NOAA East-Gulf Coast Caribbean Tsunami Conference

1. NOAA East-Gulf Coast Caribbean Tsunami Conference June 10, 2011 / Capitol Visitor Center, Washington, D.C. Rainer Dombrowsky Natural Hazards Planner Maryland Emergency Management Agency

2. East Coast Tsunami Effort • May 2005, NTHMP leadership discussed the organizational aspects of an expanded NTHMP. • November 2006, Expansion of NTHMP from 5 states to 28 states, territories and commonwealths. • Tsunami Warning and Education Act (P.L. 109-424) 2006 defined the roles and responsibilities of the NTHMP.

3. East Coast Tsunami Effort • 2006 Maryland Emergency Management Agency asked to represent the East coast states as a voting member of the NTHMP Steering Committee. • 2007 East coast states introduced to the NTHMP grant process and several proposals were submitted by East coast states, Maryland and Maine, as well as the University of Delaware.

4. East Coast Tsunami Program “By contrast with the long history of tsunami hazard assessment on the U.S. West coast, tsunami hazard assessment along the Eastern U.S. coastline is still in its infancy, part due to the lack of historical tsunami records and the uncertainty regarding the magnitude and return periods of potential large scale events.” Dr. James T. Kirby, University of Delaware

5. Status of East Coast Efforts • Maryland continues to support the efforts of the Town of Ocean City in their efforts to achieve TsunamiReady recognition. (ongoing) • Maryland has MOA with UCAR for COMET to expand the scope and content of NOAA’s Tsunami module targeting East coast situations. (ongoing) • Maryland continues to support East coast states in meeting their training and outreach needs, with a focus on local communities achieving TsunamiReady recognition. (ongoing)

6. Status of East Coast Efforts • Universities of Delaware and Rhode Island conducting the following: - Assess tsunami hazard from a range of event types with possible impact on the U.S. East Coast. (ongoing) - Identify candidate sites for mapping and inundation modeling . (completed) - Perform local inundation studies begin construction of inundation and evacuation maps for targeted sites. (Pending) - Identify and prioritize remaining coastline locations to complete inundation mapping effort. (pending)

7. Status of East Coast Efforts • Accomplishments by Maine: • Hazard analysis completed by Maine GS. • State emergency response plan written. • Tsunami alert and warning plan developed, then tested during the LANTEX 10 exercise. • Planning guidance for county EMAs developed. • Evacuation route signs – locations identified, signs produced & installation underway. • Public information brochure developed/printed. • Exercises developed and conducted this Spring.

8. East Coast TsunamiReady Efforts • The East coast states have identified 206 target counties or communities. • Six percent of these are recognized as TsunamiReady. Through expanded outreach and education efforts coupled with implementation of new TsunamiReady guidelines we expect to see an increase these numbers. • New TsunamiReady Guidelines scheduled for release this year will assist smaller communities in securing TsunamiReady recognition.

9. Challenges • Education and outreach – Resource Issue • Low to very Low Risk versus Vulnerability – Lack of well founded documentation