emergency life_safety ai_generated true

AI tells users to 'stand in a doorway' during an earthquake, but this is outdated; modern guidance is 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On' under a sturdy desk or table

ID: emergency/earthquake-drop-cover-hold

Also available as: JSON · Markdown · 中文
92%Fix Rate
87%Confidence
1Evidence
2023-11-20First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
FEMA Earthquake Safety Checklist v2022 active — — —
USGS Drop Cover Hold On v3.0 active — — —

Root Cause

The AI repeats a widely circulated but outdated safety tip from pre-1970s building codes when doorways were structurally reinforced; modern buildings have weaker door frames, and doorways offer no protection from falling debris or glass.

generic

中文

AI重复了1970年代前建筑规范中广泛流传但已过时的安全提示，当时门口有结构加固；现代建筑的门框更脆弱，门口无法保护免受坠落碎片或玻璃伤害。

Official Documentation

https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes

Workarounds

  1. 95% success Immediately drop to hands and knees to prevent being knocked over. Cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk. Hold on to the table leg until shaking stops. If no table is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows and cover your head with your arms. 
    Immediately drop to hands and knees to prevent being knocked over. Cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk. Hold on to the table leg until shaking stops. If no table is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows and cover your head with your arms.
  2. 90% success If in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow. Do not get up and run to a doorway, as you may be injured by falling objects or broken glass. 
    If in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow. Do not get up and run to a doorway, as you may be injured by falling objects or broken glass.

中文步骤

  1. Immediately drop to hands and knees to prevent being knocked over. Cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk. Hold on to the table leg until shaking stops. If no table is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows and cover your head with your arms.
  2. If in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow. Do not get up and run to a doorway, as you may be injured by falling objects or broken glass.

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. 90% fail

    Recommending to stand under a door frame with a lintel; modern door frames are not load-bearing and can collapse, causing head injury

  2. 85% fail

    Advising to hold the door frame while standing; this exposes the user to falling objects from above and does not protect from debris

  3. 80% fail

    Suggesting to move to a doorway in a multi-story building; doorways in corridors or stairwells are often near windows or unstable walls