The "triangle of life" - a theory that will help you survive an earthquake

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

When the wrong advice is given on insignificant issues, it is a shame. But what if the wrong advice is given in the area of emergencies? This is already life threatening. Lifeguard Doug Copp argues that traditional earthquake behavior advice is bad for life. The life hacker found out if this is so.

Doug Kopp's first lifeguard experience was in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake, when he entered a destroyed local school building. According to him, all the children died because they followed the Duck and Cover instructions and were flattened by the covers of the desks under which they were hiding.

Doug Kopp argues that if they were near the desks, and not under them, then they would have a much better chance of surviving, because they were in the space that Kopp calls the "triangle of life."

What is the "triangle of life"

The essence of this theory is that a crumbling structure easily breaks through and crushes horizontal surfaces and more difficult - vertical posts, pillars, furniture walls and other vertical parts of objects. Therefore, cavities and spaces are formed around the verticals, which Doug Kopp called the "triangle of life".

When choosing an object for shelter, one should pay attention to its size and strength. The higher these parameters, the larger and more reliable the "triangle of life".

10 tips from Doug Kopp on how to deal with an earthquake

1. In the event of an earthquake, in no case should you hide in vehicles or in a building.
2. Take the pose of an embryo in the "triangle of life".
3. The safest in case of an earthquake are wooden buildings. Behind them are brick buildings. The most dangerous are concrete ones.
4. If you woke up from strong shocks, then quickly roll to the floor and stay near the bed.
5. If you cannot leave the building (point 1), then proceed according to points 2 and 4.
6. Don't stand in the doorway.
7. Never stand on steps.
8. Stay near outside walls whenever possible. This will give you a better chance of getting out.
9. After you have left the vehicle (point 1), if there is a danger of collapse of nearby buildings, lie down next to it.
10. Large piles of papers in offices form the "triangle of life".

In support of his theory, Doug Kopp and his ARTI rescue team, together with the Turkish government and the University of Istanbul, made a film in 1996 that confirms the theory of the triangle of life. For the film, they placed 20 mannequins in the building, 10 of which were installed according to the Duck and Cover instructions, and 10 according to the theory of the triangle of life. After simulating the earthquake, they entered the destroyed building, documented everything and made the aforementioned film, the main conclusion of which was the confirmation of Doug Kopp's theory and the failure of the Duck and Cover instruction.

Criticism of the "triangle of life"

In response to the film that was released and the viral spread of the triangle of life theory, there were many statements about the scientific inconsistency and danger of this theory. Critics are not limited to questioning the theory itself, but Kopp himself gets a lot of personality. For example, a journalist for The Albuquerque Journal conducted his own investigation, as a result of which he stated the weak reliability of Kopp's real experience in rescue operations and the latter's tendency to exaggeration and self-promotion.

The weakness of the theory itself, the "US Geological Gazette" sees in the fact that during an earthquake, large objects can move both vertically and horizontally, therefore it is very difficult to predict the place of these very "triangles of life" and there is a danger of being crushed by moving massive ones even before the collapse objects.

In addition, statistics show that most injuries and deaths are not the consequences of collapsing buildings, but the fall of heavy or sharp objects. Therefore, when spending time analyzing, searching and moving to the "triangle of life", you risk losing precious moments just to hide near furniture or a load-bearing wall.

Marla Petal, a critic of Kopp's theory, draws attention to the fact that the experiment was only a simulation, not a real situation: there was no horizontal movement of objects, the building was destroyed by equipment that destroyed the supporting pillars, which produced a flattening effect. In addition, the mannequins were previously placed in the "triangle of life", but in reality you still need to get to it.

In general, Kopp's critics and supporters of the traditional theory are very negative about any movement during an earthquake, since the risk of injury from destroyed, falling, flying objects and debris, and broken and raised floors is greatly increased. It is also not advised to roll out of bed - for the same reasons - or hide against an outer wall.

Some critics' caveats

True, for all the points "against", critics make a reservation that the strategy of behavior may be different due to the quality standards of architectural structures in different countries. Critics admit: the "triangle of life" can be more useful in the event of complete destruction of structures, which is especially common in case of strong tremors, or in developing countries, where the quality of structures is far from seismic standards.

The Red Cross is hesitant to say categorically that Kopp's earthquake behavior is wrong or unacceptable, but it does argue that the traditional Duck and Cover strategy is not wrong, at least for the United States.

We do not extend our recommendations to other countries. What works here may not work in other countries. It is likely that the so-called void detection method or "triangle of life" may indeed be the best practice for countries where the risk of building collapse is high.

But if we can find out the seismic resistance of a building before the earthquake itself, then how can we predict its strength? Considering also that learning the triangle of life theory is more difficult than teaching traditional theory and that people are 12,000 times more likely to encounter non-destructive earthquakes and get injured or killed by falling objects, critics insist that Duck and Cover tactics remain preferred during earthquakes.

The choice is ours

As a result, we are left with a choice of behavior during an earthquake. Of course, you don't have to wait for an emergency to start thinking about how to respond. The first thing we can do is study or at least read Lifehacker's survival guide. As far as earthquakes are concerned, there are general guidelines that work for both points of view.

Before the earthquake

• Find out everything you can about the strength and seismic resistance of your building.
• Fasten, reinforce, install well everything that can fall, come off, jump off, screw large furniture to the wall.
• Anything that can fall or break, no matter how well it is secured, install as far as possible from sofas and beds where family members rest.
• Never obstruct aisles.
• Store flammable and toxic liquids in safe, damage-resistant containers.
• Decide in advance on a safe place that matches your chosen theory.
• Prepare an emergency or emergency case.
• Develop a clear, easy-to-follow action plan.

During the earthquake

• Don't panic. To do this, proceed according to a pre-developed plan.
• Get ready to improvise.
• Stay away from windows.
• Remember, it is best to stay in the building and take shelter in a safe place.
• If the desire to leave the building is great, then there is at least some sense in this, if you can do it within 15–20 seconds and are no higher than the third floor.
• Don't jump out of the window if you are not on the first floor.
• In the dark, do not turn on the light (due to damaged wiring, a short circuit and a fire may occur), do not light matches, if there is a gas pipeline in the building or nearby, use a flashlight.
• If you are outdoors, move as far away from buildings and power lines as possible.
• In the mountains, beware of landslides.
• Do not try to maintain your balance by holding onto trees, which, when pushed, can act like a steel spring.

After the earthquake

• Look around and assess the situation.
• Examine yourself and others for injuries and injuries, do not hope that you will feel if something is wrong with your body. The shock of the experience may prevent you from feeling the pain.
• Provide those in need.
• Disconnect electricity.
• Put out the fire.
• When looking for objects in cabinets, remember that the contents may have moved, so open the doors carefully.
• Be aware of shards and other dangerous items on the floor. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing that covers your body as much as possible, wear tight gloves.
• Check the strength of stairs and other structures.
• Be prepared for repetitive shocks.

These are general guidelines and principles for behavior during earthquakes. If you have an interest or you live in an area with a high seismic hazard, it is better to study this topic in more detail. Well, in any case, I wish that this knowledge will never be useful to you.