Emergency & SafetyQuestion 179 of 200

After an earthquake passes, post-shaking hazards a security officer must assess include:

a.Only structural cracks in the walls, floors and ceilings of the building itself, which the officer should photograph before anyone re-enters
b.Only the risk of a fire breaking out somewhere in the building once the shaking has stopped and the power has come back on
c.Nothing at all — once the shaking has stopped the emergency is over, the building can be reopened to staff, and normal operations may resume immediately without any further inspection being carried out at all
d.Structural damage, gas leaks (do not use elevators or any electrical switches/open flames if leak suspected), water-line breaks, hazardous spills, displaced occupants, and ongoing aftershock risk

Explanation

Earthquakes generate cascading hazards: structural compromise (do not re-enter visibly damaged buildings); gas leaks (smell, hissing — do NOT switch lights, do NOT use phones nearby, do not light flames; evacuate and call utility/911); water-main breaks; hazmat spills; injured or trapped occupants; and aftershocks, which can be nearly as strong as the initial event. Elevators must be assumed unsafe and stairs used. Officers complete a structured walk-through, document hazards, account for occupants, and coordinate with fire and EMS — the emergency persists well after shaking ends.

Law Reference: BSIS emergency-response training; building emergency plans

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