Did You Feel It?
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Geocache Update
A great way to spend time outdoors with your family and friends is by going
Geocaching.
Since 2007, more than 3k people have visited CUSEC geocaches, which provide earthquake safety and mitigation information to site visitors.
As some visitors recently noted:
"We really love caches that take us interesting places or teach us something new, so keep this up."
"
Staff was very friendly. Even stood on the New Madrid fault line a few hundred feet from this cache
."
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New Madrid Cool Facts
Think you are an expert on the New Madrid Seismic Zone? Here is a cool fact you may not have known:
In 1811, the population of what is now the central United States was very sparse. Still considered to be the western frontier, there were only about 5,700 people in the St. Louis area at the time. Most historical reports (journals, letters, and newspapers) describing the earthquake shaking and its effects were written by people who were located east of the Mississippi River. Today, about 11-12 million people live in the St. Louis-Memphis region.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey "20 Cool Facts about the New Madrid Seismic Zone".
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Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills follow
National Preparedness Month
Each September FEMA organizes National Preparedness Month (
#NatlPrep
), a public service campaign that provides a dedicated time for individuals and communities to prepare for disasters.
To foster better emergency planning and family communication, the 2015 National Preparedness Month theme is -
Don't Wait. Communicate.
The month-long slate of activities culminates with America's PrepareAthon! National Preparedness Day of Action on September 30. PrepareAThon! encourages individuals to take part in activities relative to the hazards they may face on a day-to-day basis, including earthquakes.
For the third ye
ar following America's PrepareAthon! and National Preparedness Month, individuals and communities in more than 45 states and territories will participate in
Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills
. Held annually on the third Thursday of October, the ShakeOut is set for Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 10:15 a.m. local time. During the self-led drill, participants practice how to "Drop, Cover, Hold On", the personal protective action recommended during an earthquake.
Worldwide, nearly
25 million people
are expected to participate in earthquake drills and safety activities as part of the ShakeOut. In addition to the drills, many participants take extra steps to become more prepared for earthquakes. To take part in the ShakeOut, individuals and organizations are asked to first
register to participate at www.ShakeOut.org
.
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CUSEC GIS/IT Working Group Receives FEMA Community Preparedness Award
CUSEC is honored to announce that our Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/Information Technology (IT) Working Group is the recipient of the
2015 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness (ICPD) Award
, Technological Innovation category. The award is based on the GIS/IT innovations leading up to and during
CAPSTONE-14, a multi-year planning and exercise initiative involving the CUSEC Member and Associate States, the Federal Government, and private sector. During CAPSTONE-14, the Working Group created data sharing models and tools for decision makers for situational awareness before and during disasters. These systems have since become national models of excellence and were a test-bed to lay the foundation for future improvements for expanding regional and national shared situational awareness for emergency management and first responders.
The annual ICPD awards program, announced during National Preparedness Month, recognizes outstanding efforts of individuals, programs, and organizations throughout the country working to prepare their communities for emergencies. The winners developed innovative practices and campaigns in 2014 and 2015 that made outstanding contributions toward making communities safer, better prepared, and more resilient.
According to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, "Effective emergency management requires commitment, teamwork and engagement by the entire community before disasters occur. I congratulate the individuals and organizations that
embody these ideals. Through their hard work and dedication, they are making our nation stronger and safer."
CUSEC joined ten other award recipients on September 8, 2015 in Washington, D.C. for a ceremony hosted by FEMA and the American Red Cross. During the recognition ceremony, recipients shared their experiences, success stories, and lessons learned with fellow emergency management leaders. Including CUSEC's GIS/IT Working Group, CUSEC Member State Alabama's Be Ready program also received an award for their "Alabama Be Ready Camp". The 2015 Award marks the second time CUSEC has been recognized by FEMA with an ICPD award. In 2012 we were honored to receive an award for "Outstanding Drill or Exercise" for the 2011 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut Earthquake Drill.
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2015 FEMA ICPD Award Recipients
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We would like to congratulate fellow award recipients and program applicants and recognize their contributions to improving community preparedness. For more information on the 2015 ICPD Awards,
please see the official FEMA Press Release
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2015 Ride the Fault Line Tour Branded a Success
Earlier this summer, CUSEC participated in a unique earthquake-themed event known as the "
Ride the Fault Line" (RTFL) bicycle tour. RFTL involved more than 200 avid cyclists who traveled approximately 400 miles within the New Madrid Seismic Zone; riding through Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee along the way. During their ride, cyclists learned about earthquake hazards and preparedness from several organizations including
CUSEC, the
Center for Earthquake Research and Information, and the Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee Emergency Management Agencies and Geological Surveys.
CUSEC Executive Director Jim Wilkinson helped kick off Ride the Fault Line with a presentation on the history of the 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakes, why we have earthquakes in the central U.S., and why earthquake preparedness is important. Representatives from CUSEC and our Member States were on hand at various rest stops during the tour to provide cyclists with earthquake related information. Director of the
Tennessee Geological Survey Ron Zurawski explained the geology of the region and the science behind central U.S. earthquakes; while
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) earthquake program manager Cecil Whaley talked about earthquake (emergency) preparedness and highlighted what government is doing to address the regional hazard.
Cyclists started their seven day journey in New Madrid, Missouri, riding through the southeastern portion of the state. They continued through the Mississippi River valley, passing through the cities of Paragould, Arkansas, Tiptonville, Tennessee (Reelfoot Lake area), and Hickman, Kentucky. They finally finished the ride back in New Madrid on June 20th. (view the full route in detail at
http://www.ridethefault.com/Route_Information.html).
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| RTFL Breakpoint in Tiptonville, TN |
RTFL was an international event with participants representing the United States, Canada, South Africa, France, and Ireland. Along the way, cyclists also took the opportunity to absorb the culture, sights, sounds, and historical content of each state. Ride the Fault Line coordinator Rodney McConnell emphasized how collaboration and cooperation among the riders really stood out.
"
I was especially impressed this year with the way the cyclists and the communities we passed through embraced each other, allowing both to benefit from and have a positive experience with the tour," he said. "
This helps spread the understanding and acceptance of cyclists 'sharing the road' with motorists, while also injecting a much needed and appreciated economic boost into many of the small communities we visit," he added.
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CUSEC Receives Grants to Advance
Regional GIS Initiative
CUSEC is pleased to announce that we have recently received grants from the
Delta Regional Authority (DRA) and the
Motorola Solutions Foundation to advance regional disaster planning and preparation through the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
Totaling more than $200,000, these grants will help our GIS/IT Working Group to improve regional GIS capabilities and refine the "Common Operating Picture" that was originally developed during CAPSTONE-14.
With the use of GIS in emergency management, officials have the ability to see hardest hit areas and impacts to infrastructure, speeding up disaster response and recovery efforts as well as improving overall disaster preparedness.
Also with this grant funding, CUSEC will be able to continue education and outreach efforts through town-hall meetings and presentations, participating in earthquake preparedness safety fairs and earthquake preparedness events such as the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut.
DRA funding for this multi-jurisdictional project is through its States' Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP). SEDAP is the primary investment tool that allows DRA to invest directly in community-based and regional projects that address the basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, workforce development, and small business communities and entrepreneurship needs of Delta communities. Motorola Solutions Foundation provided funding for this project through its "Public Safety Grant" program.
CUSEC would like to thank both the Delta Regional Authority and the Motorola Solutions Foundation for their generosity in making earthquake education, outreach, and response and recovery planning a priority.
For more information about the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) and the States' Economic Development Assistance Program, visit:
www.dra.gov
. For more information about the Motorola Solutions Foundation (MSF) grant program, visit:
responsibility.motorolasolutions.com.
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QuakeCatcher Network Comes to the Central U.S.
Earlier this summer, Robert de Groot, Ph.D, of the
Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) came to the central U.S. to facilitate an initial deployment of the "Quake Catcher Network" or QCN.
QCN is a network of low-cost seismometers installed on personal computers that transmit earthquake shaking information to servers in California. The deployment is a pilot in the central U.S., and is an extension of the EPIcenter program, which provides resources and learning tools to public information centers such as museums, science centers, and other free-choice learning institutions.
Twelve QCN seismometers were installed in Blytheville, Arkansas, Malden, Missouri, Tiptonville and Ridgely, Tennessee, and DeSoto County Mississippi. Once in place the seismometers not only record earthquake shaking, but they can also be used to demonstrate how earthquakes are measured and recorded through included "QCN Live" demonstration software.
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| Bob de Groot (Southern California Earthquake Center) demonstrates "QuakeCatcher" software to a surprised 3rd grade student from the DeSoto County School District. |
Currently, QCN devices are deployed worldwide through a collaborative management approach between CalTech, SCEC, and IRIS, the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology.
After a review of the initial deployment, CUSEC intends to reach out to other communities in states throughout the central U.S. to join the Quake Catcher Network and improve the understanding and translation of earthquakes and earth science. For more information about QCN, visit
http://qcn.caltech.edu
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CUSEC Helpful Hint: Protect Your Identity
Following a Disaster
The disaster recovery process can take a long time. While safety and re-establishing your daily routine is a priority, keep in mind that there are other aspects of disasters - such as identity theft - that you will need to consider. Consumer credit reporting agency Equifax offers some helpful tips on how to protect your identity following a disaster:
- Make copies of important documents such as social security cards, driver's licenses, insurance cards, credit card information, wedding certificates, bank account information, and store them outside of home in a safe deposit box.
- Stop your mail: Because your mail contains important personal information, leaving it in your mailbox for an extended period of time makes it vulnerable to thieves.
- Use only secure, password protected internet connections. Especially when checking your bank account and emails.
- Check your credit report as soon as possible after a disaster and add security alerts
- Be careful when giving out your personal information in order to collect relief funds. Only speak to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and known charity groups. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) keeps a list of known and respected relief organizations.
- Do not give out your personal information to anyone who solicits contributions to any disaster relief fund.
- Report suspected instances of identity theft immediately to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by phone at 866-720-5721, by fax at 225-334-4707, or by email at disaster@leo.gov
For more, visit http://blog.equifax.com/credit/tips-to-help-protect-your-identity-after-a-natural-disaster/. You can also visit the Federal Trade Commission webiste at ftc.gov/idtheft for tools to help safeguard your identity.
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Lost History of New Madrid Earthquakes
 Recently released in paperback form,
The Lost History of the New Madrid Earthquakes, takes us back to a major environmental disaster that forever changed the mid-western landscape of the United States.
Weaving together scientific and historical evidence, the book's author,
Conevery Bolton Valencius, Ph.D, provides readers with a detailed account about the various people in the region of New Madrid, Missouri, and the effect that the 1811-12 earthquakes had on them. She also explores the recent resurgence given to this topic and gives careful thought to the reasons why the history of this event seem to fade from public knowledge.
The Lost History of the New Madrid Earthquakes can be purchased online or at your local bookstore. For information about the book and/or the author, Conevery Bolton Valencius, contact Micah Fehrenbacher at 773-702-7717 or at
micahf@uchicago.edu
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CALENDAR & UPCOMING EVENTS
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The Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Our primary mission is "the reduction of deaths, injuries, property damage and economic losses resulting from earthquakes in the Central United States". For more information about us, please visit www.cusec.org or contact us at (901) 544-3570.
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