5.2 Quake Strikes a Surprised Midwest, Rattling Homes and Nerves from Illinois to Florida

A 5.2 earthquake rattled parts of Illinois and beyond early Friday morning. The quake, which was the largest to strike the region in over 40 years, shook homes and businesses and gave residents in the area an unexpected wake up call. The temblor is a reminder that quakes can strike suddenly, without warning, and in areas not commonly thought of as “earthquake country”. Scientists have been warning residents in the Midwest that they were in fact well overdue for such a quake, however, warnings such as these often go unheeded, especially in areas where earthquakes don’t regularly occur. Though scientists classify quakes in this area as “infrequent, but not unexpected”, such a rare geologic event raises some serious questions and issues (sciencedaily.com, cnn.com). Read More - April 29th 2008

New Report Shows Magnitude 6.7 or Greater Quake within 30 yrs. a ‘Certainty’ for California

The “Ready” Campaign is busy preparing its members for their most important annual event. Coalition members are being contacted and numerous events and initiatives are being planned. The important event everyone is all worked up about; National Preparedness Month. A record 1800 coalition members will all work together to host over 1000 separate, smaller events. The way the government is publicizing for the event, you’d assume we were in the middle of National Preparedness Month. In fact, National Preparedness Month isn’t until September (www.ready.gov). So why all the pre-planning, advertising, and excitement? What exactly is National Preparedness Month and why is the government trying so hard to promote its message to everyone in the country? Read More - April 15th 2008

National Preparedness Month is Touted by Government Months in Advance of Actual Event

The “Ready” Campaign is busy preparing its members for their most important annual event. Coalition members are being contacted and numerous events and initiatives are being planned. The important event everyone is all worked up about; National Preparedness Month. A record 1800 coalition members will all work together to host over 1000 separate, smaller events. The way the government is publicizing for the event, you’d assume we were in the middle of National Preparedness Month. In fact, National Preparedness Month isn’t until September (www.ready.gov). So why all the pre-planning, advertising, and excitement? What exactly is National Preparedness Month and why is the government trying so hard to promote its message to everyone in the country? Read More - March 20th 2008

Severe Storms and Tornadoes Hit the South and Kill Dozens

Some of the worst storms and tornadoes in recent memory smashed into various parts of the south on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Severe weather destroyed homes, businesses, schools, and killed at least 52 people. Though the weather was not totally predicted, officials credit sirens and early warning stations with saving many lives. Still, the severe conditions took the lives of people in four different states (cnn.com). Read More - Feb. 17th 2008

A Look Back At 2007 Details One of The Worst Years In Recent History For Natural Disasters and Warns the U.S. to Prepare

2007 was one of the worst years in recent history for natural disasters, particularly here in the U.S. Looking back, there was not a single place in the country that was immune from the effects of severe weather, fires, earthquakes, or a combination of all of these. Even more alarming were the comments made nationwide by officials responding to these various disasters. Almost all concluded that, regardless of how long they had been on the job, these were some of the worst conditions they had ever seen. Thankfully there were no large centered disasters reminiscent of events like Hurricane Katrina, but the continual wave of disasters and severe weather that struck the country from coast to coast was unrelenting all year long and highlighted the need for people to start getting prepared. Read More - Jan. 22nd 2008

Ice and Snowstorms Leave Death and Destruction in Their Wake During a December That Won't Soon Be Forgotten

The past month has been a December to remember in more than one sense. Snowstorms and ice storms left hundreds of thousands powerless and dozens dead as some of the worst weather in years hit the Central United States. Snow, sleet, rain, and ice left roads in dangerous conditions all over the country. For people who are used to such weather, it was simply business as usual, but for many who were traveling for the holidays or who simply weren't experienced in such driving conditions, the results were frustrating at best. One problem highlighted by area sheriffs and highway officials was that you simply cannot keep people off of the roads at this time of year. Though the National Weather Service and local officials tried to warn people of the dangers, many were headless of the warnings and simply took to the roads in conditions they weren't ready for (nytimes.com). Read More - Dec. 27th 2007

Strongest Quake in Over 15 Years Rattles Homes and Nerves in Bay Area

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck just north of San Jose shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 30th. Scientists called the quake "moderate", but while areas as far away as Oregon felt the shaking, many residents in the Bay Area were caught off guard by what many are calling a significant reminder that California is a hotbed of constant geological activity. While no major injuries or damages were reported, the quake showed how even a small temblor can send people fleeing in a state of panic. Local businesses, quiet on a Tuesday evening, reported that customers fled in fear, clogging exits as they were told to evacuate the buildings in which they had been shopping just seconds earlier. Read More - Nov. 28th 2007

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