OXFORD, Miss. – The Center for Community Earthquake
Preparedness at the University of Mississippi has announced
that additional warning sirens and communications equipment
have been purchased in anticipation of a major tremor or
other natural disaster.
The purchases coincide with the center’s call for renewed
earthquake awareness, said Charles Swann, staff geologist
in the UM Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute. Gov.
Haley Barbour has declared Feb. 4-8 as Earthquake Awareness
Week in Mississippi. The weeklong observance is being
supported by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
“One of our biggest challenges is educating a public about
the earthquake risks they face and to personally prepare
for any type of emergency,” Swann said. “We can’t prevent
natural disasters, but we can prepare to protect our lives
and minimize property damage.”
The university recently installed seismically-activated
natural gas shut-off valves to its two largest residence
halls that will automatically shut off the natural gas
supply to the structure in an earthquake, Swann said.
“Student Housing and Residential Life should get gold stars
for their efforts at promoting student safety,” he added.
James Windham, director of procurement services and
emergency management coordinator at UM, said Vice
Chancellor for Administration and Finance Larry Sparks has
been instrumental in helping the university obtain the
matching grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency. The FEMA
award is administered by the Mississippi Emergency
Management Agency.
Physical Plant project engineer Denny Buchanon said six new
digital sirens – each with voice message capabilities – are
to be installed at various sites around the campus. With
one mechanical siren and four other digital sirens already
posted, the new addition will bring the total number of
sirens to 11. The new sirens should be operational by
April, Buchanon said.
University Police Chief Jeffrey Van Slyke said a cross-talk
communications console should further ensure the
university’s ability to send and receive messages in the
event of a crisis situation. “UPD will be able to stay in
communication with a total of 16 on and off-campus
agencies,” Van Slyke said. “The console should be fully
operational by early April as well.”
More than 200 earthquakes are reported in the central
United States each year, and a large one could pose a
threat to Mississippi and Arkansas, so Barbour and Arkansas
Gov. Mike Beebe declared Feb. 4-8 Earthquake Awareness Week
in their states. These tremors, most of which go
unnoticed, occur in an area known as the New Madrid seismic
zone. The zone is about 40 miles wide and 200 miles long,
stretching from northeast Arkansas to southern Illinois.
The southern end of the zone is about 40 miles from the
northwest corner of Mississippi. For more information
about earthquake preparedness, contact Swann at
662-915-7320 or cts@mmri.olemiss.edu or visit the center’s
Web site at