A few choice words about earthquake safety

Normally, at this time of year, I’d be writing this column about
the switch to Daylight Saving Time. I’d grouse and gripe about my
lack of beauty sleep as we swing into our spring and summer time
regimen.
Normally, at this time of year, I’d be writing this column about the switch to Daylight Saving Time. I’d grouse and gripe about my lack of beauty sleep as we swing into our spring and summer time regimen. However, with the powerful earthquake that recently devastated northeastern Japan, my grumpiness over a simple change of my clock’s big hand seems petty indeed.

Now I am not a fan of earthquakes. I’m sure nobody is, other than perhaps a few die-hard geologists who think any display of the earth’s energy and massive force is fun stuff. Having safely ridden out two large earthquakes, I think I’ve had my quota of quakes although statistics say otherwise.

Even so, aren’t we lucky to live in California? Great beauty, weather and … earthquakes? Yes, I’ve bragged to folks in other parts of the country that at least we Californians don’t need to worry about hurricanes, massive floods and tornadoes. I mean, when is there NOT a story about those natural occurrences in the televised news? We watch people clinging to rooftops as trees and cows sail gaily by, and we smugly say, “Yep! Give me an earthquake anytime. These little tremors? Straighten a picture or two on the wall and we’re done!” Right?

Well, not always.

California is part of a seismically active region known as the “Ring of Fire.” Beginning low in the southern hemisphere in the Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia, it runs northward along the coast of Asia, bends at the top and hooks back down a southerly route along the coast of North America, ending some 25,000 miles later at the southern tip of South America. Technically, the area is more of a horseshoe shape than circular or “ring” shaped, but apparently the “Horseshoe of Fire” didn’t sound quite as snappy. A whopping 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur in this area.

The Ring of Fire consists of huge tectonic plates that slip-slide around and collide with one another, although that’s probably not the technical term earthquake experts would use. But those plates are capable of doing huge amounts of damage when they get active, which is often – and not all of the damage is physical.

Personally, I’m a nervous wreck whenever I feel the slightest quiver. That’s because sometimes the slightest quivers become violent, and the loss of control of one’s immediate habitat makes believers out of atheists. During the 45 years I’ve lived in intimate proximity of some major faults, I’ve never become comfortable with earthquakes. I lose all common sense and regrettably utter what I have come to think of as my “earthquake word of choice.” It’s not a word for family newspapers so I won’t disclose it here. Suffice to say my choice word rhymes with “hit,” and if the ground moves I will use it, even if the Pope is present.

Lately, though, I’ve been thinking about replacing my choice earthquake word with another word, which I will get to in a minute. Because wringing my hands and swearing like a truck driver won’t get anybody safely through an earthquake and its aftermath.

I’m not the only one that figured this out. A grassroots effort that now enjoys support from the Department of Homeland Security features a nine-step program called “Map Your Neighborhood” or MYN. Because emergency responders could never assist everyone who needs immediate help in the aftermath of a large-magnitude earthquake, this sensible program was developed to give survivors a better chance of making it through the harrowing after-effects of a quake.

These customized neighborhood disaster plans help neighbors help each other with vital concerns in a catastrophe: knowing where and how to shut off gas lines that may spark post-quake fires; alleviating panic by checking on children, the elderly or infirm and even pets left home alone due to a parent or caretaker being miles away when an earthquake strikes.

I learned about MYN through Morgan Hill resident Sherry Purser who, last December, earned the Mick McDonald Volunteer of the Year Award for Morgan Hill from the Santa Clara County Emergency Managers’ Association. Sherry has been busy spreading the word. Peggy Mahurin, my neighbor across the street, and I will soon host a neighborhood meeting, which will, I hope, give us all a better chance of surviving the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. And because MYN depends on volunteers, I hope you’ll think about becoming involved in your neighborhood, too. 

You’ll find an interview with the program’s founder at http://www3.wsiu.org/television/infocusarchive/player.php?record=342. For information on MYN in your area, simply e-mail [email protected] and she’ll provide more details.

While our hearts and prayers are with our friends in Japan, here at home there is work to be done. Which means I can soon retire my choice earthquake word because I’m getting a new one: “Preparedness.” Yep; works for me!