CUSEC – A partnership to mitigate disasters and save lives…

ShakeOut Earthquake Drill to take place in October
Following FEMA’s “National Preparedness Month” in September, individuals and communities throughout the Nation are encouraged to participate in the annual Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. Held annually on the third Thursday of October, the ShakeOut International Day of Action is set for Thursday, October 17th. During the self-led drill, millions of people practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”. For most people, in most situations, the recommended earthquake safety action is to:
- DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees;
- COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand, as you crawl for shelter under a nearby table or desk;
- HOLD ON to your shelter with one hand until shaking stops (remain on your knees and covering your head and neck with your other arm and hand).
According to CUSEC Executive Director Jim Wilkinson, “While earthquakes may occur here less frequently compared to other disasters such as hurricanes and flooding or severe weather, they can happen without warning and can also cause catastrophic damage and loss of life. Citizens can learn how to protect themselves, their families, and businesses against earthquakes and other disasters by participating in preparedness and safety events such as Great ShakeOut Drills and National Preparedness Month.

The ShakeOut is free and open to the public, and participants include individuals, schools, businesses, local and state government agencies, and many other groups. To take part in the ShakeOut, individuals and organizations are asked to join the drill by registering to participate www.shakeout.org. Once registered, participants receive regular information on how to plan their drill and become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.

In 2018, nearly 20 million people participated in ShakeOut drills nationwide. More than 50 million people around the globe are expected to participate in 2019 and in addition to safety drills, many participants take extra steps to become more prepared for earthquakes or other disasters.

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is being coordinated by CUSEC and our Member and Associate States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and dozens of other partners. ShakeOut is coordinated globally by the Southern California Earthquake Center in Los Angeles, California.
Read more
Shaken Fury 2019 Tools & Technologies Webinar

On August 29, 2019 at 12PM CDT, CUSEC and our Member States will be featured in a webinar to provide an overview of the Shaken Fury 2019 exercise and technology solutions used during the exercise. The webinar is being hosted by the National Information Sharing Consortium (NISC) as part of their Mission-Focused Job Aids Webinar Series. Technology solutions reviewed will include: the Regional Information Sharing Portal (RISP) used for whole-of-community information sharing; implementation of FEMA’s Community Lifelines; and more. Attendees will learn how these technology solutions supported information sharing and situational awareness at the federal, state, and local levels during Shaken Fury.

Register for the webinar at: https://t.co/ABScUCwR26.

This webinar is the twenty-second webinar in the NISC’s Mission-Focused Job Aids Webinar Series that reviews tools, techniques, and standard operating procedures that NISC partners in the homeland security, emergency management, public safety, first responder, and healthcare preparedness communities use to facilitate and manage information sharing. For more information about the webinar series and the NISC, visit the NISC website at www.nisconsortium.org.

Read more
CUSEC Participates in Shaken Fury 2019
CUSEC, along with our Member and Associate States, are participating in FEMA’s Shaken Fury 2019 regional earthquake exercise from May 29 – June 7, 2019. The exercise is designed to test response and recovery capabilities following a major New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake and is the culmination of several years of planning and preparedness activities involving FEMA, states, and many other organizations.

During Shaken Fury, CUSEC will provide exercise participants with simulated data through the Shaken Fury Regional Information Sharing Portal (RISP). The RISP is an online tool developed in support of our Member States’ needs for regional shared situational awareness after a disaster. Ahead of Shaken Fury, CUSEC has been developing the RISP with support from the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate, which has also been heavily involved in the exercise planning process.

Exercise participants will use the RISP to get simulated information and updates on community lifeline systems such as:
- Power outages
- Fuel status
- Transportation impacts
- Communications status
- Private sector store closings and more…
For more information about the RISP or to access products and data developed for the exercise*, please visit https://shakenfury-cusec.opendata.arcgis.com/.

Also, you can access the Shaken Fury fact sheet at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/177754.

*Login credentials may be required to access some information.
Read more

ShakeOut Earthquake Drill to take place in October
Following FEMA’s “National Preparedness Month” in September, individuals and communities throughout the Nation are encouraged to participate in the annual Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. Held annually on the third Thursday of October, the ShakeOut International Day of Action is set for Thursday, October 17th. During the self-led drill, millions of people practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”. For most people, in most situations, the recommended earthquake safety action is to:
- DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees;
- COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand, as you crawl for shelter under a nearby table or desk;
- HOLD ON to your shelter with one hand until shaking stops (remain on your knees and covering your head and neck with your other arm and hand).
According to CUSEC Executive Director Jim Wilkinson, “While earthquakes may occur here less frequently compared to other disasters such as hurricanes and flooding or severe weather, they can happen without warning and can also cause catastrophic damage and loss of life. Citizens can learn how to protect themselves, their families, and businesses against earthquakes and other disasters by participating in preparedness and safety events such as Great ShakeOut Drills and National Preparedness Month.

The ShakeOut is free and open to the public, and participants include individuals, schools, businesses, local and state government agencies, and many other groups. To take part in the ShakeOut, individuals and organizations are asked to join the drill by registering to participate www.shakeout.org. Once registered, participants receive regular information on how to plan their drill and become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.

In 2018, nearly 20 million people participated in ShakeOut drills nationwide. More than 50 million people around the globe are expected to participate in 2019 and in addition to safety drills, many participants take extra steps to become more prepared for earthquakes or other disasters.

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is being coordinated by CUSEC and our Member and Associate States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and dozens of other partners. ShakeOut is coordinated globally by the Southern California Earthquake Center in Los Angeles, California.
Read more
Shaken Fury 2019 Tools & Technologies Webinar

On August 29, 2019 at 12PM CDT, CUSEC and our Member States will be featured in a webinar to provide an overview of the Shaken Fury 2019 exercise and technology solutions used during the exercise. The webinar is being hosted by the National Information Sharing Consortium (NISC) as part of their Mission-Focused Job Aids Webinar Series. Technology solutions reviewed will include: the Regional Information Sharing Portal (RISP) used for whole-of-community information sharing; implementation of FEMA’s Community Lifelines; and more. Attendees will learn how these technology solutions supported information sharing and situational awareness at the federal, state, and local levels during Shaken Fury.

Register for the webinar at: https://t.co/ABScUCwR26.

This webinar is the twenty-second webinar in the NISC’s Mission-Focused Job Aids Webinar Series that reviews tools, techniques, and standard operating procedures that NISC partners in the homeland security, emergency management, public safety, first responder, and healthcare preparedness communities use to facilitate and manage information sharing. For more information about the webinar series and the NISC, visit the NISC website at www.nisconsortium.org.

Read more
CUSEC Participates in Shaken Fury 2019
CUSEC, along with our Member and Associate States, are participating in FEMA’s Shaken Fury 2019 regional earthquake exercise from May 29 – June 7, 2019. The exercise is designed to test response and recovery capabilities following a major New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake and is the culmination of several years of planning and preparedness activities involving FEMA, states, and many other organizations.

During Shaken Fury, CUSEC will provide exercise participants with simulated data through the Shaken Fury Regional Information Sharing Portal (RISP). The RISP is an online tool developed in support of our Member States’ needs for regional shared situational awareness after a disaster. Ahead of Shaken Fury, CUSEC has been developing the RISP with support from the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate, which has also been heavily involved in the exercise planning process.

Exercise participants will use the RISP to get simulated information and updates on community lifeline systems such as:
- Power outages
- Fuel status
- Transportation impacts
- Communications status
- Private sector store closings and more…
For more information about the RISP or to access products and data developed for the exercise*, please visit https://shakenfury-cusec.opendata.arcgis.com/.

Also, you can access the Shaken Fury fact sheet at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/177754.

*Login credentials may be required to access some information.
Read more