Shake Post
6th Grade Earthquake Newspaper Issue #2
Earthquakes Could Strike at Minute: Are You Ready?
Awareness of What Can Happen In An Earthquake
Do you know what to do when a disastrous earthquake hits? 24 percent of 6th graders and their families in the Mayfield Junior School community are not confident about what to do in the first five minutes of an earthquake. Earthquakes are not only a threat to humanity, but are also threats to buildings and wildlife. Everyone should be aware of how earthquakes form, what and why you need to be prepared, and the possibilities of what could happen during and after an earthquake.
According to Mrs. Hopton-Ahmed a science teacher at Mayfield Junior School, “The most important thing to do in an occurrence of an earthquake is to drop, cover, and hold on.” Earthquakes usually happen when rock underground suddenly breaks along a fault. The release of this energy causes seismic waves that make the ground rumble and shake. Some advice while experiencing an earthquake is to stay away from any windows because they may shatter and also hold on to a stable object nearby.
There are many ways to be prepared for an earthquake. First, you must have supplies in a place that are easy to access. The supplies you need includes first aid kit, canned food, water, flashlight, batteries, a radio, generator, etc. Another way to be prepared for a earthquake is to make sure your home is structurally stable for an earthquake. Lastly, you should have a disaster plan in place. A disaster plan consists escape routes, a meeting place, communication plan, and out-of-town contact. If you have all of these things you should be well prepared for a earthquake.
Living in California you should be aware of all the possibilities that could happen during and after an earthquake. The first thing you should be aware of after an earthquake is collapsing buildings. Do not stay in your house after the main earthquake occurs because there will be aftershocks and that could cause your house to collapse or nearby buildings to collapse. Another thing to be aware of after an earthquake are tsunamis. If a tsunami occurs you should seek high ground, but this is not very common. The last thing you should be aware of after an earthquake is uprooted trees. Trees could fall on buildings, roads, and other things and cause more destruction. You must consider all of the possibilities of an earthquake to be fully prepared.
You must be prepared for any circumstance while experiencing an earthquake, if you are outside you need to find a safe place, if you are inside you need to get under a table. Always have supplies set aside for an earthquake and a earthquake disaster plan. In conclusion, we hope you are fully informed of what can happen during and after an earthquake.
By: Garrett Olmsted and Avalon Dela Rosa
Essential earthquake Supplies
By Nick Sartor and Marisol Prietto
In case you should find yourself in an earthquake and all exits have been demolished or blocked, this article will help you get out safely. Even if you just want to be prepared you will find this useful.
Ways of storing food before an earthquake happens are safe storage of food for home use should strictly adhere to guidelines set out by reliable sources.(The United States Department of Agriculture) Also, Maintain proper kitchen hygene to reduce the risk of bacteria or virus growth and food poisoning. For thawing foods out (in case you need to immediately thaw out food) use: microwave oven and in a refrigerator.
Here is what to do with thawing vegetables, onion: cool and dry, root vegetable, potato, cabbage, warm and dry: winter squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and dried hot peppers.
We interviewed Mrs. Evenilla who is the assistant leader/record keeper for the school’s emergency materials coordinator. When she was a child there was a earthquake and she went straight to a doorway. (that her family was supposed to meet at in case of emergency) Some advice she gave to people who are unprepared is if an earthquake is happening try and go to a neighbor’s house (not while the ground is shaking) that is prepared for an earthquake and stay with them for the duration of the earthquake and some supplies you may need for an earthquake are: food, water, first aid kit, flashlight, and a portable restroom. There are supplies bags all around the school in case of an earthquake and in these locations: nurses office, classes, and supplies closets and they contain water, first aid kits, and goldfish.
Here are some survival kits for a place and what should be inside them:
Survival Kit For A Workplace
Food
Bottled water
Jacket or sweatshirt
Pair of sturdy shoes
Flashlight with fresh batteries
Battery operated radio with fresh batteries
Essential medications
Blankets
Small first aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle or another tool to signal for help
Survival Kit for your Automobile
Blankets
Bottled water
Change of clothes
Coins for telephone calls
Fire extinguisher
First aid kit and manual
Emergency signal device
Flashlight with fresh batteries
Gloves
Local map and compass
Strong thick rope
Paper and pencils
Pre-moistened toweletts
Prescription medicines
Battery operated radio with fresh batteries
Small mirror for signaling
Toilet paper
Jumper cables
Ducktape
Don’t forget Your Pet
By Quinn Hunter and Baylor Buchanan
One of the unpleasant parts about living in sunny and elegant California is that you are constantly at risk of being in a major earthquake because of how close we are to the San Andreas fault line. This means that the majority of people have a plan if a big earthquake strikes, but most people forget that they also need to have a plan for their pets. To find out what we need to do to keep our best friend safe we asked pet specialist Laura Garcia. She is a pet expert because she has a number of pets and was a animal docant “The first thing you need to do is make sure your pet has a microchip implanted, this is critical in case your pet gets out or lost.” A microchip is a small tool that helps people identify a pet if it gets lost. She said during the first five minutes of an earthquake she lets her cats and dogs roam free. [Because]“They’ll find a safe place to hide on their own.” “It is highly important not to approach an animal during an earthquake because they may be frightened.”
It is just as essential to know what to do to with your pet after an earthquake as it is to know what to do before an earthquake. That is why Garcia said that having a pet first aid kit is an essential way to keep them safe. She says it is fine if you keep it straightforward. Her pet first aid kit consists of Hydrogen Peroxide, bandages, food bowls, bedding, and all of the medication necessary for her pets. She explained “the first thing you want to do after an earthquake is find the pets that can not fend for themselves, such as my pugs, I can’t take all of my pets with me to the vet which is why I have to leave some of my pets at my house.”
One of the most important ways to live life is to treat others as they would treat you. This is why Garcia says it is important to know what to do when a lost pet comes to your door. The first thing she does is check for a collar, she then separates the pet from her own pets. She informed us “You don’t know if the pet is social and friendly around other animals, if the pet is wounded do what you can and not what you can’t, a vet will know what to do if the pet is seriously injured.”
As you can see, it takes a lot more than just knowing how to take care of a pet. People need to know how they can prepare and care for their pets as they would care for themselves during a natural disaster. A pet’s safety is no less important as a human’s safety. “I think it is time we start treating our best friends like actual best friends.” -Laura Garcia
List of Pet First Aid Suppliers
1. http://www.gundogsupply.com/firstaid.html
2. http://www.petsmart.com/dog/first-aid/cat-36-catid-100056
3.http://www.entirelypets.com/petfirstaiddx.html
5. http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore