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Currently the Government of Fiji (South Pacific) is developing a risk assessment for earthquakes and tsunamis. The Department of Environment of the Government of Fiji was asked to make an inventory of chemicals stored at different places in Fiji and risks involved. The Department of Environment is also involved in developing a new integrated and comprehensive environmental legislation.
Because of these two reasons we are looking for suitable standards for Fiji for the storage of hazardous substances. We are thinking of using standards from New Zealand, Australia or the U.S.A. We expect that in general those standards will be suitable for Fiji. However, there are some specific risks that might not be covered by those standards because of tsunamis, cyclones, etc.
I would therefore like to ask if any DR readers know any specific standards or (zoning?) requirements, covering specific risks related to Pacific Island countries, for the storage of hazardous substances.
Thank you in anticipation of your response.
Yours sincerely
Yuri de Boer
- for Director of Environment
yuri@is.com.fj
On December 12, 1942, during a live radio broadcast, the Knights of
Columbus hostel in St. John's, Newfoundland, burned - 99 dead and 102
injured. In the audience were Canadian and American service personnel
and merchant crews. Some American soldiers also got involved in the
rescue work. I am anxious to track down anyone who knows anything
about that fire or the response to it. Newfoundlanders will recall
that the band playing that night was "Uncle Tim's Barn Dance," with MC
Barry Hope - an alias for Joe Murphy - and the singer was Biddie
O'Toole - an alias for Edna May. I have just started research for a
book. My e-mail is jscanlon@ccs.carleton.ca. I can be reached by fax
at (613) 730-1696. Any ideas are welcome.
Thanks,
Joe Scanlon
In Denmark a five-mile underwater railway tunnel was constructed connecting two major parts of the country. The authorities allow all kinds of hazardous materials (with the exception of explosives, class 1) in the tunnel. Several serious types of accidents could be imagined, including formation of dioxin from fires, e.g., chlorinated phenols. If, due to an accident, the tunnel is covered with dioxin on the inside, what could be done? As far as I know the standard procedure (Seveso etc.) is to seal the building in the factory with concrete and just leave it there forever. Do you agree? Comments are highly welcome.
Best regards,
Erling Sonnich Thmsen
Associate Professor of Toxicology
The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy
Copenhagen, Denmark.
E-mail: est@charon.dfh.dk
Fax: +45 35 37 53 76 (please include my name)
My name is Ms. Sara Arnon. I teach a course in the Sociology
Department of the University of Haifa, Israel, on the subject of
"Communities in Disaster - Sociological Analysis of Collective Stress
and Crisis Situations." I am looking for syllabuses and video films
about these subjects. I would appreciate it very much if you could
help me in this subject. Thank you very much for your help.
Yours sincerely,
Sara Arnon
Maale Gamla
Ramat Hagolan 12949
Israel
Tel: 972-66-732-838 or 972-66-962-401
Fax: 972-66-961-930 or 972-66-732-652.
E-mail: sarnon@study.haifa.ac.il
I am a consultant in emergency planning and am trying to develop a picture of the actual disasters that strike nursing homes nationwide. I am using as a working definition of "disaster" events that shut down the operation of a nursing home, from one day to permanent shutdown. Information about such closures is not maintained at the federal level in so far as I can determine, nor, it seems, is it maintained by the insurance industry. I would appreciate any leads or thoughts anyone has, as my next step is to poll state licensing agencies individually.
Thanks for any help you can provide,
Robert Oppenheimer
kerux@erols.com
We are currently studying a founders BSc (Hons) degree in Development and Health in Disaster Management at Coventry University, UK. The course is backed and sponsored by the World Health Organisation, and has attracted interest world-wide. The degree covers all aspects of disaster management, including sustainable development and planning processes.
A major component of the course is relating lecture-based theory to practical implementation. This can be done in one of two ways. Either by taking an academic year with different organisations or by spending the time away during summer vacations.
Three of us have prior experience in the emergency medical field, as a nurse, as a qualified paramedic, and in emergency planning and control. Our aim is to gain first-hand experience of disaster management and emergency planning with the intention of returning in a more professional role after our course. We are seeking work experience for the summer of 1997 in the field of disaster management, mitigation, preparedness, relief or response. We would be very grateful if any DR readers could assist us in any way, or put us in contact with someone who may.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Tim Edwards tedwards@coventry.ac.uk
Kevin Roche roche2@coventry.ac.uk
Sally Shephard shephard@coventry.ac.uk
The Environmental Emergency Response System, Inc. (TEERS-Canada), a humanitarian organization, has signed a memorandum of agreement with Harvest Park International College in Penhold, Alberta, Canada, enabling TEERS-Canada to open a new International Rescue Team Logistics Centre and Materials Storage Facility and a base of operations for its Canadian and International rapid deployment rescue teams.
In addition, in the fall of 1997, TEERS-Canada will open a new International Disaster Training School on the campus of Harvest Park International College and offer courses in disaster management and the training of rapid deployment teams. The aim of the school is to teach a uniform standard of disaster management using the latest technology and equipment. Such standardization will allow the international rescue community to integrate rescue efforts to achieve more rapid and effective response. Instructors and lecturers for the school will be selected from the international community and will be among the world leaders in their given fields.
For additional information about the new International Disaster Training School, contact David Pottier, Environmental Emergency Response System-Canada, 71 Dock Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8V 1Z9; voice/fax: (250) 480-0254; dpottier@freenet.victoria.bc.ca.
On July 16, 1996, Vice President Gore and Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entitled "Cooperation on Natural and Man-Made Technological Prevention and Response" - a 10-year agreement that both calls for cooperation between the two nations to increase disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, and establishes a formal mechanism for direct communication regarding natural and human-caused emergencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Russian Ministry for Civil Defense, Emergencies, and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM) will implement the agreement.
An initial joint meeting concerning the agreement was held in Washington on September 4, and a second meeting was held in February also in Washington. Several other activities have occurred as well, including:
Following significant droughts in Europe in 1995, the Drought Mitigation Working Group of the UK National Committee of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) began developing a European network on drought mitigation. The overall aim of the proposed network is to encourage research on drought and its management and to inform others about this important issue.
Ultimately, the network seeks to reduce the environmental, social, and economic costs of droughts through improved early warning, preparedness, and mitigation. Specifically, the network hopes to compile an inventory of major European research and drought management research centers, researchers, and drought managers; create a vehicle for sharing information on drought hazard, vulnerability, and management; and conduct an international workshop on drought research in Europe.
Key participants will be identified in the coming months, including those outside Europe. Interested persons should contact Jim Wallace, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK; tel: +44(0)1491 838800; fax: +44(0)1491 692430; e-mail: jsw@unixa.nerc-wallingford.ac.uk; or Tom Downing, Environmental Change Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TB; tel: +44(0)1865 281180; fax: +44(0) 1865 281181; e-mail: tom.downing@ecu.ox.ac.uk.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has issued the following job announcement:
Position: Project Manager, Standards Project: Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response. (One Year Assignment).
Location: Geneva
Position Summary: Reporting to the Project Management Team through the Director, Disaster and Refugee Policy, the incumbent will manage the Standards Development Project for the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR) in co-operation with InterAction (USA). This project seeks to formulate a universally agreed set of minimal performance standards for humanitarian agencies, as an extension of the present widely used Code of Conduct.
Responsibilities: Designs the overall scope and working methodology of the project and determines appropriate timelines for the work; manages the project team of four sector managers; recommends an editorial, publishing and dissemination process to the Project Management Team; ensures that information is shared among Sector Teams; prepares the initial draft of the Beneficiaries Charter; ensures that material is correctly edited in accordance with the wishes of the Project Management Team; liaises with and lobbies operational agencies, donors and research institutions to ensure they are consulted regularly and to encourage their acceptance and use of the SCHR/InterAction Standards that are developed.
Qualifications: University degree with at least five years of field experience in relief work. Relevant post graduate experience would be an asset. An equivalent combination of education and directly related experience will also be considered. Demonstrated experience in managing relief programs and a diverse and geographically disbursed team will be key. Computer literacy is necessary. Good verbal and written communication skills in English will be essential and competency in French would be a definite asset. Candidates must be prepared to undertake some travel.
Applications: The federation is an equal opportunity employer.
Interested parties may submit their applications quoting Vacancy
Number 96-181 no later than 21 February 1997 to:
Kenneth Baker
Head, Recruitment
Human Resources Department
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
P.O. Box 372
1211 Geneva 19
Switzerland
Fax: (+41 22) 733 17 27
E-mail: Baker@ifrc.org
Disaster Research subscriber Hanna Schmuck-Widmann recently published "Living with the Floods: Survival Strategies of Char-Dwellers in Bangladesh," ASA-Text 6; Berlin: FDCL; 1996; ISBN 3-923020-18-X; 228 pp., English/German; DM 9,80 (about $6.50). To order, contact: LN-Vertrieb, Gneisenaustr. 2a, 10961 Berlin, Germany; fax: +49 30 692 65 90; e-mail: la_nachricht@link-b36.berlinet.de
A synopsis: In this report on a region that has hardly been explored until now, Schmuck-Widmann shows how inhabitants of the Brahmaputra islands (chars) in Bangladesh regard their problems in a way that is quite different from that of Western observers. Whereas foreign aid officials and journalists interpret the annual floods as a catastrophe, the people directly affected see them as a necessary part of the agricultural cycle. The author spent five months researching the knowledge of inhabitants of the chars and their strategies to overcome the extreme environmental conditions. Her account adopts a different language from that of disaster reports in the media; the char-dwellers are not helpless victims of their environment. Instead they actively devise strategies to live with the floods.
Hanna Schmuck-Widmann, a social anthropologist, is currently investigating the effects of development projects in Bangladesh, in particular the "Flood Action Plan." On several occasions since 1992 she has worked and carried out research in Bangladesh, and is now writing a PhD on local rural knowledge in relation to engineering skills and strategies for flood protection in Bangladesh. She can be contacted at:
Institute of Social Anthropology
Free University Berlin
Drosselweg 1-3
14195 Berlin
Germany
Tel: +49 30 838 3508
Fax: +49 30 838 6728
WWW: http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~simsek/
The United States Fire Administration (USFA), part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), recently announced the availability of its publication on emergency procedures for employees with disabilities. This document provides useful information for facilities managers covering the safe evacuation of people who might need special assistance in emergency situations. The manual details the types of equipment and procedures that exist that can provide everyone with safe egress. The document can be ordered in a number of different formats:
United States Fire Administration
Publications
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727
The document can also be ordered via the FEMA Web site's USFA On-line Publications section. The Internet address is: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pub.htm
These are some the recent hazard/disaster Web sites we've encountered. An extensive list of useful sites is available from the Natural Hazards Center World Wide Web page:
http://adder.colorado.edu/~hazctr/sites.html
http://stonefly.arc.nasa.gov
The NASA/Ames Research Center has developed an emergency
information server called the StoneFly Project. This server provides
the latest information on disaster relief efforts, weather,
earthquakes, and various emergency response groups around the world.
Future expansion of this homepage will include desktop video tele-
conferencing for emergency preparedness officials and disaster relief
responders at the site of a disaster. StoneFly also offers an
information newsletter for emergency preparedness officials. To
receive the newsletter, call up the StoneFly homepage and fill out the
information requested in the "New Members" section. Questions
regarding the StoneFly project can be directed to John Peterson; (415)
604-0988; e-mail: eric@mail.arc.nasa.gov.
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/programs/internat/ierh/ierh.htm
The goal of the International Emergency and Refugee Health
Program of the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is to strengthen the emergency
preparedness capacity of other nations and to provide assistance to
persons affected by complex humanitarian emergencies. The program is
dedicated to building and strengthening partnerships in international
emergency preparedness and response. This Web site provides extensive
information about the program; interested persons can also contact
netmeister Eric Noji, International Emergency and Refugee Health
Program, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Mail Stop F-48, 4770 Buford Highway, NE,
Atlanta, GA 30341-3724; (770) 488-3526; fax: (770) 488-7829; e-mail:
ncehinfo@cdc.gov.
http://nceer.eng.buffalo.edu
The National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research Web site,
which we've mentioned before, now includes a searchable version of
NCEER's Quakeline data base.
http://www.villagelife.org/satellite/reliefnow.html
A cooperative effort with organizations in the religious and not-
for-profit relief communities, the "Relief Now" Web site is designed
to be a clearinghouse of information about U.S. and major global
humanitarian aid efforts. It covers both donations needed following a
disaster and the agencies providing relief.
http://www.nap.edu
The National Academy Press has launched a major initiative to
provide full-text documents via the World Wide Web; their long-range
goal is to establish a complete archive of the almost 10,000 volumes
published by the press this century. Over 1,000 works are already
available, and several deal with natural hazards and disasters.
http://www.nctcog.dst.tx.us:80/envir/trin/trinity.html
If a major flood were to occur today, more than 22,000 homes and
140 million square feet of business property would be flooded along
the Trinity River Corridor. The North Central Texas Council of
Governments (NCTCOG) is serving as facilitator for nine cities, three
counties, and two special districts, under an interlocal agreement to
develop a common vision and plan for the Trinity River Corridor. The
Upper Trinity River Feasibility Study, the largest cost-shared study
in the nation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is addressing
flood damage reduction, water quality improvement, environmental
restoration, recreation, and other allied purposes, under the
direction of an executive committee of local elected officials and
senior Corps staff. This comprehensive Trinity River Information
Network Web site is being developed to support this effort. The site
demonstrates how the Web can be used to organize and present
comprehensive information on multiobjective floodplain management.
http://www.maricopa.gov/flood/fcd.html
To see how another government agency presents floodplain
management information on the Web, check out this site of the Flood
Control District of Maricopa County, Arizona. It includes information
about the agency itself, the services it provides, and the projects it
has completed. It also contains a flood alert page and information on
coping with floods.
For two decades, the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) has held an annual national conference to improve understanding among those responsible for floodplain management in the U.S. The proceedings of last year's conference, containing dozens of papers covering virtually all aspects of the discipline, are now available from the Natural Hazards Information.
"Coast to Coast: 20 Years of Progress" (Special Publication #32, 1996, 414 pp.) costs $20, plus shipping and handling. To determine shipping costs and/or to order a copy, contact the Publications Clerk, Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, IBS #6, Campus Box 482, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482, (303) 492- 6819; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: jclark@colorado.edu.
In Disaster Research #214, we mentioned the new National Centre for Disaster Management (NCDM) in India. The centre has established an ongoing program of workshops and training, including:
These are the latest conference announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. Most previous issues of DR contain additional notices. For a comprehensive list of upcoming disaster-related meetings and training, see our World Wide Web page:
http://adder.colorado.edu/~hazctr/conf.html
National Seminar on Natural Disasters: Socioeconomic and Psychological Impact on Society. Kanpur, India: March 7-9, 1997. Contact: B.P.S. Solanki, Executive Director, Institute of Rural Uplift and Development, Chandra Niwas, 1, Arya Nagar, Etah - 207001 (UP) India.
Arid Regions Floodplain Management Conference. Sponsors: Association of State Floodplain Managers, Floodplain Management Association, and Arizona Floodplain Managers Association. Laughlin, Nevada: March 19- 21, 1997. Contact: Arid Regions Conference, c/o Clark Farr, Kern County Engineering and Survey Services, 2700 "M" Street, Suite 570, Bakersfield, CA 93301; (805) 862-5094; fax: (805) 862-5101.
1997 Governor's Annual Hurricane Preparedness Conference: "Lessons Learned Through Hurricane Bertha and Hurricane Fran." Sponsors: American Red Cross, North Carolina Emergency Management Association, and North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. Atlantic Beach, North Carolina: March 23-25, 1997. Contact: '97 Governor's Annual Hurricane Preparedness Conference, NC Division of Emergency Management, 116 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27603-1335.
Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Missouri Emergency Preparedness Association (MEPA) Ninth Annual Spring Conference. Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri: March 30-April 2, 1997. See the SEMA homepage: http://www.state.mo.us/sema/semapage.htm.
Floodplain Management Workshop. Columbia Missouri: April 22-23, 1997. Contact Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Floodplain Management, (573) 526-9115.
Third Annual Conference on Disaster Preparedness. Cromwell, Connecticut: May 22, 1997. Contact: Lois Grady-Wesbecher, Disaster Specialist, American Red Cross, (860) 678-2823.
Millennium 2000 Hazardous Materials Conference. Las Vegas, Nevada: July 14-16, 1997. Contact: Clark County Local Emergency Planning Committee, 500 South Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89155; e-mail: rja@co.clark.nv.us; WWW (under construction): www.co.clark.nv.us.
Eighth International Conference on Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering (SDEE '97). Istanbul, Turkey: July 20-24, 1997. Extended deadline for abstracts: February 28, 1997. Contact: Ahmet S. Cakmak, Conference Chair, Princeton University, Department of Civil Engineering and Operations Research, Princeton, NJ 08544-5263, USA; (609) 258-4601; fax: (609) 258-1309, (609) 258-2685; e-mail: ahmet@tremor.princeton.edu - or - Mustafa Erdik, Conference Co-Chair, Bogazici University, Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, Cengelkoy, Istanbul 81220, Turkey; tel: +90.216.332.6560; fax: +90.216.308.0163, 216.332.1711; e-mail: erdik@hamlin.cc.boun.edu.tr; WWW: http://www.ceor.princeton.edu/sdee.html - or - http://www.boun.edu.tr/sdee.html.
First General Assembly of Global Forum of NGOs for Disaster Reduction. Los Angeles, California: September 1997 (dates to be announced). Contact: K. Gopalan, J.A.C. Inc., P.O. Box 14481, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-6481.
Seventh National Convention on Disaster Reduction. Gorakhpur, India: November 1997 (dates to be announced). Contact: Joint Assistance Center, G-17/3, Qutab Enclave-1, Gurgaon-122002, Haryana, India; tel: 0091-124-352141, or 0091-124-353833; fax: 0091-124-351308; e-mail: nkjain@jac.unv.ernet.in
Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC) 1997 Annual Conference. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: November 4-7, 1997. Contact: WSSPC, 121 Second Street, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105; (415) 974-6435; fax: (415) 974-1747; e-mail: wsspc@wsspc.org; WWW: http://vishnu.glg.nau.edu/wsspc/brpshs.html.
Twelfth International Conference and Workshops on Applied Geologic Remote Sensing. Sponsor: Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM). Denver, Colorado: November 17-19, 1997. Abstracts due March 24, 1997. Includes sessions related to geologic hazards. Contact: ERIM/Geologic Conference, P.O. Box 134001, Ann Arbor, MI 48113-4001; (313) 994-1200, ext. 3234; fax: (313) 994-5123; e-mail: http://www.erim.org/CONF/conf.html.
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) 1998 Annual Meeting. San Francisco, California: February 4-8, 1998. Contact EERI, 499 14th Street, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94612-1934; (510) 451-0905; fax: (510) 451-5411; e-mail: eeri@eeri.org ; WWW: http://www.eeri.org.
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