Another Call Center Blog

It was a couple of minutes before 8 am when I felt a sense of jolt. There was an earthquake. I was at the office and our office is at the 7th floor of a building along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City when I noticed my swivel chair swinging lightly. It was noticeable enough because after a few seconds, all employees in the floor were on their feet trying to verify if indeed there’s an earthquake. And in fact, it was reported later the day that a 5.3 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro Monday morning and was felt as far as Metro Manila. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that the tectonic quake struck at about 7:50 a.m. It was felt at Intensity IV in Looc, Lubang; Intensity III in Batangas City ; Iba, Zambales and Clark, Pampanga; and Intensity II in Talisay, Batangas, Calamba, Laguna, Makati , Manila , Pasay , Pasig . Muntinlupa, Mandaluyong and Cavite.

Well, we are in Quezon City but we felt it. I think it was intensified by the fact that we are on a high-rise building. My parents who live within the Quezon City area didn’t have a clue when I asked them if they felt the tremors.

Most call center sites are located on high-rise buildings and the knowledge that you are on top of a 30 storey-building during an earthquake can cause extreme panic. But this should be avoided. Listed below are a few earthquake safety tips from the SagipKapamilya website which when kept in mind can spell safety during an earthquake.

WHAT TO DO IF THERE IS AN EARTHQUAKE DURING BUSINESS HOURS AND YOU ARE IN A BUILDING:

1. Duck, cover and hold. Advise others to do the same. Do not run or panic.
2. Do not leave the building until the motion stops and it is safe. Stay where you
are. If indoors stay indoors. Most injuries occur because people are trying to enter or leave buildings in a state of panic.
3. If inside the building, take cover under a desk, heavy table or bench, or against
inside walls and doorways, or in the corner of the room. Stay away from
glass, windows, and outside doors. Watch out for falling debris or tall
equipment that may topple or slide across the floor.
4. Do not dash for exits since stairways may be broken or jammed with people.
Do not use elevators as the power may fail. Seek safety in the immediate
area you are in and then calmly evacuate the facility after the quake.
5. Do not distress if you hear alarms going off or if the sprinklers begin to
operate. These systems will likely be activated in the event of a major
tremor. Expect to hear noise from breaking glass, cracks in walls, and
falling objects.
6. Prepare for more than one aftershock. Aftershocks are common after an
earthquake. After the first motion is felt, there may be a temporary
decrease in the motion followed by another shock. Aftershocks can occur
several minutes, hours, or days after an initial shock.
7. Do not use candles, matches, or open flames during or after the tremor.
Extinguish any fires immediately with a fire extinguisher.
8. When leaving be alert for possible falling objects.
9. Assist people to safety.
10. Administer first aid as needed.
11. Make sure coworkers are safe.
12. Report to the Department's Evacuation Assembly Area.

Note: Each supervisor is responsible for assuring the safe evacuation of staff
and clients.

Source: http://www.sagipkapamilya.com/