EQ-SAFETY-ERR-001 emergency life_safety ai_generated true

AI advises a user to 'evacuate vertically' during an earthquake, confusing the concept of 'vertical evacuation' for tsunamis with earthquake safety

ID: emergency/ai-tells-user-to-evacuate-vertically-during-earthquake

Also available as: JSON · Markdown · 中文
88%Fix Rate
86%Confidence
1Evidence
2024-06-12First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
FEMA Earthquake Safety 2023 active — — —
USGS ShakeAlert active — — —
iOS 17 Earthquake Alert active — — —
Android 14 Earthquake Detection active — — —

Root Cause

The AI conflates 'vertical evacuation' (a tsunami strategy where people move to higher floors) with earthquake safety, where the standard advice is 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On' and moving vertically (e.g., running upstairs) can be dangerous due to falling debris and structural collapse.

generic

中文

AI混淆了'垂直疏散'（一种海啸策略，人们移到更高楼层）与地震安全，标准建议是'蹲下、掩护、抓牢'，而垂直移动（如跑上楼）可能因坠落碎片和结构倒塌而危险。

Official Documentation

https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes

Workarounds

  1. 95% success During an earthquake, do NOT evacuate vertically. Instead, follow 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On': drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on until the shaking stops. 
    During an earthquake, do NOT evacuate vertically. Instead, follow 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On': drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  2. 80% success If you are in a tsunami zone after a strong earthquake, then consider vertical evacuation to a higher floor or a tsunami evacuation building, but only after the shaking stops and you have dropped/covered/held on first. 
    If you are in a tsunami zone after a strong earthquake, then consider vertical evacuation to a higher floor or a tsunami evacuation building, but only after the shaking stops and you have dropped/covered/held on first.
  3. 85% success Use the USGS ShakeAlert app on your phone to receive early warnings; it provides specific guidance for your location, including whether to drop/cover or evacuate for tsunami. 
    Use the USGS ShakeAlert app on your phone to receive early warnings; it provides specific guidance for your location, including whether to drop/cover or evacuate for tsunami.

中文步骤

  1. During an earthquake, do NOT evacuate vertically. Instead, follow 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On': drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  2. If you are in a tsunami zone after a strong earthquake, then consider vertical evacuation to a higher floor or a tsunami evacuation building, but only after the shaking stops and you have dropped/covered/held on first.
  3. Use the USGS ShakeAlert app on your phone to receive early warnings; it provides specific guidance for your location, including whether to drop/cover or evacuate for tsunami.

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Tell user to run to the highest floor in the building 85% fail

    During an earthquake, moving can expose you to falling objects; the safest action is to drop, cover, and hold on under a sturdy table.

  2. Advise user to use stairs instead of elevators for vertical evacuation 75% fail

    Stairs can collapse or become blocked; the advice to use stairs is for fire, not earthquakes.

  3. Suggest vertical evacuation only if the building is designed for it (e.g., tsunami refuge) 65% fail

    Most buildings are not designed for vertical evacuation during earthquakes; this is only applicable in tsunami zones with specially marked structures.