Thursday, January 12, 2012
Final Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Final Draft of the Gallatin County Hazard Mitigation Plan for the county including the cities of Bozeman, Belgrade, Three Forks, and West Yellowstone is now available for review at www.ReadyGallatin.com/mp.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Hazard Mitigation Public Meeting
A public meeting has been scheduled for January 9th at 1:00 pm in the Bozeman Public Library to conduct ranking of mitigation projects as part of the Hazard Mitigation Plan revision. More information on this project can be located at www.ReadyGallatin.com/mp.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) was created as a result of the 1984 chemical plant incident in Bhopal, India to ensure proper planning was taking place in the United States in reagrds to hazardous materials. To ensure that local communities know what chemical risks are in their communities, people that have certain quantities of identified chemicals are required to submit paperwork annually to the Local Emergency Planning Committee, State Emergency Response Commission, and the fire protection agency that protects their facility. Gallatin County Emergency Management has recently added information to our website that provides information on this "Tier" reporting requirement at http://www.readygallatin.com/tier.php.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
National EAS Test on November 9th
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).
The nationwide test will occur on Wednesday, November 9 at 12 p.m. mountain time and may last up to three and a half minutes. The public will hear a message indicating that "This is a test." The audio message will be the same for both radio, television, and cable.
The National-level EAS is a public alert and warning system that enables the President of the United States to address the American public during extreme emergencies. Similar to local EAS tests that are conducted frequently, the Nationwide Test will involve broadcast radio and television stations, cable television, satellite radio and television services and wirelineproviders across all states and territories.
Over the past two years and as part of ongoing national preparedness planning efforts, FEMA, the FCC and other federal partners, State, local, tribal and territorial governments, EAS Participants, and others in the EAS Community have been working toward making this test a reality.
As the federal, state, tribal, territorial and local governments prepare for and test their capabilities, this event serves as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kitand emergency planfor themselves, their families, communities, and businesses. Anyone can visit www.ReadyGallatin.com or www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for and stay informed about what to do in the event of an actual emergency.
The nationwide test will occur on Wednesday, November 9 at 12 p.m. mountain time and may last up to three and a half minutes. The public will hear a message indicating that "This is a test." The audio message will be the same for both radio, television, and cable.
The National-level EAS is a public alert and warning system that enables the President of the United States to address the American public during extreme emergencies. Similar to local EAS tests that are conducted frequently, the Nationwide Test will involve broadcast radio and television stations, cable television, satellite radio and television services and wirelineproviders across all states and territories.
Over the past two years and as part of ongoing national preparedness planning efforts, FEMA, the FCC and other federal partners, State, local, tribal and territorial governments, EAS Participants, and others in the EAS Community have been working toward making this test a reality.
As the federal, state, tribal, territorial and local governments prepare for and test their capabilities, this event serves as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kitand emergency planfor themselves, their families, communities, and businesses. Anyone can visit www.ReadyGallatin.com or www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for and stay informed about what to do in the event of an actual emergency.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Article outlines importance of earthquake insurance
The following USA Today article is an interesting piece on the risks involved with not having earthquake insurance regardless of where you live...
Very few homeowners have earthquake insurance
By Keith Matheny, USA Today
Cary Mann knows a major earthquake in Southern California could be catastrophic. But Mann doesn't carry earthquake insurance on either his Cathedral City home about 115 miles east of Los Angeles or on the hair salon he co-owns there.
"None of my family has ever had it," he said. "They've always said that if there was ever going to be a 'Big One,' the damage would be so massive that the insurance would never be able to pay out to everyone." Many in the state feel the same way. According to the Insurance Information Network of California, fewer than 12% of the state's homeowners had earthquake insurance last year, and fewer than 10% of businesses had the coverage.
Conventional home and business insurance coverage does not cover the damage caused by ground-shaking in an earthquake, said Glenn Pomeroy, CEO of the California Earthquake Authority, a non-profit, whose mission is to provide affordable earthquake insurance in California. Add in the California homeowners without any insurance coverage at all, he said, and the percentage drops even further.
The low numbers stand in contrast to the potential earthquake threat, which will be highlighted Thursday in the fourth annual Great California ShakeOut, a statewide event to highlight the need to prepare for major earthquakes and practice how to respond when they happen. ShakeOut organizers say they expect more than 8 million to participate.
A 2007 study by Risk Management Solutions looked at the potential costs of a replay of the last major quake in Southern California — the 7.9-magnitude Fort Tejon quake, which hit near Bakersfield in 1857. It found a repeat of that quake would cause $150 billion in damage to homes, businesses and industries — more than the damage cost from Hurricane Katrina— with only about $15 billion to $25 billion covered by insurance.
Earthquake insurance is even more of an afterthought away from the Pacific Coast, but the magnitude-5.8 earthquake in Virginia on Aug. 23 showed that the rest of the country isn't immune from earthquakes. According to the American Insurance Association, about 90% of the U.S. population lives in areas that are seismically active.
Louisa, Va., resident Rick Waugh said his home developed cracks in its foundation and along door and window frames during the unusual quake. He estimates the damage to his home at up to $40,000 — and insurance isn't covering it.
"We didn't even know there was an earthquake policy available for Virginia," he said.
The median price for earthquake coverage in California is between $800 and $825 a year, said Insurance Information Network spokesman Pete Moraga. The earthquake authority offers a standard deductible of 15% of the insured value of the home, or a more expensive 10% deductible. A homeowner with an insured value of $200,000, for example, would pay a $30,000 deductible before insurance kicked in if the policyholder took the standard deductible.
John Bratton, a professor of insurance and risk management at the University of Central Arkansas, who has earthquake insurance on his home, said even in his state, the New Madrid fault system provides the potential for a significant earthquake.
"I remember thinking when I bought earthquake insurance the first time that if I put an amount equal to the earthquake premium away each year it would take 2,000 years to save enough to replace my home if it were destroyed," he said.
Contributing: Matheny also reports for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif
Original article published at http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/insurance/story/2011-10-18/earthquake-insurance/50818456/1 on 10/19/11 @ 15:14 MST.
Very few homeowners have earthquake insurance
By Keith Matheny, USA Today
Cary Mann knows a major earthquake in Southern California could be catastrophic. But Mann doesn't carry earthquake insurance on either his Cathedral City home about 115 miles east of Los Angeles or on the hair salon he co-owns there.
"None of my family has ever had it," he said. "They've always said that if there was ever going to be a 'Big One,' the damage would be so massive that the insurance would never be able to pay out to everyone." Many in the state feel the same way. According to the Insurance Information Network of California, fewer than 12% of the state's homeowners had earthquake insurance last year, and fewer than 10% of businesses had the coverage.
Conventional home and business insurance coverage does not cover the damage caused by ground-shaking in an earthquake, said Glenn Pomeroy, CEO of the California Earthquake Authority, a non-profit, whose mission is to provide affordable earthquake insurance in California. Add in the California homeowners without any insurance coverage at all, he said, and the percentage drops even further.
The low numbers stand in contrast to the potential earthquake threat, which will be highlighted Thursday in the fourth annual Great California ShakeOut, a statewide event to highlight the need to prepare for major earthquakes and practice how to respond when they happen. ShakeOut organizers say they expect more than 8 million to participate.
A 2007 study by Risk Management Solutions looked at the potential costs of a replay of the last major quake in Southern California — the 7.9-magnitude Fort Tejon quake, which hit near Bakersfield in 1857. It found a repeat of that quake would cause $150 billion in damage to homes, businesses and industries — more than the damage cost from Hurricane Katrina— with only about $15 billion to $25 billion covered by insurance.
Earthquake insurance is even more of an afterthought away from the Pacific Coast, but the magnitude-5.8 earthquake in Virginia on Aug. 23 showed that the rest of the country isn't immune from earthquakes. According to the American Insurance Association, about 90% of the U.S. population lives in areas that are seismically active.
Louisa, Va., resident Rick Waugh said his home developed cracks in its foundation and along door and window frames during the unusual quake. He estimates the damage to his home at up to $40,000 — and insurance isn't covering it.
"We didn't even know there was an earthquake policy available for Virginia," he said.
The median price for earthquake coverage in California is between $800 and $825 a year, said Insurance Information Network spokesman Pete Moraga. The earthquake authority offers a standard deductible of 15% of the insured value of the home, or a more expensive 10% deductible. A homeowner with an insured value of $200,000, for example, would pay a $30,000 deductible before insurance kicked in if the policyholder took the standard deductible.
John Bratton, a professor of insurance and risk management at the University of Central Arkansas, who has earthquake insurance on his home, said even in his state, the New Madrid fault system provides the potential for a significant earthquake.
"I remember thinking when I bought earthquake insurance the first time that if I put an amount equal to the earthquake premium away each year it would take 2,000 years to save enough to replace my home if it were destroyed," he said.
Contributing: Matheny also reports for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif
Original article published at http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/insurance/story/2011-10-18/earthquake-insurance/50818456/1 on 10/19/11 @ 15:14 MST.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Gallatin River forecast to hit highest level this year
Bozeman, MT – Residents along the Gallatin River are encouraged to closely monitor the Gallatin River through this weekend. The current forecast for the Gallatin River is predicting that the river will reach its highest level so far this year by the middle of the weekend. Water over the road is already present in Gallatin Gateway and everyone is reminded to take the necessary actions to protect their property before flooding occurs. Once flooding occurs it is to late to prevent damage.
Additional information is available at www.ReadyGallatin.com/flooding.php.
Additional information is available at www.ReadyGallatin.com/flooding.php.
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Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Big Sky Natural Resource Council joins FireSafe Montana and holds FREE Community BBQ to recognize June as Wildfire Preparedness Month.
Thursday June 23, 2011 community event will allow Big Sky residents to learn how they can prepare their property for wildland fires, review the completed Big Sky Forest Stewardship Plan, meet local foresters, and much more.
When: Thursday June 23, 2011, 5:00 – 8:00pm
Where: Big Sky Town Center Park, Big Sky, MT 59716
Who: Big Sky Natural Resource Council, FireSafe Montana, MSU Extension, Northern Rocky Mountain RC&D, Men@Work, Big Sky Tree Removal, US Forest Service, Big Sky Fire Department, Yellowstone Club, Moonlight Basin, Big Sky Town Center, Big Sky Community Corporation, Big Sky Owners Association, Merrill Lynch-Bank of America Corporation, Big Sky Institute, and Jack Creek Preserve Foundation.
Visit http://foresthealth.wikispaces.com/ for more information on the Healthy Forest Initiative or contact Crystal Hagerman at (406) 209-0344 or crystal.hagerman@montana.edu
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