Surviving the initial event

[NorthernRaider]

Surviving the initial event
© NR 2013

When an incident occurs as it does all too often without warning your initial response and actions may decide if you live or die, remember the poor devils on the twin towers of the world trade center in New York who CHOSE to stay in the building rather than following their instincts and getting out whilst they still could because they listened to automated messages telling them to stay put. Indeed it is well documented that many people in the towers contacted the safety and security officers in the lobby to be told they were safer staying where they were, with the now historical tragic events.

Remember also the RMS Titanic who launched lifeboats that were only a quarter full. Life is full of stories of people ignoring their instincts and blindly following orders that led them to an early demise.

As preppers we tend to be that bit more switched on when it comes to dangerous incidents banjaxing us, but it never does any harm to do some risk assessments of our daily routine and commute and to plan a response in advance to the most likely incidents that will be waiting to ambush us. Assess your home / office and commute for its risk from flood, fire, storm, riot, terror attack etc and at least think about having a preplanned response available to deal with the most likely risks.

Quake
Get outside grab BOB on the way if safe to do so, move away from anything that could fall on you such as trees, street lights, buildings etc. Watch for gas lines and falling power cables, if your home survives the quake do NOT re-enter the premises until the gas and power has been isolated. If you can see plainly obvious structural damage then STAY OUT OF THE BUILDING. If you live on the coast or river delta move inland away from tsunami or flood surge learn from Fukushima and remember that high ground is not always enough, sometimes you need to head well inland as well to avoid the effects of a surge of water. Initiate family emergency plan.

Fire
Get outside grab BOB on the way if safe to do so, ensure all family is safe and accounted for. Move BOV away from home after calling Fire brigade, move family to BOL or place of safety. Remember smoke and poisonous gases kill more victims than the flames ever do.

Tsunami / flood surge
Grab BOB’s head for highest ground or tallest concrete structure, initiate family emergency plan. If your trapped can you rope your family together and improvise floatation aids, don’t ever try to cross a storm surge or flooded river the water will be full of deadly debris hidden under the surface just waiting to snare you. Open sided structures such as multi storey car parks are less likely to be demolished by surging flood water.

Terror Attack / Civil incident
Move away from center or incident, don’t go rubber necking, contact family and initiate family emergency plan, monitor media to assess threat as to find out if you need to bug out or hunker down, assemble family as soon as safe to do so. If incident is state orchestrated assess whether to bug out or hunker down. Monitor INDEPENDENT media sources for intelligence as long as they broadcast, check with prepper forums that are still online.

Riot
If caught outdoors move away from incident or seek shelter in shop or store (preferably one with rear entry / exit point. They authorities may respond with tear or riot control gas so keep the windows closed are prepare some improvised face masks from pieces of cloth soaked in water or urine to help neutralize the gases effects.

If at home / work lockdown as necessary, secure doors and windows, locate fire extinguishers incase rioters start blaze, turn out lights and appliances, identify escape routes, stay quiet, monitor media, arm yourself for self defence and be ready to bug out.

Train / Tube crash
If you survive the initial crash and there is no fire you are probably better off staying put, but if the crash has triggered a fire or perhaps damaged the tunnel lining and water is entering the tunnel then you will probably be better off breaking out of the train or tube. One problem to be considered is the fire / flood conundrum. In a tube crash if there is a fire the smoke and heat will normally head upwards so you are probably better heading the opposite direction to seek safety, BUT if the tunnel is flooding the opposite action is best, heading uphill away from the water. This of course leaves you with some serious issues to assess if the train or tube causes both a fire and a flood!!!

And remember to avoid the third rail carrying 600 volts or fallen catenary wires carrying up to 25,000 volts and don’t enter flood water on a tube system unless the power is off.

Vehicle crash
Get out of the vehicle and recover other passengers and survivors, Call the emergency services, any walking survivors should be directed away from the road and preferably up the embankment and or behind the crash barriers and hedgerows. Use your EDC gear and vehicle kit to render first aid and to illuminate the crash scene, do not remain in the carriageway as you could be struck by other vehicles.

[Mortblanc]

I had a nasty little comment on fighting against Darwin and the natural order but I do not think I will go there.

Nice post NR.

The only thing I would add is that most earthquakes are sudden and only last 30 seconds. You will not be able to escape a structure in that time and if you are not wearing your BOB when the quake occurs it will not be available for your use. You definately do not want to be hunting in the closet for it while the building falls in on you.

[Little Lou]

Great post, N.R.

I do agree with Mortlake on the earthquake issue, though. Government advice can be limiting, but the San Francisco official disaster site is actually quite useful on the first 72 hours of an emergency - ie the actual event.

On earthquakes, it stresses the motto of 'DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON', and its indoor advice includes the following:

Quote:If you are not near a strong table or desk, drop to the floor against an interior wall and cover your head and neck with your arms.
Avoid windows, hanging objects, mirrors, tall furniture, large appliances and cabinets filled with heavy objects.
Do not try to run out of the structure during strong shaking.
If you are downtown, it is safer to remain inside a building after an earthquake unless there is a fire or gas leak. There are no open areas in downtown San Francisco far enough from glass or other falling debris to be considered safe refuge sites. Glass from high-rise buildings does not always fall straight down; it can catch a wind current and travel great distances.
If you are in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow.

Most of the prepping advice there is stuff we already know, and some of it is relevent only to the US, but I think it's still worth a look.

[NorthernRaider]

Quakes length of time are one point, but not the most important, it is the depth of the P & S waves from the surface and the frequency / severity of them that cause the most problems, EG The 9 pointer off Fukshima lasted over 9 minutes in places and was just under the surface causing huge displacement. The Indian ocean quake was a similat long lasting event. But a quake in the Turkey / Stans area a few years ago only lasted about 40 seconds and still levelled entire cities.

Cross the pond to the US / Mexico and some quakes tremble and grumble away for hours before letting rip but they are so deep the effect on the surface is negligable.

If much of the fault line that runs from Alaska to Baja let go the way it has in the distant past the effects are going to be instantanious like the Alasks quake of 64 when some place rose 40 ft in second and others fell, with localised tsunamis in some places sloshing over 300 feet up the side of a valley.

Quakes are relative and your point valid and welcome

[Highlander]

We had an earthquake yesterday, it only lasted about 4 seconds, but shook the house,... very little to do with this thread though..