PROTECTINGAMERICA.ORG E-NEWS ProtectingAmerica.org Road Show Moves Through
New Madrid Fault Charter Member James Dalessandro Tours Midwest and Midsouth, Meets With Emergency Managers and Earthquakes Officials to Raise Awareness About New Madrid Earthquake Threat James Dalessandro, author/filmmaker and charter member of ProtectingAmerica.org, visited five cities in the Midwest and Midsouth as part of ProtectingAmerica.org’s New Madrid Earthquake Fault Awareness Tour. Read his blog (Photo caption: ProtectingAmerica.org charter member James Dalessandro appearing on WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky. Dalessandro toured cities along the New Madrid Fault, where he participated in panels and appeared on local television stations, to meet with citizens and discuss how they can better prepare for catastrophe.) |  |
Dalessandro toured cities along the New Madrid Fault line, an area in America’s heartland that was hit by four magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquakes in a three month period between 1811-1812. If a similar disaster happened today, the toll would be immeasurable, with the potential to affect several states and cities including Memphis (registration required), Little Rock, Nashville, and Louisville
 | Photo: James Dalessandro, left, with ProtectingAmerica.org co-chair James Lee Witt at the ProtectingCalifornia.org announcement event in December 2005. |
Dalessandro appeared on panels in major cities along the New Madrid Fault with experts, emergency managers, and respective city and state officials such as Jim Wilkinson, Executive Director of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, Claude Talford, Director of the Memphis/Shelby County EMA, Buddy Schweig, Central and Eastern U.S. Coordinator of the Earthquake Hazards Program Office of the U.S. Geological Survey, and Daniel Cicirello, Chairman of the Governor’s Earthquake Advisory Council in Arkansas. Dalessandro added his first hand California earthquake experience to offer advice to residents along the New Madrid fault on how they can proactively prepare for a potential earthquake. According to Dalessandro, 'complacency is the ultimate terrorist.' Stops along the tour also included movie screenings of Dalessandro’s 'The Damnedest, Finest Ruins,' (see a trailer of the documentary) and book signings for Dalessandro’s historical novel, '1906.'
National Geographic August Cover Story: Killer Hurricanes-
No End in Sight  | With the anniversary of Katrina upon us, the National Geographic August cover story looks at the current trend of 'killer hurricanes'- and the future looks bleak. The article contends that these catastrophic storms are not a fluke. Fueled by an enabling hurricane climate and water temperatures, hurricanes have been on a continued upward trend since 1995 with no real end in sight. Couple that with rampant coastal building and a burgeoning population, and the effects of these storms may only get worse. Read the cover story |
The changes in society are as important, if not more important than global warming, or even natural cycles. When you double some vulnerable populations every 20 to 30 years, that's what's going to cause disasters. We've got a huge problem even if hurricanes don't change at all. - Christopher Landsea, National Hurricane Center |
Warnings for Major Hurricanes in Northeast The warnings for a major hurricane in the Northeast continue to roll in. As reported in a recent Baltimore Sun article, scientists predict a major hurricane will hit the Big Apple, causing at least $110 billion in property damage. Read more The Asbury Park Press recently ran a three day series about the potential impact of a major hurricane in New Jersey, and created a special section of its Web site titled 'Hurricane Watch.' According to the series, in 1821, a major hurricane, with winds between 111 and 130 mph, is believed to have made a direct hit on southern New Jersey; it then followed a northward route similar to what now is the Garden State Parkway, causing $33 million (1821 dollars) in damages to N.J. alone. Experts are saying New Jersey’s 185-year-long lucky streak of not getting a direct hit from a hurricane may soon end. Read more  |  | Click on map to see the result of a category-3 hurricane direct hit on Monmouth County, NJ. | Click on map to see the result of a category-3 hurricane direct hit on Ocean County, NJ. |
Experts from across the country met in New York City last month at the Northeast Hurricane Conference to discuss ways to better prepare this area of the country for a major hurricane. See a video news release Are you prepared? Learn what you can do by reading hurricane tips at ProtectingAmerica.org.
New Hurricane Readiness Index: Coastal Homeowners from Texas to Maine Only Half-Prepared to Recover from Major Storm, Much of Northeast Below Average According to a new Hurricane Readiness Index, average insured homeowners throughout Gulf and Atlantic coastal communities have taken just half the steps which would best position them to recover from a major storm,. The Index is based on a survey which asked individuals whether they had taken eight key preparedness steps, including whether they have an inventory of their possessions, whether they feel they have enough homeowners or federal flood insurance, and whether they have critical documents ready to go in case of evacuation. Also, with ominous warnings forecasted for the northeast coast this hurricane season, it is not a good sign from the readiness findings that residents in almost all regions in the northern Atlantic coast, including New York, New Jersey, all of New England, Delaware, and Maryland, are below average in their personal hurricane readiness preparations. Read more Read about the poor readiness ranking for New Jersey residents at ProtectingNewJersey.org.
Gulf Coast Reconstruction & Hurricane Preparedness Summit to Be Held August 28 in Kenner, Louisiana ProtectingAmerica.org Co-Chair Admiral James Loy to Speak
The Gulf Coast Reconstruction & Hurricane Preparedness Summit will take place August 28 at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, Louisiana. The Summit, co-sponsored by ProtectingAmerica.org, features top federal, state, and local leaders, providing the latest information on reconstruction and preparedness priorities, programs, and funding. Some of the confirmed Summit speakers include: New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin; former U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, DHS Deputy Secretary, and current ProtectingAmerica.org co-chair Jim Loy; Dan Hitchings, Director, Task Force Hope, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Madhu Beriwal, President, Innovative Emergency Management; and other government and business leaders. The Summit is being held as a public service and is free to attend. Register by visiting http://www.katrinareconstruction.org/. To inquire about sponsorship or exhibiting opportunities, please contact William Loiry at mailto:wloiry@equityintl.us Send Us Your News- Do you have news that you would like to include in our Coalition Spotlight? Write us at enews@protectingamerica.org and let us know how your organization is working to better protect America from catastrophe. Your news will be added to the Web site and featured in an upcoming newsletter. See a list of our coalition members If this e-mail was forwarded to you and you'd like to join the effort to better prepare for and protect America from catastrophe, follow the link to register.
ProtectingAmerica.org's mission is to raise awareness, educate the public and policymakers, and offer solutions that will better prepare and protect America from major catastrophe in a sensible, cost-effective fashion. Please contact enews@protectingamerica.org if you have any questions or comments. |
