Today a Seismic Warning System Is but a Pipe Dream

This story tells it all: Quake Warnings Saved Thousands in Mexico, but California Might Need Private Money to Build Similar System. We are like a Fourth World country (we don't even rate Third World status) when it comes to seismic safety and using technology to protect people and property. 

I watched portions of the briefing to the Washington State Governor about seismic safety readiness for the state. One of the items was about the need for a warning system. A few points from my watching the video:

• Everyone acts as though this is a Federal problem requiring Federal funding. Actually, it is a state and local problem that everyone else is waiting around for the feds to solve
• We all wait for someone in authority to ask, "Do we need state funding?" When that question comes, you must be ready with an answer, "Yes, we need $5M to X, Y and Z. Trust me, that question is not asked that much in today's world--so be ready!
• A comment was made about needing to get NOAA and USGS to work in tandem on the dissemination of the warning signal. It is but another example of our inability to work together.

Then right after this section of testimony, the proposal was made that we need a "Resilience Office" to work on disaster resilience in Washington State. While I like the idea of a Resilience officer as part of the Governor's policy staff, we don't need another layer of people who are not accomplishing anything. Just get on with it and getter done!

Lastly, the definition of a pipe dream: fantasies brought about by the smoking of opium — how fitting is that today!!