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The Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CDMHA) is a joint project of Tulane University and the University of South Florida, in partnership with the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). The center has been established "to promote collaborative training, research, education, and communication services with civil-military agencies throughout the western hemisphere to ensure operational readiness in humanitarian and consequence management missions." Its focus is hazard and disaster management in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The center will concentrate on predisaster activities, such as training, exercise, research, evaluation, and communications. It will develop training materials using distance technology; databases on complex human emergencies and their outcomes; networks of organizations and agencies that carry out disaster mitigation; and research to improve disaster mitigation and management.
More information about the new CDMHA is available from the Payson Center for International Development and Technology Transfer, 300 Herbert Hall, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118-5687; (504) 865-5240; fax: (504) 865-5241 -or- University of South Florida, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, CPR-107, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-5650; (813) 974-8130; fax: (813) 974-8138. Interested persons should also consult the new CDMHA Web site: http://www.payson.tulane.edu/cdmha/.
[The following request recently appeared on the natural-hazards- disasters e-mail list. Information about that list is provided below.]
I am a lecturer for two modules on psychological aspects of disasters and mental health interventions following disasters on a BSc Development and Health in Disaster Management course. I would appreciate any information that anybody has relating to videos dealing with the psychological consequences of disasters.
Many Thanks,
Paul Carney
Senior Lecturer, School of Health & Social Sciences
Coventry University
E-mail: hsx158@coventry.ac.uk
* What is natural-hazards-disasters?
Natural-hazards-disasters is a network for anybody with an interest in
any aspect of disasters caused by natural hazards. Through the medium
of e-mail, it provides a forum for sharing information and debating
ideas. For example, you can use the network to inform others about
useful publications and Web sites, to give notice of forthcoming
events, to ask for advice, or to raise issues for discussion.
* What does the network cover?
Natural-hazards-disasters aims to be multidisciplinary and to overcome
the barriers between different professional specialties. It brings
together people from all parts of the world and from every
professional discipline, including those who work in relief and
development agencies, government officials, experts in the social and
natural sciences, the media, and funding organisations. All natural
hazards are covered; so too are technological hazards. But, as the
network's name suggests, the focus is as much on disasters as on the
hazards that trigger them. This means looking at the socioeconomic
factors that make people vulnerable to disasters and at the capacities
of communities and disaster management organisations to protect
against disasters.
* How can I join?
Membership in natural-hazards-disasters is free; all you need is
e-mail access. To join, take the following steps:
* How is the network managed?
Since March 1999 the natural-hazards-disasters network has been
coordinated by Dr. John Twigg of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research
Centre, University College London, UK. The list is not moderated -
that means messages sent to the list are not edited before they are
distributed to the members - but the coordinator has the authority to
remove members if they persistently use the network for inappropriate
purposes (e.g. personal abuse or commercial mailings). Systems and
technical support are provided by Mailbase, a service funded by the
British Government which runs over 2,000 electronic discussion lists
with more than 150,000 members worldwide (
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/).
John Twigg
E-mail: j.twigg@ucl.ac.uk
Communities participating in Project Impact - the Federal Emergency Management Agency's national disaster mitigation program - will be among the participants in a "National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America" (NTM) to be held in Detroit, Michigan, May 2-5, 1999. The goal of the program is to determine how we can "Change the Way America Works" and to build on the notion that economic prosperity and healthy living are interconnected. In the meeting, Project Impact communities will join a number of other communities across the nation to showcase projects aimed at creating a better quality of life for their residents. Information about the National Town Meeting is available from the meeting Web site, http://www.sustainableamerica.org, or by calling 1-888-333-6878.
[These are some of the latest and more useful Internet resources we've
encountered. For an extended list of selected Internet sites dealing
with hazards and disaster management, see
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sites/sites.html.]
http://www.fema.gov/impact/prjimpct.ppt
Via this World Wide Web page, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency provides a "Project Impact Slide Show" in PowerPoint format,
explaining this major federal initiative to reduce community disaster
vulnerability.
http://www.gao.gov
In November 1998, the United State General Accounting Office
published "Year 2000 Computing Crisis: A Testing Guide," a structured,
step-by-step framework for managing all testing activities related to
the Y2K problem. The booklet is available in hard copy (single copies
are free, additional copies cost $2) from the U.S. General Accounting
Office, P.O. Box 37050, Washington, DC 20013; (202) 512-6000; fax:
(202) 512-6061; TDD; (202) 512-2537. It is also available from the GAO
Web site above. Additional information on accessing GAO reports via
the Internet is available by sending e-mail, with "info" in the body
of the message, to info@www.gao.gov.
Small businesses looking for help dealing with the Y2K computer problem can contact the recently opened Y2K Help Center for Small Business located at the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, the Y2K Help Center provides information and technical support, including details about equipment manufacturers' and vendors' databases that contain Y2K compliance information. The Y2K Help Center for Small Business can be contacted at 1-800-Y2K-7557 (925-7557), or y2khelp@nist.gov, or by visiting the center's Web site: http://y2khelp.nist.gov.
The center has recently released a "Y2K Jumpstart Kit" for small businesses and manufacturers, which includes a "Conversion 2000: Y2K Self-Help Tool," developed by NIST's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). The kit includes everything from a self-assessment checklist to upgraded Y2K Self-Help Tool software. Using the tool, small businesses can conduct an inventory of equipment, including hardware, software, and embedded systems; identify core business systems and rate their importance to the survival of the business; develop contingency plans; and plan and manage remediation projects. The Y2K Jumpstart Kit also includes a quick start guide, a detailed user's guide for the software, and a self-assessment checklist to help a company determine whether its or its suppliers' computer systems and equipment may have Y2K problems. The Y2K Jumpstart Kit is available on the Y2K Help Center Web site (see above) or from MEP centers by calling 1-800-MEP-4MFG (637-4634).
NIST MEP centers around the country are also offering a variety of Y2K workshops to help small manufacturers deal with the Y2K problem; details are available from the center Web site.
[The following is taken from the Emergency Management Forum's technology e-mail discussion list - technology@emforum.org. For more information on this and other lists hosted by the Forum, see http://www.emforum.org. DR#282 provides additional background regarding the Open GIS Consortium Special Interest Group's work in support of disaster management.]
For those of you interested in spatial data systems, including interoperability issues, the Open GIS Consortium (OCG) has posted a draft Request for Technology to support the Disaster Management (DM-SIG) Special Interest Group, available from: http://www.opengis.org/disaster/index.htm#Documents
To excerpt a small portion:
At the outset this initiative will focus on the discovery of interface
technologies that:
For background info on the OGC and its DM-SIG see: http://www.emforum.org/varena/990324.htm
The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) supports a wide range of studies in earthquake risk reduction in the U.S. The program emphasizes four geographic regions based on specific earthquake hazards and associated societal risks: Southern California, Northern California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Central U.S. The NEHRP External Research Program recently issued Program Announcement 00HQPA0001 with guidelines for FY 2000 proposals. Proposals will be accepted April 16, 1999, through May 18, 1999.
The program anticipates a total of $6 million being available and urges interested researchers to preregister their proposal with the External Research Program through its Internet site: http://erp-web.er.usgs.gov. The program offers lists of previously supported projects via the same Web page.
The complete program announcement is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.usgs.gov/contracts/nehrp/index.html. Interested persons can also contact the U.S. Geological Survey, 905A National Center, Reston, VA 20192.
Grants of $100,000-$300,000 per year for two to three years are available under the 1999 Water and Watershed Research Program, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Proposals are Due May 28.
This program seeks improved understanding of natural and anthropogenic processes that govern quantity, quality, and availability of water resources in natural and human-dominated systems. A second goal is to better understand the structure, function, and dynamics of the coupled terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that comprise watersheds. Proposed efforts should represents interdisciplinary approaches. Broad areas of interest include 1) ecological research, 2) physical sciences, 3) and social science research. A total of $7 million will be available for awards. For more information, contact Brian Sidlauskas, EPA; (202) 564-5181; e-mail: sidlauskas.brian@epa.gov -or- Bernard Bauer, NSF; (703) 306-1754; e-mail: bbauer@nsf.gov -or- Maurice Horton, USDA; (202) 401-5971; e-mail: mhorton@reeusda.gov.
EENET, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Education Network has the following broadcasts scheduled for the coming months (all times are Eastern Time):
April 7, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Learning Again - "Unique Applications of Incident Command at
Disasters"
April 14, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Unified Command: Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Focus.
April 21, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
National Alert Broadcast
April 28, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Flooded Again - It's Time to Fight Back
May 5, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Classroom Connection - topic to be announced
May 12, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Y2K - Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC) Workshop
Summary
May 19, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
National Alert Broadcast
May 26, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Mitigation Series - topic to be announced
June 2, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Learning Again - "Unique Applications of Incident Command in Civil
Disturbances"
June 9, 2:00-4:30 p.m.
Living with Grief: After Sudden Loss
June 16, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
National Alert Broadcast
June 23, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Mitigation Series - topic to be announced
June 30, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Virginia Beach Fire Department Hazardous Materials Series
For a description of each of these programs and broadcast information, visit the EENET Web site: http://www.fema.gov/emi/eenet.htm; or contact EENET, National Emergency Training Center, 16825 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD 21727; 1-800-500-5164; (301) 447-1068; e-mail: eenet@fema.gov.
The Program Policy and Assessment Branch, Program Assessment and Outreach Division, of the Mitigation Directorate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking a civil engineer/ architect to work on pre- and postdisaster building science issues. For details, see http://www.fema.gov/career/get_desc.cfm?id=647. Here are a few of the details, taken from FEMA Recruitment Bulletin RB-99-042-CNB:
This position is covered under the national flood insurance fund.
Open: March 17, 1999
Close: April 28, 1999
Position: Civil Engineer/Architect, GS-810/808-13/14
(Interdisciplinary)
Salary Range:$58,027 - $89,142
Promotion Potential: GS-14
Location: FEMA, Mitigation Directorate, Program Assessment and
Outreach Division, Program Policy and Assessment Branch
Duty Station: Washington, DC
Duties: The incumbent serves as a Senior Engineer/Architect, responsible for the development of program policies, policy guidance, technical standards, and technical guidance on strategies to minimize the risk of damage to the built environment from natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, wind or fire. The incumbent works with others to identify research and development needs in the areas of flood and wind-resistant design and construction practices. Provides technical support to FEMA's Emergency Management Institute in the development of technical training materials for such training initiatives as FEMA's Multihazard Building Design Summer Institute (MBSDI). Supports disaster operations by responding to building science needs of Emergency Response Teams and Emergency Support Teams as assigned. Supports disaster operations as a member of the Agency's Building Performance Assessment Teams. Acts as the official point of contact for various organizations interested in natural hazard mitigation. Prepares highly technical papers expressing the Agency's position on critical issues. On occasion, represents the Agency's position in public forums such as model building code hearings. As an expert on natural hazard mitigation, acts as the project officer in the development of new technical publications on natural hazard mitigation.
For details on required experience, knowledge, and skills, and other information about this position, contact Carolyn Nelson-Ballard, FEMA, 500 C Street, SW, Room 816, Washington, DC 20472; (202) 646-3244, or see the Web site above.
With financial support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) is offering a graduate fellowship in earthquake hazard reduction for the 1999-2000 academic year. The fellowship, supporting one full-time student for one year, is designed to foster the participation of capable individuals in working toward the goals of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. It provides a nine-month stipend of $12,000 and $8,000 for tuition, fees, and research expenses.
Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university and must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status. All applications must include an academic transcript and a statement of educational and career goals. Applications must be submitted by a faculty sponsor at the prospective host institution, together with a letter of nomination. Two additional reference letters should be submitted directly to EERI. They should evaluate the applicant's recent academic performance and the candidate's potential to contribute to the field. Application forms are available from EERI's Web site: http://www.eeri.org, or from EERI, 499 14th Street, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94612-1934; (510) 451-0905; fax: (510) 451-5411; e-mail: eeri@eeri.org. Deadline for applications is May 24, 1999.
In support of Project Impact (see above), the Federal Emergency Management Agency has recently published a booklet to help businesses learn how other companies have saved money through disaster prevention. FEMA's "Cost/Benefit Report of Protecting Business Operations" resulted from the realization that while one cannot prevent natural disasters, businesses know that they can prevent some of the effects of lost business, lost employee production, and lost inventory. Case studies from such companies as Warner Brothers Studios, Bell South, and Seafirst-Bank of America, are included. To obtain a copy, call FEMA Publications at (800) 480-2520. Request FEMA publication 331.
The National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering (NISEE), University of California, Berkeley, has recently released the "NISEE Software Library CD-ROM" - a comprehensive collection of 112 engineering research software programs. These computer applications range from strong motion data processing programs to geotechnical and structural analysis tools. User documentation for all programs on the CD-ROM is available through NISEE. The cost of the NISEE Software Library CD-ROM is $139, including shipping in the U.S. For international orders and/or courier service, and to place an order, contact NISEE, University of California-Berkeley, PEER Building 451 RFS, 1301 South 46th Street, Richmond, CA 94804-4698; (510) 231-9403; fax: (510) 231-9461; e-mail: info@nisee.ce.berkeley.edu; WWW: http://www.eerc.berkeley.edu.
The 1999 edition of the "Disaster Recovery Yellow Pages," produced by The Systems Audit Group, Inc. has recently been published. This 320-page source book is designed to help users locate disaster recovery services throughout the United States and Canada. It contains over 3000 vendors and covers over 350 categories of services contained in five sections: restoration services, mobile buildings, computer and emergency equipment, planning and data recovery software, and training publications and videos. It also includes an alphabetical index of companies and a tutorial on frequently overlooked areas of disaster recovery plan preparation. The Disaster Recovery Yellow Pages costs $98, plus $3 for shipping and handling. Regular updates are available. To obtain a free brochure or to place an order, contact The Systems Audit Group, Inc., 25 Ellison Road, Newton, MA 02459; (617) 332-3496; fax: (617) 332-4358; E-mail: dryp@javanet.com.
Florida International University (FIU) recently announced the second offering of its Emergency Management and Hazard Mitigation Certificate Program. A series of five courses on various practical and theoretical topics in disaster management and mitigation is offered from late April through July. More information is available from Ricardo A. Alvarez, Program Director, International Hurricane Center, 10555 West Flagler Street, EAS Room # 2710, Miami, FL 33174; (305) 348-1607; fax: (305) 348-1605; e-mail: hurrican@fiu.edu.
In DR#284, we announced a new report on "The Impacts of Natural Disasters: A Framework for Loss Estimation" prepared by the National Research Council's Board on Natural Disasters. That report will not be available until late April. Interested persons can contact the NRC at that time to obtain a copy - tel: 1-800-624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; WWW: http://www.nap.edu.
[Below are some recent announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. A comprehensive list of upcoming disaster-related meetings and training is available from our World Wide Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/conf.html]
International Erosion Control Association (IECA) Spring Development Training Courses. Separate one-day course are offered May 4,5,6 in Provo, Utah, and May 10, 11, 12 in Phoenix, Arizona. For details on courses offered and registration, contact: IECA, P.O. Box 4904, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477-4904; 1-800-455-4322 or (970) 879-3010; fax: (970) 879-8563; e-mail: ecinfo@ieca.org; WWW: http://www.ieca.org.
Short Course: Slope Stability and Landslides. Offered by: University of Madison-Extension. Madison, Wisconsin: May 12-14, 1999. Contact: Engineering Registration, Department 107, The Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street, Madison, WI 53706; 1-800-462-0876 or (608) 262-1299; fax: 1-800-442-4214 or (608) 265-3448; e-mail: custserv@epd.engr.wisc.edu; WWW: http://epd.engr.wisc.edu/.
Monitoring Dam Safety. Offered by: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Water Resources Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology. Atlanta, Georgia: May 19-21, 1999. Contact: Georgia Institute of Technology, Continuing Education-R, P.O. Box 93686, Atlanta, GA 30377-0686; (404) 894-2401; fax: (404) 894-8925; e-mail: register@conted.swann.gatech.edu; WWW: http://www.conted.gatech.edu.
Seventh Mallet-Milne Lecture: The Road to Total Earthquake Safety, presented by Cinna Lomnitz, Editor in Chief of Geofisica Internacional and Professor of Seismology at the Institute of Geophysics, National University of Mexico. London, England: May 27, 1999. Contact: Rachel Coninx, Conference Office, Institution of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA, U.K.; tel: 0171-665-2314; e-mail: coninx_r@ice.org.uk.
Long Island Emergency Management Conference. Melville, New York: June 2-3, 1999. Contact: State Emergency Management Office, attn. D. Bullock, Mitigation Branch, Building #22, Suite 101, 1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12225-2251; (518) 485-1797; fax: (518) 457-7528; e-mail: deborah.bullock@semo.state.ny.us; WWW: http://www.nysemo.state.ny.us.
Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications (WGET), 8th Plenary Meeting. Washington, D.C.: June 7-8, 1999. Contact: Hans Zimmermann, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: +41 22 917-3516; fax: +41 22 917-0208; e-mail: hans.zimmermann@ties.itu.int.
Short Course on Seismic Design of Reinforced Concrete Buildings. Kanpur, India: June 7-11, 1999. Contact: Dr. Sudhir K. Jain, Coordinator for Course on Seismic Design, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208 016, India; tel: 0512-597867; fax: 0512-597795, 597395; e-mail: skjain@iitk.ac.in.
National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Hazardous Materials and Waste Conference. Nashville, Tennessee: July 6-8, 1999. Contact: NEHA, 720 South Colorado Boulevard, South Tower 970, Denver, CO 80246-1925; (303) 756-9090; fax: (303) 691-9490.
Oklahoma Public Fire and Life Safety Education Conference. Sponsor: Oklahoma State University, Fire Service Training. Tulsa, Oklahoma: August 4-6, 1999 (preconference workshops and training: July 30-August 3). Contact: Oklahoma State University, Fire Service Training, 1723 West Tyler, Stillwater, OK 74078-8041; 1-800-304-5727
19th Annual Colorado State University Hydrology Days. Ft. Collins, Colorado: August 16-20, 1999. Abstract deadline: May 3. Contact: Marilee Rowe, Hydrology Days, Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1372; (970) 491- 5247; fax: (970) 491-6787; e-mail: mrowe@engr.colostate.edu; WWW: http://www.engr.colostate.edu/depts/ce/.
Short Course: Practical Seismic Design for New and Existing Structures. Offered by: Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (ESEE) Section, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College; in collaboration with the Society for Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics (SECED); and under the auspices of the European Association for Earthquake Engineering (EAEE). London, U.K.: September 22-24, 1999. For more information about the course, contact: Dr. Julian Bommer, Course Chairman, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College, London SW7 2BU, U.K.; tel: 0171-594-5984; fax: 0171-225-2716; e-mail: j.bommer@ic.ac.uk; WWW: http://www.ad.ic.ac.uk/cpd/seismic.htm. To register, contact: Sally Verkaik, Imperial College, Centre for Continuing Education, Sherfield Building, Exhibition Road, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.; tel: 0171-594-6882; fax: 0171-594-6883; e-mail: cpd@ic.ac.uk.
International Conference on Sustainable Management of Coastal Ecosystems. Sponsored by: Fernando Pessoa University and the Institute of Marine Research. Oporto, Portugal: November 3-5, 1999. Abstracts due July 15. Contact: Pedro Duarte, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Praca 9 de Abril, 349, 4200 Porto, Portugal; tel: +351 2 550 82 70 / 5506710 (Conference secretariat); fax: +351 2 550 82 69; e-mail: pduarte@ufp.pt; WWW: http://www.ufp.pt/units/geonucleo/coastal-ecosystems/.
California Association for Fire Ecology (CAFE) 1999 Symposium: "Fire Management: Emerging Policies and New Paradigms." San Diego, California: November 16-19, 1999. Contact: Land Use and Natural Resources Office, University Extension, University of California- Davis, 1333 Research Park Drive, Davis, CA 95616-4852; (530) 757-8878; e-mail: lunrinfo@unexmail.ucdavis.edu.
Fourteenth William T. Pecora Memorial Remote Sensing Symposium/The Land Satellite Information in the Next Decade III Conference. Organizer: ASPRS-The Imaging and Geospatial Information Society. Denver, Colorado: December 6-10, 1999. Abstract deadline, April 1, 1999. Includes sessions on emergency response. Contact: ASPRS, 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 210, Bethesda, MD 20814-2160; e-mail: asprs@asprs.org; WWW: http://www.asprs.org/satellite_imaging_conference.
Steel Structures in Seismic Areas (STESSA 2000) Conference. Montreal, Canada: August 21-24, 2000. Abstracts due May 31, 1999. Contact: Robert Tremblay, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal; tel: (514) 340-4711, ext. 5946; fax: (514) 340-5881; e-mail: tremblay@struc.polymtl.ca.
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