What’s Under Your Bed?

Alice Kuder • May 7, 2024

Bedtime creates vulnerability

Perhaps the most vulnerable place you are likely to find yourself when an earthquake occurs, is in bed. If you are awakened by the shaking, you should either roll onto your stomach and cover your head and neck with your pillow, or duck under the bed itself.

The most common injuries following an earthquake are from broken glass and falling objects. If the quake happens at night, when you are sleeping, you are most likely to be lightly dressed and certainly shoeless, so your chances of stepping on broken glass when you get out of bed, are high. Hopefully, nothing fell on you while you were still in bed, and/or the pillow protected you if something did fall.

Now, before you face this situation, is the time to plan ahead. Is there enough room under your bed for you to find protection there? If there isn’t, is it because the bed is too low to the ground, or is it because you use it as storage space?

If it’s the latter, consider making some changes. Find other places to use for storage. and reserve the under-bed space for disaster related supplies.

What is above your bed?

If your bed is beneath a window, or if you have a mirror or framed picture hanging over your bed, consider alternatives.

What should be under your bed?

Under your bed is an ideal place to keep your Flee Bag™ (you’ve already assembled one, right?), which contains the supplies that are essential to help you survive the first 1-3 days following a major earthquake or other disaster.

Among the items that are either in, or next to your Flee Bag™ , you should have

Hard-soled shoes
Heavy * work gloves
A * hard-hat or bike helmet

These items will protect you from the most likely dangers you may encounter after severe shaking, and until you can assess the damage to your home.

Now is the time to banish those dust bunnies and replace them with your earthquake armor.

If you have questions, or need more tips, schedule a free, 20-minute phone call with me here.

* Disclosure: If you purchase these items via the links I have provided here, I may receive a small commission from Amazon.

The post What’s Under Your Bed? appeared first on Just In Case.

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