[CEUS-earthquake-hazards] Earthquake Insight Field Trip

[Phyllis Steckel]

Greetings, all.

The following is timely in regard to the recent post by Larry Goldfarb.  It is especially pertinent to the passages he mentions within Peter May's PEER report, "Societal Implications of Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering."

On April 17-81, 2008, the fifth Earthquake Insight Field Trip will be held.  This one will start and end in Memphis, Tenn.  

These Earthquake Insight Field Trips are proactive outreach to decision-makers in the private-sector, especially in finance, equity, risk management, business operations, portfolio management, business continuity, risk management, and related industy roles.  A press release for the April field trip follows.

The first Earthquake Insight Field Trip was held in June 2005 through a NEHRP grant from US Geological Survey.  The final report for that event is at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/external/reports/05HQGR0014.pdf  

Interestingly, despite heavy marketing of that field trip in the central US, only about four or five participants were from the St. Louis area and none were from the Memphis area.  The rest were from all over the US -- Vermont, California, Texas, Rhode Island, Georgia, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Colorado, Minnesota, etc.  More than a dozen were from the Providence-Philadelphia corridor (a heavy insurance-industry belt).  There were three or four from Manhattan.  Several Fortune 50 attended.

The event struck a chord, and the participants' critiques and feedback were extremely positive.  These types of field trips seem to be effective in raising awareness and understanding of the earthquake hazards and earthquake risks in the central US.  It also helps our geoscience and engineering communities understand their users' perspectives as well.

The Earthquake Insight Field Trip audience is extremely targetted:  it is especially for those who can drive changes in structures' performance levels and compliance with prudent building codes -- and, ultimately, lower overall earthquake risk to society at large.

So, if you know of decision-makers in these private-sector target areas (neighbor, relative, friend, childhood buddy, or acquaintance), please pass the following announcement on to them.  If possible, you may also want to ask them to forward it professional-societies within their areas -- Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS), American Bankers Association (ABA), Commercial Finance Association (CFA), and, literally, hundreds of others!    

Many thanks for your help in getting the word out.

Phyllis J. Steckel, RG
Earthquake Insight
PO Box 2002
Washington, MO 63090
636-239-4013
psteckel at charter.net

PRESS RELEASE - Immediate Release

February 7, 2008

 

Earthquake Insight Field Trip Planned for April 17-18

 

            The next Earthquake Insight Field Trip will be held on Thursday and Friday, April 17-18, 2008.  This semi-annual outreach event, hosted by the US Geological Survey, will start and end in Memphis, Tenn.  It is especially for non-scientists, such as business leaders, elected officials, media, finance and equity professionals, risk managers, portfolio managers, lenders, and business continuity planners.  

 

Field trip participants will learn about the earthquake history of the central US and current exposures to earthquake hazards in this area.  The field-trip route will cross the heart of the New Madrid fault zone and will include parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri.  Stops will be made at sites that show geologic evidence of past large earthquakes as well as cost-effective engineering solutions that minimize earthquake risk to certain structures.  

 

The field trip will be led by geoscientists, engineers, and emergency planners who are active in current research and private state-of-the-practice.  

 

Much of the value of the four past Earthquake Insight Field Trips was from the candid, one-on-one discussions between earthquake professionals and field-trip participants, who have mostly been from private-sector leadership.

 

Past participants have represented State Farm Companies, Pfizer, FM Global, the Missouri State Senate, Wal-Mart, Chubb, AON, AG Edwards, ABC/Disney, General Reinsurance, Time-Warner, Edward Jones, St. Paul/Travelers, Enbridge, and many others.  

 

Each spring, an Earthquake Insight Field Trip starts and ends in Memphis, Tenn.  Each fall, another starts and ends in St. Louis, Mo.  The route and content of each event is unique.

 

For more information or to register, please contact Phyllis Steckel at psteckel at charter.net or 636-239-4013 before March 31, 2008.  Due to logistical constraints, the group is strictly limited to 35 participants.  Registration cost for the field trip is $395.

 

 
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