage that I have witnessed (like Northridge). I have been through several quakes,  and growing up in SoCal, the desk thing was invented because the grade school desks were very well built of steel/wood.
I understand your point of view, that modern cheap particle board furniture will not hold up; which is why I invested in oak furniture. I hate particle board, precisely for that reason. I'm always on the lookout, like a 'what if' an earthquake struck, where to go.
Ultimately, it's common sense. I'd go to a doorway if I was at work in a hallway. I'd slide under my desk if I was in my room. Things like that.

The only thing that really bothers me, is people (not you) who will say what to do in a  quake, who have never experienced one (like the scientist on the discovery channel) "just run outside". duh.

And, yes, I misunderstood the couch thing, but even some newer couches are built of particle wood and will fall apart (my old couch for example).

Even the cheapest of furniture will create a "pocket" next to it. How large the pocket will depend on the size and strength of the item. Remember that in a house, the interior doorways and walls, will probably not fall straight down, depending on it's positioning and how/where the walls and doorways meet, they may do a sideways scissor kinda thing. (that'd hurt)
The "run outside" would be laughable if it weren't so deadly. Even if you could run during an earthquake, what about power lines, trees, street lights and any number of big ass things that could crush you. Hell, walking between to parked cars during a big one could jack you up. FWI, I always keep my shoes, shirt and a pair of pants next to my bed. I have a lot of sliding glass doors.