Sunday, March 13, 2011

Could Las Vegas Handle A Disaster Like That In Japan?

Suppose the big one, like an earthquake, hit Las Vegas, could the Las Vegas Valley handle a major disaster?
Well, the local first responders practice scenario a couple times a year, but practice and reality are two different things.
First, you have less than 2000 first responders- fire and EMS responding within an hour
From there, there is Boulder City, about 30 minutes away, but they have limited resources. Then, you have to wait for volunteer fire departments and EMS which are 45 minutes to 2 hours away. After that, you will have to wait for reinforcements from California, Arizona and Utah, which are about 3-5 or more hours away.
There are maybe 5 heavy rescue units in the Valley (CCFD, LVFD, Henderson, NLVFD and Nellis)and if there are multiple buildings down, that is going to be very inadequate. The next heavy rescue units are maybe 4-6 hours away.
Police in the Valley would be adequate between the different agencies. Metro, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Nellis would be able to help out in significant number of areas. However, looting will occur, especially in the Strip and other casino areas and in different housing areas in the Valley. They will be stretched but I think the cops should be ok.
Las Vegas metro area has 4 airports where can supplies can be flown in-Nellis, McCarren, Henderson and North Las Vegas. Even if 2 or 3 of the airports are down, one should still be available. However if all 4 are down, we are in the middle of a desert with lots of flat areas out there, so a runway could be made quickly.
We have numerous hospitals in the valley but only two trauma centers. Right now, if you go to the ER in a hospital in the Valley, expect to wait many hours to be seen, treated and released. they can barely handle an ER now, how will the ER's handle a disaster- probably not too well.
However, the problem will be the people who live in the Valley. There will be a segment that will help out all they can, no matter what. We have a lot of retired police, fire and EMS personnel who live here and they help out.
The you have the gangs and criminals- they will be out looting.
Then there will be the complainers who will demand they be attended to first. This catagory is not limited to wealth, race, age or anything else. We are a Valley of me first and these people are going to have to be dealt with.
As far as utilities are concerned, the electrical lines are buried but are probably flexible, so I don't think there will be huge power outages. However, the water lines are another issue. We get out water from Lake Mead and if there is a breakage in one of these lines, there will be no water for the Valley. We have very few wells in the Valley, so water will be a huge problem, under the worst case scenario.
So, how well will the Valley hold up in a huge natural disaster? Initially, it will be difficult and it will be several days before a full rescue force would be in place. Because it is Las Vegas, the home of greed, we will have to face looters and thieves. And if the water is shut off, it will be very difficult to get drinking water to the million plus people who live here.
So, one hopes it will never happen, but if it does, we have to be prepared for it and I don't we will be.

2 comments:

  1. Dan, that is a REALLY good question. I remember after Katrina, people all beating up the Mayor of New Orleans (even for places like St. Bernard's Parish, outside of his jurisdiction--WHERE ARE THE BUSSES!!!!???). I thought, if we had a disaster in Las Vegas, who would we look to?

    Mayor Goodman likes to THINK he's mayor of the valley, but he's not. So who then? County commissioners? Shelly Berkely? John Ensign? Dean Heller? I have no idea. I think we're pretty stuck if something bad happens. Every man for himself. I've thought about putting together an emergency kit, but haven't done it. I guess just pack up the car and go? Let's hope we never have to figure it out.

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  2. Clark County Emergency Management

    http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/Depts/admin_services/oem/Services/Pages/EmergencyPreparation.aspx

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