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For a comprehensive study on coastal erosion hazards and the National Flood Insurance Program, which is currently underway at the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment in Washington, D.C., I am searching for case studies or examples of community responses (as opposed to state, federal, or individual homeowner responses) to coastal erosion, beach loss, and coastal floods.
Background: The Heinz Center is conducting two studies on coastal hazards, one of which focuses on the evaluation of erosion hazards. One of the most contentious issues during the last reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program was whether the program encourages development in unsafe areas. Areas subject to both flooding and coastal erosion were viewed as particularly problematic, since the risk of damage to coastal homes increases through time. This led Congress, in 1994, to request additional information prior to resolving these concerns. The National Flood Insurance Reform Act (NFIRA) of 1994 mandates that a study be conducted to understand better the effects of erosion on the NFIP, its policyholders, and coastal communities, and to consider options for change. The Heinz Center was been selected to conduct this study.
This project has already collected data on coastal structures and erosion rates in 27 counties, to understand better what is at risk; it will also identify incentives (intended and otherwise) that are created by the program, and evaluate potential changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The study will examine the impact of policy changes on the National Flood Insurance Fund, NFIP policyholders, coastal communities, and coastal ecological systems. The Heinz Center will work with FEMA and, where appropriate, other federal, state, and local agencies to identify how to incorporate the study's findings into coastal zone management. (For additional information on Heinz Center coastal projects, see the Web site: http://www.heinzctr.org/)
Request: In the absence of a general national coastal erosion policy, states and communities will not simply stand by and see their land and structures wash out to sea. I am interested in examples of what communities have done or are in the process of doing in response to the growing and chronic problem of long-term coastal erosion. After a literature search in the generally accessible literature, I was unable to locate more than a very small handful of case studies of community responses to coastal erosion. I expect, however, that such examples and experiences with different community response approaches exist either in the grey literature, or are not written up yet, or are ready to be examined. Any leads, reports, summaries, articles, contact addresses, or descriptions of efforts underway in any U.S. coastal community (Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific, and Great Lakes coasts) would be highly appreciated.
Please send this information to:
Susanne C. Moser, Ph.D.
Harvard University/The Heinz Center
John F. Kennedy School of Government
79 JFK Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 496-9330
E-mail: Suzanne_Moser@harvard.edu
I am a doctoral student currently researching the use of information technology in emergency response. I would appreciate hearing from individual practitioners from all levels of government and private industry regarding their experiences using information technology in their work. I am looking for answers to the following specific questions, but am also interested in hearing about the difficulties and successes you experienced using and adapting to information technology and the impacts this had on your ability to do your job.
Information Technology Usage Questions:
I am an independent researcher carrying out a brief study on the subject of hazard-prone communities' perceptions of risk and the impact this has on the effectiveness of disaster early warning systems.
I am looking for good examples or case studies of how different communities have perceived risk and the reasons behind decisions to respond, or not respond, to early warnings of disaster. Ideally, I would like a range of examples covering different locations and reactions around the world. I would be particularly interested to see evidence of successful alterations to early warning systems that have taken such perceptions into account.
If you have any such case studies, or know where I might find them, please let me know, either by post (Dr. John Twigg, 17 Penryn Street, London NW1 1RL, U.K.) or e-mail (twigg.glynn@virgin.net). The material will be used in a paper to be given at an international conference in September, which will be published; suitable acknowledgement will, of course, be given to anybody who has helped.
[Editor's Note: Several colleagues have contacted us in recent weeks about the Year 2000 computer problem and its implications for emergency management. Among many resources, we suggest that interested persons join the "Networks in Emergency Management" ("Nets") discussion list and consult the archives of recent discussions. There, not only will you find some cogent (and not-so-cogent) observations, but also suggestions for Web sites and other sources of information on the problem. To join Nets, send an e-mail message to majordomo@sfu.ca saying "subscribe nets-em [your e-mail address]." In the meantime, we also ask interested readers to respond to the following request for information:]
Hello,
I am interested in using work on natural disasters to bring a
perspective to technological failures in the social system. In
particular, it seems that the impact and adaptation to Year 2000
technological and social failures could profit from appropriate work
in natural hazards. In other words, is there information that would be
helpful in accommodating failures in social and institutional
infrastructure like financial institutions, transportation systems,
petroleum refinery, police and public safety, etc? Can you suggest a
starting point?
Thanks,
John
John Ball
National Weather Service
(301) 713-2093
John.Ball@noaa.gov -or- johnb@sao.noaa.gov
[Regarding that darned Y2K problem, one of our knowledgeable colleagues recently sent the enclosed note.]
http://www.yourdon.com/index.htm
This is a good Web site for the Year 2000 bug's implications for
the average person, and Ed Yourdon's book, while the title is a bit
inflammatory (Time Bomb 2000) is a quick, easy read and designed for
helping an individual think through the impacts of the Y2K problem on
their job, bank, transportation, medical treatment, utilities . . .
http://www.yardeni.com/cyber.html
Yardeni is the Chief Economist and a Managing Director of Deutsche
Bank Securities. His site is very readable and very good for the
doubters, although he's getting a bit cranky, as he keeps testifying
before Congress, the Admin, Intl Banking Assoc, etc., and folks are
drifting along, and not wanting to deal with it on their shift, take
profits out this quarter to deal with it . . . Lot's of ref's and links
to official reports by various highly credible folks, e.g., GAO, EPRI,
President's Y2K Commiss, Britain's program . . .
http://www.cio.com/forums/y2k/
And if you want to see how the pro's have been and are really
starting to sweat, the Chief Information Officers' site is well
organized and quite readable.
I am seeking volunteer reviewers (sorry, but no funding for this) for draft FEMA Higher Education Project Courses on "Principles and Practice of Hazard Mitigation" and "Research and Analysis Methods in Emergency Management." Both courses are meant to be part of an emergency management college curriculum and are intended for college juniors and seniors majoring in emergency management.
The first course is approximately 450 pages long (200 pages of text and 250 of appendices). As the course introduction states: "One primary objective of the course is to provide an understanding of the principles and practice of hazard mitigation in the United States at the local, state, regional, and federal levels of governance, emphasizing the importance of avoiding or preventing future and recurring losses of life and damage to public and private property. Based on this understanding, a further objective is to familiarize students with the tools, techniques, resources, programs, intergovernmental relation-ships, and broader societal context involved in planning for and implementing hazard mitigation."
The course includes sessions on Hazard Mitigation Within the Cycle of Emergency Management, The Case for Mitigation, The Context of Mitigation, Hazard Mitigation Planning, International Experience, Looking to the Future, and Mitigation as a Career, among other topics.
The second course is approximately 400 page long. Its preface states: "This course has much in common with courses in Research Methods from a range of social and behavioral science disciplines: e.g., sociology, psychology, political science, public administration, and criminal justice. While the course is specifically designed for a program of study in the field of emergency management, it is designed to be taught as a specialized course within any of the disciplines mentioned above . . ."
This course includes sessions on measurement processes, data gathering techniques for program planning, evaluation methods in emergency management, researchers vs. users, information technology and emergency management, community risk assessment and vulnerability analysis, program evaluation, constructing measurement instruments, questionnaire design, surveys, data collection techniques, and cost/benefit analysis.
Thirty days will be allowed after receipt of the priority-mailed paper copy for review. (If you would like to be a reviewer, but thirty days is a problem, contact me to investigate the possibility of an alternative arrangement.)
I would ask that no one seek a review copy for information purposes only - within just a few months final versions of these courses will be uploaded onto the Internet and will be available for downloading free of charge. Printing and mailing of these documents will be expensive, so I ask that only serious reviewers who intend to provide written comments on either course reply.
Thanks for your interest,
Wayne Blanchard
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Higher Education Project
Wayne.Blanchard@fema.gov
[Editor's Note: The Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) hosts a number of discussion groups on various aspects of disaster management, including mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, academia, business, government, volunteers, technology, professional, NOAA radio, and public education and outreach. The query below is an example of the types of questions that appear via these forums. To join any of the discussions, register through the EIIP Emergency Management Forum Web site: http://www.emforum.org.]
I am looking for information about performing building inspections
after an evacuation. What kinds of things should my assessment team
look for prior to reoccupation of an evacuated building? Do you have
any information or can you send me in the right direction?
Thanks
Michael Francis
1777 Barcelona Street
Livermore, CA 94550
925-455-1419
SCMmail@aol.com
Wednesday, July 22, 12:00 Noon EDT:
The EIIP Virtual Forum comes to you "live" from the Argonne National
Laboratory for a discussion about the ongoing conference "Technology
Solutions for Emergency Management Challenges," sponsored by FEMA and
the Technical Support Working Group, and hosted by Argonne National
Laboratory. Join us as we hear about the program and exhibits of new
technologies, training, new products and services.
Thursday, July 23, 8:00 p.m. EDT:
Informal Mutual Aid discussion that gives you an opportunity to
discuss your problems and issues related to emergency management.
To participate, login to http://www.emforum.org. See the Virtual Forum Home Page to create a "New User Account" and password if you have not previously done so.
The "Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication
Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations" was adopted
by the Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications
(ICET-98) in Tampere, Finland, 16-18 June 1998. The International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) has made the complete text and related
documents available in English, French, and Spanish on the ICET-98 Web
site:
http://www.itu.int/newsroom/projects/ICET.html
http://www.itu.int/newsroom/projects/ICET/tampereconvention.html
The press release issued 18 June is available at:
http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press/releases/1998/98-24.html
If you maintain an emergency- and/or telecommunications-related Web site, the organizers of this major international effort ask that you add a link to this site, since, they point out, the Tampere Convention deserves (and needs!) the widest possible distribution. A document, including not only the text of the convention but also notes on the background and the considerations that led to the final formulations in some articles, will be published as soon as possible.
The Tampere Convention is a unique document. While it is a treaty among states, it also covers the activities of non-state entities, in particular NGOs and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). In addition, certain privileges and immunities are extended specifically to others besides representatives of governments and international organizations. Thirty-three countries signed the Tampere Convention on 18 June 1998.
For additional information, see the above Web sites, or contact Hans Zimmermann, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: +41 22 917-3516; fax: +41 22 917-0208/0023; e-mail: hans.zimmermann@ties.itu.int.
[These are a few of the latest Internet gems we've discovered. For a list of selected Internet/Web sites dealing with disaster management, see http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sites/sites.html.]
http://www.fema.gov/EMI/edu
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/colleges/colleges.html
At the Web sites above, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
and the Natural Hazards Center maintain extensive lists of
institutions offering higher education courses in emergency and
disaster management. The indices cover graduate, undergraduate,
associate, and certificate courses, as well as individual courses
offered by various schools and training institutions. The Hazards
Center list has recently been updated.
http://www.isc.ac.uk
The International Seismological Centre (ISC) is a nongovernmental
organization charged with the final collection, analysis, and
publication of standard earthquake information from all over the
world. The centre prepares a definitive global seismicity Bulletin
that includes event locations and magnitudes and has recently created
this new Web site to publish its information even more broadly. The
site contains information about the ISC, including contents and
analyses from the Bulletin, as well as searches of recent issues of
that periodical. Indeed, some data sets are now searchable on-line. In
the future, the ISC plans to post its entire 30-year Bulletin and
90-year Catalogue of major earthquakes on this site. More
information about the centre is available from the International
Seismological Centre, Pipers Lane, Thatcham, Berkshire, U.K. RG19 4NS;
tel: +44 (0)1635 861022; fax: +44 (0)1635 872351; e-mail:
seismo@isc.ac.uk.
http://www.alertnet.org
A new Web site - the El Nino Information Forum - has been
established by the U.K. National Committee for the International
Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) and the Reuter
Foundation. The forum is a "gateway" to El Nino information on the
World Wide Web; it directs the visitor to the most important Web sites
in a structured manner, with comments on the sites and host
organizations. The site is also "action-oriented," aiming to collect
state-of-the-art information from electronic and printed sources -
including valuable grey (unpublished) literature on El Nino's
socioeconomic impact and the steps needed to deal with it. It is also
intended to provide a forum for expert debate. The site is hosted by
the Reuter Foundation's AlertNet Web site - http://www.alertnet.org -
a noncommercial service offering Reuters news and a forum for
voluntary organizations to exchange information in order to improve
the speed and effectiveness of emergency relief operations.
The first pages of this forum are now being pilot tested and can be viewed in the AlertNet "Crisis" section. The site will be expanded further during the coming months. Feedback is welcome, as is new material for the site: please use the feedback section on the AlertNet site or contact John Twigg of the U.K. National IDNDR Committee (twigg.glynn@virgin.net) or Cassie Knight at the Reuter Foundation (cassie.knight@reuters.com).
http://www.globalchange.org
The Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment,
and Security offers this in-depth guide to global change and ozone
depletion issues. The site presents the electronic versions of two
distinct newsletters - Global Change and the Global Climate Change
Digest, along with back issues, indices of articles, a calendar of
events, and a glossary.
The Lightning-Safety Mailing List
A new "Lightning Safety" e-mail list is currently being organized, and
the founders have issued an invitation to any interested persons to join this
automated, unmoderated discussion regarding lightning and lightning safety
issues. Through this site participants can post and discuss subjects such as
1) new data about lightning behavior, 2) personnel safety, 3) protection for
all types of facilities and structures, 4) favorite WWW lightning resources,
and 5) problems and solutions to difficult lightning situations. To join, go
to:
http://www.findmail.com/list/lightning-safety
or
http://www.lightningsafety.com
and sign up. Anyone with questions, should contact the manager of this list by
e-mail: rich@lightningsafety.com.
The California Earthquake Safety Foundation is seeking nominations for the 1999 Alfred E. Alquist Award for Achievements in Earthquake Safety. The award recognizes individuals and/or organizations who have made outstanding contributions to seismic safety in California. Awards are given in such areas as basic and applied research, education, volunteer services, and program implementation. Awards are open to any individuals or groups active in promoting earthquake safety. Posthumous awards are not given.
Letters describing a nominee's background and accomplishments should be sent to the California Earthquake Safety Foundation, c/o George Mader, Spangle Associates, 3240 Alpine Road, Portola Valley, CA 94208, and should be submitted before November 20, 1998. For more information, contact George Mader at the above address, or phone (650) 854-6001; fax: (650) 854-6070; e-mail: mader.spangle@batnet.com.
The Organization of American States, Unit of Sustainable Development and Environment, along with the United Nations International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction Secretariat and the United Nations Development Program, is hosting a "Virtual Conference on the Hemispheric Plan for Disaster Reduction in the Education Sector" October 19-23, 1998, via the Internet. The objective of the conference is to promote the implementation of the "Hemispheric Action Plan for Vulnerability Reduction in the Education Sector to Socio-Natural Disasters." The components/topics include "Academic Aspects," "Public Participation," and "Physical Infrastructure." For information about the conference or to register, contact the Natural Hazards Project, Unit of Sustainable Development and Environment, Organization of American States, 1889 F Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006; e-mail: natural-hazards-project@oas.org; tel: (202) 458-6295; fax: (202) 458-3560.
OAS, in conjunction with several other international agencies, is also hosting
three regional workshops to further the aims of and develop "action plans"
regarding the "Summit Conference on Sustainable Cities," held in Bolivia in
1996. A principal theme will be the reduction of vulnerability of
transportation infrastructure, potable water and sanitation, and electric
energy to natural hazards. The workshops will each focus on a different Latin
American Region:
Southern Cone: Mendoza, Argentina: September 17-18, 1998
Andean Region: Santafe de Bogota, Colombia: October 15-16, 1998
Central America: San Jose, Costa Rica: October 27-28, 1998.
For more information, contact the address above.
The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of USAID seeks an ARA for their Africa Regional Office (ARO).
Responsibilities: The ARA will coordinate disaster response activities and formulate disaster preparedness, mitigation, and training programs. The ARA will travel to affected areas, assess needs and responses, make recommendations, serve as liaison with U.S. embassies, host governments, NGOs, and IOs, and manage OFDA's varied responses. The ARA will also develop opportunities for mitigation and training of other response entities.
Qualifications: Strong technical, programmatic and organizational skills. Field experience with at least 3-5 years of demonstrated Africa-based field experience with USAID/PVO/NGO/IOs. Understanding of USG disaster assistance activities helpful. Masters degree in a related field and/or relevant training and comparable work experience required. Demonstrated ability to work independently. Proficiency in French, Portuguese, Swahili, or Arabic essential. Travel under hazardous conditions may be required. The candidate must be a U.S. citizen. Employment is contingent on the candidate's ability to qualify for a U.S. government secret clearance.
Salary Range: $51,003 to $78,351.
Closing Date: July 24.
Contact an OFDA recruiter at XL Associates; e-mail: ofda@xla.com; fax: (301) 770-2354; tel: (800) 844-0090. More information and an application are available at: http://www.xla.com/ofda.
Below are recent conference announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. 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
Emergency Information Management and Communications. Offered by: Department of Engineering Professional Development, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, Wisconsin: August 10-14, 1998. Contact: Department of Engineering Professional Development, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 432 Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706; 1-800-462-0876; e-mail: dmc@engr.wisc.edu; WWW: http://epdwww.engr.wisc.edu/.
Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA) Annual Conference. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: September 14-17, 1998. Includes a preconference seminar on creating hazard mitigation and emergency management plans for building departments. Contact: BOCA, 4051 West Flossmoor Road, Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795; (708) 799-2300, ext. 248; WWW: http://www.bocai.org.
Fundamentals of Seismic Design. Offered by: Department of Engineering Professional Development, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, Wisconsin: September 23-25, 1998. Contact: Department of Engineering Professional Development, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 432 North Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706; 1-800-462-0876; fax: (608) 263-3160; e-mail: dmc@engr.wisc.edu; WWW: http://epdwww.engr.wisc.edu/.
Critical Incident Stress Management Workshops. Offered by: International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). Houston, Texas: September 24-27, 1998. Contact: ICISF, 10176 Baltimore National Pike, Unit 201, Ellicott City, MD 21042; (410) 750-9600; fax: (410) 750-9601.
1998 International Snow Science Workshop. Bend, Oregon: September 27-October 1, 1998. Contact: ISSW Registration Committee, ISSW '98, Stevens Pass Inc., P.O. Box 98 Skykomish, WA 98288; http://www.issw.noaa.gov.
Critical Incident Stress Management Workshops. Offered by: International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). Seattle, Washington: October 1-4, 1998. Contact: ICISF, 10176 Baltimore National Pike, Unit 201, Ellicott City, MD 21042; (410) 750-9600; fax: (410) 750-9601.
Flood Hazard Simulation: A Short Course on Floods and Mud/Debris Flow Modeling. Organized by: Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State University. Salt Lake City, Utah: October 5-7, 1998. Contact: Henrietta Cullinane, Colorado State University, Office of Conference Services, Fort Collins, CO 80523-8037; (970) 491-7501; fax: (970) 491-3568; e-mail: ocsreg@ocslan.sacc.colostate.edu.
Year 2000 and EURO Summit. Rome, Italy: October 15-16, 1998. Contact: Phebe Archer, President, Connect, Via Lorenzo Valla 40, 00152 Rome, Italy; tel: 011 (39-6) 5809690; fax: 011 (39-6) 5880851; e-mail: info@y2k-summit.com; WWW: http://www.y2k-summit.com.
International Conference on Marine Disasters: Forecast and Reduction. Sponsored and Organized by: National Marine Environment Forecast Center, China; State Oceanic Administration, China; in Cooperation with: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA. Beijing, China: November 2-5, 1998. The conference will be conducted in English. Contact: Jihui Yan, National Marine Environment Forecasting Center, P.R. China; tel: (86) (10) 6217 3598; fax: (86) (10) 6217 3620; e-mail: Yanjh@axp800.nmefc.gov.cn -or- Dr. Max Coon, NorthWest Research Associates, Inc.; tel: (425) 644-9660; fax: (425) 644-8422; e-mail: max@nwra.com; WWW: http://www.nwra.com/nwra/mar_dis_conf98/
International Seminar About Population Resettlements. Organized by: Antioquia Presente Corporation. Medellin, Colombia: November 11-13, 1998. Contact: Antioquia Presente Corporation; (4) 313 5757; fax: (4) 313 76 93 or 313 11 04; e-mail: capresente@epm.net.co.
Local Authorities Confronting Disasters and Emergencies (LACDE) 1998 Annual Conference. Vina del Mar, Chile: November 30-December 3, 1998. Contact: Conference Secretariat, Av. Carlos Antunez 2610, Providencia, Santiago, Chile; tel: +56-2 335-5450; fax: +56-2 234-1437; e-mail: transver@entelchile.net; WWW: http://www.achm.cl/LACDE -or- LACDE, Union of Local Authorities in Israel, 3 Heftman Street, Tel Aviv 61200, Israel P.O.B. 20040; tel: 972-3-695- 5024; fax: 972-3-691-6821; e-mail: ulais@netvision.net.il; WWW: http://www.ladpc.gov.il.
Disaster '99 International Disaster Management Conference: "Examining Your Disaster Readiness." Sponsors: Florida Emergency Medical Foundation and others. St. Petersburg, Florida: February 11-14, 1999. Contact: Florida Emergency Medicine Foundation, 3717 South Conway Road, Orlando, FL 32812; 1-800-766-6335 -or- (407) 2817396; fax: (407) 281-4407; WWW: http://www.fcep.org.
Third Annual American Wetlands Month Conference and Roundtables: Communities
Working for Wetlands.
New Orleans, Louisiana: February 18-20, 1999
San Francisco, California: March 18-20, 1999
Indianapolis, Indiana: April 8-10, 1999
Boston, Massachusetts: May 6-8, 1999
Deadline for presentation proposals: September 25, 1998. Contact: Terrene
Institute, 4 Herbert Street, Alexandria, VA 22305; (703) 548-5473; fax: (703)
548-6299; e-mail: terrinst@aol.com; WWW: http://www.terrene.org.
Fifth U.S. Conference on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering. Sponsor: American Society of Civil Engineers Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering. Seattle, Washington: August 12-14, 1999. For information on the conference programs, contact: Don Ballantyne, EQE International, 1411 4th Avenue Building, Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98101; (206) 442-0695; fax: (206) 624- 8268; e-mail: dbballan@eqe.com -or- Tom O'Rourke, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, 273 Hollister Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-3501; (607) 255-6470; fax: (607) 255-9004; e-mail: tdo1@cornell.edu. For information about conference registration and logistics, contact Andrea Dargush, Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER), Red Jacket Quadrangle, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14261-0025; (716) 645-3391; fax: (716) 645-3399; e-mail: dargush@acsu.buffalo.edu.
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