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After Earthquake: Tips
Do's
BE PREPARED FOR AFTERSHOCKS. Lead your family to a previously identified safe place outdoors.
CHECK FOR HAZARDS in your house. Put out fires immediately. Turn off gas, electricity and water at main source. Clean up any spilled medicines, drugs, or other harmful materials such as bleach, kerosene. LEAVE the house if a fire cannot be put out or gas leak is detected.
BEWARE of items falling off shelves when you open doors of cupboards.
CHECK FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES. Plan meals to use up food that will spoil quickly. Food in the freezer should be good for at least 2 days days, if the door is kept closed. If your water supply is cut off you can drink water from water heaters, melted ice cubes or canned vegetables. Use barbecues or camp stoves outdoors, and only for emergency cooking.
HELP INJURED OR TRAPPED PERSONS. Administer first-aid (if you know how). DO NOT try to move seriously injured persons unless they are in further danger of injury. Get medical help for the seriously injured.
TIE pets and domestic animals. Be wary of all animals.
WEAR shoes to avoid injury from broken glass and debris.

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Don'ts
DO NOT enter any building.
DO NOT eat or drink anything from open containers near broken glass.
DO NOT turn on the gas again if you have turned it off.
DO NOT use matches, lighters, stoves, electrical appliances and equipment until you are sure there are no gas leaks. They may create a spark that could ignite leaking gas and cause an explosion and fire.
DO NOT use your telephone except for a medical or fire emergency. The telephone lines are needed for emergency services.
DO NOT leave any child alone. Talk and play with the children.
DO NOT drive. Walk or use a bicycle.
DO NOT criticize or pass judgement on rescue workers. They are doing it under severe constraints.
If you are trapped inside a collapse building, DO NOT panic and shout for help. Breathe slowly and believe in your survival. RESPONSE when you hear signals from outside. The best way to response is to blow a whistle.
This article was contributed by KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper 2004

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