Getting Ready

I

t's not good news when experts report an earthquake fault is active, even when we do not live near the fault line where earthquake damage reasonably would be expected. But the news came just the same last week, and given our world now is much smaller, we all would do well to heed it.

Scientists report the New Madrid fault is active. Just because there has been no earth-shaking event of any consequence lately does not mean the fault is dormant forever. It is a matter of when more than if an earthquake will occur.

Arkansas and her neighbors, Tennessee, Missouri and Oklahoma, and three other states, all have some area that sits on the line. For years, places like Memphis and St. Louis have considered what might happen should a repeat of the quakes of 1811 and 1812 occur. Those events were recorded at 7 and 7.5, respectively. Some report even the Mighty Mississippi reversed its course when the earth shifted.

Loss of life was not reported in the early 1800s quakes, but the land around the fault line was much less densely populated then. The same cannot be said for modern times.

More urbanization and suburbanization have created population centers and commerce. The more populated areas have tried to address the potential threat with building codes and, of course, earthquake insurance. Nothing is foolproof, though, except a belief that man can best nature.

Now we don't expect people to run out and lay in stocks of emergency supplies, nor hurry to include earthquake coverage on their policies. They might not be able to get it, if they don't live near the fault anyway.

Our global village, though, is much more connected than it was 200 years ago. We know people-family and friends-who live in the more threatened areas. We might be there on business or for pleasure.

But even if places like Texarkana were unscathed by a quake and aftershocks, our lives could be affected. We might become home to those displaced by catastrophe. We could expect to be affected by shortages of goods transported by rail or truck. Some services we depend on could be disrupted at regional offices in buildings that come tumbling down or just get damaged enough to render them unsafe for occupancy.

Our world is large, but our common lives depend on other people and other places. They depend on us. We have to realize we need to be alert. We could be shaken and should be stirred to preparation.

Upcoming Events