CUSEC – A partnership to mitigate disasters and save lives...

February is Earthquake Awareness Month

As earthquakes continue to occur on a daily basis in the central U.S.—with nearly 2,000 small tremors in 2017—CUSEC and emergency management officials in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri remind citizens and communities about the earthquake risk by designating February as Earthquake Awareness Month.

February 7 is the anniversary of the last of the earthquakes that struck the central U.S. in the winter of 1811-12. According to the US Geological Survey:

This sequence of three very large earthquakes is usually referred to as the New Madrid earthquakes, after the Missouri town that was the largest settlement on the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri and Natchez, Mississippi. On the basis of the large area of damage (600,000 square kilometers), the widespread area of perceptibility (5,000,000 square kilometers), and the complex physiographic changes that occurred, the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812 rank as some of the largest in the United States since its settlement by Europeans.

While scientists say that there is a 7-10% probability of a re-occurrence of the 1811-12 earthquakes within any 50-year window, they also estimate that there is a 25-40% probability of a M6.0 or greater earthquake occurring in the central U.S. within the same period of time. About 200 earthquakes occur in the central U.S. every year-many of which go unnoticed. And while the primary focus remains on the NMSZ , it is not our only area of concern. Earthquakes are also occurring along the Wabash Valley and East Tennessee Seismic Zones and in Oklahoma, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas.

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Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are set for Oct. 19…
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 19, 2017 at 10:19 a.m. 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, as seen in the M7.1 Mexico City earthquake, 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 2016, more than 3 million people participated in this regional event, however Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills also occur throughout most of the nation and in several countries worldwide. More than 50 million people around the globe are expected to participate in 2017; 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.
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CUSEC Meets with Drone Operators to Form Working Group
In late February, CUSEC convened a meeting of drone operators from states including Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a working group to address the use of drones, more formally known as “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” (UAV) in earthquake response and recovery within the CUSEC Member States. The meeting follows planning that began in November 2016 when CUSEC Executive Director James M. Wilkinson, Jr. reached out to several UAV operators to gauge interest in establishing a working group.
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Drone Imagery Courtesy Wes Flint, Precision Aerial Imagery, LLC
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Consisting primarily of licensed operators, the working group will address how UAV may be used to aid emergency management agencies in the event of a damaging earthquake. While earthquakes have served as a starting point for the group, the use of UAV and licensed operators could be applicable to other disasters. The concept is similar to the way HAM radio operators and the Civil Air Patrol assist emergency management agencies following of natural disasters.

Drones have become used more frequently as technology and imagery improves. They are able to access impacted areas and capture data that can be immediately useful to emergency managers and decision makers. This was recently demonstrated in the November 2016 M7.6 earthquake in New Zealand where drones were used to capture earthquake fault and damage imagery. UAV were also used to provide situational awareness following the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Wesley Flint of Precision Aerial Imaging, LLC in Olive Branch, Mississippi, notes that not only do specific flight protocols (including being licensed by the FAA) need to be followed by UAV operators but “As drone pilots, we have the unique ability to capture aerial footage that emergency management agencies can then use to better assess damage and make more informed decisions through better situational awareness.”

For more information on the meeting or newly-established working group, contact Jim Wilkinson at (901) 544-3570 or at cusec@cusec.org.
Read more

February is Earthquake Awareness Month

As earthquakes continue to occur on a daily basis in the central U.S.—with nearly 2,000 small tremors in 2017—CUSEC and emergency management officials in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri remind citizens and communities about the earthquake risk by designating February as Earthquake Awareness Month.

February 7 is the anniversary of the last of the earthquakes that struck the central U.S. in the winter of 1811-12. According to the US Geological Survey:

This sequence of three very large earthquakes is usually referred to as the New Madrid earthquakes, after the Missouri town that was the largest settlement on the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri and Natchez, Mississippi. On the basis of the large area of damage (600,000 square kilometers), the widespread area of perceptibility (5,000,000 square kilometers), and the complex physiographic changes that occurred, the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812 rank as some of the largest in the United States since its settlement by Europeans.

While scientists say that there is a 7-10% probability of a re-occurrence of the 1811-12 earthquakes within any 50-year window, they also estimate that there is a 25-40% probability of a M6.0 or greater earthquake occurring in the central U.S. within the same period of time. About 200 earthquakes occur in the central U.S. every year-many of which go unnoticed. And while the primary focus remains on the NMSZ , it is not our only area of concern. Earthquakes are also occurring along the Wabash Valley and East Tennessee Seismic Zones and in Oklahoma, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas.

Read more
Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are set for Oct. 19…
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 19, 2017 at 10:19 a.m. 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, as seen in the M7.1 Mexico City earthquake, 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 2016, more than 3 million people participated in this regional event, however Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills also occur throughout most of the nation and in several countries worldwide. More than 50 million people around the globe are expected to participate in 2017; 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
CUSEC Meets with Drone Operators to Form Working Group
In late February, CUSEC convened a meeting of drone operators from states including Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a working group to address the use of drones, more formally known as “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” (UAV) in earthquake response and recovery within the CUSEC Member States. The meeting follows planning that began in November 2016 when CUSEC Executive Director James M. Wilkinson, Jr. reached out to several UAV operators to gauge interest in establishing a working group.
```
Drone Imagery Courtesy Wes Flint, Precision Aerial Imagery, LLC
```
Consisting primarily of licensed operators, the working group will address how UAV may be used to aid emergency management agencies in the event of a damaging earthquake. While earthquakes have served as a starting point for the group, the use of UAV and licensed operators could be applicable to other disasters. The concept is similar to the way HAM radio operators and the Civil Air Patrol assist emergency management agencies following of natural disasters.

Drones have become used more frequently as technology and imagery improves. They are able to access impacted areas and capture data that can be immediately useful to emergency managers and decision makers. This was recently demonstrated in the November 2016 M7.6 earthquake in New Zealand where drones were used to capture earthquake fault and damage imagery. UAV were also used to provide situational awareness following the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Wesley Flint of Precision Aerial Imaging, LLC in Olive Branch, Mississippi, notes that not only do specific flight protocols (including being licensed by the FAA) need to be followed by UAV operators but “As drone pilots, we have the unique ability to capture aerial footage that emergency management agencies can then use to better assess damage and make more informed decisions through better situational awareness.”

For more information on the meeting or newly-established working group, contact Jim Wilkinson at (901) 544-3570 or at cusec@cusec.org.
Read more