Overview

The Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Memphis, Tennessee. CUSEC seeks to fulfill the ambitious goals of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977; planning, public education and mitigation. Established in 1983 with funding support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, CUSEC’s primary mission is: “… the reduction of deaths, injuries, property damage and economic losses resulting from earthquakes in the central United States.” Thus, CUSEC is a partnership of the federal government and the eight states which would be most affected by earthquakes in the central United States. Those states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. CUSEC serves as a coordinating hub for the region, performing the critical role of coordinating the multi-state efforts of the central region. Its coordinating role is largely facilitative and not as the primary implementer of emergency management functions, which are the responsibility of each individual state. The CUSEC Board of Directors have identified six program and organizational goal areas that CUSEC focuses on. Those goals are: Outreach goals: Multi-state planning Public awareness and education Mitigation Research Foundation goals: Resource development Constituency building The four outreach goals address the planning, preparation and knowledge processes. The two remaining foundation goals, resource development and constituency building, provide CUSEC with the structure and influence to accomplish the four outreach goals.