What To Do During An Earthquake

The major earthquake that happened in Italy last week should be a reminder to all of us that mother nature needs to stretch every now and then as well. For us, we were especially shaken up because two close family members were vacationing near the affected area in Italy when the earthquake happened. 

Focussed on an unplugged vacation, they felt the earth shake around 3:30 in the morning, but didn't understand the shear magnitude of damage and severity until late the following afternoon. They got up at the normal time and went out on an excursion in the ocean. Meanwhile, our family was trying to reach them all day. Not until they got back to their hotel and saw all fo the missed calls did they realize that something wasn't right. A couple quick texts and a Virtual Halo Check In put everyone stateside back at ease.

When you're traveling in an area that has a natural disaster, think about those close to you - chances are they're more worried than you are; make sure to give them peace of mind by knowing you're fine.

If you find yourself in an earthquake, follow the steps below - they could save your life (reprinted from the Earthquake Country Alliance). In most situations, following these precautions will greatly reduce potential for injury.

1. Drop - onto your hands and knees (before the earthquake knocks you down). This position protects you from falling, but still allows you to move to safety.
2. Cover - your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, only then should you get down near an interior wall (or next to low-lying furniture that won't fall on you), and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.
3. HOLD ON - to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.

The area near the exterior walls of a building is the most dangerous place to be. Windows, facades and architectural details are often the first parts of the building to collapse. To stay away from this danger zone, stay inside if you are inside and outside if you are outside. 

Indoors: Drop, Cover, and Hold On Drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly. Be prepared to move with it until the shaking stops. If you are not near a desk or table, drop to the floor against the interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms. Avoid exterior walls, windows, hanging objects, mirrors, tall furniture, large appliances, and kitchen cabinets with heavy objects or glass. Do not go outside! 

In bed: If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. You are less likely to be injured staying where you are. Broken glass on the floor has caused injury to those who have rolled to the floor or tried to get to doorways. 

In a high-rise: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Avoid windows and other hazards. Do not use elevators. Do not be surprised if sprinkler systems or fire alarms activate. 

Outdoors: Move to a clear area if you can safely do so; avoid power lines, trees, signs, buildings, vehicles, and other hazards. 

Driving: Pull over to the side of the road, stop, and set the parking brake. Avoid overpasses, bridges, power lines, signs and other hazards. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking is over. If a power line falls on the car, stay inside until a trained person removes the wire. 

In a stadium or theater: Stay at your seat and protect your head and neck with your arms. Don't try to leave until the shaking is over. Then walk out slowly watching for anything that could fall in the aftershocks. 

Near the shore: Drop, Cover, and Hold On until the shaking stops. Estimate how long the shaking lasts. If severe shaking lasts 20 seconds or more, immediately evacuate to high ground as a tsunami might have been generated by the earthquake. Move inland 3 kilometers (2 miles) or to land that is at least 30 meters (100 feet) above sea level immediately. Don't wait for officials to issue a warning. Walk quickly, rather than drive, to avoid traffic, debris and other hazards. 

Below a dam: Dams can fail during a major earthquake. Catastrophic failure is unlikely, but if you live downstream from a dam, you should know flood-zone information and have prepared an evacuation plan. 

Additionally, we recommend that you and your entire family have Virtual Halo installed and active on your cell phone. By sending a Check In, you're able to let your family know where you are in case you get separated, and they'll know you're ok.

Preparing For College Checklist

Congratulations, you’re officially a college freshman! This is both an exciting and daunting transition for most students. Help take some of the edge off and start your first year with confidence by doing these 7 things before college starts:

Schedule your campus tour. You can show up and walk around on your own, but scheduling a tour gives will give you more insight into the different areas of campus and what you can expect on your first day. Avoid not knowing how to get to your dorms or your first class and make sure this “to-do” is a priority. While you’re exploring campus, make sure you note where the emergency points and security office are.

Improve your reading skills. Consistent reading not only increases your speed, it helps you process what you’re reading faster. If your freshman English professor hasn’t already assigned summer reading, get your hands on the syllabus or recommended reading list and see how many books you can knock out before the first day of college.

Start networking early. If you haven’t already, consider joining LinkedIn. It’s never too early to start building connections and working your way up to that awesome internship or part-time job. Connect with classmates, friends, and even your professors.

Download time-management and study apps. Make managing college life easy with a little help from your smartphone. From note-taking and citation assistance to time-monitoring and collaborative learning apps, there are a plethora of options available that can make your first year at college a breeze. See a recommended list here and here.

Put together a budget. It’s easy to get carried away with money in college, especially with food, shopping, and weekend trips with friends. Start putting together a budget by analyzing how much money you will need each month for food, gas (if you will have a car on campus), clothes, etc. As much as possible try to stick to this budget – it will help with your financial and prioritization skills down the road.

Prepare for life in a new city. Personal security is important. Stay alert, build a "buddy network" of roomates and new friends where you watch out for one another. Download and use the Virtual Halo app amongst your friends, it will help you check in with each other when you're supposed to, or send out an SOS if you get into an emergency and your buddy's will know where you're at.

Get to know your professors. Show initiative and willingness to participate by developing a relationship with your professor before school starts. As the year goes on, they might also be willing to act as your mentor and guide you through challenging coursework and college life. Remember to be respectful and sincere when contacting them.

Participate in orientation activities. Orientation is a crucial time to start making friends, researching clubs and organizations, and getting to know your campus environment. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to ask questions and get involved.

Reprinted from EnvisionExperience.org

How To Prepare For An International Trip

With all of the mayhem in the news lately, people are concerned about international travel, rightly so. We've crafted a list of things that people should have handy in preparing for their trip to ensure it's as safe and hassle free as possible. Unfortunately, we can't guarantee a terror attach, but knowing what to do should you find yourself in the middle of the action could mean the difference between life or death.

• Pack what's important - We all tend to overpack, mainly because we do it the night before we're set to leave. At that point, it's easy to forget something critical and to pack unnecesary items that can both weigh you down and take up valuable space. You'll want to remember the following items:
  • Write down your emergency contacts and their contact information
  • Make copies of the front and back of your credit cards and your signed passport page; leave a copy at home and take a copy with you.
  • Keep these copies with you inside of your carry on luggage and keep it with you at all times.
  • Take at least two weeks worth of medication..
• Make a plan - Discuss what you'll do in case of an attack with your traveling companions; in the event of a disturbance, where will you meet, how will you get there, etc. It's a good idea to take a simple one-page map of the area you'll be traveling with you in case your mobile device loses power or the internet goes down.
  • Prior to travel, register with the U.S. State Department's STEP Program.
  • While traveling, memorize your hotel's emergency exits and what the most evacuation route from your hotel room to the outside is and be prepared to retrace this route with limited visibility.
  • Once overseas, register with the nearest embassy and record their contact information and that of the nearest consulate if applicable.
• Carry backup cash - Cash is king and when on foot and if the internet goes down, it can help you get something to eat and a few bottles of water. Credit cards don't always work and there's nothing that will make you feel helpless than not having purchasing power.
• Avoid high-target areas - Avoid crowded areas at busy times of the day. Major sporting events, festivals and rally's are soft targets that a terrorist may find appealing.
• Try not to stand out - Instead of being the "ugly American" practice blending in by wearing muted colors, khaki pants, dark socks and leather shoes. Nothing stands out internationally more than an American wearing shorts, athletic shoes and white socks.
• Use your tools - Utilize the Virtual Halo app and communicate to your emergency contacts what your plan is in case of an emergency. Remember - SOS and Check In mode are your friends.