Why Rule #1 became rule # 1

In my last blog I told you that I would walk you through the process of applying Earthquake Lady rule #1. But first I would like to explain the real reason it became rule #l.

On January 17, 1994 at 4:31 in the morning I was one of the millions that was awakened in the pitch black of early morning to the sickening roar of the Northridge earthquake. I was one of the lucky ones. I was located far enough away from the epicenter that the effect of that 6.7 nightmare was not as readily apparent at my house. In addition my husband had fastened large pieces of furniture and attached baby locks on the cabinets. This is one of the few times in my life that my procrastination paid off, because my “Baby” was nine years old. As a result I didn’t have to shovel out my kitchen. I also didn’t have overturned or destroyed furniture. I didn’t realize how fortunate I was until later that day when my father and I went to rescue my mom from the hospital where she just happened to be scheduled for a procedure that day. The closer we got to the hospital the more people we saw sheltering in place on their front lawns, clothing, blankets, coolers strewn everywhere….whatever they could find to make themselves comfortable. It was apparent to me that no one had any plans to go back inside their homes anytime soon.

At the time I worked for the Walt Disney Company. We were not allowed to go back to work for a few days until they determined the buildings were safe to enter. When I arrived my coworkers and I went to work putting our department back in order. About an hour into the process a woman walked in, I didn’t recognize her until she spoke. She looked like someone had beaten her with a bat. In the earthquake she was running down the hall to her screaming children when the corner of her falling bookshelf caught her in the middle of her forehead and nose. She was worked on by a plastic surgeon who just happened to be one of the first doctors who made it to the hospital when she arrived. Carol if you ever read this, you need to know you changed my life.   When I think about what it must have been like for you and your family, in the dark, injured and the ground around you in its ultimate act of betrayal, and I don’t believe that is too strong of a term because an earthquake is the disaster that keeps on giving for hours, days and weeks.

My dear ones in those days there was no education about how to keep bad things from happening to us and the people we love in an earthquake but now there is. Fasten your furniture. A twelve dollar strap would have made all the difference.

Let’s start at your front door……