New Madrid Fault Line.... are we ready? (GDG)

[Arkymedic]

Want my honest opinion? If that fault produces an earthquake of the magnitude of the 1811 and 1812 quakes, pretty much everything in a 50-100 radius of the fault break is going to be screwed up. Local response is not even probably going to amount to much and they will have to rely heavily upon outside help (DMAT and DMORT teams, Red Cross, etc).

A much much larger area than 50-100 miles I promise.

[PCB]

The History Channel has a program on this subject, I'm watching it right now. It's "Mega Disasters : Earthquake in the Heartland". Very interesting.

Basically, we are screwed if "The BIG ONE" hits. We will never be prepared for a disaster of this magnitude. The best we can hope for is a well organised response to individual issues that come up. Count on the Government to bail you out? That is all we do these days, count on someone else to save out butts.

How many of you have 2-3 weeks of food and water stored, blankets and wood enough to keep you from freezing should the power and/or gas supplys fail? I lived in Los Angeles and worked for a utility there. I've read the contingency plans for when "The Big One" hits there, and buddy, you had better be able to take care of yourself for at least 2 weeks. Not to mention the looting and fighting for what is left of available food supplies. As for myself, I have the stores of food, fuel and firearms to supply protection and wildlife food for me and mine. In my opinion, that is about as prepared as an individual can be while waiting for an unknown "Big One" to hit.

[Arkymedic]

Of course St.Louis would be decimated. If I remember correctly as far away as Memphis, Nashville and Oklahoma City will be heavily damaged. All along the banks of the Mississippi from MN to New Orleans will be effected. These are only guesses, but IMHO it's impossible to accurately predict the complete results. Plan for the worse and hope for the best.

Even though I was living in LA when Katrina hit, we weren't effected too much. I haven't been back to New Orleans since Katrina, but God, I miss it. :sad1: New Orleans is my favorite big city.

Memphis will disappear under the immense flooding the Mississippi River will unleash

[captainstandup]

Having spent the greater portion of the past ten years involved in emergency management I can assure you there is no way the country is prepared for something of this scale.

Most civilians are under the misguided notion that the government, through the auspices of EM, will be there to save them when the worst happens. The biggest misconception I have seen through the years is the notion that FEMA will build people a new home if a disaster destroys theirs. The second biggest misconception is that the government (local, state, federal or military) will be there to keep them safe. Its a real shock for many to learn the most money an individual homeowner is usually "entitled" to is approx $5400. The second and sometimes more painful reality is the government will not be there to help you for a minimum of 72 hours and realistically it could be weeks depending on the scale of the disaster. The police and sheriffs office can keep you safe from looters and opportunistic parasites.

Where we live in NC we have a well protected water supply that isn't dependant upon the benevolence of other communities or their infrastructure. There is fairly limited means of access to the communities and a very low minority population and no housing projects or slum areas. I say this not from a racist or separatist perspective but only to highlight the undeniable truths of differences in cultural reaction to catastrophe. citizens already heavily dependant on public assistance REGARDLESS OF COLOR are far more likely to need help early in a disaster.

If the disasters impact is primarily in an area of heavy minority or poor population, as they often are, incidence of looting, murder and for some reason rape are common and become an operational and planning consideration for managers and responders.

Citizens and responders must properly arm and equip themselves for response during disasters and ensure their families are either evacuated or well defended and supplied before they can be effective responders. A disaster on the scale discussed in this thread will span virtually all socioeconomic groups and will tax national resources for months. Politicians and the wealthy will be a huge impediment to response since they feel the privileged should get the best service.

[tinman694]

Something funny along the lines of this...my Homeowners insurance cancelled my earthquake policy (Took one out when we bought the house 5 years ago)

Even though we are in Alabama, I still think its funny they are doing everything possible to limit their exposure---

Face it....we are not prepared for anything more than a minor problem occuring....

[firedoc5]

Something funny along the lines of this...my Homeowners insurance cancelled my earthquake policy (Took one out when we bought the house 5 years ago)

Even though we are in Alabama, I still think its funny they are doing everything possible to limit their exposure---

Face it....we are not prepared for anything more than a minor problem occuring....

I've been told that no matter where you live, always have earthquake and flood insurance.

[tinman694]

Point is, many companies are no longer writing earthquake policies except from a high risk pool (something like $3000-$5000 a year!)

dunno about you....but I haven't got that kind of money extra for something that 'may' happen...

[captainstandup]

Something funny along the lines of this...my Homeowners insurance cancelled my earthquake policy (Took one out when we bought the house 5 years ago)

Even though we are in Alabama, I still think its funny they are doing everything possible to limit their exposure---

Face it....we are not prepared for anything more than a minor problem occuring....

Allstate cancelled my earthquake insurance last year! I hate Allstate anyway, they, just like those bastards at State Farm screwed people in New Orleans and the government allowed them to do it.

It is incredible they were able to hurt the people in New Orleans, especialy those who paid their insurance premiums for years and years only to be ruined by their insurance company when they needed them. The basis for their not having to pay on flood insurance: " the flood was a result of wind driven water" instead of some other form of water. Is wind blown water less wet and destructive than say torrential rain?

If there is a hell I sincerely hope the administrators that perpetrated this crime burn in the very hottest part! Another sad fact is that many of the folks they screwed were poor, working poor, minorities and those whom no government entity would have advocated for. Speaking of government officials, surely hell is big enough to throw in Ray Nagin and whomever was the governor, at the time.

[Richard B the EMT]

The basis for their not having to pay on flood insurance: " the flood was a result of wind driven water" instead of some other form of water. Is wind blown water less wet and destructive than say torrential rain?

Check me if I am wrong, but was not most of the flooding in NOLA from breaking dikes and levys?

On a mention, during Hurricane Donna (September 1960), when the Atlantic Ocean/Jamaica Bay storm surge flooded my street on the Rockaway Peninsula, those who the water flowed over basement window sills, and basement door sills, into their basements were reimbursed by the insurance companies.

I had a different problem: The underground aquifer rose, secondary to the storm surge, and this flooded my basement by bubbling up thru the floor! Nothing over the door or window sills! Luckily we had no damage, because our insurer told us we couldn't have claimed for damage from that, we could only have claimed for damage if the water had flowed over something into the basement.

[firedoc5]

Check me if I am wrong, but was not most of the flooding in NOLA from breaking dikes and levys?

On a mention, during Hurricane Donna (September 1960), when the Atlantic Ocean/Jamaica Bay storm surge flooded my street on the Rockaway Peninsula, those who the water flowed over basement window sills, and basement door sills, into their basements were reimbursed by the insurance companies.

I had a different problem: The underground aquifer rose, secondary to the storm surge, and this flooded my basement by bubbling up thru the floor! Nothing over the door or window sills! Luckily we had no damage, because our insurer told us we couldn't have claimed for damage from that, we could only have claimed for damage if the water had flowed over something into the basement.

In New Orleans it depended on the area whether or not the flooding was from the dikes giving way or not. It was my understanding that there still would have been flooding, but when the dikes failed it just made it happen quicker. The way NO is under sea level is the reason for the flooding. Believe it or not the area closer to the gulf didn't get flooded near as bad as the inner city. The French Quarter wasn't all that bad, but if you went about two blocks near the 9th Ward it was devastated.

I haven't been back since Katrina...God I miss it. :sad10: