School safety in earthquake

Namita Tongbram *

A school on 8th Jan 2016 at Thoubal after the January 4th earthquake :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

What is earthquake: An earthquake is the shaking, rolling or sudden displacement of the earth’s surface. Earthquakes are the earth’s natural means of releasing stress. Earthquakes can be felt over large areas although they usually last less than one minute. Earthquake cannot be predicted. An earthquake is extremely dangerous, but there are some steps that every person can take to reduce the risks and make getting through a seismic event a little more predictable.

Wherever you are, protect yourself: You may be in situation where you cannot find shelter beneath furniture (or low against a wall with your arms covering your head and neck). It is important to think about what you will do to protect yourself wherever you are. What if you are driving, in a theatre, in bed or at the beach etc. In the classroom, the safest place for you to be is under your desk.

Crawl under your desk and draw yourself up into a protective position with your knees against your chest, your head between your knees and your hands clasped behind your head to protect it from dangerous objects. If the ceiling should collapse your desk will shield you against falling debris. The desk can provide you with a breathable pocket of air, should you be buried in the rubble.

In most situations, you will reduce your chance ofinjury if you: DROP down onto your hands and knees (before the earthquake knocks you down). This position protects you from falling but allows you to still move if necessary. COVER your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) under a study table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby. only then should you get down near an interior wall (or next to low-lying furniture that won’t fall on you) and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands. HOLD ON to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.

What cause death and injuries in an earthquake? It is poorly built buildings and structures.

What is important during school hours: Objects can fall or topple injuring or even killing children. Objects can slide or topple, blocking exits and impeding a safe, quick evacuation. We can easily prevent these consequences with simple, inexpensive measures

What happens in a school during a large Earthquake:
o Violent Shaking.
o Falling items.
o Injuries in hazardous locations such as near windows or in chemistry lab.
o No telephone service.
o Blocked doors and exits.
o Damaged and cluttered hallways or stairways.
o Students are frightened and separated from their families.
o Dangerous roads to home.

Lessons for parents, teachers and students:
o What do to during an earthquake?
o What to do after an earthquake?
o Fire safety
o Evacuation plan

During an earthquake:
o Students and teachers announce loudly “earthquake” “earthquake”.
o Move way from Cabinets, bookshelves, glass windows.
o Drop,coverandholdon.
o Protect head and neck.
o Cover nose and mouth with a cloth.
o Remain calm, do not run.

After an earthquake:
o The teacher surveys rooms and identifies injuries.
o Student buddies help each other and injured or disabled students.
o Do NOT turn on electricity.
o Teachers take roll call and identify missing students.
o Do NOT move seriously injured students unless there is additional danger.
o Send for medical care for those seriously injured.
o Students leave the room together and follow the evacuation route to the designated safe area walking quickly, but safely.

After evacuation:
o Provide first aid to injured students.
o Students remain in designated safe area.
o Teachers locate missing students.
o Students kept togetheruntil instructions are received that it is safe to return to the classroom,or
o Students are released to a parent or guardian.

Fire safety: If fire occurs?
o Stop, Drop and Roll
o Stay low and cover mouth to avoid inhaling smoke.
o Use fire extinguishers if necessary.
o Reduce ignition sources: frayed cords, flammable or combustible liquids near heat sources.

Practice evacuation:
o Hold practice drills at least once in a year

Safety at home:
o Students spend more time at home than at school, therefore families should:
o Fix falling hazards.
o Develop an evacuation plan.
o Practice Drop, Cover and Hold and evacuation.
o Have emergency contact information.
o Store emergency supplies.
o Students should share and discuss family emergency plans at school.

School Emergency Plan:
o Develop a school preparedness plan
o Educate, train and conduct mock drills
o Discuss everything with Principal and Class Teachers
o Form a committee to organize the preparedness plan
o Assign responsibilities to teachers and students
o Plan evacuations
o Adopt a student release policy.
o Prepare response kits

Discussion should cover the following:
o Lesson, policies, approach
o Earthquake effect in the context of the actual school
o Age & number of students
o Building size and layout
o Falling hazards
o Consequent issues

Responsibility should include:
o Ensuring overall school and students safety (Principal)
o Preparing and planning the emergency and evacuation plans (Principal or teacher)
o Assisting students in each classroom (teachers)
o Searching for missing students and teachers
o Conducting first aid (all teachers)
o Checking the building of safety (an engineer)
o Gathering and disseminating reliable information (communications coordinator)

Principles for evacuation plans:
o Locate safe open areas for assembly after evacuation.
o Assign each classroom a route and a safe assembly area.
o Routes should be direct.
o Younger children evacuate first.

Important actions:

o Keep items that may hinder evacuation away from exit doors: Hallway cabinets, standing rolled carpets, heavy items that can slide or topple, glass and ceramic objects and shelf contents that may fall and hinder evacuation should be secured or removed from thevicinity of the exit.

o Install outward opening doors: Whenever possible exit doors should be installed so that they open outward. When large crowds are trying to exit or there is debris in the room, an outward opening door is usually easier to open. When people move towards inward opening doors to escape, they are in the way of the door and the door itself tends to close.

(adapted from IEC Pamphlet titled “Community Awareness And Preparedness: School Safety on Earthquake” presented by Directorate General of Civil Defence, Govt. of India)