Shake your world!

By Doreen Marion Gee

Are you ready for the Big One? On October 18 at 10:18 am. 2011, people across the province "Dropped, Covered and Held On" in the Great British Columbia Shake Out! Last year, over 530,000 vigilant citizens in B.C. and 12.5 million people worldwide registered in a global strategy to learn how to survive an earthquake anytime, anywhere.

Here on Vancouver Island, we live in a tenuous and precarious paradise! Living in an earthquake zone, we never know when our lives will be shattered by the ferocity of Mother Nature. "Rock my world" takes on a whole new meaning. For each of us, it is smart self-care to be prepared for the worst - it could save our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

The purpose of the Great British Columbia Shakedown is for individuals, families and organizations to be prepared for an earthquake and to practice the drills and steps for surviving an earthquake before it happens - in order to protect themselves and preserve their lives and minimize hurt and injury when it happens. (See www.shakeoutbc.ca for ways to get involved in the drills.)

The Great BC Shake Out website informs us of the importance of how well we survive after the disaster hits: "What we do now will determine our quality of life after our next big earthquake. Are you prepared to survive and recover quickly?" The protocols around earthquake survival have drastically changed. For instance, "standing in a doorway" is no longer considered an option. That door frame could collapse. Here is the latest thinking: Do not move at all and protect yourself from airborne objects at all costs.

The research guides us: "The main point is to try not to move and immediately protect yourself as best as possible where you are. Earthquakes occur without any warning and may be so violent that you cannot run or crawl; you will most likely be knocked to the ground wherever you happen to be. You will never know if the initial jolt will turn out to be start of the big one. You should Drop, Cover, and Hold On immediately! In addition, studies of injuries and deaths caused by earthquakes in the U.S. over the last several decades indicate you are much more likely to be injured by falling or flying objects (TVs, lamps, glass, bookcases, etc.) than to die in a collapsed building. Drop, Cover, and Hold On offers the best overall level of protection in most situations. As with anything, practice makes perfect. To be ready to protect yourself, practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On as children do in school at least once a year" ()

The new international mantra: "Official rescue teams who have been dispatched to the scene of disasters around the world continue to advocate use of the internationally recognized "Drop, Cover and Hold On" protocol to protect lives during earthquakes: DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!); take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops. If there isn't a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building. Do not try to run to another room just to get under a table."

The story has changed about surviving earthquakes. The experts are telling us to trust our instincts of self-preservation. An earthquake is no time for ego. It is no time to be a hero - that could kill you.