Earthquakes
Watching this coverage of the Japan earthquake makes me think back...
Going to school in southern California in the 80's, I remember duck-and-cover drills. Of course, some of that was also Cold War Era fear of Soviet attack, but the earthquakes were a part of it too. Duck under your desk. Get in a doorway. When directed, exit out onto the fields in an orderly manner away from the buildings.
People were commonly encouraged to keep stores of water (and this before bottled water was a common beverage item) and emergency supplies. We were told over and over that an earthquake was overdue, and could possibly split the state at the San Andreas fault. The "big one" could happen anytime. I don't remember much about making buildings more earthquake resistant, but individual preparedness was pushed even if those who really prepared for it were probably a minority.
I wonder if that's still how it is, or if that mindset is a thing of the past.
Going to school in southern California in the 80's, I remember duck-and-cover drills. Of course, some of that was also Cold War Era fear of Soviet attack, but the earthquakes were a part of it too. Duck under your desk. Get in a doorway. When directed, exit out onto the fields in an orderly manner away from the buildings.
People were commonly encouraged to keep stores of water (and this before bottled water was a common beverage item) and emergency supplies. We were told over and over that an earthquake was overdue, and could possibly split the state at the San Andreas fault. The "big one" could happen anytime. I don't remember much about making buildings more earthquake resistant, but individual preparedness was pushed even if those who really prepared for it were probably a minority.
I wonder if that's still how it is, or if that mindset is a thing of the past.
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