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Program Manager:
Mr. Cecil
Whaley,
Director, Operations & Response Directorate
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
3041 Sidco Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37204
Phone: (615) 741-0640
Fax: (615) 253-1340
Email: cwhaley@tnema.org
Program Statement:
The earthquake
program in the state of Tennessee is administered through a manager
in the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency located in Nashville,
TN. The program has been in existence for over a decade and receives
its complete funding from the NEHRP grant funds passed through the
EMPG funds allocated through FEMA from Congress. The program is
built around a long-range five year plan which is reviewed and revised
at the end of each year.
The key goals
encompassed in the plan are:
(1) Strengthening and teaching enforcement of building codes at
the local government level;
(2) Making sure that local Emergency Management Directors are educated
and aware of the latest information and technology available concerning
the earthquake threat in Tennessee;
(3) Make the latest nonstructural mitigation techniques and information
available to schools, hospitals, health care facilities and critical
infrastructure buildings in high threat areas;
(4) Provide public awareness information and materials and programs
to the general public on preparedness and mitigation techniques
for use before, during and after earthquake events;
(5) Prepare and coordinate response plans for all major resources
available in Tennessee and participate in mutual assistance with
the other six states involved in the CUSEC program area.
Tennessee provides
many of the materials needed to meet the goals of the earthquake
program by cooperating with the program managers of the other six
CUSEC states. The interaction and sharing of ideas and information
between the states and the CUSEC staff helps to provide the needed
materials and concepts used in the informational activities through
the state program. Speaking engagements and informational visits
to radio and television media outlets are used to provide the general
public with any new information or research which may have been
provided by FEMA, CUSEC or CERI or USGS. Hundreds of contacts are
made through visits to professional associations and organizations
who deal with some aspect of the building industry or are affiliated
with a related group.
Tennessee does
not have a state Earthquake Council or planning group in place at
present, but the state has conducted numerous statewide earthquake
exercises which have included as many as twelve thousand participants,
utilizing hundreds of trucks and maintenance vehicles and aircraft.
The depth and strength of the emergency services coordinators program
within the state emergency operations plan has been proven many
times during actual disaster operations in the state. The support
of the Governor and his staff and the full support of many private
industry partners has provided many significant materials and funds
and in-kind donations which has supported the earthquake program
and its goals.
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