Excerpt from a Life Saving Professional's Article-----


The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico

City during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under their desk. Every

child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have

survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene,

unnecessary and I wondered why the children were not in the aisles. I didn't

at the time know that the children were told to hide under something. Simply

stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the

objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void

next to them. This space is what I call the "triangle of life". The larger

the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less the object

compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person

who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time you

watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the "triangles" you see

formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a

collapsed building They . are everywhere.



TEN TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY



1) Most everyone who simply "ducks and covers" WHEN BUILDINGS COLLAPSE, are

crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are

crushed.



2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You

should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You

can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next

to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave avoid next to

it.



3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an

earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If

the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also,

the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings

will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less

squashed bodies than concrete slabs.



4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll

off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a

much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the

back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor,

next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.



5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the

door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a

sofa, or large chair.



6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed.

How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward

you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you

will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!



7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different "moment of frequency"

(they swing separately from the main part of the building).The stairs and

remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural

failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they

fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the

building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a

likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not

collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by

fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest

of the building is not damaged.



8) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If Possible - It

is much better to be near the outside of the building Rather than the

interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the

building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked



9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in

an earthquake and crushes their vehicles which is exactly what happened

with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the

San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all

killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying

next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been

able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed

cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had

columns fall directly across them.



10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and

other offices with a lot of paper that paper does not compact. Large voids

are found surrounding stacks of paper.

Get under the table
Its advice from Japan. There is a lot of earth quake. Im sure they know what they are saying.

Interesting, could have some merit.

We rarely have earthquke....
but Get under the table is good way, I guess

we never have earthquakes.... just tornadoes and huricanes

If we swim into the sea, is is still risk?

Well I would never fit under anything anymore, so you know where I will be. Some very good logic in dshumb's post.

Interesting post dshumb ...

Thanks for the info

Don't have earthquake here but thanks for the tips anyway.

Anyone who is interested in this topic might want to follow-up on this site The Triangle of Life. There are plenty of supporting documents and references.

Hi sandraorigato, my teachers taught us to get under the tables too. But after going through the site, i am thinking otherwise...

Direct link to the article:
American Rescue Team Survival Magazine Article

The reason why ur teacher ask u to get under the table is to avoid any problem like something hit ur head and die.

Please read this:
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We can't say that every single point mentioned in the above article about earthquake safety by controversial "rescue expert" Doug Copp is wrong or bad advice, but there are some pretty substantial reasons why readers might want to take the article (particularly its advice that everyone who uses the "duck and cover" technique in an earthquake ends up crushed to death) with some very large grains of salt:

* Disaster preparedness experts with the American Red Cross dispute that findings based on earthquake experiences in other countries (e.g., Turkey) are applicable to the U.S., where building codes are substantially different.

* The scientific validity of the conclusions expressed in the article has been questioned by others.

* Doug Copp's claim that he performed rescue work at the World Trade Center (for which he was paid $650,000 in compensation for injuries he supposedly sustained there) has been challenged in a series of articles published in the Albuquerque Journal which describe him as a self-serving opportunist rather than a true rescue expert:
Self-proclaimed rescue guru Doug Copp's mission to ground zero was considered so important that he had clearance to be flown to New York even though all civilian air traffic in the United States had been grounded. Once there, he says he assumed a pivotal role and sustained devastating injuries while wading through the "toxic soup" in search of survivors and victims, and was awarded nearly $650,000 for his injuries. But there is little evidence Copp performed real rescue work, and it is doubtful that he deserves compensation.

Doug Copp was awarded $649,000, tax free, from the fund set up to compensate victims of 9/11. He says it's not enough. But it's doubtful he deserves anything. A Journal investigation found little evidence that Copp did real rescue work in New York. His forays into the rubble were to shoot video, some of which he tried to sell. His claim of seeking medical care within the time frame appears false. All typical of Copp's years as a self-proclaimed rescue guru.
* Other articles have relayed complaints from numerous people who have dealt with Mr. Copp.

* Mr. Copp is under investigation by a U.S. Department of Justice fraud unit.

We'd recommend sticking with safety information prepared by established earthquake safety experts, such as the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Last updated: 15 September 2004

The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/triangle.asp


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"Triangle of Life" : Wrong for the USA
by Patrick Muffler

An e-mail from one Doug Copp once again is making its rounds on the Internet. With the catchy title of "Triangle of Life", the e-mail states that going underneath objects in an earthquake is very dangerous. This position is totally opposed to the "Drop, Cover and Hold On" recommendations of the American Red Cross. These American Red Cross recommendations are based on exhaustive research by entities such as the California Office of Emergency Services, the California Seismic Safety Commission and the Red Cross itself. Copp's recommendations may be of use in the many countries where building codes do not exist or are routinely flouted, but they are not applicable to the United States, where modern building codes exist and are enforced. The Red Cross "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" remains the credible recommendation for the United States, particularly California, which has been the leader in earthquake safety.

The American Red Cross response to "Triangle of Life" can be found at http://www2.bpaonline.org/Emergencyprep/ar...-doug-copp.html. Please do not be misled by the unfortunate ambiguity in the italicized first paragraph -- "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is NOT a synonym for "Triangle of Life". The American Red Cross position is that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is correct, accurate and appropriate for use in the United States for earthquake safety, and that "Triangle of Life" is incorrect, inaccurate, and inappropriate for use in the United States.

The "Duck, Cover, and Hold On" procedure is also firmly recommended by the Office of Emergency Services of the City of Palo Alto in an e-mail to PANDA personnel dated 13 September 2004. Correct procedures are outlined at http://www.pafd.org/earthquake/famsafety.html

In short, all responsible emergency-preparedness entities support the "Duck, Cover, and Hold On" procedure in response to an earthquake in the United States and disassociate themselves from Copp's recommendations.

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American Red Cross response to "Triangle of Life" by Doug Copp

Sent from
Rocky Lopes, PhD
Manager, Community Disaster Education
American Red Cross National Headquarters

Recently it has been brought to my attention that an email from Doug Copp, titled "Triangle of Life," is making its rounds again on the Internet. "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is CORRECT, accurate, and APPROPRIATE for use in the United States for Earthquake safety. Mr. Copp's assertions in his message that everyone is always crushed if they get under something is incorrect.

Recently, the American Red Cross became aware of a challenge to the earthquake safety advice "Drop, Cover, and Hold On." This is according to information from Mr. Doug Copp, the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of American Rescue Team International (a private company not affiliated with the U.S. Government or other agency.) He says that going underneath objects during an earthquake [as in children being told to get under their desks at school] is very dangerous, and fatal should the building collapse in a strong earthquake. He also states that "everyone who gets under a doorway when a building collapses is killed." He further states that "if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, to roll out of bed next to it," and he also says that "If an earthquake happens while you are watching television and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair." These recommendations are inaccurate for application in the United States and inconsistent with information developed through earthquake research. Mr. Copp based his statements on observations of damage to buildings after an earthquake in Turkey. It is like "apples and oranges" to compare building construction standards, techniques, engineering principles, and construction materials between Turkey and the United States.

We at the American Red Cross have studied the research on the topic of earthquake safety for many years. We have benefited from extensive research done by the California Office of Emergency Services, California Seismic Safety Commission, professional and academic research organizations, and emergency management agencies, who have also studied the recommendation to "drop, cover, and hold on!" during the shaking of an earthquake. Personally, I have also benefited from those who preceded me in doing earthquake education in California since the Field Act was passed in 1933.

What the claims made by Mr. Copp of ARTI, Inc., does not seem to distinguish is that the recommendation to "drop, cover, and hold on!" is a U.S.-based recommendation based on U.S. Building Codes and construction standards. Much research in the United States has confirmed that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On!" has saved lives in the United States. Engineering researchers have demonstrated that very few buildings collapse or "pancake" in the U.S. as they might do in other countries. Using a web site to show one picture of one U.S. building that had a partial collapse after a major quake in an area with thousands of buildings that did not collapse during the same quake is inappropriate and misleading.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collects data on injuries and deaths from all reportable causes in the U.S., as well as data from three University-based studies performed after the Loma Prieta (September, 1989) and Northridge (January, 1994) earthquakes in California, the following data are indicated: Loma Prieta: 63 deaths, approximately 3,700 people were injured. Most injuries happened as a result of the collapse of the Cypress Street section of I-880 in Oakland. Northridge: 57 deaths, 1,500 serious injuries. Most injuries were from falls caused by people trying to get out of their homes, or serious cuts and broken bones when people ran, barefooted, over broken glass (the earthquake happened in the early morning on a federal holiday when many people were still in bed.) There were millions of people in each of these earthquake-affected areas, and of those millions, many of them reported to have "dropped, covered, and held on" during the shaking of the earthquake.

We contend that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" indeed SAVED lives, not killed people. Because the research continues to demonstrate that, in the U.S., "Drop, Cover, and Hold On!" works, the American Red Cross remains behind that recommendation. It is the simplest, reliable, and easiest method to teach people, including children.

The American Red Cross has not recommended use of a doorway for earthquake protection for more than a decade. The problem is that many doorways are not built into the structural integrity of a building, and may not offer protection. Also, simply put, doorways are not suitable for more than one person at a time.

The Red Cross, remaining consistent with the information published in "Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages," (visit http://www.disastereducation.org/guide.html ) states that if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, remain there. Rolling out of bed may lead to being injured by debris on the floor next to the bed. If you have done a good job of earthquake mitigation (that is, removing pictures or mirrors that could fall on a bed; anchoring tall bedroom furniture to wall studs, and the like), then you are safer to stay in bed rather than roll out of it during the shaking of an earthquake.

Also, the Red Cross strongly advises not try to move (that is, escape) during the shaking of an earthquake. The more and the longer distance that someone tries to move, the more likely they are to become injured by falling or flying debris, or by tripping, falling, or getting cut by damaged floors, walls, and items in the path of escape. Identifying potential "void areas" and planning on using them for earthquake protection is more difficult to teach, and hard to remember for people who are not educated in earthquake engineering principles. The Red Cross is not saying that identifying potential voids is wrong or inappropriate. What we are saying is that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On!" is NOT wrong -- in the United States. The American Red Cross, being a U.S.-based organization, does not extend its recommendations to apply in other countries. What works here may not work elsewhere, so there is no dispute that the "void identification method" or the "Triangle of Life" may indeed be the best thing to teach in other countries where the risk of building collapse, even in moderate earthquakes, is great.

http://www.abqjournal.com/terror/199912fire07-18-04.htm
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Sunday, July 18, 2004

Feds Investigate 9/11 Injury Claim

By Leslie Linthicum
Journal Staff Writer
A U.S. Department of Justice fraud unit is investigating former New Mexico resident Doug Copp's claim to the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
An investigator for the Fraud Detection Office of the Justice Department's Office of Inspector General has interviewed several of the people featured in the Journal's investigation of Copp, "A 9/11 Phony."
The Journal published the four-part series last week.
Copp has defended his work at ground zero and has said the people who dispute his claim are out to get him.
A Justice Department spokesman would not confirm the investigation, but the department has told Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., that it is investigating.
Udall, who lobbied on Copp's behalf to the victim's fund, asked for the Justice Department inquiry after Copp's work at ground zero was challenged.
"The Department of Justice's Inspector General has launched an investigation based on our request coupled with the questions raised by the Journal's series," Udall spokesman Glen Loveland said Friday. "We are pleased the department has responded to our request to immediately launch an investigation to determine if Mr. Copp's claim to the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is unfounded and assess whether there is enough evidence to refer the matter for criminal prosecution."
The Journal's series examined Copp's claims that he played a key role in the World Trade Center rescue and recovery operation and was seriously injured in the process.

Just hung around
No one who worked with Copp said he did real rescue work in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Instead, they said, he took videotape at the site, tried to get on TV, hung around a hotel and promoted himself.
In the Journal series:
# Everyone who went to New York with Copp disputed his claims about what he did there;

# Doctors questioned Copp's claims that he is seriously and terminally ill;

# The doctor Copp says he sought care from within the fund's time requirement said the encounter never happened;

# And Copp's body-finding machine, which he said he invented, turned out to be a commercially available gas detector.
In January, Copp received $649,000 from the fund, which was set up by Congress to compensate those injured in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks or the families of the several thousand people who were killed.
A Justice Department spokesman in Washington, D.C., said the department has investigated about a dozen fund fraud claims.
The fund processed about 2,900 death claims and 4,400 injury claims before it shut down last month. Some of those claims were withdrawn or denied. The fund paid out about $6.5 billion.
Several people have been charged with fraud in connection with false claims.
Some recent cases involving the fund, in which fraudulent claims were identified before payment was made, resulted in sentences of between 12 and 18 months in prison for mail fraud and making false statements. Mail fraud carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine. The statute also requires the convicted person to pay back the money taken by fraud.
Norm Cairns, spokesman for U.S. Attorney David Iglesias in Albuquerque, said if Copp were to be prosecuted for making a false claim to the fund, the criminal proceedings would likely occur in U.S. District Court in New Mexico.

'Bald-faced liar'
Copp flew to New York aboard the Journal Publishing Company's corporate jet on Sept. 13. The flight had special clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration when all civilian aircraft in the U.S. were grounded.
Copp got to the World Trade Center site 21/2 days after the terrorist attacks. The compensation fund covered rescue workers who were injured there in the first four days.
Congress created the fund on Sept. 22, 2001, while Copp was still in New York. He returned to his home in the East Mountains on Sept. 26 or Sept. 27.
Copp has since left New Mexico and is living in Nova Scotia, Canada, where he was born.
He did not respond to a phone call from the Journal about the Justice Department investigation except to say, "Wow, I'm amazed you're calling me" and to refer the call to a law firm he said was representing him.
John Norman, chief of special operations for the New York Fire Department, said a special agent from the Justice Department interviewed him about Copp's claims to have played a crucial role in World Trade Center rescue operations.
Norman said he told the investigator that Copp had no authority to be at the World Trade Center site and was not in charge of clearing the underground cavities.
Norman also told the Journal Copp was a "bald-faced liar."
The Justice Department has also contacted Ray Lynch, who was the deputy commissioner in the New York Mayor's Office of Emergency Services and who refused to give Copp credentials when he arrived in New York.
Lynch told the Journal that Copp's claim to have high-level White House authorization was fake.

Copp exposed
Andrew Hubert of the Virginia FEMA Task Force also said he has been contacted by a Justice Department investigator.
Hubert contacted the Journal after reading the series last week and said he was the first person Copp approached at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, where rescue teams were getting credentials and assignments. Hubert said he has become familiar with Copp from 15 years of traveling to foreign disasters.
"It dawned on me right away who he was and I exposed him to the rest of our command and Ray Lynch," Hubert said.
Elliot Pierce, the Albuquerque doctor who Copp said he sought care from when he was having coughing fits at the World Trade Center, was also contacted by the Justice Department.
Pierce was never contacted by anyone with the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, even though Copp used an encounter he said he had with Pierce to prove he met the fund's requirement for seeking medical help.
Pierce said he would have told anyone who called that he never spoke to Copp about his health and wasn't even in New York until late on Sept. 18— after the time frame had expired.

Copyright 2004 Albuquerque Journal

This post has been edited by arthur3rd: Aug 21 2005, 02:41 PM

No one can survive a naturel disasster if that is wot God wishes.

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