COUNTY COMMISSION DEDICATES NEXT WEEK TO EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission wants to remind people that the threat of a major earthquake is real and they should be ready.

"We are sitting right on top of a potentially devastating problem," said Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones. "We have just got to be as ready as we can get."

The commission issued a proclamation Monday designating Feb. 2-8 Earthquake Awareness Week.

Scientists predict that there is a 50 percent chance of an earthquake of 6.0 magnitude or greater on the Richter scale along the New Madrid Fault by 2000. Such a quake would damage buildings from St. Louis to Memphis.

Dave Hitt, director of the Cape Girardeau County Emergency Management Agency, said the county is taking the lead in a four-state operation to coordinate earthquake preparedness. The states involved are Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Jones said that even the best preparation won't be enough if a major earthquake hits; however, preparation can cut down on loss of life and improve the effectiveness of relief efforts. "Even when you are as prepared as you can possibly get, you will always be extremely unprepared," Jones said.

Kits on earthquake preparedness are available at no costs at local chambers of commerce, Hitt said. The informational packets provide instructions on how and where to best store emergency supplies, including canned food, blankets, emergency medical kits and potable water.

"Available drinking water will be one of our biggest problems," Hitt said.

This summer all elected officials in Cape Girardeau County, including municipal officials, will take part in an intensive earthquake preparedness program in Jefferson City. About 40 people from the county will participate, including representatives of the Red Cross and both local hospitals.

The program will be sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and will last for several days. Cape Girardeau County's officials were selected to be the first in the state to participate.

Jones, Hitt and Charlotte Craig, director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, have each participated in another FEMA-sponsored earthquake preparedness program in Maryland. The training involved role-playing a reaction to a 7.5 magnitude quake.

Jones said it is vital both county residents and rescue personnel be ready. "We can't overemphasize how serious this is," Jones said.