Before All Possible Earthquakes
Everyone should get Disaster Training.
Every family should have a disaster plan
How should we prepare the “Family Disaster Plan”?
A family meeting should be held with the participation of all family members, including young children.
Everyone in the family should be aware of this plan and the decisions taken and act accordingly in the process.
This plan, prepared in advance, should include our preparations for at least 3 days (72 hours) after the earthquake.
What is the first 72 hours?
In the first minutes of disasters, everyone is on their own; only our own preparation and knowledge will protect us. It is not possible for units such as health, fire brigade, search and rescue teams to reach all individuals instantly in any country of the world. Every individual must be ready for the first 72 hours (3 days) called the golden hours after the disaster.
Things to consider when creating a “Family Disaster Plan”
Is the Family Disaster Plan we prepared appropriate? Checklist
- We know/learned the dangerous points in our environment that can lead to disaster and emergency
- We know/learned the situations that may pose a risk to our family at the neighbourhood and building scale
- We identified our belongings that may pose a risk to us in our home by making a “Danger Hunt”
- If we are not together at the time of disaster; we have arranged meeting places where we can meet with our family inside our home or outside our home and neighbourhood
- We prepared our “Disaster and Emergency Bags”. We wrote the date we prepared in a visible place… Everyone knows where the bag is.
- Identified two relatives from inside and outside the region and learnt their phone numbers and addresses, so that the whole household knows how to contact them in case we are separated during a disaster.
- You should keep a copy of important documents, addresses and telephone numbers with your out-of-area contact person and a copy in your “Disaster and Emergency Kit”.
- We learnt the correct behaviour we should do during an earthquake
- We learnt when and how to call emergency phone numbers
- We have taken necessary precautions against fires that may occur before or after the disaster
- We received certified disaster and first aid training
- We also prepared a first aid kit
- We have planned how we will meet our water, shelter and canvas needs for the first 72 hours after the disaster
- We talked with our neighbours and neighbourhood officials about how we can help each other in disasters
- We learnt how to help babies, elderly and disabled people
- Have we finished our “Family Disaster Plan”?
Also…
- We know that we will review our plan and the bag every six months, or as needed
- We learnt the location and use of natural gas, electricity and water installation valves
- We put water, whistle, torch, shoes next to the beds
Every Family Should Identify Earthquake-Related Hazards at Home and Take Precautions Hazard Hunt
Dangerous spots in my home/office.
Identify Hazards, Determine Risks, Fix/Relocate/Minimise
- If there are objects in the narrow exit routes in the house/office that may fall during an earthquake and prevent you from exiting, remove them from the exit routes
- Properly secure large heavy furniture, white goods, electronics, gas cylinders, lighting fixtures and other objects to; walls, beams, columns or floors, which could fall and slide during a tremor and pose a life-threatening hazard.
- Have safety latches fitted to the doors of kitchen/utensil cupboards, place heavy and large items on lower shelves
- Secure televisions, computers and other electronic equipment properly
- When hanging pictures, paintings, etc. on the wall, use hooked screws and place them away from beds, sofas, chairs
- Hang thick curtains in front of the windows and cover the windows with protective film to prevent shattered pieces to explode.
- Have a fire extinguisher available and don’t forget it’s maintenance.
- Keep hazardous substances in limited quantities, isolate and separate them from each other in closed, locked cabinets to prevent them from tipping over and spilling during shaking
Precautions to be taken regarding Hazard Points
- Non-slip covers should be placed under the items on cabinets, shelves, tables and coffee tables
- All loads on the cabinets must be removed
- Heavy and high furniture should be fixed to the wall
- Toxic and flammable materials should be stored in places where they will not fall and break / scatter
- Excess belongings should be moved out of the house
- Light pots should be attached to the wall or ceiling away from windows with closed hook screws
- Fire extinguishers (ABC type) should be placed in easily accessible places
- Flexible connections should be used at the points where gas / natural gas meets the devices
- Electronic devices such as computers and televisions should be fixed to the table / desk and the table / desk should be fixed to the wall
- Cabinets with breakable glass/shelf cabinets should be fixed to the floor and their doors should be locked with latches
- Heavy pots and heavy objects should be placed on the floor or on shelves close to the floor
- Mirrors and picture frames should be fixed to the wall with closed hook screws
- Wood/coal stove, electric heating appliances will be fixed in place; the stove should be secured around the stove in a fireplace style
- Heavy items that may slip or tip over should be placed away from doors and exit routes
- Decorative decorations and small items such as lampshades should be fixed with double-sided tape or adhesive paste
How to Prepare a Disaster and Emergency Bag?
- In the first 72 hours after an earthquake, a Disaster and Emergency Bag, where you will store your urgent needs and valuable documents until the aid teams arrive, can save your life and the lives of your loved ones.
- It is important to have a Disaster and Emergency Bag with the materials you may need immediately after the disasters ready and in an accessible place. The bag should also include the necessary needs for the person(s) you are responsible for (infants, elderly, disabled) and your pets, if any.
- After a disaster, you may not be able to reach places where you can get food, drink and emergency supplies. If you have minor injuries, you can heal them yourself. For such situations, it is very important to correctly determine what should be in your disaster bag and keep your bag in a place where you can easily reach it. Disaster and Emergency Bag should be not only in your home, workplace but also in your school and classroom.
What should be in the “Disaster and Emergency Bag”?
Food
Food that are easy to prepare, energising and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, high in calories, containing vitamins and carbohydrates, prevent dehydration and are durable (do not spoil quickly);
- Ready meal canned food
- Unsalted nuts, dried fruits (hazelnuts, chickpeas, peanuts, dried figs, mulberries, dried apricots, raisins, etc.).
- Tahini-molasses, jam, honey (Sealed-single use pack)
- Fruit juice
Water
- 3 litres of drinking water per day for each family member
Photocopies of important documents
- Identity cards (identity card, driving licence, etc.)
- Title deed, insurance, licence documents
- Compulsory Earthquake Insurance Policy
- Diplomas
- Passport, bank book, etc.
- Cash coins
- Other (pet health certificate, etc.)
Clothing
- Underwear
- Socks
- Raincoat
- Climate-appropriate clothing
If there are children in the family, the activity bag must be separate.
- Toy
- Colouring book etc.
- Materials suitable for their needs and habits (formula, diapers, pacifiers, bottles, etc.)
Hygiene items
- Soap and disinfectants
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Wet wipes
- Toilet paper
- Baby pads, sanitary napkins
Other ingredients
- First aid kit
- Thermal blankets or sleeping bags
- Pocket knife, whistle, earplugs, small scissors, tweezers, sandals
- Paper, pen
- Battery-powered radio, rechargeable flashlight and spare batteries (durable/long-lasting batteries should be selected)
- Tent (camping type)
- Powerbank in the charged state
- Compulsory medicines
Download applications to your mobile phone that you can use in disasters and emergencies !!!
You should immediately find out which and where the appropriate Gathering/Sheltering areas are at home, at work or at school and share them with your family
Things to Know about Gathering Areas
What is the Gathering Area?
After disasters and emergencies, these are safe areas where the public can gather by moving away from the dangerous area in order to prevent panic and ensure healthy information exchange during the period until the temporary accommodation centres are ready.
What is a shelter area?
Areas to be used for meeting the sheltering needs of disaster victims, where tent cities and container centres will be established.
Can Gathering Areas be Used as Shelter Areas?
Gathering areas refer to safe areas where people can gather after disasters and emergencies until temporary accommodation centres are ready.
The areas suitable for the establishment of tent cities and container cities, i.e. temporary accommodation areas, have different criteria.
How do I find out the nearest gathering area to my home?
The locations of disaster and emergency gathering areas are determined by the relevant municipalities according to various criteria. These areas are specified in the Provincial Disaster Response Plans of 81 provinces within the scope of Turkey Disaster Response Plan (TAMP). If you want to get information about emergency assembly areas; You can find out your assembly areas information by logging in to E-Devlet (https://www.turkiye.gov.tr) and clicking on the “Emergency Gathering Area Inquiry” title or by clicking on the “Gathering Areas” title on AFAD (https://www.afad.gov.tr) address.
Earthquake Moment and Aftermath
- Try to stay as calm as possible and do not panic
- Try to reach the nearest predetermined safe points
- Stay away from balconies and windows
- Do not use fire sources as gas leakage may occur
Indoors;
Next to the items that are fixed at safe points
Take the Drop-Cover-Hold position
Open space;
In open areas away from buildings, away from structures that are likely to collapse, such as trees and electricity poles
Drop – Cover and Watch your surroundings.
Inside the vehicle;
Immediately slow down, pull over to the right, stop on the side of the road away from bridges or in a vacant lot, stop the engine
In the Elevator;
Press all the buttons, get off the lift on the first floor where it stops and find a safe place
If Under Rubble
- Be as calm as possible, don’t be afraid
- Do not exhaust your energy by shouting
- Hit the surface (pipe, metal, heater…) with a hard object
- Try to make contact by thinking that there are others under the rubble
What NEVER to do during an earthquake
- Do not use the stairs during an earthquake
- Do not use the lift during and after the earthquake
- Do not hang or jump from balconies and windows
- Do not try to escape before the earthquake is over
After Earthquake
- Check whether you and your family are injured
- Put your shoes on
- Switch off gas, water and electricity
- Do not use matches, lighters, etc.
- Extinguish if there is a small fire
- Leave the house as previously planned
- Do not return home, think about aftershocks
Prepared by
Vocational School – Emergency and Disaster Management Programme Instructors
