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Has the legal definition or interpretation of an "act of God" changed
or evolved either by legislation or court decisions over the last
decade or so? Thanks for any guidance you can provide,
Ian Burton
E-mail: Ian.Burton@ec.gc.ca
My name is Johannes Boeckelmann and I am studying civil engineering at
the University of Karlsruhe. I am currently preparing a paper on
"economical approaches to removal and reconstruction of structures
after a seismic event." If you have any information that would help me
answer this question, I would greatly appreciate it. The following
points are of particular interest: precontracts, lifelines,
priorities, general idea. Additionally, if you know anyone who might
be able to address these questions, references would also be greatly
appreciated.
Sincerely,
Johannes Boeckelmann
Blumenstr. 7
76744 Woerth
Germany
E-mail: ugij@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de
I am a 50+ Jungian psychology student researching Native American
myths about tornados. I have not been able to find any. If anyone
knows of any myths or could connect me to anyone who might, please
e-mail me. Thanks!
Martha Blake
E-mail: blakema@worldnet.att.net
On October 21, President Clinton signed into law legislation appropriating funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other independent agencies for fiscal year 1999. Among its numerous appropriations, Public Law 105-276 provides:
The legislation also requires the United States Fire Administration to conduct a 12-month pilot project to promote the installation and maintenance of smoke detectors in high-risk residential fire areas.
The complete text of the bill can be obtained from most federal depository libraries or via the Internet at http://thomas.loc.gov, the Library of Congress Web site.
In October, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced in the Federal Register policies and procedures governing its Disaster Recovery Initiative (see DR #235), a program to aid communities that receive presidential disaster declarations. Initiative funds support activities of other federal agencies but cannot be used for programs supported by FEMA, the Small Business Administration, or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They are to be used primarily to benefit persons of low or moderate income through the redevelopment of viable urban communities by providing "decent housing and a suitable living environment" to victims of a disaster.
Public Law 105-174 provides $130 million for this initiative, making funds available until October 1, 2001. It requires HUD to allocate funds to states based on unmet needs identified by the FEMA director. These unmet needs can fall under four categories: housing, business recovery, mitigation, and public works and facilities. The legislation also requires each state to contribute 25% matching funds "or its equivalent value."
The public notice can be found in the October 22, 1998 issue of the Federal Register (Vol. 63, No. 204, pp. 56764-60344). For further information about the Disaster Recovery Initiative, contact Jan C. Opper, Office of Block Grant Assistance, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 7286, 451 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20410; (202) 708-3587; fax: (202) 401-2044.
As of November 1998, the American and Canadian Pacific Northwest region may be a little safer and better prepared for emergencies and disasters, because Congress approved and President Clinton signed into law the Pacific Northwest Emergency Management Arrangement, an agreement among the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory.
The agreement, Public Law 105-381, establishes a Western Regional Emergency Management Advisory Committee, which includes one member appointed by each signatory. It allows the authorities of each signatory to "seek the advice, cooperation, or assistance of any other Signatory in any civil emergency matter," and allows a signatory to request alleviation of laws that may hinder or delay the rapid execution of civil emergency measures. In addition to numerous legal and logistical measures, the plan requires each signatory to "exchange contact lists, warning and notification plans, and selected emergency plans and to call to the attention of their respective local governments and other jurisdictional authorities "the desirability of compatibility of civil emergency plans and the exchange of contact lists, warning and notification plans, and selected emergency plans."
Copies of the legislation can found at your local federal repository library or on-line at the Library of Congress Web site: http://thomas.loc.gov.
The National Institute of Building Sciences recently established the Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) to promote the reduction of losses caused by natural and other hazards through improved risk mitigation strategies, guidelines, practices, and related efforts. The council has broad interests, but particularly addresses the concerns and responsibilities of public- and private-sector entities involved with structural and lifeline research, planning, design, construction, regulation, and management. MMC supports multihazard risk reduction by existing organizations so that these measures are part of established activities rather than separate efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently awarded a contract to the MMC to complete its organizational work, establish a membership base, finalize a five-year plan, and organize a broad peer review of the National Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan recently submitted to Congress by FEMA. The MMC will also advise FEMA about criteria for successful mitigation projects, including methods for assessing true costs and benefits and for ranking mitigation activities and projects. Currently, the MMC includes representatives from the American Red Cross, the National Association of Home Builders, the insurance industry, the research community, local planning and building departments, private corporations, state emergency service agencies, and the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
For more information, contact the MMC, 1090 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-7800; fax: (202) 289-1092; e-mail: thollenbach@nibs.org.
The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) is undertaking a major long-range planning effort - "NSF Geosciences Beyond 2000: A Window on the First Decade" - to determine cutting-edge issues in the geosciences and the scope of programs and activities that the directorate should address from 2001 to 2010. A draft outline and other material is currently posted on the GEO home page at http://www.geo.nsf.gov/adgeo/geo2000. As the plan develops, additional material will be posted at this site.
GEO Beyond 2000 will be developed with extensive input from the geosciences community, including a GEO Beyond 2000 Working Group, the Advisory Committee for Geosciences, and through outreach activities such as GEO 2000 Town Meetings scheduled to be conducted at upcoming professional society meetings.
Interested persons can send their thoughts and suggestions and generally have input into GEO's long-range planning process by sending an e-mail message, with the subject "GEO 2000" to geo@nsf.gov.
[For comprehensive lists of university offerings in emergency and disaster management, see http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/colleges/colleges.html -and- http://www.fema.gov/EMI/edu]
I) Latin America Graduate Study Program in Disasters
[Adapted from "Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas" - a newsletter of the Pan American Health Organization]
The Faculty of Latin American and Social Sciences (FLACSO) and the Network of Social Studies in Disaster Prevention in Latin America (LA RED) are offering a Masters of Social Science in Disasters and Risk Management degree for either part-time or full-time students. The deadline for applications is January 15, 1999. Detailed information is available on-line from http://www.itdg.org.pe/maestria, or by e-mail from andrew@itdg.org.pe.
II) Masters Degree Programme in Disaster Management from the Disaster Management Centre, Cranfield University
Subject to Cranfield University's Senate approval, the Disaster Management Centre (CDMC) at Cranfield will begin offering a program enabling current disaster managers, or those who may have future responsibilities, to gain a broad and detailed understanding of disasters and the skills needed to manage them and reduce risks. The centre aims to offer a "well-rounded degree that maintains a balance between theory and practice, pre- and post-disaster planning, 'natural' and human-made disasters, fast and slow onset hazards, and first- and third-world experience and conditions." For a more complete description of this program, contact the Disaster Management Centre, Cranfield University, RMCS, Shrivenham, Swindon, Wiltshire SN6 8LA, U.K.; tel: +44 1793 785287; fax: +44 1793 785883; e-mail: disprep@rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk.
I) Multi-Language Glossary on Natural Disasters
The "Multi-Language Glossary on Natural Disasters," 1996, edited by Kenzo Toki of Kyoto University, has been published as an activity of the Japan National Committee of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). The 490-page glossary provides equivalent natural disaster terms in Japanese, English, French, and Spanish. Dr. Toki is presently editing an Asian version of the glossary that will provide equivalent terms in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. Copies of the "Multi-Language Glossary on Natural Disasters" (Tokyo: Japan National Committee for IDNDR, Urban Safety Research Institute, 1996) are available from: Dr. Kenzo Toki, Dean, Graduate School of Civil Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida Hon-machi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-01, Japan; tel: 81-75-753-5131; fax: 81-75-762-2005; e-mail: toki@quake.kuciv.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
II) Draft Disaster Management Glossary
[Adapted from "Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas" - a newsletter of the Pan American Health Organization]
The United Nations Centre for Human Settlement (Habitat) in Kenya and the Disaster and Emergency Reference Centre in the Netherlands have developed a draft "Disaster Management Glossary." The terms are multi- disciplinary, and most entries are coded according to disaster management sector (general, technological, natural, human settlement, emergency response, wildfire, etc.). Copies are available from the Disaster and Emergency Reference Centre (DERC), P.O. Box 338, 2600 AH, Delft, The Netherlands; fax: (3115) 278 4408; e-mail: disaster.derc@usa.net.
http://www.idndr.org
The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR)
has launched this new Web site, which includes background information
about the Decade, IDNDR highlights, summaries of recent activities and
descriptions of upcoming events, as well as various documents,
statistics, and maps.
http://peer.berkeley.edu
The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Center (PEER) recently
launched the "PEER Center News" - a quarterly publication that
supersedes the "Earthquake Engineering Research Center News" and
focuses on PEER's current activities and projects. "PEER Center News"
is free of charge and available by subscription. It is also now
available on-line at the URL above. To subscribe, contact: PEER,
University of California-Berkeley, 1301 South 46th Street, Richmond,
CA 98404-4698; (510) 231-9554; fax: 510-231-9461; e-mail:
eerclib@eerc.ce.berkeley.edu.
http://www.ciao.gov
http://www.ciao.gov/research.html
The Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office (CIAO) was
established by President Clinton in May 1998 to develop a national
plan to protect the services that we depend on daily:
telecommunications, banking and finance, electric power,
transportation, gas and oil, emergency services, and government
services (see DR #272). This initiative requires strong partnerships
between the public and private sectors, specifically in the areas of
policy formation and information sharing. An initial CIAO report,
"Preliminary Research and Development Roadmap for Protecting and
Assuring Critical National Infrastructures," is now available on the
Web at the URL above.
http://www.fragilecologies.com/mglantz/
For many years, Mickey Glantz of the Environmental and Societal
Impacts Group, National Center for Atmospheric Research, has been
writing insightful essays (both in professional journals and for local
newspapers) on the human dimensions of climate/meteorological hazards.
This Web site gathers many of those writings, including an interesting
recent piece about Hurricane Mitch.
http://www.sinfo.net/cepredenac/simposio/
In October, to mark its tenth anniversary, the Center for
Disaster Prevention and Coordination in Central America, CEPREDENAC,
hosted a symposium on "Mitigation of Disasters: A Contribution to
Sustainable Development in Central America." A full summary of this
event, including topics discussed, conclusions, and recommendations,
is available from the CEPREDENAC Web site above.
http://www.cne.go.cr
The Web site of the Comision Nacional de Emergencia in Costa Rica
could serve as a model for any regional, national, or local hazards/
disaster Web site. This Spanish-language site includes a wealth of
disaster and emergency information, and, of particular note, an "Atlas
de Amanazas Naturales," with detailed hazards maps for each Costa
Rican province.
http://hrrc.tamu.edu/ircd.html
The Web site for the International Research Committee on
Disasters of the International Sociological Association provides
information about the committee's purpose, structure, and members;
copies of the newsletter "Unscheduled Events"; the table of contents,
subscription and submission information for the "International Journal
of Mass Emergencies and Disasters"; and a list of related Web sites.
http://www.riskreports.com
Felix Kloman, the editor of "Risk Management Reports" has created
a "personal compendium of individuals and organizations that teach
some form of a broad, holistic and strategic form of risk management"
and has made it available on this site. He has asked that interested
persons review the list and offer possible corrections, deletions, or
additions. For more information, contact Felix Kloman, Editor, Risk
Management Reports, 61 Ely's Ferry Road, Lyme, CT 06371-3408, (860)
434-2917; fax: (860) 434-3917; e-mail:
fkloman@aol.com.
majordomo@new-focus.org
The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) has
initiated a Y2K discussion list for emergency managers to share
thoughts and concerns about the Y2K problem. To join, send an e-mail
message to "majordomo@new-focus.org" with the message "subscribe
iaem-y2k" (with nothing on the "subject" line). You will receive an
e-mail message asking you to confirm your registration. Anyone
interested in emergency management and Y2K is invited to join.
sar-dogs-subscribe-request@apple.ease.lsoft.com
http://www.drizzle.com/~danc/FAQ
http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/sar-dogs.html
For those of you involved in the use of canines in search and
rescue, there is an on-going discussion list to which you can
subscribe by e-mailing the first address above. A compendium of
frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the list is available at the
second URL. A Web-based archive of present and past discussions is
available from the third.
http://www.dejanews.com/group.dejanews.members.region.dalep1.complexity-
disasters
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/DALEP1/
The forum at the first URL is being launched to discuss the
application of research on complex and chaotic systems to disasters,
and to translate academic discussion into field application. As
touchstones, the forum draws from a couple of works recently produced
by the Los Alamos National Laboratory:
http://www.fema.gov/nwz98/98370.htm
This news page from FEMA suggests "Holiday Gifts to Make Holidays
and Coming New Year More Disaster-Resistant." (As FEMA says,
fruitcake is passe, buying another tie seems uncreative, and the
Beanie Baby collection is already too big.)
The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) is conducting an on-line survey to provide information to the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion. Emergency Managers are invited to take a minute at the IAEM Web site, http://www.emassociation.org, to provide information about their preparedness and remaining issues. In addition, this is a good site to begin looking for Y2K information.
The Center for Public Management and the Emergency Administration and Planning Program at the University of North Texas seek a person to coordinate training and professional development for public- and private-sector emergency managers in a variety of settings. The position is a professional appointment at the university that requires at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field plus experience in emergency management. The position also requires good computer and communication skills; Web design and adult learning/training experience is preferred. The salary is $35,000 per year plus generous benefits. Applicants should send a letter of interest, resume, and salary history to: Search Committee, EADP Professional Development Coordinator, University of North Texas, P.O. Box 310617, Denton, TX 76203-0617. Review of applications begins January 22 and continues until the position is filled. UNT is an EEO/AA employer.
The University of California Cooperative Extension seeks a "Forest Products Advisor - Urban/Wildland Interface Fire Mitigation, Forest Products Laboratory, Richmond, California." This is a career-track academic position beginning at the Assistant to Associate level. Emphasis is on mitigation of damage to buildings from wildfires through both building modification and vegetation management. An appropriate graduate degree (Ph.D. preferred) is required. An applicant must have the ability to conduct applied research, analyze data, communicate findings, and have knowledge of educational methods, with demonstrated oral and written communication skills. For a complete job description and application form, contact Erika Rawlins, University of California Cooperative Extension, DANR-North Central Region, Davis, CA 95616-8575; (530) 754-8587. Refer to job announcement #ANC-98-01. Closing date is January 31, 1999.
Through its EMForum Web site ( http://www.emforum.org), the Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) offers "Round Table" discussions on Tuesdays at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. That time slot is available for Partner discussions upon request. Additionally, in December the EIIP is offering:
December 9: Panelists from FEMA's Preparedness Directorate, including Kay Goss, Executive Associate Director, will discuss outreach on the Y2K issue to states and locals through partners such as the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA).
December 16: Browse the EIIP Virtual Catalogue for last minute Christmas gifts suggested by partners - should be a fun time!
To participate, log-in to the Virtual Forum: http://www.emforum.org. First-time users simply use the link on the Virtual Forum home page to create a "User Account" and personal password (all lower case) and follow instructions. Questions or comments should be directed to Avagene Moore, EIIP Coordinator; e-mail: amoore@emforum.org -or- Amy Sebring, EIIP Technical Projects Coordinator; e-mail: asebring@emforum.org.
[Below are some recent 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]
Y2K - Scenarios and Strategies: Coping with Disruptions and Managing Long-Term Consequences. Sponsor: World Future Society. Washington, D.C.: December 16-17, 1998. Contact: (301) 656-8274 ; WWW: http://www.wfs.org/wfs/y2kconf.htm.
*NOTE NEW DATES*
Interagency Workshop to Analyze Health Sector Response to the Major
1998 Hurricanes Georges and Mitch. Organizers: Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO). Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic: February 9-12, 1999. All information about this
meeting, including the agenda and registration forms, is now available
on the PAHO Web site:
http://www.paho.org/english/ped/pedhome.htm
(look under "Important Meetings"). If you prefer, text versions of the
material can be sent by e-mail; contact
thomasan@paho.org. Information
will be available through the Internet only. Space is limited and
registration closes December 31.
Third Inter-American Dialogue on Water Resources. Panama City, Panama: March 21-25, 1999. Contact: Conference Organizer, CATHALAC, Casa 152- A, P.O. Box 873372, Zona 7, Panama City, Panama; fax: 1-507-2283311; WWW: http://www2.usma.ac.pa/~cathalac/.
Floodplain Management Association (FMA) Spring Conference: "Technology and Modernization in Floodplain Management." San Diego, California: March 24-26, 1999. Abstracts are due December 28. Contact: Laura Hromadka, Conference Coordinator, FMA, P.O. Box 2972, Mission Viejo, CA 92692; (949) 766-8112; fax: (949) 459-8364; e-mail: fmalaura@pacbell.net.
First International Congress on Emergencies and Care of Critical Patients. Sponsors: World Health Organization and many others. Havana, Cuba: April 14-17, 1999. Contact: Alvaro Sosa Acosta; fax: (537) 33- 3918; e-mail: vmas@infomed.sld.cu.
American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Spring Specialty Conference: "Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change to Water Resources of the United States." Atlanta, Georgia: May 10-12, 1999. Abstracts due December 18, 1998. Contact: AWRA, 950 Herndon Parkway, Suite 300, Herndon, VA 20170-5531; (703) 904-1225; fax: (703) 904-1228; e-mail: awrahq@aol.com; WWW: http://www.awra.org.
1999 Wisconsin Emergency Management Association (WEMA) Conference. Green Bay, Wisconsin: May 26-27, 1999. Contact: Wayne Baetsen, WEMA President, (715) 478-3430.
Workshop on Drought, Desertification, and Relationship with the El Nino Phenomenon. Santiago, Chile: May/June 1999. Contact: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Secretariat, Geneva Executive Center, 11/13 Chemin des Anemones, 1219 Chatelain/Geneva, Switzerland; fax: (41-22) 917 80 30/1; e-mail: secretariat@unccd.ch.
Hemispheric International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) Meeting for the Americas: Towards a Reduction in the Impact of Disasters in the 21st Century. San Jose, Costa Rica: June 1-5, 1999. Contact: Helena Molin Valdes, IDNDR Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, c/o Pan American Health Organization, P.O. Box 3745-1000, San Jose, Costa Rica; tel: (506) 257-3141; fax: (506) 257- 2139; e-mail: hmolin@undpcos.nu.or.cr.
International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference. Sponsors: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and others. Towson, Maryland: June 3-6, 1999. Contact: Professional Development Department, IAFC, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033-2868; (703) 273-0911; fax: (703) 273-9363; e-mail: education@iafc.org; WWW: http://www.iafc.org/conference.
Disaster Prevention, Land-use Planning and Sustainable Development: An International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) Conference. Somewhere in France, we presume: Sometime in June. Sponsored by: French National Government and others. Contact: Scott Weber, IDNDR Secretariat, United Nations, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41-22) 740-0377, 798-6894; fax: (41-22) 733-8695; e-mail: scott.weber@dha.unicc.org.
Response 99. Sponsors: National Association of Search and Rescue, International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and others. Orlando, Florida: June 16-19, 1999. Contact: Professional Development Department, IAFC, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033-2868; (703) 273-0911; fax: (703) 273-9363; e-mail: education@iafc.org; WWW: http://www.iafc.org/conference.
American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Summer Specialty Conference: "Science into Policy: Water in the Public Realm" and "Wildland Hydrology." Bozeman, Montana: June 30-July 2, 1999. Contact: AWRA, 950 Herndon Parkway, Suite 300, Herndon, VA 20170-5531; (703) 904-1225; fax: (703) 904-1228; e-mail: awrahq@aol.com; WWW: http://www.awra.org.
Twelfth International Disaster Management Course. Offered by the Cranfield Disaster Management Centre. July 27-August 26, 1999. Shrivenham, Swindon, Wiltshire, U.K. Enrollment is limited to 35 participants. Contact: Administrator, Disaster Management Centre, Cranfield University, RMCS, Shrivenham, Swindon, Wiltshire SN6 8LA, U.K.; tel: +44 1793 785287; fax: +44 1793 785883; e-mail: disprep@rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk.
Fire-Rescue International. Sponsors: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and others. Kansas City, Missouri: August 28-31, 1999. Contact: Professional Development Department, IAFC, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033-2868; (703) 273-0911; fax: (703) 273-9363; e-mail: education@iafc.org; WWW: http://www.iafc.org/conference.
1999 Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Emergency Management. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: September 30-October 1, 1999. Contact: Diane Kleiboer, Wisconsin Emergency Management, P.O. Box 7865, 2400 Wright Street, Madison, WI 53707-7865; (608) 242-3200.
Second International Disaster and Emergency Readiness Conference and Exhibition and Fifth International Emergency Planning Conference. Offered by: Andrich International Ltd. The Hague, The Netherlands: October 12-14, 1999. Abstracts are due January 10, 1999. Contact: Andrich International Ltd, 51 Market Place, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 9AZ, U.K.; tel: +44 (0) 1985 846181; fax +44 (0) 1985 846163; e-mail: ider@andrich.com; WWW: http://www.andrich.com/ider.
Third Canada/Australia/U.S. Fire Safety Summit. Sydney, Australia: November 1-4, 1999. Contact: Maria Greenlee, International Association of Wildland Fire, East 8109 Bratt Road, Fairfield, Washington 99012; (509) 523-4003; fax: (509) 523-5001; e-mail: greenlee@cet.com.
American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Spring Specialty International Conference: "Water Resources in Extreme Environments." Anchorage, Alaska: April 30-May 4, 2000. Contact: AWRA, 950 Herndon Parkway, Suite 300, Herndon, VA 20170-5531; (703) 904-1225; fax: (703) 904-1228; e-mail: awrahq@aol.com; WWW: http://www.awra.org.
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