PROTECTINGAMERICA.ORG E-NEWS ProtectingAmerica.org Co-Chair James Lee Witt Speaks at 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Centennial Conference April 18, 2006 marked the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco earthquake, and the city commemorated with official ceremonies, educational exhibitions and a conference attracting 2,500 of the world’s leading scientists, researchers, engineers, emergency managers, professionals, policymakers and local, state and federal government officials. | |  | | | | ProtectingAmerica.org co-chair James Lee Witt on CNN’s 'Live From,' talking about the 1906 Earthquake Centennial and the need to better prepare for major catastrophe.
| |
ProtectingAmerica.org co-chair James Lee Witt participated in the San Francisco Centennial Conference’s Panel on Preparedness and Policy, along with Mark Baldassare, a Research Director at the Public Policy Institute of California, David Applegate of the U.S. Geological Survey, and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). Witt offered solutions to improve the way America prepares and protects itself from the effects of earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters. Read the Time Magazine article 'How Disaster-Ready Are We?' which looks at what has been done (and in some matters, not done) across the country to prepare for the next 'big one.' ProtectingAmerica.org co-chairs Admiral James Loy and James Lee Witt provide commentary. Watch the NBC Nightly News telecast which analyzes the damage, toll, and cost that the 1906 San Francisco earthquake would cause today. Listen to James Lee Witt discuss emergency preparedness and prevention on KNEW, KSTE and KQKE’s special 'trimulcast' coverage of 1906 events. Listen to James Lee Witt Discuss the history of the 1906 Quake and ways to better prepare on San Francisco’s KGO-AM Morning News. Read more about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake centennial, including comprehensive news coverage and resources on the earthquake and centennial activities. California Seismic Safety Commission Endorses Catastrophe Management Plan ProtectingAmerica.org co-chair James Lee Witt addressed the California Seismic Safety Commission about the need for a national catastrophe management solution during a public meeting at the 1906 San Francisco earthquake centennial conference. The Seismic Safety Commission unanimously supported a resolution urging Congress to pass legislation to protect consumers and better prepare all Americans for the threat of natural catastrophe. Read the resolution Rumblings From America’s Heartland- New Madrid Fault Shows More Than Just San Francisco is at Risk The 100th anniversary of the San Francisco earthquake has brought into focus the issue of earthquake preparedness around the country. And while places like California, with the regularity of earthquakes, better prepare out of necessity and experience, how prepared are mid-American cities like Saint Louis or Memphis? Experts say they had better be prepared, as between these cities lies the New Madrid Fault Line, a 150 mile-long system crossing five state lines with the potential to affect 1 million square miles. Between 1811-1812, three earthquakes struck along the fault equal to the San Francisco earthquake in force, but causing strong shaking in an area 10 times larger. - CNN examines a quake on the New Madrid fault zone that could devastate America’s heartland. Read more
- According to the National Geographic News, modern cities in the New Madrid fault zone are ill-prepared and could be destroyed if a similarly big earthquake hit them today. Read more
- According to Fox News, areas along the New Madrid fault zone are not structurally designed for the levels of earthquakes to which they could be exposed. Read more
- Experts predict there is up to a 40% chance that a quake of magnitude 6.0 or greater will strike along the New Madrid fault in the next 50 years, causing serious damage to communities from Memphis to St. Louis. Read more
1906 Centennial Reminds America of Other Earthquake Zones Op-Ed from ProtectingAmerica.org Co-Chairs Admiral James Loy and James Lee Witt The New Madrid (earthquake) series provides a compelling historical lesson and warning -- earthquakes can happen anywhere, and when they strike in the heartland, they can affect a huge geographic region. The New Madrid earthquakes raise a critical question: How prepared are we for a second round? The answer is a disappointing, 'not enough.' - ProtectingAmerica.org co-chairs Admiral James Loy and James Lee Witt |
|
Coinciding with the 1906 earthquake centennial, an opinion editorial penned by ProtectingAmerica.org co-chairs Admiral James Loy and James Lee Witt appeared in the Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky. The piece illustrated America’s vulnerability to catastrophe from San Francisco through the heartland and the need
for a national catastrophe
management solution. Read the op-ed in its entirety | |  | | Photo: ProtectingAmerica.org co-chair Admiral James Loy, with co-chair James Lee Witt seated to his right, speaks at the national launch of ProtectingAmerica.org in Washington, DC. Witt and Loy’s collaborative op-ed coincided with the 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. | |
Momentum Building to Improve the Way America Prepares for Catastrophe - Tom Gallagher, Florida’s chief financial officer, advocates for a National Catastrophe Fund to better protect consumers, with an op-ed in the Tallahassee Democrat. Read more
I am also advocating a National Catastrophe Fund to back up Florida's Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. With 115 major disaster declarations in more than 30 different states over the past two years, a national safety net would better protect and serve homeowners. - Tom Gallagher, Florida’s chief financial officer |
One month until the start of the 2006 hurricane season. Are you prepared? Coalition Member Spotlight – James Dalessandro As part of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake centennial activities, ProtectingCalifornia.org and ProtectingAmerica.org charter member James Dalessandro discussed and previewed clips of his 1906 earthquake documentary, 'The Damnedest, Finest Ruins.' See a preview of the documentary. 'The Damnedest, Finest Ruins' brings to life the voices of local history to teach valuable lessons of preparedness -- one hundred years later. As Dalessandro notes, 'If history teaches us anything, it is the fact that history rarely teaches us anything.' Mr. Dalessandro is the author of four books, including the novel 1906. He authored the May 2005 San Francisco Magazine article 'Earthquake!' that looks at the city’s readiness for the next 'big one.' Dalessandro is also Chairman of the Board of Gladys Hansen's Museum of the City of San Francisco, entrusted to provide the public a more accurate death count of the 1906 catastrophe. From coast-to-coast, he has delivered scores of lectures and documentary screenings on the 1906 Earthquake. Watch the NBC Today Show piece remembering the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, featuring commentary by James Dalessandro. Listen to James Dalessandro on KCBS-AM’s In Depth discussing the history of the quake, preparation and his novel, 1906. Keep visiting our newsroom for updated news, studies, and spotlights on ProtectingAmerica.org coalition members. 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.
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.
| 
