Safety Tips to Avoid Fire Incidents After An Earthquake

(Photo of Lulu the Kitten under a stable wooden bed. Common knowledge that we should take cover when an earthquake hits.)

It was in the news that there were recent earthquakes all over the world. In the Philippines, there were recent earthquakes reports and it started to be alarming because it seems to be becoming more frequent.

I personally felt one recently which I am thankful that it was not that strong and did not really affected us but that was mostly because the center of the earthquake was far from our location. When I was in grade school, I experienced an earthquake that lasted for few seconds and it was an unforgettable experience. I remembered that I got shocked and was not able to move when it happened. Good thing that it shook us but no damage was made.

I have experienced some earthquake drills during my high school years. It taught us the importance of presence of mind and being prepared. Also the importance of knowing where is the safest place to be and where are the exits.

Just recently, there were several earthquake drills here already. It is since they have been projecting a "big one" which no one is aware when exactly it will hit and exactly where. There were marks on the roads for the fault lines to make people more aware of it. Several news about it on how damaging it can be especially when it hits the city full of infrastructures and people.

People should be ready on what could be the effects of the earthquake and how to be in a most safety situation when it hits.

Since electricity is widely used especially in a congested urban place, and a lot of electrical appliances are present in every home; also there are companies or places so prone with lots of explosive chemicals and materials, it is more likely to have fire incidents after an earthquake and the after shocks. We should also be prepared for such kind of incidents.

There are some tips to avoid possible fire incidents. Some examples are turning off main electrical source as soon as possible during (if possible) or after an earthquake or the safest timing for you (always make sure of your safety first and your loved ones especially while earthquake is happening before anything else of course). This is also for stronger shakes that could really damage electrical fixtures and connection. And do not turn it on until you are so sure enough that it was already safe to do so. Better to know the situation through observing and listening to news whether through a battery operated radio or your cellphones. That is why it is also important to always have fully charged batteries for emergency purposes.

Another tip is placing hazardous and combustive chemicals in tightly covered containers and keep it in a secured places so that it will not spill out. Better to place those in lower part of the house than in cabinets on higher location. Make it a habit too to close your gas tanks or LPG after every use or when not in use so that it will not be left open when an earthquake occur. Like in the photo below, I make sure that containers are sealed and it will be placed in a lower cabinet where it will be less likely to spill when an earthquake hit. We also have an electrical safety box that is placed securely in a cemented wall. Fire extinguishers are important to have as well

 

No one could exactly tell when and where an earthquake will happen yet despite the modern technologies available. Therefore doing these safety precautions could really be a life saver in the future. Better be prepared than sorry.