Welcome
from the Director
Welcome to our newly
redesigned website. Our new site covers everything from
basic earthquake safety and mitigation issues, to a calendar of events
and the science behind this region's seismicity. We want to have
a site that is informative and easy to navigate and welcome
any comments that you might have. We are always looking for ways to
improve our site and we welcome your feedback. Thanks for visiting...
Launched in 2006, the mission of the New Madrid Seismic Zone Catastrophic Planning Project is to increase national readiness for a catastrophic earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ). This multi-year, multi-agency initiative is the largest planning effort ever undertaken in United States History. Specifically, national readiness will be increased by developing a series of annexes or supplements to existing base plans for response and recovery to a series of major earthquakes in the NMSZ and integrating them into a single document with federal, regional, tribal, state, and local components. Additionally, the mission is to identify any issues that can not be resolved based on current capabilities and to propose recommended courses of action for decision makers involved in this project. The project is expected to culminate in 2011 with a series of major command exercises, coinciding with the 200th Anniversary of the 1811-1812 earthquakes.
Announcements from the US Geological Survey
March 2009 -The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced this month that it will award up to $7
million in grants and cooperative agreements for earthquake research in
2010. Interested researchers can apply online at GRANTS.GOV under the funding opportunity number 10HQPA0001. Applications are due May 13, 2009. The USGS awards approximately 90 research grants annually to
universities, state geological surveys and private institutions. Previous grants include cataloging earthquakes to better prepare emergency responders, the public and the media about
earthquakes; providing seismic hazard estimates so communities and
critical institutions can engineer their buildings and roads to be
structurally sound; and providing data on ground shaking to help
minimize damage.
Also from the USGS in March, is a new circular discussing the landslide hazard. The circular is entitled "The Landslide Handbook - A Guide to Understanding Landslides". This handbook is intended to be a resource for people affected by
landslides to acquire further knowledge, especially about the
conditions that are unique to their neighborhoods and communities. The handbook can be downloaded at http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1325/
New FEMA Director Announced
March 2009 — President Barack Obama on Wednesday tapped Florida emergency manager Craig Fugate to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Prior to the nomination, Fugate has been the Florida Division of Emergency Management Director since 2001. Fugate's department was held up as a national model after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He said then that the state had been preparing extensively for the threat of terrorism since the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and had done exercises for several possibilities, including cruise missile attacks. Obama's decision to name Fugate drew praise from Florida lawmakers and the International Association of Emergency Managers, which represents local emergency managers around the country. Adapted from the Associated Press
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