Shake Post
6th Grade Earthquake Newspaper Issue #1
What You Should do During an Earthquake!
In the occurrence of an earthquake, you might be wondering what to do. It might be scary but there are ways to be prepared. First you should hold a family meeting in your household to make sure everyone has a plan on what to do and where to go. Your family discussion should include: your family making an evacuation plan, mapping where to go during an earthquake, and what resources to have for your family.
In your house, you should have a spot for all of your earthquake resources. You should have a bag or a box inside your house for essential objects. Your bag or box should include: a flashlight, canned food, bottled water, a mini first aid kit, “and toilet paper.” said Mr. Scanlon one of the people who is part of the resource team. At our school, we have a resource team that is dedicated to getting resources for the students if a disastrous earthquake occurs. OUr school’s bin of resources contain all the supplies above.
What is the best way to stay safe during an earthquake?. Well, there are many different answers to that question. But the answer that we have heard the most is to get under a table. Remember the phrase DROP, COVER, AND HOLD! That phrase will surely help you during an earthquake. In this situation, the phrase means to drop to the floor, get under a big piece of furniture, and with one hand hold the back of your head/neck, and with your other hand, hold onto the piece of furniture.
During the earthquakes, there might be some people who need some help and comforting. “At school, we first go to the kindergarteners because they are usually they are the ones who get the most scared and nervous, as most of them have never experienced an earthquake before. experienced an earthquake.” Said Ms. Hubert, who is the leader of the school’s comfort team. The comfort team is dedicated to comforting students who are scared, nervous, and those who need help.
For your family escape plan, you should have a meeting to discuss the plan. If you have a back door in your house that should be where you exit. During the earthquake, the safest thing to do would be to NOT go outside. After the earthquake is done, shaking you should exit your house. During the shaking, you should get under a big piece of furniture and get away from any things that could fall on you. Practice drills are the perfect way to practice your escape plan to see if it’s going to work in a real life disaster.
According to Ms. Hubert, “Mayfield school is very prepared and is very vigilant about the care and protection,” We have to remember that we are a community and that we’re all here to help each other in a disaster. “Just make sure to follow the basic rules, and dive under desks and door frames.” Said Mr. Scanlon, a member of the resource team. Make sure to follow a teacher or adults’ instructions about what to do. When it’s time to go to the field. don’t freak out and don’t scream. If you’re yelling, you might miss the teacher’s instructions on what to do. Mayfield school is overall prepared for the disasters that an earthquake can bring.
By Siobhan Clancy and Michelle Cheng
First Aid: a Matter of Life and Death
CPR and First Aid can really save lives
By Becket and Tara
Did you know, 400,000 Americans, one every two minutes suffer from a heart attack or near drowning and only 5% survive? First Aid and CPR are very important skills that everyone should know. It can help manage anything from a small scrape to a major disaster. These two techniques are very easy to learn and can be the difference in a life and death situation.
There are many ways to handle a serious situation. First of all, according to our very own Ms. Ruth Villareal, “survey the scene.” In fact, Ms. V. used to be a paramedic before she became a P.E. coach here at MJS. She suggests that you make sure that if you go to help someone make sure they are in a safe place to go so you do not get injured too. Next, you have to stay calm and keep the injured person calm so that they do not get more scared. For example if they’re bleeding, you could make up a little story. If it’s a little kid, you could say it is a cool battle scar. Then, address the need and see what you could do to help. In this situation a first aid kit would be very helpful. Last, help them up and get to safety. Moreover, if you are a victim in a major earthquake, you would first STOP! DROP! HOLD ON! and find a safe place to take cover. You should make sure to stay away from buildings that could fall on top you and precarious power lines that could possibly electrocute you.
In case of an emergency, you should always keep a First Aid kit in your home and car. Did you know, the most common injuries happen in the leg or head. Make sure to immediately take cover under a desk or table if you start to feel shaking and cover your neck. Also, if your leg or foot is sticking out and not covered under the desk or table, tuck it under your bottom.
You should know the location of a kit at school and work too. In fact, making a First Aid kit is very simple. You can find many of the following supplies at local drug stores, Targets, and CVS. Here is theRed Cross’ list of things to include in a First Aid kit:
2 absorbent compress dressings (5x9 in.)
25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
1 adhesive cloth tape
5 antibiotic ointment packets
5 antiseptic wipe packets
1 blanket
2 packets of aspirin
1 breathing barrier (with one way valve)
1 instant cold compress
2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size large)
2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
Scissors
1 roller bandage (3x3 and 4x4 in.)
5 sterile gauze pads (3x3 and 4x4 in.)
Tweezers
2 triangular bandages
Oral thermometer
First Aid instruction booklet
In case someone is in need of CPR here are simple steps that could save lives. First, listen for the person’s heartbeat. Attempt to call for help. Then, begin chest compressions by covering your first hand with your other hand and lock your fingers. Push down hard and try to maintain 100 pushs per minute. Lock your elbows and continue pushing with all your weight. Now, start the emergency breath. You will have to open their airway by tilting their head back, lifting their chin, and covering their mouth with yours and do two breaths to make their chest rise. Then, switch of with thirty pumps and then two breaths until you save their life. For more information, you can vistit the Red Cross website at http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr. They offer many classes on Adult/Pediatric AED/CPR/First Aid training and simulation. Book your class today!
Now you can see why CPR and First Aid are very important. Truly, you can save lives.
Earthquake Gone Wrong!
What Happens when you are prepared and not prepared for a catastrophic earthquake.
Suddenly out of nowhere there was a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Leo looked at the fridge for the escape routes. “Ok.” Leo said. “Go to the hallway down the stairs take a right down to the stairs to the basement into the living room. Meeting place in the living room away from the windows. Leo ran to the stairs down into the living room and found his mom with the first aid kit and his sister. Also his mom had extra food and water. Then suddenly, the lights went out but thanks to the generator the lights turned back on. Windows shattered, things fell, you could hear loud crashes upstairs. They were huddled together and no one was hurt. After the earthquake stopped they first called Leo’s dad to see if he was safe and then they went outside and found their neighbors all scattered around.
Now we rewind to see how the neighbors handled the earthquake. Diana was screaming her head off and couldn’t hear her family at all. No one knew where to go. Diana’s mom was upstairs, her little brother eating a sandwich in the kitchen, and her dad in the basement. A window shattered near Diana and she got scrapped on the knee. By her little brother the bookshelf fell and 2 books fell on him. Diana ran to him and called for her mom. She came down with a big bruise on her forehead. They didn’t know what to do and where their dad was. The lights went out and they were scared and had to find the door in the dark. The earthquake stopped and they went outside and found their dad limping over to them. Their neighbors came out without a scrape. They brought over the first aid-kit and went to help them. Now Diana’s family will probably make a plan to be prepared for another earthquake.
Here is how some teachers help out at school in case of an earthquake. According to Ms.V,” We have meetings every 3 months to check the supplies, make sure band-aids don’t go bad, and to check the batteries in the AEDs. We have all kinds of supplies for serious injuries and for scrapes. During an earthquake first I have to find out who are the people in need of first-aid the most. We have walkie talkies to communicate with each other to say if the building is empty.” I think it is pretty cool that they have walkie talkies.
Earthquakes occur many times a day and you might not feel them but, once in awhile a big one occurs and it can do major damage so it is good to be prepared. Always have extra water and food on hand, a first aid kit, flashlights with batteries, a portable radio or communication device, and a generator. Also have escape routes, a meeting place, a communication plan, and a out-of-town contact. Having these things will help you in being prepared for a catastrophic earthquake!
By: Rebecca and Alana
Homeless People: What They Do During Earthquakes
Dario Rock and Logan Tang
In the event of an earthquake the city will commission warning and notices on you mobile devices and television to help you prepare. Most of us have supplies on hand in the case of a natural disaster. However, we most often pass over the action of the people with lack of shelter, temporary homes, or those who are struggling financially, the homeless people in general. In other words, we often do not take into consideration what the homeless people do during earthquakes. In order to bring safety to the homeless people we must ask ourselves questions the homeless people will eventually face in an earthquake. Where will homeless people go to acquire sources of food and power? How will they maintain substance through the duration of an earthquake? What do the homeless people really do during an earthquake?
Earthquakes pose a threat to the homeless population globally.According to Greg, a homeless person from uptown Lake Street said “ I go near public shelter like inside a store or restaurant. Every time a major earthquake happens it reminds me to prepare with my limited resources.” After a major earthquake, the population of homeless people goes up tremendously. After the tragic Nepal earthquake over a hundred thousand people were left homeless.
Homeless people would often get hurt during an earthquake. This is a problem that should gain more attention, to further help the the homeless population. Most homeless people often have diseases or their home was destroyed from a natural disaster. Homeless people during an earthquake try to get away from possible falling objects for example a balcony or statue. There needs to be a fast solution that can help homeless people stay safe during these types of disasters. One of these solutions are homeless shelters like Union Station. Shelters like Union Station help homeless people get free shelter, and food to survive in the event of a catastrophic earthquake.
To find more accurate information we contacted Ms. Danni of the middle school building, as well as Greg Spiegel, a volunteer at homeless shelters and Ms. Marlis' brother. We had asked him if they had seen any change in population of the homeless people to analyze the status of the homeless people. “By definition, what makes someone a homeless person is one thing – they do not have a home. As soon as they get a home, they are no longer homeless. If you or I have a home and lose it, and are unable to find another, we would become a homeless person. Los Angeles County suffers from not having enough housing that people can afford."
Some reports show that we need an additional 500,000 homes and apartment units to meet the needs of all the people who live here. Because we lack those units, we have about 45,000 homeless people and we have several hundred thousand other families that live doubled and tripled up in an apartment because it’s the only way they can afford the rent. If the earthquake was large enough to damage a substantial number of homes or apartments and make them unlivable, and some of these people were unable to find and afford another place to live, then yes, the earthquake could increase homelessness.” This means that no matter the wealth of the man or woman who occupies the apartment, the earthquake could still cause them to become homeless and therefore become affected by the earthquake.
The entire population of Los Angeles county would be affected, if not directly, then indirectly. Housing would become more expensive, and in extreme cases, people may riot outside a housing structure. Many people could be injured and without help, and this is why we want everyone, even those without a house, to have enough supplies to wait until help. We had asked Ms. Danni to describe what she thought. “ There is a high population of homeless in Los angeles because of good weather. They mostly come for the benefits of weather“.