Earthquakes & kiddo prepping

Top 3 most likely disasters to prepare for in Anchorage:

#3 - Extreme Winter Weather

#2 - Wildfire

#1 - Earthquakes

#3 - After surviving the record breaking snow fall, coupled with some crazy extreme temperatures that stayed in the negative teens and 20s for a week at a time last winter, I feel like "extreme winter weather" is not out of the normal anymore for us.  Even tonight, lows are dipping into the negative teens and temps will only be warming up to zero for the next few days.  Mother Nature has certainly turned us into winter snow bunnies up here in Alaska.

#2 - I'm happy to report that we have no ordeals with this disaster thanks to plenty of wet summer weather and now wet winter weather.  Hopefully, Mother Nature is not saving this one for another time either.

#1 - Although I have felt a few "small" earthquakes while living up here (ie: 4s on the Richter scale), today's earthquake, at 4:42 pm, stopped me in my tracks.
Official reading was 5.8 on the Richter scale and the epicenter was 27 miles W of Anchorage.
The kids and I were shopping in the BX... the toy section specifically... when the ground beneath my feet and the shelves holding all those Christmas toys began to shake.  It only lasted long enough for me to realize what was happening & then quickly call out Thomas, Abby and Marilyn's name as they gazed at toys a short distance down the isle from me.  But never the less, it was another wake up call that disaster can strike - anytime, anyplace.  Not only that, but disaster that 1) I've never experienced and 2) is more than likely going to occur in a big way somewhere here in Alaska very soon.  Let's review:

Scientists have long recognized that Alaska has more earthquakes than any other region of the United States (far more than even CA) and is, in fact, one of the most seismically active areas of the world. The second largest earthquake ever recorded shook the heart of southern Alaska on March 27th, 1964.  Anchorage was devastated.

The largest strike-slip earthquake in North America in almost 150 years occurred on the Denali Fault in central Alaska on November 3rd, 2002. “Great” earthquakes (larger than magnitude 8) have rocked the state on an average of once every 13 years since 1900. It is only a matter of time before another major earthquake will impact a large number of Alaskans.

 

 

Two weeks ago I attended a required training for some of the volunteer work I do on base - the topic happened to be about disasters - specially earthquakes.  On that day, and again today, I was both in awe & denial of what we should be doing to be prepared for such a disaster.  To give some examples:

Before an Earthquake strikes:

• Prepare a disaster supply kit - at home, at work, and for your car... NONE of these are done.
• Secure bookcases, file cabinets, pictures, mirrors, etc. to walls. Include hot water heaters and other appliances, which could move and rupture gas or electrical lines... NONE of these are done.
• Know where to locate switches and how to turn off home gas, electricity and water... #2 & #3 I can do... gas I would need to depend on Brian.
• Develop a family plan for disasters ... we have talked briefly about "what ifs" but that is the extent.
• Practice earthquake safety drills... Thomas does at school & we have discussed what to do & where to go while we are in the house.
• Be able to take care of yourself and your family for 5 to 7 days after a disaster, before emergency services may be able to reach you... I know we are NOT ready to do this.
• Know basic first aid... thank god both of us can do this.
• Know emergency phone numbers... we have these easily accessible.
• Know how to open and close an automatic garage door manually... I just need a refresher from Brian on this.

I know I need to get with it and prepare a disaster kit... just like we needed to for hurricanes down in the Florida Panhandle.  It was simple... be prepared, just in case it should happen and you need it.  So meanwhile, I wanted to make sure that the kids knew what they should do if we were at home and an earthquake happened.

1st.... DROP - COVER – HOLD ON.  Take cover under a heavy desk or against an inside wall away from glass and falling objects. We talked about if they are upstairs, get under the kitchen table.  If they are downstairs, get under the picnic table or my desk table in the playroom (but they must be together)!  And just as important, we talked about if they are in one place of the house and Brian and/or I am in the other place.  They must not come to us... stay put and covered.  Despite it being scary, we talked about what would happen if they ran up or down the stairs trying to get to us and the walls and floors were shaking, and worse yet, possibly collapsing.  I know, I know... scary business.  But, I'm really proud of them talking through it with me and coming up with a plan.

2nd...COUNTING.  We practiced counting to sixty seconds while under the table tonight.  Most earthquakes do not last that long, and it will help the kids (and me) to keep calm when a real earthquake strikes.  Even Abby and Marilyn got the idea that they had to stay "hidden" and count until the all clear was given.  I'm just hoping that we will never, ever have to experience a "real or great" earthquake.