The house didn't fall... but did the flying vase hit anyone?
Everyone thinks, when they imagine an earthquake, that some building is going to fall on them. But this isn’t usually the case! The Japanese Earthquake today makes our blood run cold for the devastation… but what does this earthquake news teach us about our potential for a “situation” where we live? This article addresses a niche expertise that you will NOT FIND ANYWHERE ELSE and is of extreme importance. We do not write about health and safety issues, building structural problems, economic matters etc.
But we do talk about something that is IMPERATIVE for your personal safety! When people imagine an earthquake, they think that some building is going to fall on them, but it is far more likely that the cremation urn on the mantle will fly off and hit someone!
What do you cherish and fear losing in the next earthquake? Heirlooms, crystal, collectibles, family history, intellectual property? What items of value would impact your business continuity and how would these items, flying around in an earthquake, affect personal safety?!
Here is an earthquake fact: Notice in the photos of the earthquake damage that you see on the news and/or the Internet that not all homes, building etc are completely destroyed. Yes, there is an epicenter that gets hit hard. But not even all the buildings in the critical area get hit hard… and there are millions of people in the surrounding areas that are “just” rattled. Not only could something flying around the room be dangerous, losing treasure family/personal items and be heartbreaking. IT ALWAYS PAYS TO PREPARE in order to:
- Keep things from flying around in the air during the earthquake for personal safety
- Protect important historical items
- Save financially valuable items
- Protect and save emotionally valuable items
- Know ahead of time what will impact your home of business if you lose it.
Surprisingly, an easy, fast, do-it-yourself anchoring technique can save you in all of these five needs of being protected mentioned above… in all of these problem areas… this will help you BIG TIME! http://www.tipsforartcollectors.org/museumwax-package
Japanese vase makes a flying projectile during an earthquake
A recent news video on earthquakes stated that seismologist experts record over 27,000 earthquakes in the US each year! (most barely detectable but an indication of potential).
Even if you are safe after an earthquake, broken items like glassware, crystal, collectibles, ceramics can make it hazardous to move around and get things done. Not only will these broken items of value would impact your business continuity and personal safety… you will be anxious to talk to insurance adjuster later. So,
- Prepare ahead of time with an inventory of emotional, historical and financially valuable items
- Take photos
- Make copies of documents of ownership, authentication, appraisals etc.. and…
- Keep your copies in another city!
Scott M. Haskins has worked in both Europe and the U.S. as a professional conservator since 1975. He has years of experience planning for and responding after earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, mold, fire and everyday home accidents and is the author of “How to Save Your Stuff from a Disaster,” (http://www.saveyourstuffblog.com) a non-technical book with instructions on how to protect and save important documents, photos and other items not covered by insurance He wrote a booklet on “How To Respond After an Earthquake” of which the Bank of America Corporation distributed over 500,000 through their Human Resource Depts after the Northridge Earthquake.
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