WASHINGTON  -  U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) will host a roundtable meeting on Earthquake Preparedness in the 3rd Floor meeting room of the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University on Thursday, December 1, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. CST.  In attendance will be Jim Wilkinson, Director of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, and Ron Reynolds, Director of the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency.  Other local leaders will be present, including officials from MODOT, the U.S. Coast Guard and Southeast Missouri Public Safety.  Media is invited to attend.

 

Emerson, along with U.S. Senator Jim Talent, has asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to conduct a large-scale earthquake preparedness exercise in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which includes Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois.  The meeting is to discuss preliminary plans for a large-scale earthquake preparedness exercise.

 

“I am proud of the way state and local governments have joined the effort to measure our preparedness for a large earthquake and to address any weaknesses in our plan for response.  Should such a disaster strike, we must have the tools in place to save lives and immediately begin to restore critical services, like water infrastructure, transportation corridors and emergency medical operations for a large-scale
response and relief effort.  There is no question we are vulnerable above the New Madrid Fault, the question is how ready are we to face those vulnerabilities,” Emerson said.

 

“After experiencing the fatal flaws in emergency preparedness for hurricane season, we must work on federal, state and local levels to ensure that an earthquake disaster in our own region is met with a swift, certain, and effective response.  It would be irresponsible to ignore the sleeping giant beneath us. 

 

“More than anything else, it is vital that we work together and consider every angle in order to emphasize our priorities and  avoid duplication.  I want to foster as much discussion as possible about how we can be best prepared for a major earthquake in Southern Missouri,” Emerson said.  “This is a critical step in that process to make sure we are all on the same page and have the same vision of what it is important we
accomplish before an earthquake strikes our region.”