[KYHAM] KEN Training for July 8: Earthquakes, Hazard Proofing

[Ron Dodson]

Last week we talked about getting your family ready for an
earthquake or other disaster.  This week much of what we
will do are merely common sense tasks which will go far in
earthquake proofing your home and workplace. 

Let's look around a little first and see if we can spot the
hazard sites.  Items such as bookcases and water heaters can
fall over in earthquakes.  TV's computers and other
electronic devices can sail from their shelves and tables
creating a number of hazards, not to mention the costs of
later replacement of these damaged items.  Plants and other
items may fly from ceiling hooks in an earthquake to smash
into furniture and other items as well as unsuspecting
humans who happen to be in their paths.  All manner of
breakable objects line shelves, tables and other places in
our homes and job sites.  Stoves and other gas appliances
can move and have their rigid fuel lines snap in violent
earthquakes creating terrible fire hazards. Heavy pictures
and mirrors over beds can fall from their hangers onto
sleeping victims.  Cabinets can open during a quake,
unleashing havoc as their contents are spilled into rooms
and hallways.  Masonry chimneys can break and fall through
unsupported roofs onto the occupants below.

As bad as this may sound most problems are fairly easy and
inexpensively taken care of with a trip or two to the local
department or hardware store.  Bookcases can be mounted to
walls with lag bolts to keep them upright.  Water heaters
can be fastened to the wall with plumbers tape to prevent
their overturning.  TV's, computers and other devices can be
secured to tables with Velcro and poster putty which can be
removed later with a minimum of mess.  Ceiling hooks can
have tape crossed over them to help their cargos stay put. 
Breakables can be kept in place with either a shelf edging
or even rubber cement.  Rigid supply lines on stoves and
other appliances can be replaced with reinforced flexible
lines that will move  more freely without severing.  The
easiest way to handle the problem of heavy items of beds is
to simply move the to other locations and reinforce them
with some poster putty to their reverse side.  Small hooks
can keep cabinet and closet doors closed and their contents
contained.  Roofs can be reinforced with plywood and 2 x 4
timbers in the attic to prevent collapse from chimney
failure or other flying objects.  With as few dollars and a
little work on your part you have just reduced your chances
of being injured in an earthquake to a large degree.   Next
week we will discuss what to do during and after an
earthquake.