The Risks

In the case of a massive earthquake you might be tempted to bend over and kiss your ass goodbye, depending on where you live or work. Don't be afraid.

It will happen here in Portland, Oregon someday. It's best to plan ahead.

I live on the fourth floor in an old brick apartment building reinforced in 2010.  It made this list of "possibly" dangerous buildings in the event of a catastrophic quake.

Never trust bricks in these situations.

The deal for me personally is that when the quake comes my building will collapse into its basement and I will survive the free fall, probably with a few broken bones, but mostly intact.

At times I lay in bed at night and think about it.  My mattress and I will plunge down suddenly and forcefully, but the mattress will break my fall against the debris. Depending on how the ceiling and roof above me breaks down, I'll have a real chance to survive.

Bricks won't be the problem for me then, but rather that monstrous HVAC system that is directly overhead.  I'll have to dodge that baby at the precisely right moment.

A few cuts and scrapes along with the broken bones would be a small price to pay for survival.  I'll take the deal when and if it happens, perhaps with a quick rolling maneuver I learned in football.

To be cautious, I always wear a football helmet to bed, like BD in the Trudeau cartoons.


TS