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I'm interested in better understanding the ongoing geological processes that shape St. Louis and the Mississippi Valley region. So far, I've been looking into the history of seismicity in the region, focusing on the fascinating but little known history of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 -- the most devastating earthquakes to have hit the US east of the Rockies. I've also been exploring how St. Louis and surrounding areas are dealing with the possibility of another earthquake occurring in the future. According to one article I read, one of the biggest uncertainties is what would happen to the heavily engineered Mississippi River in the case of another major tremblor. The shaking could break the levees, flooding wide areas along the river and creating cascading effects. The flow of the river might also reverse completely, as occurred during the New Madrid earthquakes.

On these possibilities and the lack of scientific consensus surrounding intraplate seismicity in this zone, see this article in The Atlantic.

On current efforts to create earthquake hazard maps in St. Louis, see this overview on the US Geological Survey site.

For a deeper dive into the history of the New Madrid earthquakes, see this book by historian of science Conevery Bolton Valencius. 

Dr. Knowles uses various historical reports and accounts, both official and third-party, to chart the development of disaster investigation in the United States. He cites various agencies including the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Underwriters' Laboratory or UL, LLC. 

This policy ensures that EMTs and Paramedics who transport patients to hospitals are not refused admittance or directed to other facilities due to their patients' inability to pay or other factors. While emergency departments still may declare a divert status, whereby incoming EMS units are advised that the ER is either full or unable to accept patients due to other factors, this act, and other relevant state statutes, require that hospitals still accept, treat, and stabilize any patients that are brought to their facilities.

Emergency response, specifically the recovery response in the aftermath of a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, is the principal focus of this report.

The author argues that a patient's narrative regarding his or her medical history can vary significantly and be affected by his or her culture. Cultural norms can determine how a patient presents or describes signs and symptoms or can determine the extent to which a patient is willing to share information with medical professionals.

• "Despite the urgency and impact of violence affecting health service delivery, there is an overall lack of research that is of health-specific, publically accessible and comparable, as well as a lack of gender-disaggregated data and data on perpetrator motives."
• "Although violence directly affecting health service delivery in complex security environments has received a great deal of media attention, there is very little publically available research, particularly peer-reviewed, original research."
• "Key challenges in addressing violence affecting health service delivery in complex security environments include a lack of health-specific, accessible and comparable, gender-disaggregated data and sufficient data on perpetrator motives."

The authors present a number of current strategies that are primarily developed around an emergency modality of intervention. The strategies and protocols currently implemented by numerous organizations involve short-term interventions and responses to the immediate threat or crisis rather than the long-term socioeconomic or geopolitical factors that contribute to the emergence of such threats. The current focus lies in emergency response and humanitarian aid rather than nation building or infrastructure developments.

OSHA has set numerous occupational standards affecting almost every industry. In addition, OSHA conducts inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards. Failure to adhere to established standards could open up an organization to potential lawsuits and punitive actions. 

Emergency response, in the sense of law enforcement, fire prevention, rescue, and EMS, is not addressed. However, humanitarian and disaster response, in the face of disease and illness, is related to the topics addressed in this article.