Monday, Nov. 21, 2005
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Corrects Neglected Seismic Safety Commission
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt is aggressively taking action to ready Missouri for any manmade or natural disasters and he has removed obstacles hindering the Seismic Safety Commission.
Blunt has made six appointments to the Seismic Safety Commission, ensuring enough members would be present at meetings to establish a quorum. The reason that the commission has not been able to meet is because they had only 9 members, exactly a quorum. If one member did not attend they could not meet. That is why they have not met in almost a year. The following are Blunt’s appointments to the commission that now has 13 members:
- Jeffery N. Garnatz, 52 of Columbia, is a manager at Shelter Insurance. Garnatz holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Iowa. Garnatz’s appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on July 1, 2008.
- Phillip L. Gould, 68 of St. Louis, is a civil engineering professor at Washington University. Gould holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s from the University of Illinois-Urbana and a doctorate from Northwestern University. Gould’s appointment is for a term ending on July 1, 2008.
- Robert B. Herrmann, 60 of St. Louis, is a geophysics professor at Saint Louis University. Herrmann holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Xavier University and a doctorate in geophysics from Saint Louis University. Herrmann’s reappointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on July 1, 2008.
- Charles A. Juden, 48 of Sikeston, is director of Public Safety for the City of Sikeston. Juden attended Southeast Missouri State University. He is a certified fire instructor, police baton instructor, police performance conditioning instructor and hazardous materials instructor. Juden’s appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on July 1, 2008.
- Donald D. Landon, 75 of Springfield, is an emeritus professor of sociology at Missouri State University. Landon holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s of sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and two doctorates in sociology from the University of Kansas. Landon’s appointment is for a term ending on July 1, 2006.
- Michael A. Marx, 48 of St. Louis, is the superintendent of engineering and maintenance for the Ameren Corporation. Marx holds a bachelor’s degree in organization administration from St. Louis University. Marx’s appointment is for a term ending on July 1, 2008.
This commission would not be a first responder in the event of a manmade or natural disaster nor would they play a major role in coordinating recovery operations. Local law enforcement, medical personnel and the National Guard would be among the first responders. However, the commission makes recommendations regarding earthquake planning and response and Blunt looks forward to working with them to ensure that Missouri is adequately prepared.
Last week the governor signed executive order 05-42 establishing the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as Missouri’s new standard for emergency preparedness. NIMS will standardize procedures for managing personnel, communications, facilities and resources during a potential disaster.
Since taking office Blunt also directed state agencies to provide him the state’s first comprehensive analysis regarding federal homeland security funds and how those funds are being spent, streamlined homeland security efforts under one department, and established the Homeland Security Advisory Council to examine current state and local homeland security plans. In addition, his leadership following Hurricanes Rita and Katrina ensured Missouri resources were immediately available to disaster victims both in affected areas and as they arrived in our state.
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