Home & Garden Columns

“Triangle of Life” – Watch Out! 

Every so often I get an email from someone passing on information from a person named Doug Copp, who is a self-proclaimed “expert” on disaster management.  

He says that, in a serious quake, the “drop, cover, and hold on” advice from the Red Cross and other American disaster agencies is wrong, and that instead you should find some “triangle of life” area in the room to protect you.  

Please don’t listen to this advice. His observations are based on buildings in third world countries and, even if his ideas may have value there (who knows?), they DO NOT have value here. Engineering researchers have demonstrated that very few buildings collapse or “pancake” in the U.S. as they might do in other countries. 

If you want more info on this, google “triangle of life hoax.” You’ll learn a lot. 

Wishing you a safe home and peace of mind. 

Larry Guillot is the owner of QuakePrepare, an earthquake consulting, securing, and gas shut-off valve installation service. Contact him at 558-3299 or visit QuakePrepare.com to receive semi-monthly quake safety reports.