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The safest
behaviors are likely to depend on the quality of construction and collapse
potential of individual building types and will be different for densely
populated urban areas than for rural areas. If one is in a building with
good antiseismic construction that is not likely to suffer total collapse,
probably the best approach is to crawl under a desk and cover one's nose and
mouth with a piece of cloth to protect the respiratory system against
excessive dust. On the other hand, if one is in a building that is highly
prone to total collapse (because of poor design, poor building materials or
poor construction practices), the only hope may be to run outside quickly.
Deaths and injuries caused by stampedes in public facilities such as
schools underline the need for earthquake drills. People should therefore be
encouraged to practice those actions that they would take during an
earthquake. Earthquake preparedness programs and educational materials
ranging from regular reminders or "earthquake tips" disseminated through the
media to earthquake drills for occupants of specific institutions, such as
hospitals and schools, should prove useful (Table
8--4). |