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In 1980 I was in one of those "What Do I Wanna Do Now" dilemma's. I had taken my children to Great America south of San Francisco when I happened upon a book in the gift shop entitled California is Earthquake Country which I taken home. Bythe time I finished reading that book and a list of others in reference materials my dilemma was solved. What came of this was a 20 page coffee table pamphlet which I called "AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE HOW DO WE GO"?. This became MY HOBBY. Tothose of you who would prefer skipping this pretty good introduction can roll your mouse down to the blinking "MY HOBBY LINKS" below. We built or own 17ft, six(6) passenger hovercraft using Universal Hovercrafts Kit(see link below). It has been flawlessfor years.
You might or might not know this book, but these references are truly there.
Genesis 7:11
Genesis 8:3
John 5:28-29
Ephesians 4:8
Matthew 27:46
Matthew 27:50
Revelation 6:12-13
Revelation 8:5
Revelation 11:19
Revelation 16:18
It came out of the Pacific at the mouth of Alder Creek by Point Arena, just as on April 18, 1906, only this time much stronger-ripping south at the steady, crushing speed of two miles per second. The 1906 motion lasted less than a minute, already morethan that had passed. Everywhere people grabbing for something solid and trying to hold on, waiting for the shaking to cease, it didn't. And everywhere broken glass, bloody faces, people running, but senselessly, first in one direction, then another, butgoing nowhere.
INTRODUCTION
The Information contained in this booklet shall attempt to document some of the best known and tragic evidence of the convulsive phonomena, "EARTHQUAKE". Reading this booklet will provide your area with some alternates in the event such a catastrophewere to take place. The intent of this booklet is to show due cause now not after on how to help somewhat the ungovernable conditions that will surely follow in every area during the survival struggle.
THE HUMAN FACTOR
It is relatively easy to set down a few rules of conduct to follow when an earthquake strikes. But these rules are not always easy to follow durin an actual event. Since you won't have any advance warning, and the actual shaking will probably be over inless than a minute ( though it nay seen to last a lifetime ), the whole ordeal may start and stop before you have time to compose your thoughts.
Earthquake motion is not always constant; there may be a few seconds between tremors. If there are, here are some suggestions:
- If you can get into an open area or field, do so, but take care that you aren't in the range of fallen debris.
- In a severe shock, you may not even be able to stand, much less walk. Try to get as far as possible from buildings that may collapse.
- If you are in a downtown building, stay right where you are and do not run into the streets. Many of the deaths recorded in earthquakes have been caused when frightened people ran out of buildings a were struck by collapsing walls or fallingmasonary.
- Get into a doorway if you can, to take advantage of this protection.
- Stay away from masonary walls, chimneys, and large glass areas - they are susceptable tocollapse.
If you are indoors, try to find some protection from flying fixtures or debris. Stand in a doorway, crouch under a desk or table, or roll under a bed. This may supply useful psychological help as well as actual shelter.
Don't be alarmed by explosive flashes from power poles and transformers, but keep your distance. Once the shaking stops you can start working to minimize post quake damage. RESIST THE URGE TO PANIC. Take your time and try to organize yourthoughts. These considerations are of importance. Check your family and neighbors for injuries. Then check for fires. If there is evidence of gas leakage due to damage to appliances or connections, turn off the main gas valve and leave it off until youare advised by the utility company or some other competent source. You may want to store some water in case supply lines are disrupted. Fill several containers, but don't draw a large quantity for this may seriously hinder fire fighters by reducing thepressure. Use your telephone only for emergency calls. DO NOT start driving around the neighborhood to check the damage. CHECK YOUR OWN HOUSE! If the earthquake has been severe, your house may have been damaged even though it seems to have stoodup well.
In 1835, after experiencing a large shock in Chile, Charles Darwin made this entry in his diary; a bad earthquake at once destroys our oldest associations; the earth, the very emblem of solidity, has moved beneath our feet like a thincrust over a fluid, one second of time has created in the mind a strange idea of insecurity, which hours of reflection would not have produced.
HOW DO WE GO
It does not roll or pitch, in fact, though it conveys this odd sensation of being alive, it is steady as a rock. Then you will be conscious of a very slight tremor through the craft; at the same time, there is a hiss, it is now travelling on its owncushion of air wherever you're attempting to go.
Examination of the fire fighting and rescue facilities that will be required in the event catastrophic magnitude earthquake struck, highlights the effectivenessof the vehicle as a major rescue vehicle.
The sitting of the Greater Bay Area(I was living here at the time this was written, but works for any town) with an expanse of water at each end, a very real problem will exist if massive land areas sink. In a tidal enviroment there is no clearly definedinterface between pure land and pure water. There is instead an expanse of terrain which can be crossed by neither land vehicles nor marine vehicles at low tide, and which is subject to rapid flooding as the tide rises. The vehicle must be able toproceed to the scene of destruction in the shortest possible time. The power unit must start immediately and realiably from the rest condition and give full power in the minimum time under all conditions of temperature and humidity. The vehicle must beable to achieve a high average speed from the rest point to any possible point.
The Amphibious capability necessary for operation in shallow water and on sandbanks is the most difficult to fulfill. To have true amphibious capability a vechile must be supported both in water and over land and it must be able to bridge the interfacebetween pure water and pure land. Several varieties of buoyant supported vehicles are available, most having wheels forsupport and traction on land and a marine propeller for propulsion in water.
All wheeled vehicles suffer from ground contact pressures which are high enough to cause bogging on soft surfaces or sinking due to fluidity of the land. The helicopter, having a very real advantage in the payload of the size to carry equipment andrescue teams will be very expensive and this, added to the difficulty of operation in zero visibility, rules it out as a way of rescue for many heart and enjured.
The prospect of a rescue vehicle which would serve the conditions of land surface, surface fractures, rubble, deep water, and shallow water sand banks is very attractive. The number of persons saved tends to be a function of time, both for all the damagedone, the impassable debris strewn from building fronts, the rerouting of emergency vehicles because of the debris. The fact that a wheel will not climb over an obstruction higher than approximately 0.3 x wheel radius is a fact. Not until governableconditions are restored will supplies be abundant enough. Can we wait? With the possibility of these predicted ruptures throughout this area ground transportation as we know it will certainly end.
Our craft is suitable for a variety of civil and emergency applications. Its capacity to float on a cushion of air has made them the idea whos time has come in this earthquake zone. Hovercraft are today being built, developed and commercially used allover the world and have already superseded conventional displacement craft, because they are faster, more economical to run, and can be used as an amphibious means of transportation which need no expensive port installations. The immediate delivery ofthe hovercraft will not be apparent to the casual glance. But after many years without a major quake (which prompted me to build mine), plus the versatility of the hovercraft will figure greatly when the big ones start complicating things.
The recent wrath of earthquakes that shook our state has caused me to be a bit jumpy. I have listened to all the reports, read as much literature as possible on the subject. and still there's nothing that will calm this fear in my mind.ONE ISCOMING!!. We already know what's expected, plus or minus some degree of accuracy. Who will survive? All electricity out, no water, no food. In essence, a major disaster.
UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES - WE ALREADY HAVE OURS, WHY NOT GET YOURS?
Seventeen years ago I became involved with hovercraft, and to this day still enjoy them. If you would like to learn more about my hobby I've provided the links here that will help get you started.
| Hover Club of America Inc. | Universal Hovercraft |
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| Hover Stuff |
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[Abilene Reporter-News(TX) to The Duncan Banner (OK)] |
Last Update: 03/13/07
Web Author: Michael Burton Sr.
Copyright �2001 by Michael Burton International - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
