Back to the Home Page.On October 6 and October 7, 1995, New York City will host the visit of thePope. Multiple events are scheduled including high mass, twice: AqueductRaceway and Central Park. Thousands are expected to attend these events.
In preparation, New York City E.M.S. has commenced planning andpreparation using aggressive emergency management and TQM planningprinciples. Information is sought on the following areas:
While the Incident Command System will be used at specific events, manyevents will occur simultaneously. A citywide Command Authority will beestablished at the agency EOC to oversee citywide field and special detailoperations. We are seeking:
Steven Kuhr, CEM, EMT-P
New York City
skuhr@pb.net
Hello!
I've just gotten interested in this topic, since the recent massive subwayaccident in Toronto, Canada, involving two subway trains during rush hour.I'm interested in information on other subway systems in North Americanwith good reputations and ones with bad reputations, how emergency workersmanage to conduct a fast and accurate evacuation of accidents that arethree stories below ground. I would also like to know what type ofdisaster drills are conducted by the governing body of a subwaytransportation system, as well as what measures are being taken to preventsuch accidents as Toronto, Canada. I would also be interested in anyinformation pertaining to the building of new subway systems, and whatfail-safe devices are being implemented to stop future accidents. Anyinformation anyone could provide, would be of great benefit...
Thanks,
Zubin Anary
Toronto, Canada
email: zanary@inforamp.net
To Volcano List and Hazard List people:
Barry Green and I are pleased to announce that a new web documentdemonstrating a GIS approach to the evaluation of Volcanic Risk at SantaMaria Volcano, Guatemala (an International Decade volcano) is now postedon the World Wide Web. The new page has a first attempt at integratingvolcanic hazard data and economic data on the same region in a GIScontext. The ways to use such data, and how best to represent them aremajor uncertainties, but both Barry and I invite your feedback. We thinkit is a first step at evaluation of the economic costs of an activevolcano. Have a look and let us know what you think. Our draft willhopefully evolve with your suggestions. The web address is:
http://www.geo.mtu.edu/volcanoes/santamaria/volcrisk/
Cheers,
William I Rose, Barry Green
Geological Engineering and Sciences
Michigan Tech University
Houghton, MI 49931 USA
raman@mtu.edu
Every July for the last 20 years, federal, state, and local emergencymanagers; representatives from nonprofit, humanitarian organizations;hazards researchers; disaster planners for private industry; and a host ofother persons dedicated to alleviating the pain and loss inflicted bydisasters have descended upon Boulder, Colorado, to talk, listen, andlearn from one another at the Annual Hazards Workshop sponsored by theNatural Hazards Center, University of Colorado.
To ensure that the ideas and information that transpire at the workshopare not lost, the Hazard Center makes available brief summaries of each ofthe sessions, abstracts of the hazards research presented, anddescriptions of the programs, projects, and poster sessions discussed atthe meeting. An entire set of all these materials (including the workshopagenda and participant list) can be purchased for $20.00 (shippingincluded - orders outside North America require an additional $3.00 forshipment via air printed matter). All orders must be prepaid, and checksshould be made payable to the University of Colorado. American Express,Diner's Club, MasterCard, and Visa are also accepted. Orders should bedirected to the Publications Clerk, Natural Hazards Research andApplications Information Center, IBS #6, Campus Box 482, University ofColorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482, (303) 492-6819; fax: (303) 492-2151;e-mail: jclark@colorado.edu.
[For an earlier report and background information on ECHO, see DR #158]
The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) conducts a disasterpreparedness program, which this year will spend over 5 million EuropeanCurrency Units on projects to develop expertise and low-cost technologiesfor managing crises. An ECHO panel has chosen a first batch of 14 projectsfor grants worth over 2 million ECU. The aim in each case is:
The projects include:
For more information contact the European Commission, European CommunityHumanitarian Office (ECHO), Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium;tel: (32-2) 29-69-485; fax: (32-2) 29-54-551; telex: COMEU B 21877.
The United Nations Secretariat for the International Decade for NaturalDisaster Reduction (IDNDR) has recently published "Learning About NaturalDisasters," a booklet created to teach children how they can help protecttheir communities from natural hazards. It features a range of activities,emphasizing community action, international exchange of ideas amongchildren, and complementarity with and among existing programs andmaterials about disasters. The booklet was produced for the 1995International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction and is designed tosupport this year's theme, "Women and Children - Key to Prevention." Oneof its aims is to help build a "culture of prevention" in our societies byencouraging children to learn that development, the environment, anddisasters are critically linked and that disasters are not inevitable butcan be avoided, prevented, or mitigated.
The IDNDR Secretariat is seeking feedback about the effectiveness of thispublication and is also soliciting sponsors for reprinting the booklet ortranslating it into local languages. Anyone interested in more informationshould contact the IDNDR Secretariat, U.N. Department of HumanitarianAffairs, Palais des Nations, CH-1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: 41 22798 6894; fax: 41 22 733 6895; e-mail: dhagva@un.org.
The Center for Global Change at the University of Maryland (College Park,Maryland) has announced a new online publication, "Global Change," ajournal designed to familiarize the public with climate change and ozonedepletion. By providing careful, accurate, and systematic reviews ofglobal atmospheric problems and associated research, "Global Change" hopesto encourage responsible public policy and profitable, environmentallysound, long-term investments.
In addition to appearing on the World Wide Web, "Global Change" will beavailable in hard copy beginning in August 1995. The URL for "GlobalChange" is:
http://solstice.crest.org/environment/global_change/gc1.htm
Subscriptions to the hard-copy version are free. To subscribe, contact:Global Change, Center for Global Change, University of Maryland, ExecutiveBuilding, Suite 401, 7100 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, MD 20740; (301)403 4165; fax: (301) 403 4292
For more information about the journal, contact: Global Change, EditorialOffice, 1347 Massachusetts Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003-1540;tel/fax: (202) 547-0850; e-mail: nsundt@igc.apc.org (Nicholas A. Sundt,Editor).
The Insurance Institute for Property Loss Reduction (IIPLR) has created anaward to recognize communities that have undertaken exemplary work toreduce the impacts of natural disasters. The institute will issue one ormore awards annually, and is looking for innovative programs "that produceresults" and can be adapted by other communities. To determine awardrecipients, the IIPLR will examine how well a community identifies itsneeds, maps out a strategy, and develops an implementation plan withgoals, action steps, and a timeline for completion. The institute willalso consider the extent of citizen involvement.
Local governments up to the county level are eligible to apply. The IIPLRwill accept applications until March 15, 1996. For additional informationand an application form, contact the IIPLR, 73 Tremont Street, Suite 510,Boston, MA 02108-3910; (617) 722-0200; fax: (617) 722-0202.
[We recently received an extended description of the European EOFINDproject from Claudia Kessler (ck@kayser-threde.de). It is too long toreproduce here, so we suggest that any persons interested in the use ofsatellite remote sensing to manage disasters contact Claudia directly toobtain the full text. However, we will say that the project involveslooking at the problem from A to Z - from technical issues to human issuesinvolving user training and appropriateness of data. Below is an editedand abridged version of Claudia's note:]
Kayser-Threde, its daughter company VRS and Matra Marconi Space UK, arecurrently performing the following study for the pathfinder phase of theCentre of Earth Observation (CEO). If someone is interested inparticipating as a user in this study or if you know any users who mightbe interested, please send me a short e-mail with your request.
The Centre of Earth Observation (CEO) will be the contribution of theEuropean Commission (EC) to the European Earth Observation System (EEOS).. . . it is located in Ispra, Italy. The CEO will contribute to EEOS byproviding user-oriented services with due regard to and taking advantageof established institutions and existing or planned networks and projects.The CEO will be designed to promote the application of earth observationin the EU and the member states.
As a contribution to CEO, the EOFIND study will investigate thepossibilities of and obstacles to modern remote sensing technology andelectronic networking for data dissemination. Based on two case studiesexecuted between 1991 and 1993 the potentials, as well as still existinglimitations, of satellite remote sensing for disaster management will beexamined. The studies concentrated on storms and forest fires.
In addition a short study on the flood in January 1995 in Central Europeis also envisioned. This study will concentrate on the operational aspectsof data acquisition, distribution, value-adding, and provision of resultsto final users in charge of disaster relief using ERS-1 data provided bythe RAIDS system and electronic networks (INTERNET, WWW).
In order to meet the user requirements of such a support system, the studywill be done in close co-operation with the Secretary of the IDNDR inGeneva. Survey of the needs of other civil protection organisations,non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and governmental organisations isenvisaged. The study may also help to reduce the reluctance of NGOs toemploy space technology. EOFIND will be performed under the umbrella ofthe IDNDR as a response to the conference on disaster reduction inYokohama in 1994.
Universities and scientific institutions should also become users of theinformation provided by a EOFIND system . . . User requirements will becollected during the study by frequent interaction through e-mail. . . .Comparison with similar international efforts will lead to exchange ofexperience and help to improve the means of information provision.
Data provider for the case studies that shall be performed in EOFIND willbe the RAIDS system of MATRA MARCONI SPACE (MMS), UK. . . . For EOFIND,MMS is planning an INTERNET version. The INTERNET . . . provides an idealway to reach a variety of potential users from outside the EU community.The EOFIND project will extend RAIDS to include Added Value Products(AVPs), specifically AVPs concentrating on environmental disasters. Anapplications expert, Kayser-Threde, will acquire the SAR image by means ofthe RAIDS User Access Terminal, then produce a AVP and return thecompleted product to MMS who then put the product on the INTERNET versionof RAIDS for use by any aid agency or disaster response team involved inthe problem.
A demonstration will be performed to show the feasibility of such a systemand an assessment will be made of the time scales involved in the variouselements of this sequence, the problems involved, the solutions found tothese problems. [A large number of questions concerning the practicabilityof this system will be addressed and are listed in Claudia's message.]
The user requirements regarding information and communication as well asregarding quality of the information (e.g. resolution of images, timelyreception of information) will be collected in a user requirements logbook that will be updated regularly in the course of the study.
A Europe Wide Service Exchange System (EWSE) will be maintained during theEOFIND by CEO study. It will serve as a kind of electronic bulletin board(e.g. mailing list on INTERNET) to provide an information exchange servicebetween the partners involved in EOFIND as well as external userssubscription to this list. The EWSE will provide as a regular service aregister containing information about all activities and institutionsactive in the field of disaster management with earth observation and itwill act as a kind of dating agency, collecting user needs and forwardingthem to service providers, creating new connections and new partnershipsbetween the two communities.
For more information about the EOFIND project, contact Claudia Kessler(ck@kayser-threde.de)
Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of the Inter American Institute (IAI) for Global ChangeResearch, it is with great pleasure that we announce the IAI InitialScience Program (ISP). The ISP was approved by the IAI Conference of theParties (CoP), the IAI policy making body, at its second meeting which washeld in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 26-28, 1995.
In view of the existing initiatives and programs in the region focusing ondifferent aspects of global change, and in order to develop aninstitutional framework through which the science agenda will beimplemented, it is necessary to consider the interests and commitments ofexisting programs and institutions throughout the region. The IAI/ISP,working in parallel with other IAI activities such as the IAI Start-UpGrants and the upcoming "IAI Workshop on Global Change Research in theAmericas" (to be held in Belem, Brazil, August 28-30, 1995) has as itspurpose the support of science programs and activities in research,education and training, data and information management, communications,modeling, and/or other high priority areas. The ISP will operate through1997, at which time the IAI CoP is expected to establish the first set ofCoP approved IAI programs.
The IAI Initial Science Program will consist of one-time awards that maybe used for activities that have near-term benefits to the advancement ofthe IAI Science Agenda. These awards will not to be continuing grants, butmay have a duration of up to three years. The IAI has allocatedapproximately $2.0 million for this activity and expects to make 15-20awards. The ISP proposals will be reviewed by panels consisting of membersof the IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and scientists that areexperts in the fields of the IAI Science Agenda. These proposals must bereviewed and approved by the IAI SAC and the IAI Executive Council both ofwhich are scheduled to meet in October 1995 and March 1996. Therefore, thedeadlines for proposal submission are September 8, 1995 for the firstround of awards and February 15, 1995 for the second round of awards. TheIAI Initial Science Program (ISP) Announcement of Opportunity is availableon-line from the NSF server. For details, contact Dr. Paul E. Filmer, IAIProgram Director; (703) 306-1515; fax: (703) 306-0091; e-mail: pfilmer@nsf.gov.
Sincerely,
Robert W. Corell and Armando Rabuffetti
IAI Director pro tempore and Director-elect
Charles Sturt University and the Tasmania State Emergency Service recentlyannounced that in collaboration they are offering advanced diploma anddegree-level courses in emergency management through distance learning foranyone in Australia or throughout the world. The course work can becompleted entirely at home or in a person's workplace. In addition to thevery comprehensive learning guides provided, students have access totutors who are graduates of previous courses and hold senior positions inthe emergency services field. The students also have access to theEmergency Services Library in Tasmania, the Australia Emergency ManagementInstitute Library in Victoria, and the Charles Sturt University Libraries.The initial course will start at the beginning of 1996. For moreinformation, or to apply, contact the Admissions Office, Charles SturtUniversity, Locked Bag 676, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia; tel: 069-332121; fax: 069-332063.
Long Range Streamflow and Drought Prediction, National Science Foundation,$263,840, 24 months. Principal Investigator: John Dracup, University ofCalifornia - Los Angeles, Department of Civil and EnvironmentalEngineering, 5750 BH, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1593; (310) 825-2176; e-mail:dracup@seas.ucla.edu.The three primary objectives of this research are: 1) to develop a long-range tool to predict streamflow and drought six to 12 months in advance,2) to investigate the connection between climatic variations and regionalhydrologic processes and to identify regions that respond specifically toEl Nino Southern Oscillation events, and 3) to assemble a Pacific Rimstreamflow and drought indices data set.
Dissertation Research: History of American Earthquake Seismology, NationalScience Foundation, $5,000, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Carl-HenryGeschwind, Johns Hopkins University, History of Science Department, Schoolof Arts and Sciences, Nelson Basement, B1-124, Baltimore, MD 21218; (410)955-5525; e-mail: C_H@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu or c_h@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu.
Economic Impact of Lifeline Disruption in the January 17, 1995, Hyogo KenNanbu Earthquake, National Science Foundation, $49,995, 12 months.Principal Investigators: Stephanie E. Chang and Ronald T. Eguchi, EQEInternational, Inc., 44 Montgomery Street, Suite 3200, San Francisco, CA94104-4805, (415) 989-2000.
The Hanshin (Kobe) Earthquake of January 17, 1995: EpidemiologicAssessment of Casualty Patterns and Implications for the U.S, NationalScience Foundation, $49,836, six months. Principal Investigators: NicholasP. Jones and Gordon S. Smith, Johns Hopkins University, Department ofCivil Engineering, Latrobe Hall #212, Baltimore, MD 21218; (410) 516-7874;fax: (410) 516-7473; e-mail: nick@cevax5.ce.jhu.edu.
Evaluation of the Impact of EDA Post-Disaster Assistance: The Aftermath ofHurricane Andrew in South Florida, U.S. Department of Commerce, EconomicDevelopment Administration (EDA), $150,000, five months. PrincipalInvestigator: Christopher L. Dyer, Aguirre International, 1735 North LynnStreet, Suite 1000, Rosslyn, VA 22209-2019; (703) 312-7111.
[These are the latest announcements we've received. Just about everyprevious issue of DR contains additional notices. Alternatively, you canperuse the Hazard Center's World Wide Web page:
http://adder.colorado.edu/~hazctr/Home.html
which contains a comprehensive list of upcoming hazard/disaster meetings.]
Coastal Earthquakes and Tsunamis - Reducing the Risks. Sponsors: OregonDepartment of Land Conservation and Development and the Oregon ExtensionSea Grant Program. Seaside, Oregon: August 29-31, 1995. Contact: JayCharlan, Oceanography Administration Hall 104, Oregon State University,Corvallis, Oregon 97331-5503; (503) 737-1340; fax: (503) 737-2064; e-mail:jcharlan@oce.orst.edu
Seminars to Introduce Interim Guidelines for the Evaluation, Repair andDesign of Steel Moment Frame Structures. Sponsor: SAC Joint Venture -Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAC), Applied TechnologyCouncil (ACT), and California Universities for Research on EarthquakeEngineering (CUREe). Los Angeles, California September 19, 1995; San Francisco, California October 12, 1995; Seattle, Washington October 13, 1995;Contact: ACT, 555 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 550, Redwood City, CA 94065;(415) 595-1542; fax: (415) 593-2320.
Simultaneous workshops:
HAZOP Study Methodology, September 18-19, 1995Hazard Assessment and Risk Analysis Techniques for Process Industries, September 20-22, 1995Both workshops to be held in Austin, Texas. Sponsor: ContinuingEngineering Studies, University of Texas. Contact: University of Texas atAustin, College of Engineering, Continuing Engineering Studies, ECJ10.324, Austin, TX 78712; (512) 471-3506; fax: (512) 471-0831: e-mail:postmaster@cesmail.utexas.edu; WWW: http://ceswww.utexas.edu
National Earthquake Ground Motion Mapping Workshop. Organizer: AppliedTechnology Council (ACT). Los Angeles, California: September 22-23, 1995.Contact: ACT, 555 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 550, Redwood City, CA 94065;(415) 595-1542; fax: (415) 593-2320.
GIS in the Rockies Conference and Exposition (includes sessions on hazardsmapping and monitoring). Sponsors: Urban and Regional Information SystemsAssociation, and others. Denver, Colorado: September 25-27, 1995. Contact:GIS in the Rockies, P.O. Box 280117, Lakewood, CO 80228-0117; (303) 932-2488.
Bushfire '95. Hobart, Tasmania, Australia: September 27-30, 1995. Contact:Kerrie Green, Bushfire '95, Department of Geography and EnvironmentalStudies, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252C, Hobart, Tasmania 7001,Australia; tel: (002) 202 463; fax: (002) 202 989.
Workshop on Disaster Planning. Sponsor: New England Library Association(NELA). Providence, Rhode Island: October 2, 1995. Contact: BarryBlaisdell, NELA, Countryside Offices, 707 Turnpike Street, North Andover,MA 01845; (508) 686-8543.
Exercising: Why, When, and How. Sponsor: Corporate Response Group, Inc. Anchorage, Alaska October 3-6, 1995; Calgary, Alberta, Canada November 6-9, 1995; Houston, Texas November 28-December 1, 1995Contact: Corporate Response Group, 1615 L Street, N.W., Suite 1260,Washington, DC 20036; (202) 775-0177; fax: (202) 467-0513.
Colorado Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference. Sponsors: ColoradoOffice of Emergency Management and others. Breckenridge, Colorado: October10-13, 1995. Contact: Elma Eldredge, (303) 273-1622; or Ivo Roospold,(303) 273-1782.
HEC-RAS: River and Flood Plain Hydraulics. Sponsor: Continuing EngineeringStudies, University of Texas. Austin, Texas: October 9-13, 1995. Contact:University of Texas at Austin, College of Engineering, ContinuingEngineering Studies, ECJ 10.324, Austin, TX 78712; (512) 471-3506; fax:(512) 471-0831: e-mail: postmaster@cesmail.utexas.edu; WWW: http://ceswww.utexas.edu
4th Annual Canadian Search and Rescue Conference. Sponsor: CanadianNational Search and Rescue Secretariat. Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada:October 19-21, 1995. Contact: Bonnie Leonard, Sarscene '95 Organizer,National Search and Rescue Secretariat, 4th Floor, Standard Life Building,275 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OK2, Canada; (613) 996-2782; fax:(613) 996-3746.
Rescue Expo '95. Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia: October 20-22,1995. Contact: Bryan Robins, Executive Officer, New South Wales StateEmergency Service, Clarence Division, P.O. Box 1, Grafton, NSW 2460,Australia; tel: 066 42 6900; fax: 066 43 1327.
Seismology and Seismic Hazard Assessment Course. Organizers: InstitutoNicaraguense de Estudios Territoriales and GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam.Managua, Nicaragua: October 22-December 3, 1995. Contact: InstitutoNicaraguense de Estudios Territoriales, Secretariat of the SeismologyTraining Course, c/o Dr. W. Strauch, Apdo. Postal 761, Managua, Nicaragua;tel/fax: 505-2-496987; e-mail: wil@ineter.ni
Risk and Uncertainty in Environmental Management. Sponsor: AustralianAcademy of Science. Canberra, Australia: November 13-17, 1995. Contact:Tracey Walters, Conference Coordinator, Environmental Protection Agency,40 Blackall Street, Barton, ACT 2600, Australia; tel: 06 274 1618; fax: 06274 1680
Workshop on Sea Level Change. Sponsors: U.S. National Science Foundation,NASA, and others. Miami, Florida: November 15-17, 1995. Contact: C.Harrison, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Universityof Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149; (305) 361-4610;fax: (305) 361-4632; e-mail: cgh@aip.org
National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference. Seattle,Washington: February 12-14, 1996. Contact: Jerry Stanfill, RadiologicalEmergency Planner, Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, P.O. Box117, Rock Port, MO 64482; (816) 744-6345.
Traumatic Stress in Emergency Services, Peacekeeping Operations andHumanitarian Aid Organisations. Sheffield, England: March 17-26, 1996.Contact: Roderick Orner, European Conference Secretariat, Department ofClinical Psychology, Baverstock House, St. Annes Road, Lincoln, U.K. LN25RA; tel: (44) 01522 560617.
Hydrology and Hydrogeology of Urban and Urbanizing Areas - AIH AnnualMeeting. Boston, Massachusetts: April 21-26, 1996. A call for papers hasbeen issued. Contact: J.H. Guswa, GeoTrans, Inc., 6 Lancaster County Road,Harvard, MA 01451; (508) 772-7557; fax: (508) 772-6183; e-mail: geotrans@world.std.com
8th International Conference and Field Workshop on Landslides (ICFL).Sponsors: Spanish Branch of the International Association of EngineeringGeologists, Andalusian Working Group on Natural Hazards and Environment,and others. Spain: September 15-28, 1996. Contact ICFL-Spain, Landslides'96, J. Chacon, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Sciences,University of Granada, c/ Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; tel/fax:34 58-243367; e-mail: jchacon@ugr.es.
Water Resources and Environmental Research: Towards the 21st Century.Kyoto, Japan: October 29-31, 1996. Contact: Prof. Shuici Ikebuchi, WaterResources Research Center, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, KyotoUniversity, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611, Japan.
International Symposium on Engineering Geology and Environment. Sponsor:International Association of Engineering Geologists. Athens, Greece: June24-27, 1997. Contact: Paul Marinos, P.O. Box 19140, GR-117, 10 Athens,Greece; fax: 30-1-3813900.
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