MANILA, Philippines — Here are rescuers' reminders on what to do when an earthquake strikes:
“When the earthquake really feels strong, do not panic and run. Do the duck, cover, and hold (technique),” suggested Captain Jobert Tolentino Jr., Disaster and Emergency Responders International chief.
- Duck – go down on the floor
- Cover – look for something to cover you like a table or a chair. Cover the whole body so you will not be injured and you will be able to go out of the building, Tolentino said.
- Hold – Hold on to your cover so it becomes stable enough to protect yourself from falling debris.
In addition, Tolentino said:
- Know where the exit is
- Identify evacuation centers and better go here after an earthquake than stay in the building because if there will be aftershocks, the weak parts of the building might collapse. Make sure the evacuation area is an open one, where nothing will fall on you
- Replenish the food in your survival kit every six months
- Store quick-dry clothes in your survival kit
WATCH: How to prepare an “Inch Bag”
An “Inch Bag” or the “I’m not coming home” bag is something you can bring “if you can’t go back to your house and go to an evacuation center,” said Armscor Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Gina Marie Angangco.
According to her, it contains sleepwear and everything you need to survive in a night or two. Even on ordinary days, she said you can keep your inch bag in your car just in case you get stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Whatever the crisis or situation is, Angangco said there are only four must-haves to survive:
- Security – teach even a boy how to shoot and to handle looters
- Communication – keep satellite phones at bay, equip each family member with a portable phone, or run to an evacuation area where there is a good signal for communication.
- Water – You can survive without food, but not without water, for two to three days.
- Power or electricity
“Our first line of defense is ourselves. We just enhance it with equipment. As we equip ourselves, our ability to survive slightly increases. As we learn how to do survival stuff, then we avoid making ourselves the target...Think as a survivalist!” Tolentino urged.
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