Safety Officer Accounts of Earthquake Preparedness at Riverside Industrial Sites

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Abstract
The Iben Browning pseudoscientific forecast of a major earthquake in the New Madrid seismic zone around December 3, 1990, provoked considerable talk and some concern around the midwest, and especially in the St. Louis area. Much local media attention focused on the state of earthquake preparedness in the area, and a proactive approach to preparedness was advocated for residents and businesses alike. This paper describes the state of earthquake preparedness among twenty older industrial plants located along the banks of the Mississippi River as reported by plant safety officers. While most safety officers were skeptical of Browning's forecast, most also believed that a major earthquake would hit the St. Louis area in the not too distant future. Nevertheless, earthquake preparedness was minimal or nonexistent at most of the plants, and a follow-up survey two years later showed little change in this state of affairs. Also unchanged was the striking lack of communication between these businesses and emergency management officials. These and other findings are discussed in light of proactive earthquake mitigation efforts.