Week 3: Emergency Situations

Carolina

Laura

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREPARE FOR AN EARTHQUAKE?

BEFORE…

• In case you have shelves, make sure, they are fastened to the walls.
• Put heavy objects lower in shelves, they could fall down.
• Breakable objects must be in closed cabinets, lower in shelves, such as poisons as pesticides or herbicides.
• Hang objects like pictures or mirrors away from beds or anywhere people sit.
• Identify safe places in each room (What are safe places? Away from glass, under strong furniture, against inside walls)
• Identify safe places outdoor (away from buildings, bridges, trees, electrical lines, etc.)
• Make sure, constantly, about the good conditions of electrical an gas connections, repair them if needed. During the earthquake, if possible, turn off them.
• Have a disaster Kit, it must include at least a flashlight, batteries, battery operate radio, emergency food, drinking water, cash, sturdy shoes, whistle and a compass.
• Make an agreement with your family for select a meeting point, sure.
• Provide a place for your pets.

DURING…

• If you are indoor

Take cover, away form glass that might break, against an indoor wall or beneath a sturdy furniture.
Don’t try to leave! It is the worst thing can be done during an earthquake.

• If you are outdoor

Move away form buildings, bridges, trees, electrical lines. Stay there until the earthquake ends. If there are not empty places closet o you, look for the porch of a nearby house.

• If you are at the cinema, theater, or somewhere like that

Stay calm. If you have not an exit near, snuggle up next to the chair.

• If you are in a moving vehicle

Don’t stop the vehicle next to buildings or over a bridge. Search an empty land. If it is posible, go out the vehicle in an empty place, without buildings, electric lines, trees, etc., near.

AFTER…

• Turn off electrical, gas and water connections.
• Avoid or vacate dangerous areas.
• Make an human inventory.
• Make a rational use of communications.
• If you are trapped. Save your energy, you will need that, until you are rescue; try to cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief; make a sonorous signal, periodically; control your breath with a soft, slow, and sustained rhythm. In an extreme case, you have to control your dehydration by drinking your own urine.
• Be care if you drive after an earthquake, think about other people.
• Be care if you drink water from the pipeline, that could be contaminated.
• There could be gas leaks, so do not switch on electrical connections, matches or candles.
• Be care with the information flow. Do not spread rumors.
• Put your pets in the place provided for them, they need you.
• Be patient and stay calm.
• Use gloves, and masks, do not touch corpses.

Marisol

How to act in home accidents?

At home there are many places where little kids can get injured: the most dangerous rooms are the bathroom and the kitchen. This guide will help you to know what to do and how to keep calm due this circumstances.

Kitchen is the place at home where the most of the accidents occurred, followed by the bathroom. That is why young children cannot remain alone anytime. The main idea is to prevent and prepare everything at home to be saved against child’s curiosity. Nevertheless, there is always a chance of a mishap that is why it is necessary to know how to behave in these situations and take the better choice.

Be careful with doors and windows:

There are lots of elements that can be insecure for your children, even more when babies start to crawl and discover everything around.  If in spite of your precautionary measures your child gets hurt, pay attention to the advices below:

If your child happens to grippe his/her fingers with a door and these are turning purple: you should wrap some ice into a cloth and place it in the affected area. If you doubt about if there is a fracture, please consult the pediatrician.

If the child hits his/her head, faints or his/her head becomes swell up: in case of lost of consciousness you should not make the kid to be in motion.  Take him/her to the closest emergency centre or call for an ambulance.

If your child takes a butt and burned his/her fingers: in case of any kind of burnt injured you should put something cold in the affected area. If the wound is deep and blisters appear, cover them with lint, and then consult a specialist.

Backyard and kitchen:

 Kitchen is the place where the most common home accidents occurred, precisely because there are too many elements that are risky. In case of any accident follow the instructions below:

If your child takes a knife or some scissors and cuts him/her self:  wash the area with running water, dry with a clean towel and press strongly. In case the bleeding does not cease, keep the compression with the towel and go to the closest medical centre.

If the child manipulates the washing machine and his/her fingers get jammed: put compressions on the area with cold water and remember if you suspect there is a fracture, please consult the specialist.

If the child is bit by a dog, cat or other animal: Clean the wound with abundant water. Depending on the animal that bit him/her (the family’s one or a stranger) the kid has to get vaccinated against rabies.  In any case, the child has to be taken to the hospital.

In the bathroom:

The bathroom is the second most dangerous place for young children, the main causes of accidents in this room are the huge amounts of water managed there and other elements that can be hurtful.  In case of accident please followed the instructions below:

If the child falls down into the WC with his/her head in and his/her foot hanging out: the best thing to do here is prevention. It is not recommendable to leave children alone in places where they can find stagnant water, because it is just necessary 10 centimeters of depth for a child to be drowned. The recommendation here aims for avoiding left the kids alone in places like baths, toilets, swimming pools, water buckets and elements with the same characteristics.  In case an accident like these happens the kid must be taken out of the water and stimulated by touch, then disposed him/her face down on the floor and press hard between his/her shoulder blades intermittently.

The same procedure is done if the child swallows any strange element (even solid). If the color of the kid and the heart rate do not seem to be recovered, you must consult an emergency centre immediately.  If he/she does not respire or his/her pulse is weak, you must begin with resuscitation, do not leave the child alone until emergency services arrives.

Remember to always keep calm, inform yourself about resuscitation and first aid, it is better to be prepared.  If faced with any doubt please consult a doctor.