Disaster Research 200

200 Issues or A Brief History of Disaster Research

The Disaster Research e-mail newsletter was created in January 1989 byBruce Crawford, an enterprising young graduate student at the DisasterResearch Center, University of Delaware. Bruce managed the newsletterin various experimental forms (moderated and unmoderated) untilNovember of that year. However like Dr. Frankenstein's creation,Bruce's wonderful innovation soon took on a life of it's own, andBruce found that graduate school and list management required 36hours/day of work - i.e., he had to give up one or the other. Hence,in November 1989 the Natural Hazards Center at the University ofColorado assumed responsibility for DR, and we have been publishingthis newsletter ever since.

In that time, we have seen the readership grow at an almost constantgeometric rate of over 50%/year from about 100 individuals to almost1,500 (heaven knows how many other people read DR via local networks,BBSs, etc.). And we have watched as the Internet reached new cornersof the globe and subscriptions rolled in from ever more exotic places(Welcome to our friends in Tadjikistan!)

It has been an adventure being part of this remarkable revolution inworld-wide communication - exciting, and sometimes frustrating. (Oldersubscribers will remember horrendous problems with looping messagesthat were re-sent over and over to the entire readership, resulting instuffed mailboxes and clogged computers around the globe. Hopefullythose days are over . . . but we wouldn't count on it.)

However, in the end, the most rewarding part of this work has beenmeeting new, interesting, dedicated hazards managers of all stripesfrom around the world. (It is somewhat remarkable to look at the listof those 1,500 subscribers and realize how many of them are personalacquaintances.) It has been their work and contributions that not onlyhave made DR a [hopefully] useful publication, but, more importantly,have gone a long way toward making their regions, countries,districts, and local communities safer places to live.

Thanks
The Management

More on Pets and Disasters

Looking for Disaster Survivors

We are conducting research for a documentary project pertaining to thesurvivors of disasters. If you know anyone who has survived adisaster, or can provide us with any information at all, pleasecontact us as soon as possible. Thank you.

On Creating an Emergency Management "Magnet" Zone

We are exploring incentives and opportunities for emergency managementtraining and research organizations (West Coast, Pacific Rim, etc.) tolocate near each other (possibly in San Luis Obispo, CA) for synergy,fund-raising and resource sharing. California Office of EmergencyServices and others are convening a consultation on September 19 & 20in Morro Bay, California, to talk this over. Any organizations oragencies who are interested please check

Seeking CISD, TIP Sites

Seeking Guidelines for Developing Information Technology Standards

I am currently dealing with the question of how a state government, orany organization, goes about creating a process in which all stateagencies participate in the selection of various technology platforms.My previous focus has been crisis/contingency management; however,this information could serve a broad number of industries andprofessional disciplines. In particular, I would like to know ifdocumented procedures exist for developing standards and guidelinesfor choosing and ensuring the interoperability of various informationsystems. The process could involve hearings or any other interactionamong the proper groups and individuals. The processes involved wouldtake into account all the various factors (budget, evolvingtechnology, political/social factors, varying degrees of existingtechnology use) to establish principles, distinguish between standardsand customers' needs, identify stakeholders, and establish theflexibility to meet present and future needs. The findings wouldresult in standards and guidelines that would apply to virtually allaspects of implementing information systems throughout a stategovernment.

GIS Hazard/Disaster Researchers Page Now Available

IDNDR Secretariat Developing Regional Institutional Networks for Disaster Reduction

Issue #27 of "Stop Disasters" - the official periodical of theInternational Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction - includes anextensive questionnaire for any and all organizations involved in hazards/disaster knowledge generation, transfer, training, orconsultancy. The questionnaire is part of an UN IDNDR Secretariatproject called "Development of Institutional Networks for DisasterReduction" - an effort to foster and strengthen collaboration amonguniversities and scientific institutions and with existing networksand organizations involved in disaster preparedness, prevention, andmitigation.

As a first step in this project, the secretariat is undertaking aninventory of institutions and the resources/information they provide.Following the inventory, on a regional basis, the secretariat intendsto promote greater exchange of information, collaboration, and thecreation of mechanisms for supporting the appropriate research,training, and application of disaster reduction at local levels. Toobtain a questionnaire, contact the IDNDR Secretariat, Palais desNations, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41 22) 798.6894; fax:(41 22) 733.8695; e-mail: dhagva.un.org.

Subscriptions to "Stop Disasters" are available from the same address.The magazine is available in French, Spanish, Italian, and English.

A Footnote Regarding "Stop Disasters"

Issue #30 of "Stop Disasters" will focus on "Schools in DisasterReduction." The editors seek submissions on this theme. The deadlinefor submittal is July 31, 1996. If you are interested in contributing,contact Armando Mauro, Managing Editor, STOP DISASTERS, IDNDRSecretariat, Palais des Nations, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel:(41 22) 798.6894; fax: (41 22) 733.8695; e-mail: dhagva.un.org

Ain Shams U. Establishes Crisis Research Unit

The Faculty of Commerce of Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, hasrecently established a Crisis Research Unit (CRU) - the first centerof its kind in Egypt and the Arab world. CRU will hold its firstConference on Crisis Management and Disasters October 12-13, 1996, atthe university.

The unit's areas of work will include:

• Conducting scientific research on disasters and industrial crisesand organizational and societal responses to community-wide disastersand other stress situations;
• Conducting training programs and courses for managers to developskills in forecasting potential crises, preparing prevention plans,managing crises and developing communication plans before, during, andafter a crisis;
• Providing consulting services for various organizations in order toidentify strengths and weaknesses. The unit also will help prepare andevaluate crisis management plans and establish crisis managementteams;
• Organizing seminars and conferences in the field of crisismanagement and the role of industry and government in preparing fororganizational crises;
• Hosting consultants for the exchange of knowledge and experience;
• Establishing a scientific library specializing in the field ofcrisis management.

For more information, contact Prof. M. Rashad El Hamalawy, CrisisResearch Unit, Faculty of Commerce, Ain Shams University, El AbbassiaCairo, Egypt; tel/fax: 00-202-2619509.

ERRI Announces International Disaster Assistance Center (IDAC)

In June, the Emergency Response and Research Institute (ERRI)announced the opening of a new service on its emergency service Website. The International Disaster Assistance Center (IDAC) is designedto encourage and facilitate the exchange of vital information betweenthose needing specialized rescue personnel, supplies, and equipmentduring a disaster, and those who have the ability to provide suchresources. The project will provide a public Web page with thefacility to develop a world-wide data bank of available emergency/disaster resources. Additionally, requests for mutual aid assistanceby official agencies will be posted in almost "real time," allowingagencies in need of special resources to make their needs known to theinternational disaster community quickly.

Upcoming EENET Programs

Upcoming Conferences and Training

These are the latest conference announcements received by the HazardsCenter. Most previous issues of DR contain additional notices. For a*comprehensive* list of upcoming disaster-related meetings andtraining, see our World Wide Web page: