Back to the HRL Home Page. I would hope that Disaster Research might ask its readership if thereare any examples wherein a city has been able to nudge or force astate college or university to comply with the city's natural hazardregulations . . . especially flood guidelines, wind building codes, hazardous slope regulations, etc. In Boulder, Colorado, we are havingconsiderable difficulty in getting the University of Colorado tocomply with our local natural hazard codes due to the *alleged*immunity or sovereignty of state institutions from our local municipalcodes. Is there any advice or help out there on the Net for us?
Thanks for any insights,
Spense Havlick
Deputy Mayor, Boulder, Colorado
and
Professor of Environmental Design
University of Colorado at Boulder
havlicks@ci.boulder.co.us
I'm in the process of developing a course in sociology of disastersand it occurred to me that some DR subscribers might have or know ofcurriculum materials, course outlines, etc. that might prove useful.Or you might know where courses are offered so I could contact them.Any help would be appreciated.
Betty Hearn Morrow
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Florida International University
Miami, FL 33199
(305)348-2247
Fax: (305)348-3605
E-mail: morrowb@solix.fiu.edu
To Hazards Researchers:
I am working on my thesis, which involves emergency managementassessment and impacts of tropical cyclones on waterfront casinos inMississippi. Any suggestions as to methodology and the quantificationof location and structural integrity will be appreciated. If anyonehas any comments or suggestions on any aspect please e-mail me orcontact me at:
Dept. of Geosciences
Mississippi State University
P.O. Drawer 5448
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Office Phone: 601-325-8417 (no voice mail)
Dept. Phone: 601-325-3915 (please leave message)
Fax: 601-325-2907
I thank anyone who responds in advance.
Sincerely,
Rob Schwartz
I'm working on a project to develop guidelines and procedures for ourDamage Assessment Team. What do you know about this subject and/or canyou give me any directions on where to find more information. I havelooked into FEMA but it seems most of the meetings, seminars, andclasses are more government oriented and not geared for privatecompanies.
Thanks,
Ron Llewellyn
Sr. Services Continuity Analyst
M&I Data Services
ron.llewellyn@midata.com
The research team of PartnerRe Services, the leading specializednatural catastrophe reinsurance company, has launched recently aproject to improve knowledge on building vulnerabilities againstearthquakes and windstorms. The intention is to integrate the findingsinto reinsurance underwriting tools.
The investigation and evaluation of reliable existing data andinformation from all around the world is a substantial part of thisproject. Therefore we apply to the Disaster Research readers forassistance. Hopefully, there will be some readers who have madesimilar research and who would agree to share their knowledge with us.More specifically, we are most interested in mean damage ratio curvesfor different building categories in relation to wind speed orearthquake intensities; building codes including load assumptions forwind and earthquakes as well as design prescriptions; personalexperiences on how the building codes are implemented on site and onlocal construction quality in general; and finally correspondingliterature or sources of supply for such information. We researchglobally; any country is of interest.
Any help and information is welcome and may be addressed to themembers of our research team:
- Paul Hertelendy for information concerning earthquakes (e-mail: Paul_Hertelendy@partnerre.com)
- Fabian Schoenenberg for information concerning windstorms and hurricanes (e-mail: Fabian_Schoenenberg@partnerre.com)
[Sorry - the trip would have to be on your dime]
The 29th General Assembly of the International Association ofSeismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI) will be heldin Thessaloniki, Greece, August 18-28, 1997. The program will includea workshop on "Educating the Public About Earthquake Hazards andRisk," convened by Jill Andrews, Southern California Earthquake CenterKnowledge Transfer Director, and Dr. K. Ioannides. A call for paperswill be issued later in the fall, but individuals interested inparticipating can contact Jill Andrews for further information at:
Southern California Earthquake Center-Knowledge Transfer
University of Southern California
University Park
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0742
213/740-3459
Fax: 213/740-0011
E-mail: jandrews@coda.usc.edu
The conveners are particularly looking for individuals with experienceoutside the U.S. and seek input from individuals who have experiencewith, or are interest in, local earthquake response plans; culturalinfluences on earthquake education/preparedness/response issues;identification of and interaction with specific target groups in bothurban and agrarian communities; recruitment of community volunteers toaid in dissemination of earthquake education, awareness, andpreparedness; building of mutual beneficial relationships amongacademic, government, and industry leaders to cultivate communitysupport; use of available aids for information acquisition, such asthe Internet; publications; archived data resources; and otherearthquake education programs.
FEMA's Mitigation Directorate has entered into an interagencyagreement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)to support the American Planning Association's (APA) "Growing Smart"(GS) project. GS is a major multi-year effort to help states modernizestatutes affecting planning and the management of community growth andchange. The project is intended to aid the development of the nextgeneration of model planning laws and procedures.
The principal product of GS will be a legislative guidebook,containing model legislation and commentary, to be titled "GrowingSmart Legislative Guidebook - Phase I Interim Edition." Phase I dealswith state and regional planning; Phase II deals with local planning;and Phase III will focus on implementation tools and administrativeprocedures. APA will also establish a national planning statuteclearinghouse and database of legislative materials to aid states.
A directorate, composed of individuals representing eight nationalorganizations representing elected officials, guides the developmentof product content and format.
Because only a few community planners recognize and make use oftraditional planning tools and strategies to influence construction inhazardous areas, there is a need for further research to ensure thatthese tools can become more commonplace in advancing hazardmitigation. Through its participation in GS, FEMA is identifying andpromoting the use of promising planning approaches that have nottraditionally been used for hazard mitigation. Indeed, in Phase I,reducing the effects of natural hazards on people and property wasarticulated as one of the fundamental goals of state, regional, andlocal planning, and specific examples of state legislation andplanning tools used for mitigating hazards were included in theguidebook. Achieving mitigation through the local planning processwill follow in Phase II (now underway), as model comprehensive planelements are developed (including a hazard mitigation element), and inPhase III.
As GS focuses on the local planning process during Phase II, FEMA isinterested in obtaining local comprehensive or general plans thataddress natural hazards and mitigation issues through a separateelement or chapter, and/or by articulating policies related to hazardmitigation. Specifically, FEMA would like to receive plans thatintegrate the concept of reducing natural hazard damage with the localplanning process. This does not include stand-alone mitigation plans.Anyone forwarding such plans, should indicate what implementing toolsor strategies are used to carry out mitigation policies. Looking aheadto Phase III of GS, FEMA will be interested in obtaining examples ofzoning ordinances, special purpose ordinances and other requirements,and any other development regulations used specifically to advancemitigation. The agency is also interested in learning about any localincentives that encourage mitigation for both existing and newdevelopment.
Anyone with such information is asked to forward it to CeceliaRosenberg, FEMA Project Officer for Growing Smart, FEMA-MT, Room 416,500 C Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20472; fax: (202) 646-4387;e-mail: crosenbe@fema.gov.
For general information about Growing Smart, contact Stuart Meck,American Planning Association, 122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600,Chicago, IL 60603-6107; (312) 431-9100; e-mail: smeck@planning.org.
[We received the following from the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency's Office of Public Affairs and thought DR readers might beinterested.]
For those of you with Web browsers, we hope you have had anopportunity to visit the FEMA Web site since it has been redesigned.
One of the new areas on the Web site is an expanded section onmitigation/risk reduction. A special working group has been developingmaterial for that section. They are interested in hearing from you onthe material currently posted and what additional information youwould find useful on this topic. The direct URL is www.fema.gov/mit
Your e-mail on this subject will be saved and used by the MitigationInternet Working Group. Hope to hear from you on this importantsubject.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Office of Emergency Information & Public Affairs
eipa@fema.gov
www.seismic.ca.gov
The mission of the California Seismic Safety Commission is toimprove the well-being of the people of state through cost-effectivemeasures that lower earthquake risks to life and property. Thecommission is a state agency that advises the governor, legislature,and the public on earthquake policy. It develops and monitors seismicrisk mitigation programs, holds monthly hearings, and sponsorslegislation regarding seismic safety. The SSC's Web site includes anintroduction to the commission, a list of upcoming meetings,descriptions of new and pending legislation, a catalog of publicationsavailable from the SSC, an introduction to "California at Risk" - thecommission's 5-year seismic risk reduction plan, and other usefulearthquake hazard mitigation information.
www.fema.gov/mit/ntmstrat.htm
After his appointment as director of the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA), James Lee Witt announced that mitigationwould become a prominent element - if not the cornerstone - of FEMA'sefforts to manage hazards in the U.S. The agency subsequently launcheda series of regional forums to solicit suggestions regarding whatshould constitute a national mitigation plan, and the agency used thatinformation to create a document entitled "National MitigationStrategy: Partnerships for Building Safer Communities" - a conceptualframework for actions to reduce loss of life and property due tonatural hazards and to promote the long-term economic, environmental,and cultural well-being of U.S. communities. That document is nowavailable from FEMA, P.O. Box 2012, Jessup, MD 20794-2012; 1-800-480-2520, or (202) 646-3484; fax: (301) 497-6378. The National MitigationStrategy is also available on the World Wide Web at the address above.
www.fema.gov/MSC/femahome.htm
www.fema.gov/MSC/index~1.htm
The newly revised FEMA Web site - one of the better sources ofdisaster information of all kinds - includes abundant information fromthe FEMA Map Service Center (MSC), which provides the public withinformation to support floodplain management and flood riskassessment. This site includes descriptions of the many services andproducts available from the center, including downloadabledemonstrations of new digital flood data. The center anticipatesenabling map ordering and data downloading via this site in thefuture.
www.comet.net/earthquake
Comet is an Internet service provider in Charlottesville,Virginia. From that unlikely location, the company provides this"Earthquake Resource Center" page, which is a very good starting pointfor anyone looking for earthquake information of any sort. It includescopious links arranged in these subtopics: Good Sites for Learningabout Earthquakes; Eyewitness Accounts of Earthquakes; EarthquakePictures; Slides, Films, Maps, and other Materials; Movers and Shakers(researchers and writers); Latest Tremor Reports; News about RecentLarge Quakes; The Kobe Earthquake; Other Significant Earthquakes;Earthquake Research Centers and Projects; Academic Sites andSeismology Departments; Disaster Preparedness and Relief; and RelatedTopics.
"Strategic Renewal of Large Floodplain Rivers," National ScienceFoundation, $271,803, 36 months. Principal Investigator: John B.Braden, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, 300CMumford Hall, MC 710, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign,Urbana, IL 61801; (217) 333-1253; e-mail: j-braden@uiuc.edu.
"Local Tsunami Effects and Their Mitigation Measures," NationalScience Foundation, $330,600, 36 months. Principal Investigators:Harry H. Yeh, Department of Civil Engineering, 167 Wilcox Hall,University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; (206) 545-8655; fax:(206) 543-1543; e-mail: harryeh@ce.washington.edu; and Catherine M.Petroff, Department of Civil Engineering, 165 Wilcox Hall, Universityof Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; (206) 545-7594; fax: (206) 543-1543;e-mail: cpetroff@ce.washington.edu.
"Adoptions of Earthquake Hazard Adjustments by Households and ComplexOrganizations," National Science Foundation, $399,774, five years.Principal Investigator: Michael K. Lindell, Administrative SciencesProgram, George Washington University, 2136 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,Washington, DC 20052; (202) 496-8380; fax: (202) 676-5232; e-mail:mlindell@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu.
"Effect of Earthquakes on Urban Highway Infrastructure Productivity,"National Science Foundation, $399,387, 24 months. PrincipalInvestigators: James E. Moore, Peter Gordon, and William J. Petak,University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA90007-4363. Contact: William Petak, Institute of Safety SystemsManagement, Mail Code 0021, University of Southern California, LosAngeles CA 90089-0021; (213) 740-2411; fax: (213) 740-5943; e-mail:petak@mizar.usc.edu.
"Business and Disasters: Consequences of Disaster Victimization forBusinesses and Business Districts," National Science Foundation,$237,095, 24 months. Principal Investigators: Kathleen J. Tierney andJoanne M. Nigg, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware,Newark, DE 19716; (302) 831-6618; fax: (302) 831-2091; e-mail:tierney@udel.edu.
"Sociopolitical Determinants of Perceived Risk," National ScienceFoundation, $149,946, 24 months. Principal Investigators: Paul Slovicand James Flynn, Decision Sciences Research Institute, 1201 OakStreet, Eugene, OR 97401-3519; (503) 485-2300.
"Decisions and Interactions Under Risk and Uncertainty Within andAcross Cultures," National Science Foundation, $89,471, 24 months.Principal Investigator: Christopher Hsee, Graduate School of Business,University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637-1404; (773) 962-8805.
"Uncertainty and Risk Analysis Under Extreme Hydrologic Events,"National Science Foundation, $269,977, 36 months. PrincipalInvestigators: Jose D. Salas, Department of Civil Engineering, A311Engineering Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins,CO 80523;(970) 491-8460; e-mail: jsalas@lance.colostate.edu; and DuaneC. Boes, Department of Statistics, Room 205, Colorado StateUniversity, Fort Collins, CO 80523; (970) 491-7281; e-mail:boes@lamar.colostate.edu.
"A Reassessment of State Roles in Disaster Mitigation and Management,"National Science Foundation, $309,999, 36 months. PrincipalInvestigators: Elliott Mittler and Daniel J. Alesch, Public andEnvironmental Affairs, Rose Hall 324, University of Wisconsin - GreenBay, 2420 Nicolette Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311-7001; (414) 465-2045;fax: (414) 465-2791; e-mail: aleschd@uwgb.edu.
These are the latest conference announcements we've received. Mostprevious issues of DR contain additional notices. For a*comprehensive* list of upcoming disaster-related meetings andtraining, see our World Wide Web page:
adder.colorado.edu/~hazctr/Home.html
Survive! Business Continuity Group Eighth Annual Conference andExhibition. London, England: October 15-16, 1996. Contact: Survive!Secretariat, The Chapel, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, FitzhughGrove, London SW18 3SX, U.K.; tel: 0181-874 6266; fax: 0181-874 6446;e-mail: surviveuk@cityscape.co.uk; WWW: www.survive.com.
Eighth Annual EPA Region III Chemical Emergency Preparedness andPrevention Conference: "Risk Management - Risk Communication, GettingIt Done!" Charleston, West Virginia: November 13-15, 1996. Contact theconference hotline: 1-800-642-7409 or see: www.citynet.net/ecc/or www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/ceep.htm.
WeatherWatch '96 - The Business of Climate. Auckland, New Zealand:November 18-21, 1996. Contact: Weatherwatch '96, c/o NIWA, P.O. Box 28841, Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand.
Certified Lightning Safety Professional (CLSP) Training Seminar.Offered by: National Lightning Safety Institute (NLSI). Washington,D.C.: November 19-20, 1996. Contact: R. Kithil, NLSI, P.O. Box 778Louisville, CO 80027; (303) 666-8817; e-mail: rkithil@ix.netcom.com.
21st Annual Meeting of the National Weather Association (NWA). CocoaBeach, Florida: December 1-6, 1996. Contact: Kevin Lavin, NWA, 6704Wolke Court, Montgomery, AL 36116-2134; (334) 213-0388
United Nations International Conference: Integration of PublicAdministration and the Science of Disasters. Host: State Science andTechnology Commission of China. Beijing, China: December 9-17, 1996.Contact: Ms. Gay Rosenblum-Kumar, GPAB/UNDDSMS, United Nations, NewYork; (212) 963-8381; fax: (212) 963-2916; e-mail: rosenblum-kumar@un.org
Workshop on Development of GIS for Disaster Management (Part of theUnited Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) 25thAnniversary Programme). Nagoya, Japan: December 12, 1996. Contact:UNCRD, Nagono 1-47-1, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 450, Japan; tel: (+81-52)561-9377; fax: (+81-52) 561-9375; telex: J59620 UNCENTRE; cable:UNCENTRE NAGOYA; e-mail: rep@uncrd.or.jp.
Workshop on Integrated Approaches to Cyclone Disaster Management andRegional Development. Dhaka, Bangladesh: February 1997. Contact:United Nations Centre for Regional Development, Nagono 1-47-1,Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 450, Japan; tel: (+81-52) 561-9377; fax: (+81-52)561-9375; telex: J59620 UNCENTRE; cable: UNCENTRE NAGOYA; e-mail:rep@uncrd.or.jp.
Fifth United Nations Open Forum: Suggestions for Disaster Management -A Decade of International Disaster Management. Nagoya, Japan: February8, 1997. Contact: United Nations Centre for Regional Development,Nagono 1-47-1, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 450, Japan; tel: (+81-52) 561-9377;fax: (+81-52) 561-9375; telex: J59620 UNCENTRE; cable: UNCENTRENAGOYA; e-mail: rep@uncrd.or.jp.
International Disaster Recovery Association (IDRA) Seventh AnnualConference and Trade Show: Disaster Recovery, Contingency Planning,and Business Continuation Using Telecommunications. Boston,Massachusetts: March 2-5, 1997. Contact: BWT Associates, P.O. Box4515, Turnpike Station, Shrewsbury, MA 01545; (508) 845-6000; fax:(508) 842-2585.
Fifth International Symposium on Fire Safety Science: "Recent Advancesin Fire Safety Science and Their Application to Fire SafetyEngineering." Sponsors: Australia National Fire Laboratory, NationalResearch Council-Canada, and others. Melbourne, Australia: March 3-7,1997. Contact: Waldron Smith Management, 93 Victoria Avenue, AlbertPark, Victoria 3206, Australia; tel: +61 3 9690 6744; fax: +61 3 96907155; e-mail: asaa@latrobe.edu.au
Survive! Business Continuity Group Australia Sixth Annual Conferenceand Exhibition. Melbourne, Australia: April 23-24, 1997. Contact:Survive! Secretariat, The Chapel, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building,Fitzhugh Grove, London SW18 3SX, U.K.; tel: 0181- 874 6266; fax:0181-874 6446; e-mail: surviveuk@cityscape.co.uk; WWW: www.survive.com.
Western Social Science Association Annual Conference. Albuquerque, NewMexico: April 23-26, 1997. The conference includes a section onwomen's studies and the organizers are soliciting papers on genderissues in disaster management/response. Proposals are due November 6.For more information, contact: Jacqueline B. Stanfield, Chair,Department of Sociology, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO80639; (970) 351-2315; fax: (970) 351-2983; e-mail: jbstanf@bentley.univnorthco.edu.
21st Annual Conference of the Association of State Floodplain Managers(ASFPM). Little Rock, Arkansas: April 28-May 1, 1997. The deadline forsubmission of abstracts has been extended to October 30. Contact:Alison Nicholson, Conference Director, Arkansas Soil and Water, 101East Capitol, Suite 350, Little Rock, AR 72201; (501) 682-3982.
Rescue Expo '97. Richmond, New South Wales, Australia: May 16-18,1997. Contact: Rescue Expo '97 Organising Committee, P.O. Box 260,Kurrajong NSW, Australia 2758; tel: 045 77 3394; fax: 045 73 2564;WWW: www.rpl.com.au/expo97.
Second International Wildland Fire Conference: Wildland FireManagement and Sustainable Development. Sponsors: North AmericanForestry Commission's Fire Management Study Group, Food andAgriculture Organizations of the United Nations, and others.Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: May 25-30, 1997. Contact:Conference Secretariat, Events by Design, 601-325 Howe Street,Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 1Z7; (604) 669-7175; fax:(604) 669-7083; WWW: www.islandnet.com/~carleton/fire/fire.html
1997 Society for Risk Analysis-Europe Annual Meeting. Stockholm,Sweden: June 15-18, 1997. Abstracts due January 15, 1997. Contact:Britt-Marie Drottz Sjoberg, Conference Director, Stockholm School ofEconomics; tel: (46) 8 736 95 76; fax: (46) 8 30 72 25; e-mail:pbmds@hhs.se
North-East Asia Symposium and Field Workshop on Landslide and DebrisFlow (NEASFLD'97), including the International Field Workshop onYangtze Gorges Landslides. Site: Yangtze River and various other sitesacross East and Central Asia: July 16-30, 1997. Contact: Prof.Hiroyuki Nakamura, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University ofAgriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-Cho, Fuchu-Shi, Tokyo 183,Japan; tel: (81)423-675751; fax: (81)423-647812; e-mail: lang@cc.tuat.ac.jp; WWW: www.tuat.ac.jp/~sabo/sanxia/index.html.
Ninth World Water Congress: Water Resources Outlook for the 21stCentury - Conflict and Opportunities. Montreal, Canada: September 1-6,1997. Contact: International Water Resources Association, 1101 WestPeabody Drive, Urbana, IL 61801-4723, USA.
33rd American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Annual Conference andSymposium. Long Beach, California: October 19-23, 1997. Contact: AWRA,950 Herndon Parkway, Suite 300, Herndon, VA 22070-5531; (703) 904-1225; fax: (703) 904-1228; e-mail: awrahq@aol.com.
Second National Mitigation Conference. Sponsor: Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) Mitigation Directorate. Arlington, Virginia:December 9-11, 1997. Contact: Mitigation Directorate, FEMA, 500 CStreet, S.W., Washington, DC 20472: fax: (202) 646-3231.
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