| Program
Manager:
Bill
Penka
Hazard Mitigation Officer
Oklahoma Department
of Emergency Management
P.O. Box 53365
Oklahoma City, OK 73152
Phone: (405) 833-4414
Fax: (405) 869-3831
Email: bill.penka@oem.ok.gov
Program Statement:
Oklahoma is a
moderate risk earthquake state and as such, is an Associate Member
State of the Central United State Earthquake Consortium. This moderate
risk is a result of the State's proximity to the New Madrid Fault,
New Madrid, Missouri Seismic Zone.
The Meers Fault
is located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton. An earthquake that
happened many thousands of years ago created the fault and it is
one of many "seeable" faults in the United States. Oklahoma has
experienced, on the average, 80 earthquakes each year since records
have been kept by the Oklahoma Geological Survey. Most of these
earthquakes are so small that people do not feel them. However,
these unfelt earthquakes adversely effect the integrity of the infrastructure
and lifelines within the impacted areas. Only about two or three
per year have been large enough to be felt and most were so small
they caused no visible damage. However, in 1952 an earthquake of
5.2 on the Richter Scale did occur near El Reno, OK that caused
damage to buildings in various parts of the State.
Earthquake
hazard and damage reduction information has been incorporated into
the State's Strategic All-Hazards Mitigation Plan. Every forum that
includes a discussion about hazard mitigation includes a discussion
about earthquakes in Oklahoma and respective earthquake damage reduction
measures. Although not inclusive, earthquakes are discussed at the
annual Water Resources Board Technical Workshops; at the annual
meetings of the Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association; at the
annual meetings of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association;
the annual Disaster Response and Recovery Operations Course; at
briefings for the Oklahoma Federal Executive Board; at Project Impact
meetings throughout the State; during the Oklahoma State Hazard
Mitigation Team Meetings; at the annual Dam Safety Conference; and,
Public Information Officer training courses.
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