Democracy on the Front Lines
City Administrator’s Blog
Walter Denton
April 18, 2008
Everyone no doubt has heard about the 5.2 earthquake that occurred early this morning in Olney, Illinois (there also was a 4.5 aftershock at 10:15 a.m.). While it is no secret that this area is vulnerable to earthquakes, it doesn’t happen that often. We are more accustomed to natural disasters such as ice storms, tornadoes, and floods.
Shortly after the quake, City employees from Public Works and Police evaluatued O’Fallon for any structural and infrastructure damage including the water system and sewer system. While no damage is expected, the City took a proactive approach to make sure that City services are not interrupted.
Prior to moving to O’Fallon in 2002, I spent six years working for the City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where earthquake preparedness is important business. The New Madrid Fault Line is only a few miles south of Cape Girardeau, and we had an ongoing education and preparedness program for both City employees and residents.
Here in O’Fallon, earthquakes are less of a threat but we should still be mindful of our vulnerability. In the event of a major earthquake, you should take cover under a substantial object such as a desk or heavy table. When the shaking stops, you should then evacuate the structure. This event also serves as an important reminder for people to have emergency plans in place should a larger event impact our community.
In terms of emergency preparedness, there is a dynamic between frequency and severity. Disasters that are more frequent (storms, blizzards, etc.) tend to be less severe while disasters that are less frequent (earthquake, floods, hurricanes, etc.) tend to be more severe.
As a result, it is difficult to maintain community awareness and preparedness for large-scale disasters that do not happen very often. The New Madrid Fault has not had a major earthquake since 1812, so it is a challenge to be vigilant year after year. But just because the Big One did not happen last year does not mean it will not happen next year. It would be folly to assume we are not at risk.
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