PreparednessPreparing for the Unexpected Disaster

Published 12 September 2019

When thinking of earthquakes in the U.S., California often comes to mind. But what if a massive earthquake suddenly struck Middle America? Would first responders and emergency managers have the tools to swiftly secure infrastructure and ensure public safety? Would every level of government, as well as stakeholders at non-governmental organizations or in the private sector, know how to properly communicate and share resources? DHS S&T asked itself these questions, and they were the driving force behind S&T joining FEMA and others for FEMA’s 2019 Shaken Fury exercise.

When thinking of earthquakes in the U.S., California often comes to mind. But what if a massive earthquake suddenly struck Middle America? Would first responders and emergency managers have the tools to swiftly secure infrastructure and ensure public safety? Would every level of government, as well as stakeholders at non‑governmental organizations or in the private sector, know how to properly communicate and share resources? The Department of Homeland Security (DHSScience and Technology Directorate (S&T) asked itself these questions, and they were the driving force behind S&T joining the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and others for FEMA’s 2019 Shaken Fury exercise.

Although you seldom hear about earthquakes in the central U.S., the threat is real along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which crosses eight states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Mississippi. An earthquake there could cause catastrophic physical and economic loss, which makes bringing stakeholders together in one place so critical for preparation. From soil degradation to identifying alternate transportation routes, from power generation to destroyed pipelines—the need to coordinate and deliver relief is of utmost importance.

S&T says that under the guise of a fictional 7.7 magnitude earthquake, S&T deployed teams and technologies to several Shaken Fury exercise locations in the region to improve response and recovery capacities and assist state and local organizations with the adoption of new technologies and protocols. Throughout a week in late May and early June, S&T and FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Program, the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC), U.S. Department of Defense, the National Guard, state and local government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector coordinated response efforts and resources across what in a real emergency would be a nearly unimaginable expanse of need.

“The importance of Shaken Fury is that it provided S&T with an opportunity to get our technology in front of the folks that potentially will be using it to manage disaster response—expose them to it, and train them on it,” said S&T Program Manager Ron Langhelm. “This way, if they have an event next week, they’re better prepared to utilize the tools that they have available.”