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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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December
2006
Volume
11 - Number 3 |
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By Ryan Beebe Over a two-month period between 1811 and 1812, three large earthquakes struck along the New Madrid fault in Missouri. Few people lived in the region at the time of the earthquakes, so little is known about effects on the local population. Today however, several large urban areas run along the New Madrid fault, including St. Louis, MO, Memphis, TN, and Little Rock, AR. The New Madrid and Wabash seismic zones encompass the states of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. The impact of a major earthquake in the area would be catastrophic. Because the area is not known for seismic activity, state and local governments are less prepared than more active areas, like California. FEMA and several state emergency management agencies conceived the New Madrid Earthquake Project in 1998. One of the objectives that FEMA and the Department of Transporation hoped to achieve included the incooperation of earthquake modeling in HAZUS, a software program designed to project damage and casualities for a specific hazard and geographic location. HAZUS utilizes geospatial information from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) to create disaster maps that are manipulated by changing hazard information. This program is available to all state and local agencies and the public free of charge. On November 2, 2006, representatives from the Emergency Management agencies of seventeen states met in St. Louis, Missouri, to discuss the implications of a major earthquake along the New Madrid Fault. This was the first conference that combined a wide range of state and federal officials in an effort to prepare for an earthquake in the region. The conference, held by Delta Regional Authority encouraged state and local agencies upgrading their preparation efforts. A major earthquake along the fault could force state governments to fend for themselves for a significant amount of time before federal resources would arrive. Officials from FEMA are concerned about the agency’s capability for swift response due to the likelihood that many roads and bridges would not withstand a large-scale earthquake. An earthquake, the size of the ones in 1812, would severely cripple the region’s trade flow as well as inhibiting emergency responders. FEMA and the rest of the federal government hope to avoid response delays that were apparent during Hurricane Katrina and are actively working on response scenarios. In February 2006, Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA), traveled to Missouri to assess the state, local, and federal governments level of preparedness. Missouri’s congressmen have also asked the federal government to conduct an emergency response exercise along the entire New Madrid fault zone to evaluate agencies’ response to a catastrophic earthquake. FEMA and Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) officials have coordinated on an earthquake awareness campaign for Arkansas residents. In the campaign, officials establish steps for creating a personal safety plan, emergency communication system, and building a disaster supply kit. Among the recommendations are: • Identifying safe areas within the home • Educating oneself about emergency services • Learning how and when to shut off gas, electricity, and water • Necessary inventory for a disaster supply kit • Establishing an emergency communication system All of these steps indicate that FEMA has acknowledged the deficiency in communicating the importance of earthquake preparation in the New Madrid fault zone. Proactive measures are taking place to correct the deficiencies and involve every level of government in the area. Private organizations, like the Delta Regional Authority, have also recognized the necessity for mutual aid agreements and communication systems between the various affected state agencies. With public and private entities contributing to earthquake awareness in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, there is a greater likelihood that first responders and local and state government agencies will prepare for a major earthquake and mitigate risks with by applying appropriate safeguards. FEMA has taken proactive steps in preparing for an earthquake in the area by identifying vulnerable states as being at a high risk for earthquake. FEMA is also aware of the large number of chemical facilities in the seismic zone. State officials should take steps to prevent a major chemical exposure in the event of an earthquake and establish effective evacuation routes for affected residents. RESOURCES Bement, Dan. “FEMA Operations,” September 2000. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/modiv/fema.htm “FEMA: National Situation Update: Friday, November 3, 2006” 3 November 2006 http://www.fema.gov/emergency/reports/2006/nat110306.shtm “FEMA: Are you earthquake aware? Press release. 30 January 2003 http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=2545 “FEMA: What to do before an earthquake.” 12 April 2006 http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_before.shtm “Earthquake Awareness: Personal Safety Comes First,” 15 May 2006 http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=26198 Central US Earthquake Consortium. http://www.cusec.org/S_zones/NMSZ/nmsz_home.htm |