GEOLOGY

Geology

Geology

Introduction

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (USA) is found to be a low to moderate risk area in terms of seismic vulnerability, it is vulnerable to future episodes which could be quite threatening to a sizeable population. Degree of seismic vulnerability varies across the Commonwealth. Pursuant to assessing Pennsylvania's earthquake preparedness, the Commonwealth's various state agencies (n = 12) and the campuses comprising Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (n = 14) were asked to complete a mail-questionnaire which sought to determine their degree of earthquake experience, risk assessment activity, mitigation activity, and planning for response and recovery. A response rate of 78 per cent was attained. The experience, activity, and planning levels were found to be consistently low. These findings are consistent with research literature which describes the circumstances under which hazard reduction is likely to occur.

Earthquake hazard reduction

The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction provided the impetus for the organization of the National (USA) Earthquake Conference which was convened in 1993. The conference was designed to share and disseminate information to disaster researchers and practitioners in an attempt to facilitate earthquake hazard reduction. Pursuant to effecting earthquake hazard reduction in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (USA), an assessment of the current level of preparedness among Pennsylvania's various state agencies and its State System of Higher Education (SSHE) was conducted during 1994-1995. This paper compares the research literature on preparedness and mitigation effectiveness with our assessment findings.

Emergency preparedness

After passage of the 1974 Federal Disaster Act, the 50 states received grants to facilitate further disaster planning. “Most states mandated local governments to meet minimal disaster planning criteria”. What has been the outcome? The organization designated as having the responsibility to co-ordinate the community response is the local emergency management agency. To respond effectively, this organization must have a well developed and well rehearsed disaster plan. Planning is more likely to occur when a particular hazard frequently threatens a community. The perceived likelihood of a threat from a particular hazard tends to govern whether that particular hazard will be addressed in any planning. For example, if an earthquake is perceived as very unlikely to occur, planning for one is not likely to be addressed in the community's overall disaster planning. The goals of an effective response plan include meeting immediate victim needs and initiating a process that will facilitate recovery. Effective emergency response plans have been found to follow certain basic principles which are outlined below.

Planning

Planning has a greater chance of being effective if it is viewed as a continuous process. Plans need to be updated regularly. The act of creating the written document serves to function as an ongoing educational or training process for those involved in the planning. It informs those who must implement the plan. Continuous planning results in reducing the unknown. It increases the likelihood of anticipating problems and developing solutions. Since all problems cannot be anticipated, the plan must be flexible enough to allow for accommodation of the unanticipated. While plans must provide enough detail to articulate ...