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South Africa has a draft bill on disaster management open for public comment (check it out on http://www.polity.org.co.za). The question I'm most interested in is what (at federal and state level) do governments in other countries oblige/demand in terms of disaster- related information from other government departments, the private sector, university research institutes, etc.?
The phrasing of the current bill is . . . The (disaster management) centre "may, by notice in writing, request any organ of state or other person in possession of information required by the Centre . . . to provide such information free of charge to the Centre within a period demanded by the Centre."
In U.S. disaster/hazard-related legislation, is "disaster information" (if there is such a thing) defined precisely? Is proprietary information protected? Insurance information? Cutting edge research? Or are there specific definitions of say "early warning messages for hurricanes" . . . etc.?
We'd be grateful for any suggestions/reactions or clarifications with respect to this specific query on disaster information, and would welcome hearing from anyone who has experience in advising on the precise formulations of disaster legislation language - particularly that which aims at managing/reducing disaster risk.
Thank you,
Ailsa Holloway
Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences
University of Cape Town
E-mail: holloway@enviro.uct.ac.za
Best wishes,
Mariam Mayet
E-mail: mmayet@global.co.za
Of most interest at this time is the structure of such papers or publications; such earlier work will help us to develop the best format without re-inventing the wheel. Any information about interesting material on the subject will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Hans Zimmermann
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
E-mail: hans.zimmermann@ties.itu.int
Tel: +41 22 917-3516; Fax +41 22 917-0208.
In forming this network, MCEER has taken its lead from the many productive cooperative business alliances established in corporate America in recent years. MCEER's program features three levels of membership: Flagship Partner, Premier Partner, and Partner - each with it's own array of network benefits. It also includes Specialty Interest Groups (SIGs) or "communities of interest," centered around various technologies being studied by researchers at MCEER. These include:
Lee added that SIG membership will represent the complete technology "application chain" - manufacturers, consultants, architects, engineers and other practitioners, computer software developers, technology end-users, and facility owners in business, industry, and government. Groups are designed to encourage networking and development of mutually beneficial initiatives among participants and center researchers. Plans are to open membership with an initial focus on the structural control and simulation SIG and to hold future informational symposia with professionals interested in technologies represented in the program's other Specialty Interest Groups.
MCEER's Strategic Partnerships Network offers a variety of annual benefits to members, including: access to MCEER researchers and students; preferred enrollment in the center's Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) short courses; early access to research results and new state-of-the-art ideas, concepts, and methodologies; preferred access to MCEER experimental facilities and equipment; and opportunities for members to advance their company's product development needs through collaborative research with MCEER researchers, fellow partners, and government agencies. Areas of MCEER research expertise include: seismology; geotechnical, structural and risk engineering; architecture and urban planning; structural control and technologies; materials science; sociology; economics; and public policy. Members also become part of MCEER's User Advisory Network, providing input to the center's research program, and receive additional benefits, including educational seminars, publications, and information services. Flagship and Premier Partners receive further extended benefits.
For additional information on the MCEER Strategic Partnerships Network, contact Donald J. Goralski, MCEER, University at Buffalo, Red Jacket Quadrangle, Buffalo, NY 14261; (716) 645-3391, ext. 108; fax: (716) 645-3399; e-mail: goralski@acsu.buffalo.edu; WWW: http://mceer.buffalo.edu.
Following a federal disaster declaration, state and local communities are eligible for federal disaster assistance to rebuild or repair public buildings, such as schools, government offices, and other structures. Generally, the state or local community pays 25% of the cost to repair or rebuild, and the federal government pays the remainder.
At issue is whether or not state and local government would need to carry a certain level of insurance on their buildings in order to receive funding to repair those structures in the event of a declared disaster. The advance notice specifically seeks feedback from potentially affected communities and other stakeholders. Of particular interest is feedback about what insurance maximums, minimums, and deductibles are appropriate, as well as appropriate criteria for communities that wish to self-insure their properties. If approved, the rule would be phased in over 36 months.
Written comments should be sent to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of the General Counsel, FEMA, 500 C Street, S.W., Room 840, Washington, D.C. 20472. Comments can also be faxed to (202) 646-4536 or e-mailed to rules@fema.gov.
To help carry out its strategic goals, FEMA awards a variety of grants
and cooperative agreements to state and local governments. The agency
recently instituted a grant consolidation effort in order to maximize
flexibility, increase accountability, and ensure consistency in the
reporting process. The agency is soliciting written comments to:
(a) Evaluate whether the proposed data collection is necessary for
the proper performance of its responsibilities, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected;
(d) Minimize the burden of information collection on those who
must respond, including permitting electronic submission of responses
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of
information technology; and
(e) Help FEMA to more accurately identify and quantify respondent
costs.
Comments are due on or before April 24, 2000, and written comments should be sent to Muriel B. Anderson, FEMA Information Collections Officer, FEMA, 500 C Street, S.W., Room 316, Washington, DC 20472; (202) 646-2625; fax: (202) 646-3524; e-mail: muriel.anderson@fema.gov. Ms. Anderson can also be contacted for copies of the proposed collection of information.
Additional information is available from Arlene Ramsey, Office of Financial Management, FEMA, 500 C Street, S.W., Room 350, Washington, DC 20472; (202) 646-4531.
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qr125/qr125.html
A new Hazards Center "Quick Response" study is also now available
on the center's Web site:
QR125: California Citrus Freeze of December 1998: Place, Perception and Choice - Developing a Disaster Reconstruction Model, by John P. Tiefenbacher, Ronald R. Hagelman, III, and Reno J. Cecora.
A complete list of quick response reports is available at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qr.html.
http://www.pubs.asce.org
The premier issue of the new American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE)/Natural Hazards Center journal, Natural Hazards Review (see
DR #304), is now available free at the Web address above. The
publishers describe this as "the first cross-disciplinary journal to
address all aspects of natural hazards loss and cost reduction."
http://www.redcross.org/disaster/safety/langrel.html
http://www.redcross.org/disaster/safety/prepare.html
The Council for Disaster Preparedness is an organization
chartered by the American Red Cross Board of Governors to implement an
integrated disaster preparedness plan for the Bay Area of California.
To aid the polyglot population of that region, the council has
recently translated several popular disaster preparedness brochures
into Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, Japanese, Korean, Spanish,
Tagalog, and Vietnamese and made them available on-line. To gain more
information about these materials - which include items specifically
designed for other special populations, such as children, the elderly,
and people with disabilities - see the second Web site listed above.
http://www.nrel.gov/surviving_disaster
Among its many missions, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL) includes the integration of sustainable development and
renewable energy into disaster preparedness, response, relief,
recovery, and mitigation. This portion of the lab's Web site
highlights technology, programs, publications, and other resources to
further that end.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/stormready/index.htm
Many laws and regulations have been created to help local
emergency managers deal with hazardous material spills, search and
rescue operations, medical crises, etc., but there are relatively few
uniformly recognized standards dealing with hazardous weather
response. Recognizing this need, the National Weather Service (NWS),
has created a program to help cities, counties, and other local
governments implement procedures to reduce the potential for
weather-related disasters. By participating in "StormReady," local
agencies can earn recognition for their jurisdiction by meeting
voluntary criteria established by the NWS in partnership with federal,
state, and local emergency management professionals. The StormReady
criteria are intended to:
http://www.naturalhazards.org
This well-designed site provides quick access to basic
information on all types of natural hazards. For each hazard,
information about the locations and seasons of greatest risk is
provided, as well as links to selected Web sites and educational
products. A glossary of associated terms is also included.
http://pr.water.usgs.gov/public/webb/ven_1
At this site, the U.S. Geological Survey offers a slide show
depicting the effects of the Venezuela flash flood and landslide
disaster of last December. The presentation consists of a series of 42
photographs, maps, satellite images, and a table of rainfall data. The
photos show landslides, flash flood deposits, damaged roads, houses,
apartment buildings, industrial facilities, and other structures.
http://www.gpc.peachnet.edu/~pgore/seismic.htm
Developed by Pamela Gore of Georgia Perimeter College for an
earthquake hazards workshop sponsored by the Mid America Earthquake
Center and held at Georgia Tech a couple of years ago, this site
offers an encyclopedic list of "Seismic Resources on the World Wide
Web."
http://www.fema.gov/nfip/crs.htm
The Community Rating System (CRS) is a program of the National
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that provides incentives (in the form
of reduced premiums) to communities that undertake various kinds flood
mitigation activities in excess of NFIP minimum standards. To support
the program, FEMA/NFIP has made many of the CRS publications and
guidelines available on the World Wide Web at the address above. Other
background information is available there, as well. Additional
supporting materials are available from the on-line FEMA Mitigation
Library (http://www.fema.gov/library/lib06.htm) and from the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers
(http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/functions/cw/cecwp/nfpc.htm).
Meanwhile, the Community Rating Task Force is considering special credit for communities that effectively provide local flood protection information via the Web, and the task force is gathering information on such resources. Therefore, the CRS Web site contractor is trying to determine what community sites exist and whether or not any research or data are available on their efficacy. Anyone with such information is asked to forward it to Les Bond, e-mail: bond@wazoo.com.
http://www.itc.nl/~prakash/coalfire/
Anupma Prakash, an assistant professor in the Geological Survey
Division of the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth
Sciences (ITC) in the Netherlands, has assembled this Web site
covering coal fires, a natural hazard that threatens coal mining areas
around the world. The site describes the risks associated with coal
fires, examines ongoing fires in India and China, answers frequently
asked questions (FAQs), and provides a fascinating photo gallery of
the phenomenon. Dr. Prakash is interested in receiving feedback on
this project and contacting other hazards professionals involved with
this hazard. Contact: Anupma Prakash, Geological Survey Division,
International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, P.O.
Box 6, 7500 AA Enschede, The Netherlands; tel: 31-53-4874286; fax:
31-53-4874336; e-mail: prakash@itc.nl.
http://www.nrdc.org/eamicus/00win/p16.htm
In its winter 2000 edition, the Natural Resources Defense
Council's quarterly magazine, The Amicus Journal includes an article
entitled "Bay of Pigs" by Phil Bowie that investigates the massive
water pollution that accompanied Hurricane Floyd flooding in North
Carolina. The pollution was primarily due to the siting of
corporation/industry-scale hog farms in floodplains.
http://www.osp.state.or.us/OEM/oem_home.htm
As a service to disaster/emergency managers everywhere, the State
of Oregon Emergency Management Office includes an "Employment
Exchange" section on its Web site that lists both current job openings
around the country and the resumes of individuals seeking employment
in this field. Anyone can list their information. For details, contact
Obhie Robinson, Disaster Planner, Oregon Emergency Management, e-mail:
orobinso@oem.state.or.us.
http://www.humanitariantimes.com/
The Humanitarian Times is an independent, nonprofit news service
establish by and for nongovernmental organizations to pool and share
information. It covers disasters and conflicts, human rights, early
warning, reconstruction and reconciliation, public health, famine,
foreign aid, and other disaster relief. Formerly available only by
e-mail (send subscription requests to HTimes@email.msn.com), the
newsletter, including back issues, is now available via the Web.
listserv@listserv.aol.com
Public Safety America has launched a new e-mail discussion list
addressing Multiple Casualty Incidents (MCI). The list is aimed at the
needs of planners, trainers, and commanders. To subscribe, send e-mail
to the address above with the message: subscribe MCI (your real name).
I have started a new, free Intranet aimed at providing content and resources to persons teaching emergency management. Just for fun I named it "Disasters for Dummies."
This is a prototype effort, which I am offering in the hopes that someday it may become a commercial venture, available on a fee-for- service basis. In the meantime, I will be glad to share some of the resources and contacts that I have acquired (the hard way), and I would be grateful for your contributions and feedback.
You can take a look at the Intranet setup (it is a free service) by going to http://www.intranets.com. Even with the constraints of the free Intranet service, it still is possible to:
Claire B. Rubin
P.O. Box 2208
Arlington, VA 22202
(703) 920-7176
E-mail: cbrubin@mindspring.com
The AEMF will provide a number of on-line services that revolve around its core features of an on-line discussion forum and chat facility. Each month the AEMF will host a one-hour interactive session on a particular topic in emergency management. It will also host a newsgroup-style discussion list, post transcripts and papers from previous discussions, and, of course, provide links to other emergency management resources on the Web.
Persons interested in participating in or learning more about the new Australia Emergency Management Forum should contact Ian Manock, Charles Sturt University; e-mail: aemf@csu.edu.au; tel: 02 63384907; fax: 02 633 84933.
Emergencies 2000: Strategies for Effectively Managing Your Preparation, Response, and Recovery. Offered by: IBC Conferences Pty Ltd: Sydney, Australia: April 10-11, 2000. Contact: IBC Conferences Pty Ltd, Level 5, 76-80 Clarence Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia; GPO Box 2728, Sydney, NSW, Australia 2001; tel: +61 2 8235 5300; fax: +61 2 9290 2577; e-mail: registration@informa.com.au; WWW: http://www.ibcoz.com.au/gx25.
Disaster Recovery Planning: Insuring Business Continuity. Offered by:
American Management Association International:
- San Francisco, California: April 10-12, 2000
- New York, New York: May 8-10, 2000
- Hyannis, Massachusetts: June 14-16, 2000
- Chicago, Illinois: October 11-13, 2000
- Scottsdale, Arizona: December 6-8, 2000
Contact: American Management Association, P.O. Box 169, Saranac Lake,
NY 12983; fax: (518) 891-0368; WWW: http://www.amanet.org.
Disaster Resistant Jobs Train the Trainer Course (Course Code E464). Offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Management Institute - developed in conjunction with the Economic Development Administration. Emmitsburg, Maryland: Course dates: April 18-21, 2000; August 15-18, 2000; October 31-November 3, 2000; January 23-26, 2001; April 24-27, 2000; September 11-14, 2001. Contact: Joe Bills, FEMA, Emergency Management Institute, 16825 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD 21727; (301) 447-1356; e-mail: joe.bills@fema.gov.
Commercial Floodproofing Workshops. Wilmington, North Carolina: April 18, 2000. Greenville, North Carolina: April 20, 2000. Sponsored by: North Carolina Department of Emergency Management; conducted by: Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM). Contact: Diane Watson, ASFPM, 2809 Fish Hatchery Road, Suite 204, Madison, WI 53713; (608) 274-0123; e-mail: diane@floods.org.
Spring Conference, New Mexico Floodplain Managers' Association. Albuquerque, New Mexico: April 21-23, 2000. Contact: Les Bond, (877) 682-1389; e-mail: bond@wazoo.com.
Sixth Annual Southeast Florida Hurricane Safety Awareness Exposition: "The New Millennium: Are You Prepared for a Major Hurricane." Presented by: Florida Department of Environmental Protection and others. West Palm Beach, Florida: April 29-30, 2000. Contact: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Southeast District, P.O. Box 15425, West Palm Beach, FL 33416; (561) 681-6665; WWW: http://www.gobpi.com/community/groups/DEPHURRICANE.
Essential Service Disruption Seminar. Offered by: Australian Emergency Management Institute (AEMI). Melbourne, Australia: May 8-9, 2000. Contact: Cathy Ellis, AEMI, Mt. Macedon Road, Mt. Macedon, Victoria 3441, Australia; tel: 03 54215100; fax: 03 54215272; e-mail: cellis@ema.gov.au.
"Floodplain Management - A New Start for the New Millennium": First Annual Conference of the Association of Montana Floodplain Managers. Butte, Montana: May 16-18, 2000. Contact: Karl Christians, (406) 444-6654.
Natural and Anthropogenically Induced Hazards: Space and Time Dependent Hazard Evaluation in Complex Earth Systems. Sponsors: European Science Foundation and others. Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy: June 24-29, 2000. Applications due April 3. Contact: Dr. J. Hendekovic, European Science Foundation, 1 quai Lezay-Marnesia, 67080 Strasbourg Cedex, France; tel: +33 388 76 71 35; fax: +33 388 36 69 87; e-mail: euresco@esf.org; WWW: http://www.esf.org/euresco.
First Asian Executive Development Program for Emergency Managers (Offering a Graduate Certificate in Executive Development, fully credited by Australian University). Offered by: Asia Pacific Disaster Management Centre (APDMC) in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Police Management. Makati City, Philippines: July 3-14, 2000. APDMC is currently seeking applicants for this program. The program includes field work and a follow-up 16-week distance learning component during which participants prepare a research paper. Contact: John W. Barrett, Chief Executive Officer, APDMC, CPO Box 1005, Makati Central Post Office, 1250 Makati City, Philippines; tel: (632) 810 5444; fax: (632) 817 0894; e-mail: apdmc@nsclub.net.
43rd Annual Meeting of the Association of Engineering Geologists. San Jose, California: September 21-24, 2000. See: http://www.aegweb.org.
Durability and Disaster Mitigation in Wood Frame Housing. Sponsors: Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing and others. Madison, Wisconsin: November 6-8, 2000. Contact: Forest Products Society, 2801 Marshall Court, Madison, WI 53705-2295; (608) 231-1361, ext. 208; fax: (608) 231-2152; e-mail: conferences@forestprod.org; WWW: http://www.forestprod.org.
Earthquake Engineering in the Next Millennium: Symposium in Honor of Takuji Kobori. Sponsors: California Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering and the Kobori Symposium Japan Committee. Kyoto, Japan: November 7, 2000. Contact: Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Kyoto University, e-mail: suzuki@zeisei.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp; or Wilfred Iwan, California Institute of Technology, e-mail: wdiwan@caltech.edu.
2001 Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Annual Meeting. Monterey, California: February 7-10, 2001. Contact: EERI, 499 14th Street, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94612-1934; (510) 451-0905; fax: (510) 451-5411; e-mail: eeri@eeri.org; WWW: http://www.eeri.org.
Fourth National Conference and Exposition of the National Hydrologic Warning Council. Columbus, Ohio: May 15-18, 2001. Contact: Dean Bolton, (614) 889-7154; or Chris Crompton, (714) 567-6360; WWW: http://www.alertsystems.org.
Engineering Geological Problems in Urban Areas: EngGeolCity-2001. Sponsor: International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment. Ekaterinburg, Russia: July 30-August 2, 2001. Abstracts of no more than two pages are due March 30, 2000. Topics include natural hazards and stability of urban areas. Abstracts should be sent to and more information is available from: Svetlana E. Lukina, Secretariat of the Organizing Committee "EngGeolCity-2001," UralTISIZ, 79, Bazhov Street, Ekaterinburg, Russia, 620075; tel: 7-3432-559-772; fax: 7-3432-550-043; e-mail: uraltis@etel.ru; WWW: http://www.skyman.ru/~uraltis.
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