An Assessment of the Consequences and Preparations for a Catastrophic California Earthquake: Findings and Actions TakenUnited States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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An Assessment of the Consequences and Preparations for a Catastrophic California Earthquake: Findings and Actions Taken
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
» Two transportation units with 124 cargo trucks and
trailers
These as well as additional DOD assets could be made available,
contingent on defense priorities.
2. The National Communication System
This Agency's plan, the "National Plan for Communications Support
in Emergencies and Major Disasters," provides for planning and using
national telecommunications assets and resources during presidentially
declared emergencies and major disasters. The plan, which has been
exercised repeatedly in past disasters, provides the management
structure and the communications staff to support FEMA. Restoration
priorities have been assigned to all critical circuits.
3. Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT has established an Office of Emergency Transportation. This
office has developed and maintains comprehensive emergency plans and
procedural manuals for natural disasters and other civil crises. It
constantly monitors the civil transportation system for indications of
potential adverse impacts from all hazards. It conducts scheduled
periodic training and readiness exercises for DOT emergency personnel
and maintains quick response cells and emergency operating facilities
at DOT headquarters and in the field to provide an immediate reaction
capability. The system has been activated several times in the recent
past (e.g., Three Mile Island, 1979 Energy/Fuel Crisis, Independent
Truckers' Strike, and the Mt. St. Helens eruption).
D. CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPROVING RESPONSE CAPABILITY
Earthquake prediction has not been incorporated into existing plans.
Response to predictions in the current environment, if given, would be
_ad hoc_. The State of California has only a rudimentary plan and the
Federal Government none. The City of Los Angeles has examined the
problem extensively, but only considers its own jurisdiction and has
not produced an actionable plan. Current planning for the recovery
period is incomplete, uncoordinated, and not functional. State and
local governments have done little to plan for the recovery period
when, following the emergency lifesaving phase, efforts and resources
are concentrated on restoring the functioning of the community. They
presume that the Federal Government will "step in" after a
presidential declaration. The Federal Government has an untested draft
plan for the San Francisco area that is not fully coordinated with the
State plans. Current Federal plans are geared to the provision of
assistance on the order of a few hundred million dollars. Thus, there
is little confidence that they would function under the requirements
for tens-of-billions-of-dollars and concomitant service demands.
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