Congressman Harold Ford today sent letters to Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senator Lamar Alexander and key negotiators in Congress urging them to approve $20 million in funding for disaster response planning in high-risk areas like the New Madrid Seismic Zone. In a statement, Congressman Ford said:"Memphis lies within the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which has a substantial likelihood of producing a significant earthquake within our children's lifetimes. If such an earthquake occurs, it could cause the kind of catastrophic effects that we have seen in the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina: significant loss of life, a shattered infrastructure and billions in economic damages. Even though Tennessee has some of the best first responders in the nation, such as Tennessee Task Force One, such an earthquake would likely overwhelm the resources of state and local governments.
"In responding to a New Madrid earthquake, it is critical that the federal government avoid the tragic mistakes it made in response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation. One of the best ways to prevent these mistakes is to engage in comprehensive planning and training exercises.
"That is why I have asked Senator Frist, Senator Alexander and the committees responsible for homeland security spending to allocate $20 million for catastrophic disaster planning in high-risk areas. Part of this money will fund training exercises in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.
"We have seen the tragic effects of failing to plan ahead. If Hurricane Katrina teaches us nothing else, it should be that our government needs to plan and train for catastrophic response. Simply hoping that disasters will not occur is not an option."
Congressman Ford released the following letters:
Dear Majority Leader Frist and Senator Alexander:
I am writing to request your assistance in urging the House and Senate conferees to include $20 million for Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning into the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2006 (H.R. 2360). This line item is included in the version of the bill reported by the House of Representatives, but it is not included in the version reported by the Senate.
In the wake of the government's inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation, it is critical that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security look ahead to determine how they can improve. The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program will allow FEMA to do just that. The requested funding will allow FEMA to work with states and localities to develop and implement plans that will improve the ability of federal, state and local officials to respond to and recover from catastrophic disasters quickly and effectively.
The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program is of particular interest to Tennessee and my district of Memphis because it will fund disaster planning in high-risk areas such as the New Madrid Seismic Zone. As you know, Memphis lies within the southern end of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which stretches as far north as St. Louis, Missouri. In 1811 to 1812, the continental United States experienced a series of the largest earthquakes in its history in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The magnitude of those earthquakes resulted in large areas of land sinking into the earth, the formation of Reelfoot Lake in northwestern Tennessee and a change in course of the Mississippi River.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the probability of a repeat of the 1811-1812 earthquakes (magnitude 7.5 to 8.0) in a 50-year period is 10 percent. The probability of a magnitude 6.0 or larger earthquake is 25 percent to 40 percent.
Under either scenario, the impact on Memphis, Tennessee and the entire mid-south region would be devastating in ways reminiscent of the recent tragedy in the Gulf Coast region: infrastructure would crumble, thousands would lose their lives or suffer injuries and there would be billions in economic damages in the region. Hospitals would be overwhelmed and much of our energy and transportation infrastructure would be damaged. Even though Tennessee has some of the best first responders in the nation, such as Tennessee Task Force One, such an event would likely cripple the response of local and state government and their first responders and emergency personnel.
Advance planning and preparation is the only way to avoid repeating the mistakes that were made in the response to Hurricane Katrina. The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program is precisely the kind of program to which more resources should be allocated, yet the program is in danger of being cut. I urge you to help convince the conferees to restore the $20 million program to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act and give our disaster specialists and first responders the resources necessary to prepare for the next catastrophe.
I thank you in advance for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
Harold Ford, Jr.
Dear Chairman Cochran and Ranking Member Byrd:
I am writing to urge the House and Senate conferees to include $20 million for Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning into the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2006 (H.R. 2360). This line item is included in the version of the bill reported by the House of Representatives, but it is not included in the version reported by the Senate.
In the wake of the government's inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation, it is critical that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security look ahead to determine how they can improve. The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program will allow FEMA to do just that. The requested funding will allow FEMA to work with states and localities to develop and implement plans that will improve the ability of federal, state and local officials to respond to and recover from catastrophic disasters quickly and effectively.
The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program is of particular interest to my district because it will fund disaster planning in high-risk areas such as the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Memphis lies within the southern end of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which stretches as far north as St. Louis, Missouri. In 1811 to 1812, the continental United States experienced a series of the largest earthquakes in its history in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The magnitude of those earthquakes resulted in large areas of land sinking into the earth, the formation of Reelfoot Lake in northwestern Tennessee and a change in course of the Mississippi River.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the probability of a repeat of the 1811-1812 earthquakes (magnitude 7.5 to 8.0) in a 50-year period is 10 percent. The probability of a magnitude 6.0 or larger earthquake is 25 percent to 40 percent.
Under either scenario, the impact on Memphis and the mid-south region would be devastating in ways reminiscent of the recent tragedy in the Gulf Coast region: infrastructure would crumble, thousands would lose their lives or suffer injuries and there would be billions in economic damages in the region. Hospitals would be overwhelmed and much of our energy and transportation infrastructure would be damaged. Such an event would likely cripple the response of local and state government and their first responders and emergency personnel.
Advance planning and preparation is the only way to avoid repeating the mistakes that were made in the response to Hurricane Katrina. The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program is precisely the kind of program to which more resources should be allocated, yet the program is in danger of being cut. I urge the conferees to restore the $20 million program to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act and give our disaster specialists and first responders the resources necessary to prepare for the next catastrophe.
I thank you in advance for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
Harold Ford, Jr.
Dear Chairman Gregg and Ranking Member Byrd:
I am writing to urge the House and Senate conferees to include $20 million for Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning into the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2006 (H.R. 2360). This line item is included in the version of the bill reported by the House of Representatives, but it is not included in the version reported by the Senate.
In the wake of the government's inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation, it is critical that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security look ahead to determine how they can improve. The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program will allow FEMA to do just that. The requested funding will allow FEMA to work with states and localities to develop and implement plans that will improve the ability of federal, state and local officials to respond to and recover from catastrophic disasters quickly and effectively.
The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program is of particular interest to my district because it will fund disaster planning in high-risk areas such as the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Memphis lies within the southern end of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which stretches as far north as St. Louis, Missouri. In 1811 to 1812, the continental United States experienced a series of the largest earthquakes in its history in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The magnitude of those earthquakes resulted in large areas of land sinking into the earth, the formation of Reelfoot Lake in northwestern Tennessee and a change in course of the Mississippi River.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the probability of a repeat of the 1811-1812 earthquakes (magnitude 7.5 to 8.0) in a 50-year period is 10 percent. The probability of a magnitude 6.0 or larger earthquake is 25 percent to 40 percent.
Under either scenario, the impact on Memphis and the mid-south region would be devastating in ways reminiscent of the recent tragedy in the Gulf Coast region: infrastructure would crumble, thousands would lose their lives or suffer injuries and there would be billions in economic damages in the region. Hospitals would be overwhelmed and much of our energy and transportation infrastructure would be damaged. Such an event would likely cripple the response of local and state government and their first responders and emergency personnel.
Advance planning and preparation is the only way to avoid repeating the mistakes that were made in the response to Hurricane Katrina. The Enhanced Catastrophic Disaster Planning program is precisely the kind of program to which more resources should be allocated, yet the program is in danger of being cut. I urge the conferees to restore the $20 million program to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act and give our disaster specialists and first responders the resources necessary to prepare for the next catastrophe.
I thank you in advance for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
Harold Ford, Jr.
