Your Health

If disaster hit here

What if you were in a building hit by an earthquake, fire or terrorism? Avoid these common errors to improve your chances of surviving, says safety contractor Building Safety Solutions.

Disregarding alarms: Even if you think it's a drill, head for the exit right away. A one-minute delay can hurt your odds of staying safe in an emergency.

Skipping training: If your company has drills or emergency training, take part and pay attention. You'll learn how to get out, where to find refuge and locations of fire extinguishers and exits.

Going out the 'in' door: Head for the nearest exit, not the one you come in every morning. Even if you're just visiting, take note of building evacuation plans, usually posted in the lobby.

Staying behind to help: It's your job to get out. Trained floor leaders and emergency workers know the best way to assist people in need.

Want to be an ex?

About 21 percent of American adults smoke, and more than two-thirds want to quit.

A new Web site, www.BecomeAnEx.org, aims to help. It lets users create free, personalized plans to quit. You can track smoking triggers, like stress, parties or a run-in with your boss, and tap into a live online support group.

The site is part of a national campaign to reinvigorate the battle against tobacco addiction.

The goal? Cut the smoking population to 12 percent by 2010.

Triathlon for kids

Your kids can get into the triathlon trend by signing up for the Multisport Madness Kids Triathlon being held Saturday at the Delnor Health & Wellness Center in Geneva.

You can register until 10 a.m. Thursday. Go to www.active.com and search for Multisport Madness.

Distances vary by age, with kids 7 to 10 swimming 125 meters, biking two miles and running one-half mile. Kids up to age 18 who have experience with triathlons can swim 375 meters, bike 6.2 miles and run 1.7 miles.

Sorry, adults, you'll have to sit this one out.

This is your brain with pals

Chatting with a friend right before a test helps your score just as much as if you spent the time cramming.

That's the conclusion of University of Michigan research in which 76 people either chatted, studied or watched "Seinfeld" clips before cognitive tests.

The studiers and talkers did equally well. Sorry, Jerry -- TV watchers were a distant third.