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• USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in NEHRP- Investing in a Safer Future

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  "In 1977, Congress authorized the creation of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) to improve the Nation's understanding of earthquake hazards and to mitigate their effects. Earthquakes are the most costly natural hazard faced by the United States. Twenty-five years of work by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in close cooperation with the three other NEHRP agencies, has yielded major advances in earthquake preparedness and monitoring, as well as a vastly improved understanding of earthquake hazards, processes, and effects. The USGS is poised to build on these accomplishments, helping through NEHRP to protect lives and property in the future earthquakes that are certain to strike the United States."

  United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)

  2003
• Monitoring Earthquake Shaking in Buildings to Reduce Loss of Life and Property

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  "Most loss of life and property in earthquakes is the result of damage to or collapse of buildings or other structures from strong shaking. Key to reducing such losses are recordings of structural response to damaging levels of shaking. Using these recordings, engineers can better design new buildings and strengthen existing buildings to survive future quakes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and cooperators are engaged in a national effort to acquire these critically needed strong-motion measurements in earthquake-prone urban areas."

  United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)

  2003
• Flotilla Hurricane and Disaster Contingency Plan

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  "This plan describes Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla preparedness, training and response operations for severe heavy weather, including hurricanes, tornados and other natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes, and the appropriate deployment of Coast Guard Auxiliary resources which may be executed in conjunction with other Coast Guard units or separately."

  United States. Coast Guard

  2003
• Multi-hazard Loss Estimation Methodology, Earthquake Model: HAZUS-MH MR1, Advanced Engineering Building Module: Technical and User's Manual

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  "This manual describes procedures for developing building-specific damage and loss functions with the Advanced Engineering Building Module (AEBM). The AEBM procedures are an extension of the more general methods of the FEMA/NIBS earthquake loss estimation methodology (HAZUS) and provide damage and loss functions compatible with current HAZUSMH Software. Kircher & Associates working for the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) has developed these procedures under agreements between NIBS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The procedures have been pilot tested and reviewed by NIBS' Earthquake Committee and Building Damage Subcommittee. HAZUS damage and loss functions for generic model building types are considered to be reliable predictors of earthquake effects for large groups of buildings that include both above median and below median cases. They may not, however, be very good predictors for a specific building or a particular type of building that is known to have an inherent weakness or earthquake vulnerability (e.g., W1 buildings with weak cripple walls would be expected to perform much worse than typical wood- frame buildings). For mitigation purposes, it is desirable that users be able to create building-specific damage and loss functions that could be used to assess losses for an individual building (or group of similar buildings) both in their existing condition and after some amount of seismic rehabilitation. The term 'building-specific' distinguishes the development of damage and loss functions, as described in this manual, from the 'generic' building functions of HAZUS. Building-specific damage and loss functions are based on the properties of a particular building. The particular building of interest could be either an individual building or a typical building representing a group of buildings of an archetype."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2003-01
• Effects of Catastrophic Events on Transportation System Management and Operations: Cross Cutting Study

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  This report documents the actions taken by transportation agencies in response to catastrophic events as an overall effort to examine the impacts of different types of events on transportation system facilities and services. The findings and conclusions documented in this report are a result of the creation of a detailed chronology of events, a literature search, and interviews of key personnel involved in transportation operations decisionmaking for four events: ·New York City, September 11, 2001 - terrorist attack ·Washington, D.C., September 11, 2001 - terrorist attack ·Baltimore, Maryland, July 18, 2001 - rail tunnel fire ·Northridge, California, January 17, 1994 - earthquake The event summaries and findings for New York City and Northridge, Calif., are adapted from the case studies prepared by the Volpe Center study team consisting of Allan J. DeBlasio, the project manager; Robert Brodesky, Amanda Zamora, and Fred Mottley from EG&G Technical Services; Margaret E. Zirker and Michelle Crowder from Cambridge Systematics Inc.; and Terrance J. Regan, Kathleen Bagdonas, and Dan Morin from Planners Collaborative. The summaries and findings of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore are adapted from case studies done by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). The SAIC study team consisted of Mark Carter, the project manager; Mark P. Howard; Nicholas Owens; David Register; Jason Kennedy; Aaron Newton; and Kelley Pecheux. Vince Pearce is the U.S. DOT task manager of both the cross-cutting study and the case studies review.

  United States. Department of Transportation. Research and Special Programs Administration

  2003-01
• CDC Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response: Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)

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  "CDC's Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) has large quantities of medicine and medical supplies to protect the American public if there is a public health emergency (terrorist attack, flu outbreak, earthquake) severe enough to cause local supplies to run out. Once Federal and local authorities agree that the SNS is needed, medicines will be delivered to any state in the U.S. in time for them to be effective. Each state has plans to receive and distribute SNS medicine and medical supplies to local communities as quickly as possible."

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

  2002-12-08
• Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of School Buildings (K-12)

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  "This manual provides school administrators with the information necessary to assess the seismic vulnerability of their buildings, and to implement a program of incremental seismic rehabilitation for those buildings. The manual consists of three parts: Part A, Critical Decisions for Earthquake Safety in Schools, is for superintendents, board members, business managers, principals, and other policy makers who will decide on allocating resources for earthquake mitigation. Part B, Managing the Process for Earthquake Risk Reduction in Existing School Buildings, is for school district facility managers, risk managers, and financial managers who will initiate and manage seismic mitigation measures. Part C, Tools for Implementing Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation in School Buildings, is for school district facility managers, or those otherwise responsible for facility management, who will implement incremental seismic rehabilitation programs."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2002-12
• Personnel Recall Procedures

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  "The problem was that Pike Township Fire Department had no procedures for the recall of off-duty personnel. The purpose of this research paper was to develop a Standard Operating Guideline for the recall of off-duty personnel. The research questions were: 1. Under what circumstances might the recall of off-duty personnel be necessary? 2. How should the implementation of an off-duty personnel recall be accomplished? 3. What components would be included in a Standard Operating Guideline for the recall of off-duty personnel? Research verified that Pike Township could suffer the effects of tornados, earthquakes, floods, civil disturbances, terrorism, and large-scale long-term incidents. Depending on the incident, the need for resources increase with incident severity. At some point, available on-duty resources may become exhausted, thus requiring replenishment by the recall of off-duty personnel. Review of references identified that varying levels of recall be established. The most common levels addressed were limited recall, single-shift recall, and total personnel recall. Once the recall level was determined, through the use of an up-to-date recall list notification of personnel could proceed. Methods of notification included telephone, personal pagers, and the use of both radio and television media. A comparison chart of Standard Operating Procedures was used to assist in determining what components should be included in a Standard Operating Guideline specific to Pike Township Fire Department."

  National Fire Academy

  Cave, Arthur K.

  2002-12
• President Orders Federal Aid for Alaska [November 12, 2002]

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  The President has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Alaska and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by an earthquake on November 3, 2002, and continuing.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2002-11-12
• HAZUS-MH and Technological Hazards

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  These slides are from a presentation about Hazards U.S. Multi-Hazard, or HAZUS-MH. "HAZUS-MH is the cutting-edge software model at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for estimating losses that may occur if disasters (floods, earthquakes and hurricanes) happen." It allows officials to: "1: Assess level of readiness and preparedness to deal with a disaster in a given region within the U.S. (before the disaster hits); 2: Decide on how to allocate resources for most effective and efficient response and recovery when a disaster hits a certain region; [and] 3: Prioritize the mitigation measures that need to be implemented to reduce future losses." This presentation includes an overview of HASUS-MH, a walkthrough, and a section about related technological hazards.

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  Bouabid, Jawhar

  2002-11-04
• Fire Department Hazard Mitigation Planning

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  "Fire departments are impacted by the same disasters that affect their community. Floods, earthquakes, hazardous materials spills, terrorist attacks, and others can have a devastating effect on departments. The impacts are reduced or eliminated through a process called hazard mitigation planning. The problem was that the Federal Way Fire Department didn't have a hazard mitigation plan. Development and implementation of a hazard mitigation plan will reduce or eliminate potential damage to the department. Federal Way didn't know what risks it is facing, and hasn't done anything to reduce the impacts of those risks. The purpose of this research was to identify the benefits and components of a hazard mitigation plan. It was anticipated that the Federal Way Fire Department would develop a plan, improving the department's ability to survive the next major incident. Other fire departments may utilize this format to develop their own hazard mitigation plans. Action research methods were used to answer the following questions: 1. What is a hazard mitigation plan? 2. What are the benefits of having a hazard mitigation plan? 3. How are the appropriate hazards identified for inclusion into a plan? 4. What elements should be included in a hazard mitigation plan? Procedures used in this research included a literature review, fire department survey, and study of applicable standards, laws and other guidelines. The results of this research included confirmation that mitigation planning has many benefits to fire departments. Mitigation planning reduces the impacts from natural, and man made disasters, and ensures fire departments are eligible for federal reimbursement for response and recovery. It is recommended the Federal Way Fire Department develop a hazard mitigation plan for its facilities, properties and personnel. The department should follow the requirements outlined in Appendix A as it develops the hazard mitigation plan."

  National Fire Academy

  Thorson, Jerry E.

  2002-10
• Authority of FEMA to Provide Disaster Assistance to Seattle Hebrew Academy, Memorandum Opinion for the General Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency [September 25, 2002]

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  "The Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 and its implementing regulations permit FEMA to provide federal disaster assistance for the reconstruction of Seattle Hebrew Academy, a private religious school that was damaged in an earthquake in 2001. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment does not pose a barrier to the Academy's receipt of such aid."

  United States. Department of Justice. Office of Legal Counsel

  2002-09-25
• Patriot's Progress: September 11 and Freedom in America

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  Anything can happen. It was the lesson of September 11. Where were you on September 11? More to the point, where were you on September 10? The sudden movements of life, like those of the free mind, remain out of our control. Patriotism itself in the free country is out of control--anger, grief, sympathy, mutual appreciation, criticism, self-doubt, amusement, swerving to dreaminess, and individual independence. What can happen to a nation can happen to a state of mind, particularly in a country that is created out of a state of mind. If we were learning anything so far, it was that freedom was more difficult and complicated than we had ever dreamed. Where were we in our own country? Where were we in relation to the rest of the world? We do not like to think about the rest of the world very much. Big business likes to think of the world as customers. But for the rest of us, the great wide world has merely become the place where floods and earthquakes happen far away, especially since Russia has transmogrified from menace to (sort of) friend. If we had been more aware of the Muslim world, people told us, we could have anticipated September 11, if not prevented it. If we were more aware of our enemies in the world, we were told, we could raise them from poverty and from their ignorance about us--how wonderful we are, when you get to know us, how decent, fair-minded, how playful. In sum, our alertness to the conditions and attitudes of the wider world probably did nothing to draw us closer to it--except, in the most watery wishful thinking. America, we concluded, and rightly in my view, did nothing to deserve the murderous attacks on our people. If education would help in the future, by all means, let's all get educated. But that was a separable matter from the mad decisions of zealots. We are sure that we mean something worthwhile to ourselves and to others, that we have good reasons to survive and to triumph, and we will look for more.

  United States. Department of State

  Rosenblatt, Roger

  2002-09
• Mitigation Ideas: Possible Mitigation Measures by Hazard Type

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  "Hazard mitigation refers to any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazardous conditions. The following list of possible hazard mitigation measures for communities is compiled from experience and discussion within the states of FEMA Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The list of hazard types and ideas starts generally with coverage of natural hazards, such as flood or earthquake. These are followed by types of man-made and technological hazards. As extensive as this list is, it does not preclude other ideas for activities to save lives and prevent or reduce damages in the future. Many of the ideas are developed in other FEMA publications, including www.fema.gov, as well as in publications of other federal and state agencies."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2002-09
• CBO Study: Federal Reinsurance for Disasters

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  "The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, inflicted enormous personal and property losses on the United States. Insurance payments for economic losses on that day will surpass $30 billion and could top $50 billion. Among the many adverse economic effects that resulted from the attacks is a continuing shortage of insurance against losses of property from terrorism. Coverage is difficult to obtain, especially for buildings or sites that are landmarks; where coverage is available, prices are high and restrictions are numerous. Policymakers have developed two types of federal proposals to increase the supply of property and casualty insurance. Under one set of options, which was created following Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 and the Northridge earthquake in January 1994, the federal government would auction reinsurance contracts to primary insurance companies and state-sponsored insurers. Reinsurance is an established practice among private insurers. By buying reinsurance, primary insurers spread the risk of loss more widely and strengthen their ability to insure against catastrophes. The intent of those proposals is to offer federal reinsurance when coverage is in short supply, at market prices that are expected to cover the government's costs. By contrast, under proposals developed since September 11, the government would pay for most losses from a terrorist attack directly, without reimbursement or with only partial reimbursement. Even though one type of proposal was created in response to natural disasters and the other from an act of terrorism, both types could be considered viable alternatives, whatever the source of catastrophic loss."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2002-09
• Mount Mazama and Crater Lake: Growth and Destruction of a Cascade Volcano

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  "For more than 100 years, scientists have sought to unravel the remarkable story of Crater Lake's formation. Before Crater Lake came into existence, a cluster of volcanoes dominated the landscape. This cluster, called Mount Mazama (for the Portland, Oregon, climbing club the Mazamas),was destroyed during an enormous explosive eruption 7,700 years ago. So much molten rock was expelled that the summit area collapsed during the eruption to form a large volcanic depression, or caldera. Subsequent smaller eruptions occurred as water began to fill the caldera to eventually form the deepest lake in the United States. Decades of detailed scientific studies of Mount Mazama and new maps of the floor of Crater Lake reveal stunning details of the volcano's eruptive history and identify potential hazards from future eruptions and earthquakes."

  United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)

  Klimasauskas, Ed; Bacon, Charles; Alexander, Jim

  2002-08
• Effects of Catastrophic Events on Transportation System Management and Operations: Baltimore, MD-Howard Street Tunnel Fire-July 18, 2001

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  "This report documents the actions taken by transportation agencies in response to the earthquake in Northridge, California on January 17, 1994, and is part of a larger effort to examine the impacts of catastrophic events on transportation system facilities and services. The findings documented in this report are a result of a detailed literature search on Northridge lessons learned."

  United States. Department of Transportation

  2002-07
• Effects of Catastrophic Events on Transportation System Management and Operations, Northridge Earthquake - January 17, 1994

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  "This report documents the actions taken by transportation agencies in response to the earthquake in Northridge, California on January 17, 1994 [...]. The findings documented in this report are a result of a detailed literature search on Northridge lessons learned."

  United States. Department of Transportation

  2002-04-22
• Effects of Catastrophic Events on Transportation System Management and Operations

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  "This report documents the actions taken by transportation agencies in response to the earthquake in Northridge, California on January 17, 1994, and is part of a larger effort to examine the impacts of catastrophic events on transportation system facilities and services. The findings documented in this report are a result of a detailed literature search on Northridge lessons learned."

  United States. Department of Transportation

  DeBlasio, Allan J.; Zamora, Amanda; Mottley, Frederick . . .

  2002-04
• Guide to Using HAZUS for Mitigation

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  "A Guide to Using HAZUS for Mitigation (hereinafter referred to as the Guide) describes how HAZUS can help your local community, county, region or state identify, develop and implement measures to accomplish effective earthquake hazard risk reduction. The Guide will assist you in using HAZUS to ask questions about your community's vulnerability to earthquake damage and how such losses might be reduced by implementing preventive (mitigative) actions. It will help you understand how to use HAZUS loss estimates to develop and implement an effective community mitigation plan. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) defines mitigation as 'sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects.' One of FEMA's principal objectives in promoting HAZUS is to encourage users to analyze, in advance, potential estimates of deaths, injuries, building damage and economic loss, and disruption to lifelines and critical facilities due to earth-quakes (other natural hazards will be addressed in future versions of HAZUS), and then to design and implement measures to reduce expected losses. Mitigation measures such as incorporating seismic design requirements into new buildings, or accomplishing seismic rehabilitation of existing buildings, will reduce the expected losses but not totally eliminate them. Improvement gained from a mitigation measure is the difference between the original condition and the improved (mitigated) condition."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  National Institute of Building Sciences (Washington, D.C.)

  2002-04
• East Meets Midwest: An Earthquake in India Helps Hazard Assessment in the Central United States

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  "Although geographically distant, the State of Gujarat in India bears many geological similarities to the Mississippi Valley in the Central United States. The Mississippi Valley contains the New Madrid seismic zone that, during the winter of 1811-1812, produced the three largest historical earthquakes ever in the continental United States and remains the most seismically active region east of the Rocky Mountains. Large damaging earthquakes are rare in 'intraplate' settings like New Madrid and Gujarat, far from the boundaries of the world's great tectonic plates. Long-lasting evidence left by these earthquakes is subtle (fig. 1). Thus, each intraplate earthquake provides unique opportunities to make huge advances in our ability to assess and understand the hazards posed by such events."

  Geological Survey (U.S.); United States. Department of the Interior

  2002-03
• Traumatic Incident Stress: Information for Emergency Response Workers

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  This document outlines symptoms of stress that may be experienced during or after a traumatic incident. Additional resources and information on what you can do on-site and at home are provided. "Disasters take many forms and demand quick response from emergency workers. They may include natural disasters such as earthquakes or hurricanes, or they may involve man-made disasters such as technological failures or terrorist attacks. As a member of an emergency response learn, you and your learn members are at risk of experiencing what psychologists refer to as a traumatic incident-an incident that may involve exposure to catastrophic events, severely injured children or adults, dead bodies or body parts, or the loss of colleagues, for instance."

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

  2002
• USAID/INDIA - Strategic Objective Close-out Report

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  "On January 26th, 2001, the Gujarat state of India was hit by a devastating earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale. It affected 7,633 villages and towns in 21 districts, affecting more than 15 million people, killed almost 20,000 and left around 600,000 homeless. It is estimated that infrastructure worth $453 million was damaged. Following the immediate relief phase, USAID/India recognized the longer term need for rehabilitation and recovery and launched the Gujarat Earthquake Recovery Initiative. A new special objective: 'Recovery, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Needs Met for Target Vulnerable Groups' was approved in March, 2001."

  United States. Agency for International Development

  2002
• FEMA Annual Performance & Accountability Report - Fiscal Year 2001

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  "Prior to September 11th, FEMA moved forward with a realignment plan to streamline our internal organization. We responded to the Seattle-area earthquake, floods, Tropical Storm Allison, and major storms around the country. At the Presidents request, we created the Office of National Preparedness to develop prevention, preparation, and response strategies for threats posed by Weapons of Mass Destruction. Since September 11th, FEMA has accepted its new challenges. We have redoubled our focus on First Responders - the lynchpins of emergency management. We are developing a Strategic Plan to articulate our new goals and make our operations as transparent and accountable as possible. Finally, we are working closely with the new Office of Homeland Security to develop nationwide response plans for terrorist threats. All of our new responsibilities have been met - and will continue to be met -without neglecting FEMA's core disaster management operations. We will continue to work with states and local governments to build up their capabilities and to work within the federal government to make our programs more efficient and successful. This report outlines the progress we've made in 2001 and reflects FEMA's commitment to meeting the new challenges facing the Agency."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2002
• Extension Agent's Handbook for Emergency Preparation and Response

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  The Extension Agent's Handbook for Disaster Preparedness and Response can be a valuable response tool for you, the Extension agent, in times of emergency or as an aid in preparedness education activities. The Handbook is divided into two parts to provide the information you need in an easy-to-use format. The first section of the Handbook, General Family Preparedness, provides basic information you may need to access quickly in any disaster or emergency situation. It also may be used as a preparedness education tool for the public. The second section of the Handbook covers 10 disaster specific situations. For the purposes of this manual, a disaster is any event which drastically affects a person's life or livelihood. Floods, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, earthquakes, droughts and volcanic eruptions are considered to be natural disasters, events over which one usually has no control. Radiological and hazardous materials accidents may be caused by the failure of people to maintain control over the operation, transportation or storage of certain materials. In addition to an overview of the disaster, each section provides a series of preparedness measures and post-disaster responses that should be taken in conjunction with those outlined in the General Family Preparedness section.

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2002
• Emergency Funding to Respond to the September 11th Terrorist Attacks

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  The supplemental appropriations bill provides $40 billion for "emergency expenses to respond to the terrorist attacks on the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001." Departments and agencies should continue to take all steps necessary to respond swiftly to urgent requirements and to alleviate human endangerment and suffering. All agency costs directly related to these terrorist attacks will be reimbursed. If you have any question about the availability of funding, please consult your OMB contact. The Congress has given us extraordinary authority and funding to address this crisis. It is incumbent on us to see that every dollar of these resources is used for the intended purposes and is fully accounted for. Attached for your information are guidelines that OMB will use in identifying and evaluating with you those areas where the funding enacted today should be targeted. These guidelines have been adapted, usually verbatim, from the procedures followed in response to previous emergencies, including Desert Storm, the Northridge earthquake, and the Northwest floods of 1997. A proposed activity is not expected to meet each of these guidelines but, if a request appears to violate one or more, it will be given very close scrutiny.

  United States. White House Office

  2001-09-14
• Priority Directions for Research on Tsunami Hazard Estimation: Cascadia Subduction Zone, Pacific Northwest Coast of North America

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  "Cascadia subduction zone tsunamis could conceivably cause the loss of tens of thousands of lives on t he Pacific Northwest coast of North America . Paleoseismic and other data support Cascadia earthquakes with moment magnitudes of -9, rupture lengths of ,-1000 km, and recurrence of 400-600 years; the last event was 301 years a go, so t he conditional probability of another occurring in the next 100 years is high. Hydrodynamic simulations depicting destructive potential of Cascadia tsunamis have been hindered chiefly by uncertainties in the earthquake source, rupture simulation methods, and lack of independent verification. Uncertainties in the hydrodynamic simulation methods and in oceanographic factors (e .g ., non•linear tidal effects) are also of concern; however , coseismic seafloor deformation is a much greater source of error. Research priorities should therefore be directed toward refinement of our knowledge of asperities, splay faults, total fault slip, and rupture simulation algorithms . Tsunami and fault dislocation simulations should be checked against coseismic deformation, inundation, water depth, and current velocities estimated independently from investigations of paleotsunami deposits and buried salt marsh soils. An organized interdisciplinary team effort operating within the framework of a comprehensive science plan is clearly needed. Leadership at the federal level in both Canada and the United States is the key to further progress."

  United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

  Priest, George R.

  2001-08-07
• Tsunami Hazard Assessment in Oregon

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  "Tsunami hazard assessment in Oregon has proceeded by first completing a detailed inundation simulation of the Siletz Bay area where various model parameters were tested against estimates of inundation and run-up from prehistoric tsunami deposits. Reconnaissance-level inundation maps for the entire coastline were then produced to implement Senate Bill 379, which limits construction of critical and essential facilities in tsunami inundation zones. Detailed simulation based on three standardized Cascadia subduction zone earthquake sources have since been completed a Astoria, Warrenton, Gearhart, Seaside, Newport, Coos Bay, and Gold Beach. If funding is available, detailed inundation mapping will be accomplished for (in priority order, highest to lowest): (1) Alsea Bay (Waldport); (2) Rockaway Beach; (3) Sisuslaw estuary (Florence); (4) Nestucca Bay (Pacific City); (5) Coquille estuary (Bandon); and (6) Umpqua estuary (Winchester Bay- Reed sport). Each mapping project is done in close collaboration with the affected local governments. Maps of worst-case inundation are being completed for production of evacuation brochures in most communities, whether detailed inundation maps are available or not. The design and degree of conservatism employed in these evacuation maps is, again, worked out in close collaboration with local governments."

  United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

  Priest, George R.; Baptista, Antonio M.; Myers, Edward P.

  2001-08-07
• CREST Project: Consolidated Reporting of Earthquakes and Tsunamis

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  "In 1997 the U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and the five western states joined in a partnership to enhance t he quality and quantity of seismic data provided to the NOAA tsunami warning centers in Alaska and Hawaii. The project, named t he Consolidated Reporting of Earthquakes and Tsunamis (CREST), now provides the warning centers with real-time seismic data over dedicated communication links and the Internet from regional seismic networks monitoring earthquakes in the five western states, the U.S. National Seismic Network in Colorado) and from domestic and global seismic stations operated by other agencies. The goal of t he project is to reduce the time needed to issue a tsunami warning by providing the warning centers with high-dynamic range, broadband waveforms in near real-time. An additional goal is to reduce the likelihood of issuing false tsunami warnings by rapidly providing to the warning centers parametric information on earthquakes that could indicate their tsunamigenic potential, such as hypocenters, magnitudes) moment tensors, and shake distribution maps. At the end of the 5-year project new or upgraded field instrumentation will be installed at about 56 seismic stations in the five western states. Data from these instruments has been integrated into t he CREST network utilizing Earthworm software. The CREST system has significantly reduced the time needed to respond to teleseismic earthquakes. Notably, the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center responded to the 28 February 2001 Mw 6.8 Nisqually earthquake beneath Olympia ) Washington within 2 min) compared to an average response time of over 10 min for the previous 18 years."

  United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

  Oppenheimer, D.; Bittenbinder, Alex; Bogaert, Barbara

  2001-08-07
• U.S. West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center

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  "The U.S. West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC) was established in Palmer, Alaska in 1967 as a direct result of the great Alaskan earthquake that occurred in Prince William Sound on 27 March 1964. This earthquake alerted State and Federal officials to the need for a facility to provide timely and effective tsunami warnings and information for the coastal areas of Alaska. In 1982 the WC/ ATWC's area of responsibility (AOR) was enlarged to include the issuing of tsunami warnings to California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, for potential tsunamigeuic Earthquakes occurring in their coastal areas. In 1996 the responsibility was again expanded to include all Pacific-wide tsunamigenic sources which could affect the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska coasts."

  United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

  Sokolowski, Thomas J.

  2001-08-07