"Duck and Cover!"

After reading about what is said to be America's biggest earthquake drill, in California due to the San Andreas fault line, I tossed all my work aside to do a little research.

A friend forwarded me an e-mail with excerpts from Doug Copp's "Triangle of Life" concerning earthquake survival; this challenged the widespread practice to "drop, cover and hold on." I found this new method astonishing if it in fact holds true. Copp explains during an earthquake, one should crouch down or curl up against a bulky object that would only compress slightly, like a couch or fridge- thus leaving you in a void. Those who seek shelter under a table or other objects are instantly crushed from anything that collapses onto that object. This explanation seems valid.

Red Cross and many other organizations rebutted Copp's method stating it would lead to a fatal end. They stated that buildings in the U.S. don't collapse or "pancake" rendering Copp's method dangerously useless. According to them, the majority of deaths are caused by building contents and imploding glass.

One thing that IS agreed is don't get under a doorway. It is a definite no-no and will lead to a violent death, not to mention the embarrassing and desperate attempt to stay still when the shocks throw you back and forth.

My verdict: "Drop, cover and hold on" unless you're in Turkey where Copp based his research; buildings there are more likely to "pancake." In times of disaster, it's simply common sense to be mindful of your surroundings. Scuddlin' under a flimsy beer pong table or getting in a fetal position against a $10 IKEA rack would be moronic; however, it may put you in the limelight of mass media for a good minute.