A couple of weeks ago, as I sat in my favorite chair, a lazy-boy rocker (one of the few pieces of furniture we had shipped here), suddenly I felt extra movement--like someone had brushed past the back of the chair. But no one was there.
It took only a second or two to realize what was happening:
we were experiencing an earthquake!
I looked at another chair that had a throw hanging off the back, and the throw was
swaying back and forth. It was kind of freaky.
It turned out to be a 4.7 or 4.8 tremor, centered about 100 miles from
here in a city called Tangshan. In 1976, Tangshan was leveled by a severe quake
that killed 300,000 people. I've referred to it before in this blog.
It wasn't long before a text arrived from Kevin: "Did you feel that?"
At work, the whole building was evacuated and everyone stood in the hot sun for 45 minutes until
it was deemed safe to re-enter the building. Same thing happened at the girls' school.
So it got me thinking.
Back in the states, I had taken CERT training (Community Emergency Response Team), along with
other members of our congregation, so that we could be of help in the event of disasters.
We were not trained as first responders, but as assistants for them (the fire fighters, police, EMTs, etc.)
We learned how to search damaged buildings. How to offer medical assistance.
What things to have in our own kit. And the number 1 priority: Take care of your own family so they don't need the assistance of others (if possible).
So, what WOULD we do in the event of a major earthquake?
We live on the 3rd floor of an 8-story building. The only exits are an elevator and an interior stairway.
Both of those would be dangerous. And besides, they exit into a small parking area that has three high-rise apartment buildings (27 stories each). I wouldn't want to be there if the earth is shaking things
down! So the only other option would be to climb down off the patio.
I went scouting around the outside, and found out it wouldn't be too bad.
The ground looks a long way down when looking down,
but just like on the high dive at the swimming pool,
it doesn't look very high when looking up!
For right now, we have an extension cord that would be long enough
to get down a two floors, and then a short drop.
Or we could jump into the tree and hope for the best.
Obviously, our escape planning is going to need a little work.
Why didn't we bring the escape ladder we had for our old attic bedrooms?
I know I will rest easier once I feel we are truly prepared.
(And I wish I'd shipped my CERT kit!)
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