Mo. National Guard = trains in earthquake preparedness

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DailyJournalOnline =E2=86= =92 News =E2=86=92 = ;Local =E2=86=92= Mo.=20 National Guard trains in earthquake preparedness

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Mo. National Guard trains in earthquake = preparedness

Oct 15, 2007 - 12:02:29 CDT

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. = (AP) =E2=80=94 The=20 Missouri National Guard spent the weekend engaged in Operation Cracked = Earth,=20 training exercises to test communication abilities in case there is a = major=20 earthquake in the New Madrid fault zone.

The New Madrid fault is = a=20 network of deep cracks in the earth=E2=80=99s surface from southern = Illinois to=20 northeastern Arkansas. It produces hundreds of small quakes a year, most = too=20 weak to be noticed without scientific equipment.

But in 1811 and = 1812, it=20 produced a series of big earthquakes estimated at magnitude 7.0 or = greater, and=20 officials know a similar quake today would cause extensive = damage.

Many=20 of the exercises began Friday and ended Sunday at Jefferson Barracks in = St.=20 Louis County, Poplar Bluff and Jefferson City.

=E2=80=9CPart of = what we=E2=80=99re doing=20 today is to get players together to revise the plan, confirm our = capabilities=20 and look at any shortcomings,=E2=80=9D said Col. Paul Rusinko, the = acting Task Force=20 Commander of the 35th Engineer Brigade at Fort Leonard = Wood.

=E2=80=9CIf a 6.5 or=20 greater earthquake would hit in Missouri, both the Army and the Air = National=20 Guard would work together to support civil authorities,=E2=80=9D he = said. =E2=80=9CThe state=20 felt it was important to test communication strategies because the Guard = will be=20 one of the first military responders.=E2=80=9D

The training was = part of the=20 National Guard=E2=80=99s duties to act as civilian = soldiers.

Capt. Kelly Messerly=20 of the 35th Engineer Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood said the communication = equipment soldiers trained with is key to ensuring they can effectively=20 communicate during times of disasters.

The use of mobile = satellite=20 communications centers allowed them to perform several communication = functions,=20 including video conferencing using laptop computers. They also have = generators=20 to allow access to communication capabilities if there is a power=20 outage.

=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s an extraordinary asset to have this = equipment,=E2=80=9D said=20 Rusinko, because it will cut down on the time needed to communicate = vital=20 information during times of disaster.

The equipment also can be = used to=20 respond to other disasters. The equipment is portable, so the Guard can = bring it=20 to almost any site.

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