It has been absolutely heartbreaking to follow the news of the devastating effects of the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The number of deaths is nearing 44,000 as I write this column and will definitely be higher when it runs in the paper Wednesday.

I’m wondering what we can learn from this. Apparently there is only a short warning period, something like 20 seconds, which is shocking to me considering how advanced we have come in technology.

All you can do if you get that warning is drop, cover and hold on.

But there are many things you can do lessen the effects of an earthquake. You can purchase survival kits that range from 40 to 200 dollars. These come in backpacks and include emergency water and good rations, sleeping bags and an assortment of tools, a folding knife, flashlight, whistle, thermal blanket and many other items.

It is totally worth the expense because even if you are not in an earthquake vulnerable area, these survival kits can also help if you are hit with fires or a tsunami. You can also go online and describe the places you live and work and see if they are more or less vulnerable to destruction.

The United States is the eighth most vulnerable country after Japan, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Iran, Turkey and Peru. The San Andreas fault is highly active along our west coast and puts millions of people at risk.

That is why we see many tsunami evacuation warning signs where I live right along the coast. Yes, I love living at the edge of our continent and I savor the views but I’m doing my homework and preparing for disasters which can easily catch us off guard.

A tsunami is a series of waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of water. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami.

If you’re looking for the safest place to live in terms of natural disasters, it is Syracuse, New York. I went to college at Colgate University in Hamilton, which is a 40-minute drive from. Syracuse and I’m having a college reunion there in June.

But I’m coming home to my wonderful home overlooking the islands and bays at the edge of the continent and I’m just going to be prepared as prepared as possible for natural disasters.