Today the other AmeriCorps members and I got to test the preparedness of the Red Cross with an earthquake drill! We ran around in our official Red Cross gear while Aman yelled into his bullhorn “Earthquake! Earthquake! Everybody get down!”
We are happy to report that most everyone had the proper response. Even 7ft tall Mark Johnson (who is still recovering from shoulder surgery!) got his entire body under his desk and held on!
The department that had the highest percentage of people respond appropriately was, for the second year running, Health and Safety! Congratulations to them. They will be presented with an award to recognize excellent preparedness at the next Staff Meeting. We will also show a slideshow of all the people who reacted properly…. and the few who didn’t. Remember, if you’re ever indoors during an earthquake do not move more than 10 ft! If available, get your entire body under a desk or chair, hang on until the shaking stops, and then proceed outside. If you can’t get under anything, get on your hands and knees, crouch next to an interior wall away from windows and wall-mounted objects, and cover your head and neck with your arms.Many people were taught that door frames were the safest spots in buildings, but that is no longer the case! Door frames aren’t reinforced the way they used to be, and studies have found that standing in a doorway will expose you to falling objects and debris. To get the most up-to-date information on earthquake and disaster preparedness, please visit our website: http://www.redcross-pdx.org/prepareforlife/index.html