Civil
Air Patrol Nearing End of Seismic Survey
-- Civil Air
Patrol wings from several states are participating.
CAP aerial photographer Lt.
Nick Ham goes over mission flight with CAP Pilot Capt.
Dennis Wyza and CAP Observer John Barringer. CAP crew, all
of the CAP Salem Unit, utilized new Satellite Digital
Imaging System for aerial photography in support of USGS
Survery.
Photo: Oregon Civil Air Patrol
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(SALEM) - The Oregon Wing of the Civil
Air Patrol, along with other CAP Wings, is nearing completion of it's
participation in an extensive six state seismic survey mission in
cooperation with the United States Geological Survey and the and the
California Office of Emergency Services Clearinghouse that is being
conducted from August 16th through August 31st.
The CAP in Oregon was operating out of
Willamette Aviation at the Aurora State Airport as well as bases in
Medford, and Eugene. Other CAP wings (states) participating in the
exercise were California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Nevada with Oregon
covering targets in Washington as well.
The seismic survey event, comprising
simulated volcanic as well as earthquake activity, involved numerous
aircraft and corresponding air crews, ground support personnel and
communications specialists and is part of a national program to better
understand and respond to local seismic danger spots and practice
emergency response to a major seismic event in the Pacific Northwest.
The exercise involved a series of
geological targets that were prepared for use in the reconnaissance
missions during the overall exercise based on actual historical events
and research by Geologists at USGS in Menlo Park, CA to identify some
earthquake/volcano related "targets" in HI, AK, WA, OR, CA and NV said
CAP spokesman, Lt.Col. Thomas Traver, public affairs officer for the
Oregon Wing of the CAP.
"This exercise will be used not only to
gather information for the USGS, but will also serve to train new and
existing air crews and ground personnel in disaster response and to
effectively utilize new technology in disaster triage, rescue and
recovery operations" said Traver
"The photos taken will be actually used
by the USGS research team to further their understanding and knowledge
of local geology as it pertains to potential future seismic events." he
added.
"The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has
responsibilities to the Nation in many critical areas involving the
earth sciences and natural hazards. In the present context, the issues
are national hazard reduction programs for earthquakes, volcanoes, and
tsunami.
These goals can best be achieved if
optimum use is made of available resources; this is especially critical
in times of diminished circumstances" explained Dr. John Tinsley of the
USGS.
In the present example, the USGS is
cooperating with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and the California Office of
Emergency Services Clearinghouse to explore ways in which mutual aid and
cooperation can speed the evaluation of earthquake effects on society.
If the CAP personnel can be of rapid and
effective assistance in documenting earthquake surface ruptures, ground
failures owing to liquefaction and land sliding, or effects of erupting
volcanoes on lifelines and other infrastructure, then the USGS will
become much more efficient in discharging the Survey's mission
responsibilities following any natural disaster." he said.
Oregon CAP Seismic Survey
Rich Davies of the California office of
Emergency Services Clearing house remarked "I want to emphasize that we
believe that the CAP is a great resource and needs to be utilized more
for things like this. They can provide VERY cost effective and quick
reaction imagery collection after a major natural disaster."
"The quality of the images obtained has
been exemplary and the desirability of forging lasting partnerships
among the USGS, the CAP, and California Office of Emergency Services has
been demonstrated at least to the satisfaction of this participant.
Doubtless other states will be watching
and learning, and the expectation is that national emergency response
planning will evolve towards ever greater capability in the near
future." said Dr. Tinsley.
According to the USGS, more than half of
the world's active volcanoes above sea level encircle the Pacific Ocean
to form the circum-Pacific "Ring of Fire."
There are more than 500 active volcanoes
(those that have erupted at least once within recorded history) in the
world -- 50 of which are in the United States (Hawaii, Alaska,
Washington, Oregon, and California) -- although many more may be hidden
under the seas.
If high enough in magnitude, earthquakes
will cause Tsunamis. Between June 30th and July 11th, 2006, there were
sixteen earthquakes on the western coastline of Alaska between 4.4 and
5.9 magnitude, none of which was strong enough to create a tsunami. As
of May 30, 2006 there were 29 Tsunami ReadyTM sites in 7 states, with 4
on the west coast of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California.
For more information on Oregon CAP
please go to
www.orwg.cap.gov or our national web site please go to
www.cap.gov.
Preparation for disastrous earthquakes
created by high intensity seismic activity can be found at www.ready.gov;
www.fema.gov
or from the
www.geophys.washington.edu/recenteqs.
For information on seismic activity in
relation to the Pacific Ocean and Pacific Rim States:
www.legislative.noaa.gov/Testimony/johnson012605.pdf
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