Two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.7 and 7.6 that occurred in Kahramanmaraş caused great destruction in Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Diyarbakır, Adana, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, Malatya, and Hatay. The earthquake disaster, in which thousands lost their lives, also brought to the agenda the precautions to be taken before an earthquake. OHS Specialist Dr. Rüştü Uçan drew attention to the 'Family Disaster Response Plan' to be prepared in cooperation with family members for major disasters such as earthquakes. Stating that 'The Family Disaster Response Plan is a requirement of conscious living,' Dr. Rüştü Uçan said that the safest and riskiest places in the home should be identified by considering structural and non-structural hazards. He said that a sketch of living areas should be drawn to identify potential 'triangle of life' spots, places where disaster and emergency kits can be placed, dangerous areas, and alternative exit or escape routes.
Experts warn…
Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Head of Occupational Health and Safety Department, Dr. Rüştü Uçan reminded the importance of family members acting without panic in any disaster situation, especially earthquakes. Dr. Rüştü Uçan stated that the Family Disaster Response Plan must be prepared with all family members.
The plan ensures correct action without panic
Stating that the Family Disaster Plan is 'a plan that must be made for family members to act correctly without panic in any disaster situation,' Dr. Rüştü Uçan said, 'In any disaster situation, all family members may be together, or due to living conditions, all or part of them may not be together. For this reason, it is a plan that must be made for family members to act correctly without panic in any disaster situation. This plan is a very important requirement of conscious living, and in fact, living a planned life regarding all aspects of life is one of the most fundamental conditions for happiness.'
Where to meet should be planned
Referring to the points that should be included in the Family Disaster Response Plan, Dr. Rüştü Uçan said, 'This plan should include in-city/out-of-city contact information through which family members can be reached directly or indirectly, where and how to best meet if they are in different locations, what to do if meeting is not possible, personal information about family members (chronic illness, disability, pregnancy, etc.), and the technical specifications of communication devices used for more effective communication.'
Pet information should also be included
Emphasizing that two responsible persons should be determined in the Family Disaster Response Plan, Dr. Rüştü Uçan said, 'The plan should include information about cleaning staff, babysitters, guests, if any, similar to family members, information about adopted pets,
and by taking into account the possibility of the first responsible person being in difficult conditions, a second responsible person should be designated, and the necessary steps should be outlined for them to act exactly like the first responsible person when needed.'
The plan should be determined according to the first 72 hours
Dr. Rüştü Uçan stated that the plan should primarily be determined according to the 72 hours after the disaster, referred to as 'golden hours';
'- Identifying the safest and riskiest places in living areas such as homes and workplaces, taking into account structural and non-structural hazards, should be a priority.
- A sketch of the living areas should be drawn to identify especially potential 'triangle of life' spots,
- Places where disaster and emergency kits can be placed,
- Dangerous areas and alternative exit or escape routes should be indicated.
- The sketch of living areas should indicate the locations of main electricity, natural gas, and water valves/switches, the first-aid cabinet, fire extinguishers, chemical or hazardous materials if any, and materials like flashlights,' he said.