So, I was minding my own business when a terrifying question came to mind…

Would I survive an earthquake?

A few minutes ago, the answer to my question was– ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Here’s the deal- being from Miami, the word “earthquake” has always meant “some mythological natural disaster that never happens in Florida so why worry about it” type of event. It dawned on me that I had virtually NO IDEA how to survive when the BIG earthquake hits PDX, so I figured I better get crackin’ (oh my– bad puns!) and learn the tricks and trades to avoiding an early demise.

After a little research, I discovered that there are 3 steps to take if an earthquake hits:

Step ONE- Survive!!!
Step TWO- Support myself- mostly so that I don’t annoy my neighbors
Step THREE- Try to be useful– again, so I don’t annoy my neighbors

I figured I would start with Step ONE and ask four of my most trusted compadres here at OTC how they would survive. Here’s the feedback-

Lise- (my fellow blogger) taught me to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On“. Since “stop, drop, and roll” has come in handy for me, I figured I would take the advice of a native Portlander. Apparently, I am supposed to find something to hide under and then find something stable to hold on to. I have now organized UNDER my desk to contain items that will be useful to pass the time while the earth is shaking– comic books, carrot sticks, and a balloon.

Dave- (the Health & Safety Guru) suggested that I find an interior wall, put my back to it, and put on my hard hat. “Hard hats are great,” Dave suggested, “sometimes I just wear mine when it’s a busy day.” In my opinion, anyone who keeps a hard hat in their office is someone that I need to know— and listen to. Unfortunately, all I have at my desk is a sombrero, which comes in handy for Mariachi sneak attacks (we’ve all had them), but not natural disasters.

Francisco- (the coolest diversity dude on the planet) said one phrase– POP-TARTS! That’s right… Pop-Tarts can save a life. Here’s why- their shelf life rivals that of a twinky, they taste good, and you can eat them cold.

Maighie- (the breathe of the AmeriCorps Vista Sista-hood) reminded me that I’m probably going to care about other people when the earthquake hits, so I need to come up with a Safety Point. My first mission is to find people to meet up with. Then I have to figure out where to meet them. Then I’ll have to figure out how to get there. Anyone looking for safety point buddy?

For more tips, check out OTC’s amazing Earthquake Safety Checklist for more suggestions on how to be ready!