APRIL 2011 Volume 7, Issue IV
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APRIL 2011 Volume 7, Issue IV WHATS SHAKIN? In This Issue: Communities across the State Prepare for Earthquake Drill Throughout Indiana, county emergency 1,096 students with the earthquake drill. Be Prepared for Spring Flooding 2 management agencies are engaging their The EMA has also been attending various communities in anticipation of the Great community organizations to share NBA & DHS Partner in “If You See Something, Say Something” Campaign 2 Central U.S. ShakeOut—the statewide earthquake preparedness information. earthquake drill scheduled for April 19. Free Training Looks to Teach how to Indiana has more than 400,000 of the 1.6 The Grant County EMA is working Preserve Organs for Donation 3 million people registered in the 11 states closely with Marion High School, which participating. serves more than 1,300 students, to help Preparedness and Building Codes Proved Effective in Japan Earthquake 4 school safety personnel identify earthquake Indiana partners are IDHS, the Indiana hazards and safety procedures for staff and Potassium Iodide Supplements are not Department of Education, the Indiana students before the drill on April 19. The Necessary According to Officials 5 Geological Survey, local emergency agency is also assisting the school in management agencies and other local public involving the local fire and police Nuclear Plants near Indiana are safety professionals. Presentations are being departments in ShakeOut activities. Designed to Withstand a Major 5 Earthquake given to schools, businesses and other organizations in nearly all of Indiana’s 92 2011 Fire Department Instructors The Greene County Emergency 6 counties. Management Office is assisting with Conference Held in Indianapolis ShakeOut activities for the 277 students at Cyber Attacks are Becoming more Here are a few specific highlights: the White River Valley Junior and Senior Common 7 High Schools. The County Deputy Sheriff Decatur County EMA will be going to has been asked to assist with pre-planning Fire Marshal Presents Safe Firefighter 7 Greensburg Elementary School to help and be onsite during the drill. of the Year Award (continued on page 8) From the Director’s Chair-Executive Director Joe Wainscott 2011 National Level Exercise A National Level Exercise (NLE), Tennessee (FEMA Region IV); Illinois and and guide future simulating catastrophic earthquakes with Indiana (FEMA Region V); Arkansas (FEMA planning for epicenters in the New Madrid and Wabash Region VI); and Missouri (FEMA Region disasters and other Valley seismic zones is scheduled for May VII). emergencies. 16-20, 2011. It is the first national level exercise to simulate a natural hazard. The exercise offers all involved agencies As many of you and jurisdictions a way to test their plans NLE 2011 activities will take place at already know, this and skills in a real-time, realistic command posts, emergency operation year is the environment and to gain the in-depth centers and other locations including bicentennial of the 1811-12 New federal facilities in the Washington D.C. knowledge that only experience can Madrid earthquakes, which was felt across area, and federal, regional, state, tribal, provide. Participants, including IDHS, will the Midwest. Far more sparsely populated local and private sector facilities in the exercise critical response and recovery 200 years ago than the Midwest is now, eight member states of the Central United functions employed during a catastrophic States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC). loss of life and infrastructural damage was event. Lessons learned from the exercise The eight member states of CUSEC are: minimal. Two hundred years later, the Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and will provide valuable insights to enhance (continued on page 3) APRIL 2011 The Hoosier Responder Page 2 BE PREPARED FOR POTENTIAL SPRING FLOODING Indiana is particularly susceptible to snow policies don't cover Service, more deaths melt and ice jam that causes spring flooding, and most policies occur due to flooding flooding, but states in every region of the take 30 days to go into each year, than from any country are at risk. Ninety percent of all effect so it's important to other severe weather natural disasters in the United States act now." related hazard. The main involve flooding and twenty percent of reason is people flood insurance claims come from outside The National Flood underestimate the force high-risk areas. It's important to be Insurance Program (NFIP) and power of water. The prepared for flooding no matter where offers an interactive tool to estimate the majority of flood-related deaths result you live, but particularly if you are in a low cost of damages from a flood based on the from vehicles being swept away by rushing -lying area, near water or downstream size of your home and the amount of waters. As little as six inches of water can from a dam. Even a very small stream or water. This tool can be accessed by cause you to lose control of your vehicle, dry creek bed can overflow and create visiting www.floodsmart.gov and clicking and water can often be much deeper than flooding. ―The Cost of Flooding.‖ it appears. "As the nation's most common and Flooding can be caused by a multitude of "Floods occur somewhere in the United expensive natural disaster, floods can conditions. Melting of snow in the spring States or its territories nearly every day of strike virtually every community," said and flash floods are common causes of the year, killing nearly 100 people on Federal Emergency Management Agency flooding. Additionally, new construction average annually and causing damage in the (FEMA) Administrator can change how water billions of dollars," said Jack Hayes, Ph.D., Craig Fugate. "We're travels and create new director of the National Weather Service. encouraging individuals flood risks. The extra "Awareness, preparedness and action are and families to take a few pavement and changes to the key ingredients to protecting lives and simple steps to protect the landscape can property when floods threaten. One themselves and their prevent water from essential safety tip is to never cross a road property. These include being fully absorbed into that is covered by water. Remember, Turn learning about their risk the ground, causing Around, Don't Drown." of flooding, having an flooding that does not emergency preparedness last a long time, but can For more tips on how to stay safe during kit, storing important documents in a safe cause a large amount of damage. floods and other hazards, visit the Indiana place and considering the purchase of flood Department of Homeland Security’s Get insurance. Most homeowners insurance According to the National Weather Prepared webpage at GetPrepared.in.gov. NBA & DHS PARTNER IN “IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING” CAMPAIGN Secretary of Homeland Security Janet DHS has worked with federal, state, local (NFL), Wal-Mart, the Mall of America, the Napolitano recently announced a and private sector partners in expanding American Hotel & Lodging Association, partnership on the ―If You See Something, the program, as well Amtrak, the Say Something‖ public awareness campaign as the Nationwide Washington with the National Basketball Association Suspicious Activity Metroplitan Area (NBA). Originally implemented by the New Reporting (SAR) Transit Authority, the York City Metropolitan Transportation Initiative. The SAR is general aviation Authority, the ―If You See Something, Say an effort to train industry, and state and Something‖ campaign is now used state and local law local fusion centers nationwide, and posters will appear in enforcement to across the country. In Conseco Fieldhouse by mid April. recognize behaviors the coming months, and indicators DHS will continue to "Every citizen plays a critical role in related to terrorism, expand the "If You See identifying and reporting suspicious crime and other Something, Say activities and threats," said Secretary Homeland Security Secretary Janet threats; standardize Something" campaign Napolitano. "Our partnership with the NBA Napolitano & NBA Commissioner David how those nationally with public to bring the "If You See Something, Say observations are documented and analyzed; education materials and outreach tools Something" campaign to professional and expand and enhance the sharing of designed to help America's business, basketball events throughout the nation is a those reports with federal agencies. communities and citizens remain vigilant vital part of our efforts to ensure the safety and plan an active role in keeping the of players, employees and fans." The campaign will has already been country safe. launched with the National Football League APRIL 2011 The Hoosier Responder Page 3 2011 NATIONAL LEVEL EXERCISE (continued) cataclysmic impact a similarly faces more frequently -- emergency that may confront Indiana. sized earthquake would cause floods, tornadoes, snow now is difficult to fully storms, etc. If IDHS and Awareness, planning, preparation and comprehend. This is a our public safety training are the key ingredients to a ready significant threat and one we professional partners are state and ready communities. I hope you take very seriously at IDHS. capable of responding to will join us in preparing yourselves and and recovering from a your constituents to be aware of and ready Because the NMSZ and catastrophic earthquake, for all the risks, including earthquakes, to WVSZ have been dormant we will be ready to help which Indiana is exposed. Together, we for many years, it’s tempting guide Hoosiers through can help make Indiana a safer and more to focus more attention on just about any other secure place to live. the natural hazards Indiana Seismic zones near Indiana disaster or public FREE TRAINING LOOKS TO TEACH HOW TO FORMER FIRE MARSHAL, PRESERVE ORGANS FOR DONATION IVAN NEVIL PASSES AWAY According to the United States Department be saved. Only registered donors between of Health & Human Services, more than the age of 18 and 60, who die of cardiac Former Indiana State Fire Marshal Ivan 110,000 Americans and 1,400 Hoosiers are arrest at home or other residence, can be Nevil passed away on March 16 in a Fort currently on a waiting list for an organ used for the program.