Most of us think of southern California as earthquake country, with the San Andreas Fault and the big suspicion that one day part of the Golden State will fall off into the Pacific. California is prone to seismic activity and the chances of its residents experiencing an earthquake are great; yet no place in the world is immune to the possibility of an earthquake. While earthquakes are more common along the major fault lines and in areas with common volcanic activity, the earth is a living organism that is constantly changing and moving. Even if you have never experienced or never even heard of an earthquake in your area, it is always a good idea to design your baby’s nursery or child’s room in a way that he or she will be kept as safe as possible in the event of an earthquake.
While no structure is earthquake-proof, several steps can be taken to insure minimal damage and injury to the inhabitants of the building. Following are a few tips for making your child’s room safe.
1. When setting up your child’s room or baby’s nursery, put the crib or bed along a wall so that it is not right under the window. Breaking and falling glass is very common in earthquakes, and you don’t want it falling on your child. The same is true with mirrors; do not hang a mirror where it might fall on your child’s bed.
2. If there is a ceiling light or hanging lamp, situate the bed or crib so that it is not directly under the light in the event that it falls. Make sure ceiling lamps are bolted in securely.
3. Do not put your child’s bed next to a tall wardrobe or tall piece of furniture that could potentially fall over. If you must have a tall piece of furniture such as this in the room, arrange it in a way that if it does fall over, it will hit another dresser or piece of furniture, rather than falling directly to the floor or onto the bed.
4. If you have wall shelves holding your child’s toys, games or clothing, situate the bed or crib so that it is not directly under the shelves. When an earthquake takes place, usually the first thing to happen is items falling off shelves; the shelves may fall, as well. When installing shelves, make sure they are attached directly to the wall and not simply pieces of shelving sitting loosely on shelving racks. These are more inclined to fall.
5. If you do live in an area that is prone to frequent earthquakes, educate your child at a young age about the possibility and teach him what to do in the event that one happens. Role-play and practice earthquake drills. Teach your child not to panic, but to immediately get himself to safety: either in a doorway or shower stall. Explain to him that the shaking will end, but he must wait in safety until it does.
In the unlikely event of an earthquake, preparation and education are the best steps to preventing injury and damage.
