Disaster Research 230

August 11, 1997


Table of contents

  1. Emergency Management Forum Now On-Line: First On-Line Conference Friday
  2. Seeking Information on Cost/Benefit Analyses of Disaster Management
  3. How "Natural" are Natural Hazards
  4. Introducing the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disaster Relief
  5. Interested in Research on the Red River Flood?
  6. Interested in Research Funding? The Natural Hazards Center's Quick Response Program
  7. The Newest Hazards Center Publication . . . Have We Learned Anything Since the Big Thompson Canyon Flood?
  8. FEMA and NEMA Develop CAR
  9. On the Web
  10. Some Recently Awarded Hazards/Disaster Research Grants
  11. Help Wanted - NIBS
  12. FEMA to Broadcast North Dakota Flood Conference
  13. Conferences and Training


Emergency Management Forum Now On-Line: First On-Line Conference Friday

As most disaster professionals know, information is the key to successful emergency management in any setting. Recognizing this fact, several years ago the Congressional Fire Service Institute, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Emergency Management Association, the National Coordinating Council on Emergency Management, the National Volunteer Fire Council, and the State and Local Emergency Management Data Users Group jointly founded the Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) to help ensure useful, coordinated sharing of emergency management information on the Internet.

To that end, the EIIP has recently established the "Virtual Forum for Emergency Management Professionals" at: http://www.emforum.org

This new Web site provides a means for both locating extensive information about emergency management and networking with emergency professionals around the globe. EMForum is a "virtual arena" for anyone involved in emergency management, including professionals from academia, business, government, and voluntary organizations. It includes monthly feature topics for discussion, live chat areas, newsgroups, mailing lists, an e-mail capability, as well as a large base of on-line information that emergency professionals can consult to aid disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, including a Virtual Library, Virtual Classroom, and a Technology Arena.

As mentioned above, the Emergency Management Forum will host regular on-line moderated discussions focusing on various issues confronting today's emergency manager.The Virtual Forum discussion topic for this month, which includes a 5-member panel discussion, is "Do we need a standard classification system of resources to facilitate coordination between organizations during the response and initial recovery phases of an incident?" This initial on-line discussion will take place this Friday, August 15, at 12:00 noon EDT. To participate, link to the EMForum Web site and go to the "Virtual Forum" section.

We suggest that interested persons check out this site *before* Friday in order to become familiar with the software, to peruse the background material provided on this month's topic, and to pre-submit questions or suggestions for future features.


Seeking Information on Cost/Benefit Analyses of Disaster Management

The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Brussels, Belgium, has recently undertaken a cost/benefit study of natural disaster management. Apart from a case study in the Philippines, the report includes an overview of current thinking on cost/benefit analysis. In that context, CRED is also organizing a two-day expert consultation on the evaluation of economic impacts of natural and human-caused disasters (industrial and technical accidents, fire, etc.). CRED is interested in contacting researchers who are working in the field of economic impact of natural disaster management in general and cost/benefit analysis of natural disaster management in particular. Please contact: Claudine Misson, CRED - UCL, 30.34 Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; tel: (32)(2)7643823; fax: (32)(2)7643441; e-mail: Misson@epid.ucl.ac.be.


How "Natural" are Natural Hazards

Hello my name is Malcolm Somers and I am a student at the University of Western Australia. I am giving a talk later in the year on the topic of "How 'natural' are natural hazards?" This is such a broad question I was curious as to any information anyone may be able to provide in this regard. Any help whatsoever will be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Malcolm Somers
msom@psinet.net.au
http://www.psinet.net.au/~msom


Introducing the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disaster Relief

Recently, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors awarded funding to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health for a two-year project, beginning July 1, 1997, to develop a curriculum on the public health aspects of disasters. This curriculum will address the interdisciplinary roles of public health professionals in preparing communities prior to a disaster and assisting them to recover following a mass population emergency. This program, combined with an existing research project on community response to the Northridge earthquake, will form the core of the new multidisciplinary UCLA Center for Public Health and Disaster Relief.

The director of this new institution, Steven J. Rottman, has stated that the center's objectives will include:

This effort is the first significant collaboration between a major educational institution - the UCLA School of Public Health - and a major local health agency - the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services - to address the effects of natural and human- generated disasters on public health.

For further information, please contact Loc H. Nguyen, Program Coordinator, UCLA Center for Public Health and Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772; (310) 794-6646; fax: (310) 794-1805; e-mail: locn@ucla.edu.


Interested in Research on the Red River Flood?

Soon after the waters receded from the massive 1997 Red River flood, a group of researchers at the University of Manitoba began organizing a flood research network, the primary purpose of which is to create an interdisciplinary network of interested and committed individuals who might work together on flood-related research. Persons interested in becoming part of this network should send an e-mail message to floodnet@cc.umanitoba.ca and include a short paragraph describing their research interests and contact information.

As the first formal activity of the flood network, an informal steering committee has planned an international research workshop for September 11-12, 1997 to be held at St. John's College, University of Manitoba. The workshop will be interdisciplinary and cover as many aspects of the flood as possible. Additional information is available by contacting the Flood Research Workshop, c/o Natural Resource Institute, 303 Sinnott Building, St. Paul's College, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada; tel: (204) 474-8373; fax: (204) 262-0038; e-mail: floodnet@cc.umanitoba.ca.


Interested in Research Funding? The Natural Hazards Center's Quick Response Program

The Natural Hazards Center is soliciting proposals for its 1998 Quick Response (QR) program, which enables social scientists to conduct short-term research immediately after a disaster in order to collect perishable data. If you would like to study a disaster before the last of the debris is swept up, submit a brief proposal describing the research question you would like to pursue in anticipation of an event. If your proposal is approved, you will then be eligible to receive funding to carry out your investigation should an appropriate disaster occur in the next 12 months. Grants average between $1,000 and $3,000 and essentially cover travel only. In return, grantees must submit reports of their findings, which are published by the Natural Hazards Center both electronically (http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qr.html) and in hard copy.

Researchers who wish to submit proposals for Quick Response Research Grants should request a QR solicitation letter from Mary Fran Myers, Co-Director, Natural Hazards Center, Campus Box 482, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482; (303) 492-2150; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: myersmf@colorado.edu. The deadline for proposal submission is October 15, 1997.


The Newest Hazards Center Publication . . . Have We Learned Anything Since the Big Thompson Canyon Flood?

On July 31, 1976, the Big Thompson Canyon in northern Colorado was ravaged by a flash flood that resulted in the worst natural disaster in Colorado history. At least 139 people died, 88 were injured, and seven people were never found. The flood destroyed 316 homes, 45 mobile homes, and 52 businesses.

More than 20 years after the flood, vulnerability to this type of disaster remains - flash flood deaths have not declined and the public continues to underestimate the power of flowing water. In addition, debris flows, mudslides, and alluvial fan flooding in canyon areas in the Western United States are causing ever greater damage as more people move to the West.

The Natural Hazard Center's latest Special Publication, "Twenty Years Later: What We Have Learned Since the Big Thompson Flood," edited by Eve Gruntfest (SP33, 1997, 230 pp.), contains papers from the participants in a meeting held in Colorado on the anniversary of the flood to examine subsequent advances in our knowledge and ability to prevent such disasters. The topics covered include: Federal Perspectives, Dam Safety, Human Dimensions of Disaster, Meteorological Capabilities and Climatological Issues, Warning Systems, International Experiences, and Paleohydrological Methods.

Copies of this newest Special Publication can be purchased for $20, plus shipping charges. To determine those charges and 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.

[Note: A complete list of Hazards Center publications is available from the center's Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards]


FEMA and NEMA Develop CAR

Recognizing the importance of working together across jurisdictional boundaries when responding to disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) recently announced a joint effort to develop a system that emergency managers and FEMA regional offices can use to assess their readiness and capability to respond to emergencies - particularly in partnership with one another.

The Capability Assessment for Readiness (CAR) focuses on 13 core elements that can enhance or inhibit major emergency management functions: laws and authorities; hazard identification and risk assessment; hazard management; resource management; planning; direction, control, and coordination; communications and warnings; operations and procedures; logistics and facilities; training; exercises; public education and information; and finance and administration. Using CAR, each state and territory can conduct a comprehensive self assessment and use the results to improve state and FEMA joint strategic planning.

For further information on this effort, contact the Preparedness, Training, and Exercises Directorate, FEMA, 500 C Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20472; (202) 646-3487; fax: (202) 646-4557; e-mail: eipa@fema.gov; WWW: http://www.fema.gov/pte/car.htm.

To obtain a free copy of the recent publication "User's Guide for the Capability Assessment for Readiness (CAR)" (1997, 31 pp.), contact the FEMA, Preparedness, Training, and Exercises Directorate, State and Local Preparedness Division, attn: CAR Team, 500 C Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20471; (202) 646-3080; e-mail: car.team@fema.gov.


On the Web

[Below are some useful hazards/disaster Web sites we've encountered recently. A comprehensive list is available from the Hazards Center Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sites/sites.html]

http://www.usgs.gov/sndr/report
In December 1996, the Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction (SNDR) of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, National Science and Technology Council, published "Natural Disaster Reduction: A Plan for the Nation" - a document that proposes an interagency approach for the coordination and advancement of programs, strategies, and research to reduce the social, environmental, and economic costs of natural hazards. The plan focuses on resilience, rather than resistance, to natural hazards through the establishment of anticipatory practices with regard to risk assessment, mitigation, and warning systems.

"Natural Disaster Reduction" summarizes existing federal research programs dealing with hazards and identifies new and promising approaches that federal agencies might undertake to reduce disasters' toll. It calls for major policy shifts in the nation's approach to disasters, identifies areas of needed research, and calls for new efforts-including a National Risk Assessment and an Integrated Natural Disaster Mitigation Information Network - to mitigate disaster losses. The report is now available via at Web address above.

Individual copes are also available from William Hooke, National Weather Research Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, SSMCIII, Room 11360, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; (301) 713-0460, ext. 218; fax: (301) 713-0666; e-mail: bhooke@rdc.noaa.gov.

http://www.csti.org/
This is the Web site of the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) - the training arm of the California's Office of Emergency Services. CSTI's mission is to promote public safety and security in disaster management, criminal justice, and hazardous materials emergency response and mitigation. The institute offers courses throughout California and at its campus near San Luis Obispo to enhance the knowledge and skills of middle- and upper-level management officials of city, county, state, and federal government agencies and private industry. A limited number of out-of-state applicants may also attend courses, some of which are available for college credit.

http://www.fiu.edu/~hurrican/
The Web site of Florida International University's International Hurricane Center includes a description of the center, summaries of various research now being conducted, a list of past and upcoming events hosted by the center, information on education and training available (see DR #227), biographical sketches of center staff, full- text publications, and links to other hurricane Web sites. The center recently added the complete proceedings from the Hemispheric Congress on Disaster Reduction and Sustainable Development held in Miami in October 1996. They are available at: http://www.fiu.edu/~hurrican/congress.congress.html.

http://atm.geo.nsf.gov/AMS/
The American Meteorological Society home page includes sections describing AMS and AMS education programs; provides AMS journals on-line; lists awards, scholarships, and student information; and provides the 1977/1998 directory of certified consulting meteorologists and an AMS local chapter directory with links to chapter Web sites. The site also lists publications from AMS and other sources, upcoming weather conferences, AMS policy statements, employment opportunities, and career possibilities in atmospheric research. Perhaps most importantly, it offers the AMS Newsletter, with the latest news from the world of meteorology.

http://www.idrisi.clarku.edu/risk/start.htm
The IDRISI Project/Clark Labs for Cartographic Technology and Geographic Analysis is an educational and research institution at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. The mandate of the project is to further the development and understanding of computer-assisted geographic analysis. The project has recently completed a report on "Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technology in Environmental Risk and Management," which is now available from the URL above. After an introduction, the report covers hazard assessment, applications of GIS to vulnerability mapping (a West African food security case study), risk assessment (a case study of the Ethiopian famine of 1984), and environmental conflict resolution. The report includes an extensive bibliography and list of World Wide Web resources.

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/toga-tao/el-nino/
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory El Nino Theme Page provides access to extensive distributed information related to the El Nino/Southern Oscillation phenomenon. It covers current conditions and recent news releases, and includes sections discussing: "What is El Nino?," "What are the impacts of El Nino?," "What are the current El Nino forecasts?," "What is the latest El Nino data?, "What are some Frequently Asked Questions?," and "Where can I find more El Nino data and information?" The site provides numerous links to other El Nino information on the Web.

http://www.dir.ucar.edu/esig/socasp
http://www.dir.ucar.edu/esig/socasp/phenomena.html
This Web site on the societal aspects of weather provided by the Environmental and Societal Impacts Group of the National Center for Atmospheric Research was developed to encourage and support researcher-user partnerships and the formation of a community of people involved in the societal aspects of weather. It serves as a central clearinghouse for on-line resources and provides some tools to increase interaction between researchers and users of weather information. The site is organized into five general areas: user groups, phenomena (with much information on weather hazards - see the Web address above), economic and casualty data, community and research tools, and site information.

http://pangea.stanford.edu/~tucker/geohaz.html
GeoHazards International is an organization dedicated to improving urban earthquake risk management through collaboration among community leaders, planners, earthquake engineers, and local concerned citizens. It creates, teaches, and applies methods of urban earthquake risk management that are appropriate for use in developing countries, with local community leaders setting the priorities of GeoHazards projects, and GeoHazards staff and consultants performing technical analyses with local experts. These projects help produce: safer public schools, better prepared communities, well-trained researchers and public servants, and risk management methods tailored to the needs of developing countries. This Web site covers the motivation, approach, and organization of Geohazards International, lists its publications, and describes the projects GeoHazards has undertaken.

http://www.icma.org
For those interested in community-level recovery from a major natural disaster, ICMA has recently posted on its Web site some materials prepared by hazards consultant Claire Rubin. They include: a "Matrix of Community Recovery," a list of key disaster Web sites, and a list of selected documents. From the ICMA web site, click on "New to the Site," then click on "Planning for Disaster Recovery."


Some Recently Awarded Hazards/Disaster Research Grants

[A more extensive list of recently awarded grants appears on the Hazards Center Web site at: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/ grants.html]

Analysis of the Effects of the 1997 Floods in Western Nevada: Immediate Data Collection Needs for Characterizing the Physical Signature of Extreme Events, National Science Foundation, $12,000, 12 months. Principal Investigators: P. Kyle House, Eric McDonald, and Saxon E. Sharpe, University of Nevada Desert Research Institute, P.O. Box 60220, Reno, NV 89506-0220; (702) 673-7311.

The Loma Prieta, California, Earthquake of October 17, 1989 - Performance of the Built Environment, National Science Foundation, $66,365, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Thomas L. Holzer, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA 94025.

Collaborative Study of Analogs to Earthquake Mitigation, National Science Foundation, $48,460, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Peter J. May, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; (206) 543-2100.

Businesses and Disasters: Consequences of Disaster Victimization for Businesses and Business Districts, National Science Foundation, $237,095, 24 months. Principal Investigators: Kathleen J. Tierney and Joanne M. Nigg, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716; (302) 451-2000.

Collaborative Research: Transport and Fate of Mercury Within the Carson River Valley During the January 1997 Flood, National Science Foundation, $3,800, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Jerry R. Miller, Indiana University, P.O. Box 1847,. Bloomington, IN 47402- 1847; (812) 332-0211; e-mail: jmiller@indyunix.iupui.edu.

Creation of a Web Site for Resolution of Site Response Issues from the 1994 Northridge Earthquake (ROSRINE), National Science Foundation, $15,000, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Jean-Pierre Bardet, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90081-1147; (213) 740-2934.


Help Wanted - NIBS

The National Institute of Building Sciences, based in Washington, D.C., is seeking two individuals to fill project management positions. One will be responsible for development of a loss estimation methodology for wind hazards, and the other a loss estimation methodology for flood hazards. Candidates should have at least a technical undergraduate degree and ten years experience in civil engineering or a related field. Computer literacy and above average communication and writing skills are essential to these positions. Fax resumes to (202) 289-1092 (no phone calls please).


FEMA to Broadcast North Dakota Flood Conference

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Office of Emergency Information Media Affairs (eipa@fema.gov) recently announced that a regional conference conducted by the National Flood Insurance Program - "No Matter Where You Live - Floods Happen" - will be broadcast live from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota. This broadcast will be of interest to: insurance agents, insurance company staff, lending institution compliance officers, and loan officers, realtors, appraisers, surveyors, state and local officials, business owners, and other interested citizens.

The conference will be held this Thursday, August 14, 9:30 am-1:00 pm Central Time.

It will be available via both C-Band & Ku-Band satellites as follows:

C-Band                         Ku-Band
Galaxy 9                       SBS 6
Transponder 22                 Transponder 9
Downlink Freq: 4140 Mhz        DownlinkFreq: 11921 MHz
Audio Freq: 6.2/6.8            Audio Freq: 6.2/6.8
Location: 1230 West            Location: 740 West
Polarity: Horizontal           Polarity: Vertical


Conferences and Training

Below are recent conference announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. Most previous issues of DR contain additional notices. 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

Workshop on "Uncertainty in Earthquake Source Characterization for the Los Angeles Basin." Sponsors: Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) and others. Los Angeles, California: September 18-19, 1997. Contact: John K. McRaney, SCEC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0740; (213) 740-5842; fax: (213) 740-0011 (fax); e-mail: mcraney@coda.usc.edu.

Critical Incident Stress Management Workshops. Offered by: International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). Phoenix, Arizona: September 18-21, 1997. Contact: ICISF, 4785 Dorsey Hall Drive, Suite 102, Ellicott City, MD 21042; (410) 730-4311; fax; (410) 730-4313.

Weather on the Web Workshop. Sponsors: National Weather Service and Monterey and Santa Clara County Offices of Emergency Services. Santa Clara, California: September 22, 1997. Contact: Michelle Lloyd, Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services, 55 West Younger Avenue, Suite 435, San Jose, CA 95110-1721; (408) 299-3751; fax: (408) 294- 4851.

Emergency Management Technology Partners: A Workshop Focused on Building Bridges for Technology Transfer. Sponsor: Federal Emergency Management Agency. Richland, Washington: September 22-25, 1997. Contact: FEMA Workshop, c/o Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, K1-05, Richland, WA 99352; (800) 806-9790; e-mail: FEMA.Workshop@pnl.gov; WWW: http://pnl113.pnl.gov/fema/femamain.nsf.

Southern California Earthquake Center Annual Meeting. Costa Mesa, California: October 5-7, 1997. Contact: Jill Andrews, Southern California Earthquake Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0742; (213) 740-3459; fax: (213) 740-0011; e-mail: jandrews@usc.edu; WWW: http://www.usc.edu/go/scec.

General Earthquake Modeling (GEM) Workshop. Sponsors: Los Alamos National Laboratory and others. Santa Fe, New Mexico: October 23-25, 1997. Contact: e-mail: gem@acl.lanl.gov; WWW: http://acl.lanl.gov/gem

Health Crisis and the Internet: An International Meeting on Harnessing the Internet for Disasters and Epidemics. Sponsors: Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization (WHO), and Ministry of Health of Colombia. Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia: November 18-21, 1997. Contact: Pan American Health Organization, Emergency Preparedness Program, 525 Twenty-third Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037; (202) 974-3520; fax: (202) 775-4578; e-mail: crisis-internet@paho.org; WWW: http://www.paho.org/english/ped/ped-internet.htm.

Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union. San Francisco, California: December 8-12, 1997. The fall AGU meeting includes a Special Session on "Hazard Mitigation: Use of Real-time Information" sponsored by the Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction (SNDR), Committee on Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology Council. Contact: Peter Ward, U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS 977, Menlo Park, CA 94025; (415) 329-4736; e-mail: ward@andreas.wr.usgs.gov. Also, see http://www.agu.org/ meetings/fm97top.html for more information and instructions for submitting abstracts.

Eighth Annual Conference and Trade Show on Disaster Recovery, Contingency Planning, and Business Continuation Using Telecommunications. Offered by: the International (Telecommunications) Disaster Recovery Association (IDRA). Boston, Massachusetts: March 15- 18, 1998. Contact: IDRA, P.O. Box 4515, Shrewsbury, MA 01545; (508) 845-6000; fax: (508) 842-2585; WWW: http://www.idra.com.

International Symposium on New Trends and Guidelines on Dam Safety. Sponsors: Spanish National Committee on Large Dams, International Commission on Large Dams, and others. Barcelona, Spain: June 17-19, 1998. Abstracts due November 30, 1997. Contact the Secretariat of the Symposium on Dam Safety, Spanish National Committee on Large Dams, E.T.S. de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Modulo D1, c/ Gran Capitan, s/n, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; tel: (34-3) 401 64 78; fax: (34-3) 401 73 57.


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