Earthquake update: Emergency services ready should disaster strike

“Earthquake!”

This was probably what thousands of people said yesterday 5 August when they felt the earth moving under their feet before evacuating buildings in a rush.

Gerhard Nieuwoudt, commanding officer of the West Rand District Municipality Emergency Services says in a crisis like this people tend to forget some of the important aspects of staying safe because earthquakes of this magnitude rarely occur in South Africa.

“People start to panic because they are not used to these situations.”

Nieuwoudt, who has been to earthquake-stricken countries such as Haiti and the Philippines as part of the Gift of the Givers team to provide humanitarian assistance, says the moment the earth moves one needs to leave everything you are busy with, switch off the power and evacuate the building to a safe assembly point by walking calmly and not by running as this will create more chaos.

“Switching off the power helps to prevent an electrical short-circuit, which can result in a fire.”

He says at workplaces such as offices there needs to be an emergency plan and a designated person who takes the lead and gets everyone safely out of the building. People should not use elevators while evacuating.

“There must be one such person for every 15 employees in the office and should also hold a first-aid certificate in the event of any injuries.”

He says this person most likely will be in charge of checking fire extinguishers and have building maintenance experience.

“In the event of an earthquake this person needs to make sure the building is safe enough for people to enter again and if in doubt emergency services should be contacted to provide assistance.”

Flashlights and first-aid kits, he says, are also required.

“Especially flashlights because if gas is leaking somewhere and candles are being lit it could cause the whole building to be engulfed in flames within seconds.”

If a person is unable to get to the nearest exit, standing underneath door frames might save a life.

Nieuwoudt explains that having a list of all the employees is vital because it makes it easier to spot who is not at the assembly point. This also will help emergency services and make it easier for them to assist in serious cases.

After an earthquake it is wise to check the building and pillars for any cracks.

Having witnessed earthquake aftershocks himself he says it can happen at any time.

“The West Rand is ready if any earthquakes should be devastating. We have qualified emergency personnel who can assist and have the knowledge to cope in situations such as these.”

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