GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SUPPORT TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

In June 2017 the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management hosted a [ insert ] exercise focused on a New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake event. One of the primary objectives in this exercise was to validate the Joint Information Center (JIC) Plan and the functionality of the plan if a JIC were activated during an emergency event.

Participants from various Emergency Support Functions were present at the JIC along with a spokesperson/representative from the Arkansas Geological Survey. The exercise allowed public information professionals to develop communication tools that would be required during an earthquake event regardless of the size or scope of the earthquake.

The communications lessons that were learned during this exercise allowed members of ADEM and AGS to determine current communications capabilities while also identifying several areas for improvement. Given the potential for a NMSZ event to occur ADEM and AGS continue to develop strategies for communications during such events.