TEMA Significant Events Log
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CURRENT ISSUES This page contains information about current
events that are important to first responders, emergency management directors
and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. During large-scale emergencies, TEMA typically
issues Situation Reports at a minimum of every 12 hours, more frequently
during the initial stages of the event. These reports contain the same information
provided to the Governor as well as other state and federal agencies. However
some details may be omitted from the public version to protect privacy of
individuals, details of ongoing investigations, and other information that
may not be suitable for release to the general public. Each subsequent report may contain
corrections or modifications of details from previous reports and will not
always restate information from previous reports,
therefore visitors are encouraged to read all of the reports for a single
event rather than just the latest one. |
TEMA leading way on state readiness for earthquakes By JAMES BASSHAM
The
New Madrid Seismic Zone presents a significant challenge to the citizens of In
1811, a series of major tremors caused widespread damage, made the In the post-Katrina era of emergency management, Gov. Phil Bredesen recognized the need to improve the state's emergency response plans and enhance our capabilities to ensure an effective catastrophic disaster response that reflects all the hazards Tennesseans may face. He asked TEMA to conduct a top-to-bottom review of our emergency preparedness with emphasis on the New Madrid Seismic Zone. We
have done so, and are working closely with our local emergency management
partners to make important improvements to our planning, coordination and
communications. I
look forward to participating in the efforts of the West Tennessee Seismic
Safety Commission to improve statewide readiness through further planning,
exercising those plans and educating the public on improving their safety.
Middle Tennesseans will be crucial in an earthquake: They will be the first
responders available to Weststate victims, and Exercises in readiness In June, TEMA and other state and federal agencies will participate in an exercise of the state's Catastrophic Annex to the Tennessee Emergency Management Plan. This exercise will center on a New Madrid earthquake scenario and coincide with a separate, multistate exercise organized by the U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency. These exercises, though earthquake-oriented, are testing distinctly different portions of our emergency management system. State agencies with large roles in response to a major earthquake have been deeply involved in creating disaster operation guides for our catastrophe response. For example, the departments of Transportation and Safety have jointly worked with TEMA on strategies to rapidly assess damage to highways, bridges and overpasses leading into areas with a high potential for damage in an earthquake. In the current budget, Gov. Bredesen has requested new resources this year for earthquake preparedness planning at TEMA. Also, FEMA has provided funding for additional catastrophic-planning staff . TEMA will participate in two large earthquake planning sessions in 2008 as a step toward a multistate catastrophic exercise in 2011, the 200th anniversary of the last major New Madrid event. The question of whether the state and its citizens are prepared for a catastrophe is not just a matter of how much money has been spent or who has equipment available. Preparedness is a process that continually builds upon your readiness and resources in the most efficient manner for victims of disaster. Corps puts maps online for Wolf Creek flooding The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released flooding
maps related to a possible failure at the Wolf Creek Dam in
Wolf Creek Dam draws public concern The massive flooding threat posed by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers’ Wolf Creek Dam in Somerset, Ky., has resulted in tremendous
media scrutiny of the project over the last several months. This has
increased the public’s interest in emergency notification procedures
throughout the state as well as appropriate preparedness measures for those
living in potentially affected areas beside the Cumberland River. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and local emergency management
officials have met with concerned citizens, in partnership with the Corps of
Engineers, at several public forums held throughout the affected areas in The recent availability of so-called inundation maps, which depict the
likely flooding scenarios modeled by the Corps of Engineers, has helped to
reassure the public and allow them to understand that emergency agencies and
public officials are both aware of the potential damage and are taking
appropriate steps to mitigate the dangers posed by any flooding. PREPAREDNESS The most common question is what preparedness measures are appropriate
and necessary for those who live in potentially affected areas. TEMA continues
to advise these people to purchase
weather radios for emergency alert messages and to prepare “disaster”
kits for their families; the kits should include critical identification,
insurance and medical paperwork, as well as necessary emergency supplies. The issue of flood insurance was also discussed at these meetings.
Persons wanting to purchase flood insurance should contact their personal
insurance carrier and request a National Flood Insurance Program policy. The
program is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Mitigation
Division. More information on the program can be found here (www.fema.gov/business/nfip) and
a list of If you have any flood insurance-related questions about your community,
please contact Stan Harrison, regional director for the State Planning
Offices in POTENTIAL
IMPACTS The at-risk communities continue to pursue mitigation measures, such as
reverse-911 notification systems and evacuation planning, and the Corps of
Engineers as well as the states are constantly monitoring conditions at the
dam for any advance signs of increasing threat. At present, the immediate
impact appears to be limited to economic disruption to areas of |
