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[Re-posted from the risk@thecity.sfsu.edu discussion list]
Dear colleagues,
Besides EQs, Greece is vulnerable to forest fires. Every summer thousands of hectares are burned down, with severe consequences on the ecosystem. This is especially a problem for Greece due to the low proportion of forestation.
Up to now, the fire fighting capability has been dispersed in two ministries, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Public order. Because of the inherent problems of coordination, legislation is being prepared in order to integrate the fire services under the aegis of the Ministry of Public Order.
Although the unification may represent some improvement, I have some reservations with regard to the placement of the integrated fire services under the aegis of the Ministry of Public Order. I am directing myself to colleagues of countries which are also afflicted by forest fires for answers to some questions.
Can you please apprise me briefly, how the forest fire services are organized in your country and how effective do you think this organization is? I would also appreciate any relevant bibliography on this issue.
After I receive this information, I intend to classify it and pass it on to the competent authorities before the said legislative bill comes to a vote in the Greek parliament.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely yours, N. Petropoulos, Director Emergencies Research Center Athens, Greece E-mail: erc@eexi.gr
[Taken from Riskanal - the Society for Risk Analysis e-mail discussion list]
A major multinational firm with whom Broadleaf has links, is interested to contact US organisations which have implemented a corporate wide assessment of risks to their operations. This is not just disaster recovery, environmental, health & safety or public liability risk, although they would be included. The focus is on all risks which could affect the achievement of the organisation's aims.
My colleagues and I have not come across anyone doing this outside Australia, where the Australian Standard on Risk Management and Stock Exchange rules on Directors responsibilities have raised awareness of formal risk management beyond the boundaries of treasury, insurance and environmental concerns.
Some senior managers of the company which originated the enquiry are travelling to the US in the near future and would be interested to compare notes with anyone there implementing such an approach.
Steve Grey
Dr Stephen Grey Broadleaf Capital International 14 Grosvenor St Frankston VICTORIA 3199 Australia Tel: +61 3 9787 0520 Fax: +61 3 9787 0495 E-mail: grey@broadleaf.com.au
In July, hazards professionals from around the world - including federal, state, and local government officials; nonprofit and private industry representatives; academic researchers; and others - gathered in Denver, Colorado, for the 22nd Annual Hazards Research and Applications Workshop. As in the past, the Natural Hazards Center, organizer of this meeting, is publishing brief summaries of each session, abstracts of the hazards research presented, and descriptions of the programs and projects discussed at the meeting. For persons within North America, a complete set of these materials costs $20 + $5 shipping (for orders beyond North America, contact the Hazards Center Publications Clerk, Janet Clark, at the address below).
A list of all session summary and abstract titles is available from the center's Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/ss.html. Moreover, the complete texts of all session summaries will be available from that site later this fall.
In the meantime, to order a hard copy of all workshop materials, send your payment (checks should be payable to the University of Colorado; Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diner's Club are also accepted) to Janet Clark, 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.
I am writing to introduce you to a newly-formed aerodynamic research organization, the "Center for the Aerodynamics of Transportation Systems" (CATS) operated by the Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The CATS center is a high-technology partnership of the Old Dominion University Research Foundation (ODURF), the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) in Hampton, Virginia, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center, and small, high-technology businesses in the Tidewater, Virginia area. ODURF is an academically based research organization specializing in aerodynamic research and development aimed at transferring government and academic aerospace technology into the transportation, architec- tural and building industries.
The premier aerodynamic research tool of CATS is the NASA Langley Full Scale Tunnel (FST), which is located at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia, and which was recently decommissioned as a federally operated facility after nearly 65 years of continuous operation by NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
The Langley FST is a closed circuit, double return, continuous flow facility with a 30 X 60 ft. open-throat test section, and is powered by two 4000-horsepower electric motors. The very large test section of the FST was originally designed specifically for testing the low-speed (less than 100 mph) aerodynamic characteristics of aircraft, but the ODURF charter is aimed at expanding its use for non-aircraft applications.
The large test section, excellent low-speed aerodynamic character- istics, and low-cost operation of the tunnel make it an ideal facility for conducting full-scale research on a wide variety of configurations for which Reynold's number similarity is important. The open jet provides exceptional visual access to the test section for flow visualization studies, and the tunnel's large size makes it practical to test full-scale examples of many architectural and building components of particular interest to natural hazards wind researchers.
I believe that the ODURF and the FST could provide the hazards research and mitigation community with a research capability unequaled by any other experimental or analytic facility. I would very much welcome an opportunity to tell you more about CATS, and describe in more detail some of the technical advantages available through our resources. Interested parties who would like to know more, or who may have any questions, please respond by e-mail to aep@prestecinc.com, or contact me by phone at 757.874.1656. For those who prefer to respond by surface mail, my address is: Arthur E. Phelps III, Prestec Incorporated, 883 Barrie Circle, Newport News, Virginia 23608-3401.
I look forward to talking with you further. Best regards, Art Phelps
The objective of the Housing & Hazards Group is to make safer houses available to the world's most vulnerable people. Our activities during the past year have included firstly the staging of a three-day workshop in Dhaka, which brought together donors, academics, local government and NGOs and, secondly, field studies in northern Bangladesh of different dissemination techniques appropriate where the written word is not always understood.
To recap our pilot projects, we have arranged a one-day seminar on "Disseminating Safe Building Practice" to be held in Exeter, U.K., on 17th November 1997. This seminar will present reports on the workshop and field study, include contributions by distinguished researchers such as Dr. Nicholas Hall (South Bank University) and Roger Bellers (Oxford Centre for Disaster Studies) and provide time for workshop discussion sessions. Practical aspects of dissemination and rural participation will be emphasised with a view to identifying the role of housing improvement in the wider development continuum.
For more details please contact Robert Hodgson Housing & Hazards Group Earth Resources Centre University of Exeter North Park Road, Exeter EX4 4QE, U.K. Tel: +44-1392-263900; fax: +44-1392-263907 E-mail: R.L.P.Hodgson@exeter.ac.uk
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, seeks a senior-level researcher to serve as program director of its Environmental and Societal Impacts Group (ESIG). This individual will lead and participate in the development of research programs on multidisciplinary issues related to the interactions between atmospheric and oceanic processes, the environment, and society.
The ESIG Director must be a dynamic and experienced leader with a strong record of research on atmospheric-related impacts. Sufficient breadth is required to oversee the full range of the group's research. It is expected that this position will carry a high-level scientific appointment subject to the criteria for NCAR scientific appointments and depending on qualifications and experience.
To apply, submit a letter prior to November 1, 1997, indicating qualifications and including a resume. Applications will be considered until such time as the position is filled. Starting salary: $5,609-$8,045/month with excellent benefits. For a complete job description access www.ucar.edu/cc.html. Send application materials to UCAR Job #7148, 3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80307. EOE.
The Seismology Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, is seeking an Outreach Program Manager, who will be responsible for the Office of Earthquake Programs (OEP), which includes the outreach for the Caltech/USGS Element of TriNet and the daily management and enhancement of the Earthquake Research Affiliates Program (ERA) at Caltech. Duties include: developing and annually updating the strategies plan and budget for management and enhancement of the TriNet outreach and ERA/CUBE programs; organizing and planning research policy/social implications for real-time seismic systems; working closely with faculty to present ongoing seismological research to potential end-users; assisting Directors of Corporate Relations in identifying individuals in support of program activities; planning, coordinating, and managing the dissemination of information; serving as liaison to FEMA, OES, SCEC, and other organizations involved in earthquake hazards mitigation; and performing other duties as assigned. Reqs. Bachelor's degree and min. 7-12 yrs. management or programmatic development exp., preferably in a corporate or local government environment. Must possess strong interpersonal, organiza- tional, and excellent (oral/written) communication skills; the ability to manage multiple projects independently with good judgment; and a self-starter with the ability to initiate and see projects through to completion. This position requires travel. Candidates with a postgraduate degree in sociology or public policy and some computer exp. (Macintosh ) will be given preference.
For more information and to apply, see: http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~employ/posting.html
The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Bangkok, Thailand, is seeking a Training Officer to develop and conduct disaster management training programs in Bangkok and in other locations throughout the Asian region. Specialization in Natural Hazards Risk Management is an asset. Salary/Grade: IFS IV Qualifications:
Representatives of the United States and People's Republic of China will meet in San Francisco in late September to discuss potential cooperative research between the two countries. Discussions will seek to determine common technical objectives under Annex III of the US/PRC Protocol for Scientific and Technical Cooperative Research in Earthquake Studies, Earthquake Engineering, and Hazards Mitigation. Those interested in conducting research under the auspices of this program are encouraged to submit a one-page abstract for consideration at the above meeting.
Abstracts should be directed to Dr. S.C. Liu, Program Director, Civil and Mechanical Systems, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230; fax: (703) 306-0291; e-mail: sliu@nsf.gov. Deadline for submission is September 19.
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