It's an interesting exercise to spend a day or two trying to be aware of what would be the most likely dangers where you are at the moment if you were caught in a good sizes quake right then.

I think that most will find that there are many times each day where a few seconds warning would make a difference. Some common situations:

• Carrying a heavy item that would hurt you if you dropped it on your foot, or fell down and it landed on you.

• Sitting near a shelf with something heavy on it (surround speaker, for example).

• Many things in the kitchen: carrying hot liquid; hot liquid on the stove; using a knife.

• Using power tools: soldering; drilling; sawing.

• Juggling torches.

Just a couple seconds warning can give you time to put down a heavy object, move from where your speaker will fall on you or prepare to deflect it, get out of the way of potential spills in the kitchen, put down the knife, stop your power tools, and stop juggling.