Ashes, ashes, we all fall

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Ashes, ashes, we all fall
Down
Lou Romig MD, FAAP, FACEP Miami Childrens
Hospital FL-5 DMAT
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Kobe Japan 1995
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The New Madrid Seismic Zone
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NMSZ

• 120 miles long, from Missouri to Arkansas
• Crosses 5 state lines
• Crosses the Mississippi River in three places and
  the Ohio River in two
• Geology of the area results in force transmission
  over an area 20x greater than West Coast quakes

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New Madrid Quakes 1811-12

• Three major quakes estimated around 8 on the
  Richter scale, more than 10x stronger than the
  Great San Francisco earthquake
• More than 2000 shocks over a 5 month period
• 18 of the shocks rang church bells in Boston
• Damage in 8 states
• Death toll uncertain (100)

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The Future Along the New Madrid

• Greatest earthquake risk in the US after the West
  Coast
• 6.0 or greater shock every 80 years. Last one
  in 1895.
• 90 probability of a 6.0-7.6 event before 2040
• 7.5 or greater shock every 200-300 years. The
  last ones in 1812.
• 7 probability of a major quake in the next 50
  years

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7.5 quake along the New Madrid

• Damage expected in at least 20 states,
  1,000,000 sq miles
• Tremors felt over half the US
• Catastrophic damage in Memphis and St Louis
• Unreinforced masonry structures demolished
• Damage estimates in the 12 figure dollar range

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7.5 quake along the New Madrid

• Disruption of transportation routes for the
  entire country road, rail, river, air
• Disruption of energy supplies for much of the
  country (LP gas trunk lines)
• Likely that everyone in the US will be affected
  directly or indirectly

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7.5 quake along the New Madrid

• Flooding
• Fires
• Landslides
• Sand blows
• Contamination and disruption of water supplies
• Haz-mat releases

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7.5 quake along the New Madrid

• 10 million homeless
• 500,000 injured
• 20,000 - 80,000 deaths
• 6 Childrens Hospitals in Memphis and St. Louis
  alone

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• Are you prepared for disasters as individuals and
  families?
• Is your parent facility prepared for a disaster?
• Does your team have its own disaster plan?
• Staff
• Equipment
• Priorities before, during, after

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• Has your facility and team done everything
  possible to join disaster resource networks
  before a disaster ever happens?
• Do you know what you may be getting yourselves
  into as responders?

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Some harder questions
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• How much risk is your parent facility willing to
  let you take?
• How much of a financial commitment is your
  facility willing to make?
• Is your team prepared to function independently,
  providing most of your own supplies and support?
• Is your team adequately trained to do scene work
  in potentially dangerous environments? Discipline
  vs. risk-taking

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• Are you physically and psychologically prepared
  to work in austere, dangerous conditions? How
  much risk are you willing to take?
• Does your family support you in your role as a
  responder?

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Reality Check
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The questions need to be asked.
You wont find the answers in a book.

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Never add to a disaster.
Be honest about your capabilities and your
commitment.
Every disaster response will be a life-changing
experience.
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Thank you!

• louromig_at_bellsouth.net
• www.jumpstarttriage.com