The owner of a gun shop in North Vernon was fatally shot Sunday in an apparent robbery at his business. The body of Scott Maxie, 61, Hayden, was discovered by officers Sunday at Muscatatuck Outdoors, a federally licensed gun dealership. Police say the man died of a single gunshot wound to the head and was killed inside the store. The store was attached to Maxie’s home. Investigators say 47 firearms, both handguns and long guns, were stolen from the business.

Are you prepared if an earthquake hits Indiana? Before you scoff and say an earthquake won’t happen here, know that Indiana is in a high risk area for earthquake.


Pictured left, the US map shows the location of the New Madrid Fault and quake impact.


“So many take for granted it won’t happen here, but it really can. Earthquakes can happen anywhere and so can tornadoes, floods and fires. Always think about being prepared,” said Rhonda Money with Indiana’s Salvation Army. She was the speaker at a training workshop at the Ripley County Annex building on Sept. 16 as part of National Preparedness Month. Billie Kaye, service extension state director, was also on hand for the presentation. The intent was to give citizens pointers on how to be prepared for disasters. About 20 people attended the workshop. Ripley County EMA Director Patrick Rose was also there. The county EMA also presented emergency preparation training to the Southeastern Career Center health science students.

Blame Indiana’s risk category on the New Madrid fault line. “It’s the most active seismic area east of the Rockies in the U.S. and runs from St. Louis to Memphis, Tenn.,” she said, adding, “The fault line is best known for some of the most violent earthquakes to ever hit the U.S.”

The New Madrid earthquake occurred in 1811-1812.The Mississippi River actually ran backwards as a result and some lakes disappeared, Money told the audience. And, if it happened today, devastation would be much worse because the population has increased greatly. The earthquake registered an 8.0 magnitude at the epicenter, and once it reached Indiana, it was at 6.0. To compare, the infamous 1906 San Francisco quake, where thousands of buildings were destroyed, registered 6.0. The most recent quake in Napa Valley, California, in 2014 affected the wine regions.

What to do?
“Drop, cover and hold on,” advises the Salvation Army in the case of an earthquake. Some other tips include:
• Take cover under a sturdy desk, table or bench, or against an inside wall and hold on.
• Stay away from glass and windows, outdoor doors and walls and anything that could fall.
• Stay in bed, if you are there when it occurs, and protect your head with a pillow.
• Use a doorway for shelter.
• Stay inside until the shaking stops. Most injuries during earthquakes occur when people are hit by falling objects when entering into or exiting from buildings. Money said later to look at what is hanging on your wall, how heavy it may be, and damage it could do if it fell.
• If you are outdoors, stay there and move away from buildings, street lights and utility wires. In a moving vehicle, stop and stay in it, avoid stopping under buildings, trees or overpasses.
• If you are trapped under debris, don’t light a match, or cover mouth with clothing if in a building. Shout only as a last resort or tap on a pipe or wall. “You could inhale dangerous amounts of dust,” Money said.

After the initial quake, be prepared for aftershocks, which are usually less violent but can be strong enough to cause additional damage, Money said. “In 1811, they had four quakes after the original one and three were 8.0!”

She did acknowledge that this region is more likely to deal with tornadoes, and mentioned the Holton 2012 tornado. “It’s inevitable a tornado will occur,” Money said, showing an Indiana map with each of the 92 counties somehow touched or impacted by a tornado at some point.

No matter where or what type of disaster occurs, the Salvation Army helps with services, food, hydration and shelter,” she said. Patrick Rose, county EMA director, commented how helpful they were with the Holton tornado, distributing gift cards to retail stores among other care duties.

Above all, in the case of a disaster, the Salvation Army advises to have a plan, whether it be at work or at home, and share with family or co-workers. Have a designated meeting place, she added.

Be prepared: Before
The Salvation Army advises to identify your risk, make an emergency plan, and be prepared to be self sufficient for a short term, 3 days, and/or long term, 7 days. Also, make sure you have good drinking water.“If outdoors, think about what would you need?” she said, mentioning an outdoor skillet, camp coffeepot, canned goods, dried fruits, matches, etc. She reviewed a long list to have stored in case of a disaster, including: can openers, toothpaste, flashlight, toilet paper, clothing, canned goods, utensils, cash, medications, list of doctors and insurance, baby supplies, sleeping bag, clothing, boots, radio, towel, tent, comb, cash, first aid kit, gloves, clothesline, ID protected in a water-proof bag, a tarp, and more.

One person asked what’s the likelihood of an earthquake happening here, mentioning the theory of the 100-year flood. Money and Kaye said they don’t have enough data to know when, only that it will happen. As the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) advises, people can reduce the impact of disasters (flood proofing, securing items that could shake loose during a disaster), and sometimes avoid the danger completely. Disasters disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives every year.

For more information, contact the Salvation Army, Red Cross, or the local EMA. To build an emergency kit go online to www.ready.gov/kit or www.ready.gov/kids/build-a-kit.

The Great Central US ShakeOut
Hoosiers are also encouraged to participate in The Great Central US ShakeOut October 16 at 10:16 a.m. It’s the largest earthquake drill in central US. Indiana Homeland Security and the Department of Education participate. There are more than 1.1 million participants registered so far. The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is an opportunity to practice safety measures in the event of a large earthquake. Indiana had the most registrants last year with nearly 550,000. At 10:16 a.m., participants should drop to the ground, take cover under a table or desk, and hold on to is as if a major earthquake were happening. Practicing early is the key to protecting yourself and others during an actual earthquake. For information on how to register, visit GetPrepared.IN.gov.

Pick up this week's edition of The Versailles Republican for the stories below and more local news. Subscribe by clicking the subscribe link or call 812-689-6364.

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