NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Earthquake
Awareness Training
for
Faculty/ Staff/
Students
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Part I
Earthquake Awareness:
Procedures During &
After an Earthquake
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Class Overview
 What is an earthquake?
 What do I do during an earthquake?
 What can I expect during the earthquake?
 What do I do after the earthquake?
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Be prepared – Know your
surroundings!!
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
What is an Earthquake?
 An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused
by the sudden breaking and movement of large
sections (tectonic plates) of the earth's rocky
outermost crust.
 The edges of the tectonic plates are marked by
faults (or fractures). Most earthquakes occur
along the fault lines when the plates slide past
each other or collide against each other.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
The shifting masses send out shock waves that may be powerful
enough to:
 alter the surface of the Earth, thrusting up cliffs and opening
great cracks in the ground and
 cause great damage ... collapse of buildings and other man-made
structures, broken power and gas lines (and the consequent
fire), landslides, snow avalanches, tsunamis (giant sea waves)
and volcanic eruptions.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Anatomy of a fault:
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Types of earth movement:
 Strike Slip – the two plates
rub against each other laterally
 Normal – one plate drops
below the adjacent plate
 Thrust – one plate is pushed
up above the adjacent plate.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
What do I do during an earthquake?
 Often you do not realize that what is happening is in fact
an earthquake. Construction, military training and other
things may mimic the feeling of an earthquake.
 Once you realize that it is an earthquake, immediately
drop to the floor to protect your balance. It is very
difficult to stand during an earthquake.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
If Indoors:
 Quickly look around for a sturdy piece of furniture.
 Crawl under the sturdy piece of furniture to protect
yourself from falling debris, i.e. ceiling tiles and
lights. If appropriate furniture is not available to get
under, get next to something low and solid, such as
low-lying furniture that will not fall on you.
 Grab on to the furniture and hold on so that it does
not move away from you.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
 Understand that items may be falling around you.
Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and
walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting
fixtures or furniture.
 Hang on until the shaking has stopped and objects
stopped falling.
 Move to the closest building exit.
REMEMBER: Drop, Cover and Hold On!
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Video: Demonstration from the Los
Angeles County Fire Department
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j
8mUZFeMwhE
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
If Outdoors:
 Stay there.
 Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility
wires.
 Once in the open, stay there until the shaking
stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside
buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
If in a Moving Vehicle:
 Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the
vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings,
trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
 Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has
stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might
have been damaged by the earthquake.
 Anticipate traffic light outages.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
So, the shaking has stopped and items are no longer
falling around me... Now what?
 Quickly check yourself for injuries.
 If possible, quickly collect your personal items.
 Be aware of safety issues such as exposed wires,
broken gas or water lines, glass, etc.
 Use your primary evacuation route if available. If not,
use your secondary evacuation route.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
 Assist injured persons to evacuate if helping them will
cause no further harm.
 If harm may be caused by moving the injured persons,
note the location of the persons and report it to
authorities.
 Report to the pre-determined assembly point.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
 Expect aftershocks. They can be less violent, but can
be strong enough to do additional damage to
weakened structures.
 Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
BE PREPARED TO ACT!!!
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
 While in the assembly area:
Watch for Emergency vehicles arriving
Attempt accountability of students/coworkers
Notify authorities of injuries, trapped
persons, missing, etc.
Office of Emergency Management and Planning
NOVA
Northern Virginia Community College
Office of Emergency Management and Planning