ARTI has a less than stellar reputation amoungst national and international rescuers.

There is information about ARTI on the web from other sources. I recommend you review a wider sampling of information before making any judgements.

The concepts they propose may be valid. I would suggest that you try to find additional information to collaborate the findings of ARTI.

Hmmm...interesting idea. I'm inclined to believe that surviving a collapse is as much luck as anything else, but assuming it would make a difference, here are my thougths. I can sort of see what they're talking about regarding cars, it is very possible for a car to be crushed down to the level of the firewall and not be completely pancaked, so the "triangle" would exist there, although unless you're in an underpass you're probably more likely to be hurt by flying debris outside your car than you are to be crushed. But I'm not sure I agree with hiding beside large objects indoors. If something heavy falls on my desk, it's either going to be crushed or it isn't, it wouldn't partially collapse, so I'd be pancaked weather I was under it or beside it, whereas I'm much more likely to be hit in the head by the falling light fixture if I'm not under my desk. I also would think that an earthquake would flip that large filing cabinet over on top of me long before it knocked the roof down on top of the filing cabinet.

Having said all that, I think Virginian's post from a couple weeks ago is applicable here, too. We humans don't yet have instincts for being in high rise buildings anymore than we have for walking through minefields, so what seems intuitive may not be such a good idea at all.

Bracing yourself in a doorway is no longer recommended. If there is a DOOR it is going to violently swing with the additional potential for injury. There are a few products most usefull before an earthquake. "Museum wax" should be used to secure glass and porcelain objects. It is not permanent, but prevents the creation of flying missiles. Several Velcro products are availabe to create safety belts for larger electronic devices. Simple plumber's strapping ( the perforated metal banding) secured around water heaters and large appliances can also stop or reduce their movement. I worked at a Home Depot during the Northridge Quake. We had the cash vault personel and the opening manager inside when it struck. He LOCKED the girls in the store and ran home to check his family. I smashed the glass door open and FORCED the girls outside into the parking lot. The aftershock finished the job; 3 high pallets of cement and building materials crashed to the ground, every window exploded,light fixtures fell like missiles and the indoor plants were untouched <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. The whims of an earthquake are as unpredictable as the reaction of people!