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I'm looking for information about the notion of resilience and the way to take it into account in risk assessment and risk management. I will be pleased if anyone can provide me with references and/or case studies.
Thank you in advance for your kind response. Please send replies to:
Corine Frischknecht
E-mail: frischkn@sc2a.unige.ch
WWW: http://www.unige.ch/mrm
Postal address: MRM, CMU, 9, av. de Champel, CH - 1211 Geneva 4,
Switzerland
Anyone who has counselled a member of the media before or after a job, media people themselves, and academics with expertise or an interest in media in disaster are particularly welcome as the project has several core elements which are being examined.
I am about one year into the research at Cranfield University, England, and would welcome any suggestions or help that anyone may be able to provide that may add to my existing work.
Please be assured that all replies will be treated in the strictest confidence and any subsequent interviews with contacts will be completely anonymous (unless otherwise requested).
Please contact:
Sarah Quinn
E-mail: s.quinn.1999@cranfield.ac.uk or slquinn@yahoo.com
Thank you for your help!
EDUPLANhemisferico is now being presented to governmental and nongovernmental agencies to gather political, technical, and financial support for the implementation of programs dealing with physical infrastructure, public participation, and academic policy and programs.
EDUPLANhemisferico is being implemented through local, national, and regional activities supported by "technical secretariats" - agencies, organizations, and educators involved in collaborative efforts to reduce vulnerability. Technical secretariats are directly involved with the institutions that operate at the community, educational, administrative, or geographic level. Their actions begin locally but can result in national, regional, and hemispheric application and impact. They develop programs, encourage citizen participation in making schools safer, and develop links to experts focusing on school infrastructure and hazard reduction.
As of May 2000, five organizations and institutions willing to commit time, personnel and (when available) funds to support mitigation had become technical secretariats. The Universidad Nacional de Trujillo in Peru serves as the general coordinator of EDUPLANhemisferico in Latin America and the Caribbean; in the U.S., a technical secretariat has been established at Texas Women's University.
EDUPLANhemisferico is actively seeking additional technical secretariats among all interested public and private institutions committed to disaster reduction in the education sector. Particularly important are networks of community-based NGOs, professional associations, technical associations, and development assistance institutions. People and organizations interested in learning more about EDUPLANhemisferico or becoming a technical secretariat, should contact Brenda Phillips, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Texas Women's University, P.O. Box 425557, Denton, TX 76205; (940) 898-2117; fax: (940) 898-2102; e-mail: brendaphillips@prodigy.net; or Jesus Angel Chavez Machado, Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Peru; e-mail: jachm@unitru.edu.pe.
General information is also available from the Natural Hazards Project, Unit of Sustainable Development, OAS, 1889 F Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006; (202) 458-6295; fax: (202) 458-3560; e-mail: natural-hazards-project@oas.org.
Note: The technical secretariats will meet in Venezuela, October 2-4, 2000, for the Second Hemispheric Conference on Disaster Reduction of the Education Sector. More information on this meeting is available from the OAS Natural Hazards Project at the address above.
CORRECTION
http://earthquake.usgs.gov
In the previous issue of DR we reported an incorrect address for
this U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Hazards Program site -
"Earthquake Hazards on the Web." The correct URL is given above. As we
stated before, the Survey intends this site to serve as an entry point
for accessing all USGS earthquake information. It provides data about
both global and regional earthquakes and includes sections on
earthquake activity past, present, and future; earthquake education
for children, grownups, and teachers; earthquake products such as
maps, publications, fact sheets, videos, etc.; earthquake research;
the USGS Regional Centers and regional Web sites; seismic networks;
and frequently asked questions about quakes.
http://www.riskinstitute.org (click on "Clearinghouse")
The Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI - see DR #236 and #289)
has recently upgraded the "Clearinghouse" section of its Web site.
That searchable database now lists nearly 900 resources in five areas:
http://www.senate.gov/~edwards/cnhc/index.html
Senators John Edwards of North Carolina and Ted Stevens of Alaska
have formed a Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus (see DR #271) to
promote ways to reduce disaster losses and streamline disaster aid. On
June 21 of this year, these co-chairs convened the "Congressional
Natural Hazards Caucus Forum on Reducing America's Vulnerability to
Disasters" and heard testimony from several national disaster experts.
Senator Edwards also called on a caucus work group to prepare a report
on U.S. natural hazards mitigation that could serve as a basis for
discussion by the full Senate. Subsequently Senator Edwards' staff
established this caucus Web site, which provides background
information and the testimony offered at the June meeting.
http://www.civil.buffalo.edu/aawe (click on "Publications")
In the late 1990s, FEMA prepared a National Pre-Disaster
Mitigation Plan and subsequently asked the Multihazard Mitigation
Council (MMC) to review that plan. It's premise is that the nation
must place a stronger emphasis on the implementation of predisaster
mitigation measures. It includes vision and mission statements and a
list of guiding principles and goals for achieving long-term disaster
resiliency across the nation. The draft plan can be viewed on-line or
downloaded from the American Association for Wind Engineering Web site
above.
http://www.ozone.org/heatstress
http://www.psr.org/heatsheet.html
On July 26, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Ozone
Action, a national environmental organization, released a report
showing that extreme heat waves and overheated nights are becoming
more frequent in cities and regions across the United States. Indeed,
the report, Heat Waves and Hot Nights, states that in the U.S. the
number of heat waves, high heat index days, and extremely warm nights
has doubled since the 1950s and that each summer two to three thousand
people now die due to this hazard. Moreover, the findings in this
report support predictions made in the draft National Assessment of
the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change in the
United States, which cites warmer temperatures, a higher heat index,
and increased frequency of extreme weather events as potential impacts
of human-induced global warming. Heat Waves and Hot Nights,
including graphs of 171 individual cities and regional trends, is
available from the Ozone Action Web site above; more information about
climate change and health impacts is available from the second
address, part of the Web site for Physicians for Social
Responsibility.
http://www.fs.fed.us/fire
DR readers concerned about the current situation in the American
West might want to consult this U.S. Forest Service Fire and Aviation
Web site, which provides up-to-date reports and news regarding current
and recent wildfires, as well as the wildfire potential, across North
America. The library section offers numerous downloadable
publications.
http://www.louisianafloods.org
The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center's Cooperative
Extension Service maintains a Web page with much information about
various types of flooding - from hurricane storm surge to flash
floods. The site has sections on flood conditions, safety and
recovery, emergency protection, and flood damage prevention. It
provides numerous downloadable publications on flood mitigation and
floodproofing, including a publication prepared by the Extension
Service entitled Beyond the Basics, which covers flood risk and
flood protection.
http://coe-dmha.org/dr
The Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian
Assistance has made the entire text and appendices of Disaster
Response: Principles of Preparation and Coordination, by Erik
Aufderheide, available on-line. The book, first published in 1989, is
now out of print. However it remains a comprehensive source of
disaster management information. The Web version is not simply the
original text, but rather a new hyper-media edition, which the author
is currently updating.
http://www.hazweb.com
Hazweb offers services that address the hazardous materials
community and the environmental concerns of industry. It provides news
and analysis, a marketplace, hazardous materials information, and
automated compliance modules. The site is intended to be a
comprehensive source for hazardous materials audiences seeking
complete, authoritative, up-to-date regulatory and compliance
information. It provides a place to gain information on hazardous
materials practices, government contacts, regulations, upcoming
meetings and training, and includes select material safety data
The bill also provided $1.5 million to study flood damage reduction options for the town of Princeville, North Carolina; $2 million for preconstruction engineering and design of an emergency outlet from Devils Lake, North Dakota, to the Sheyenne River to reduce flooding; and $25 million for the Agency for International Development to provide disaster assistance to Mozambique, Madagascar, and southern Africa. The Bureau of Land Management received $200 million for emergency rehabilitation and wildfire suppression, and the Forest Service $2 million for emergency expenses resulting from damage caused by wind storms and $150 million for emergency rehabilitation, presuppression, and wildfire suppression. Fifty million dollars was made available to FEMA for the buyout or elevation of properties made uninhabitable by floods.
The wildfire near Los Alamos, New Mexico, known officially as the Cerro Grande Fire, received considerable attention, as Congress included the Cerro Grande Fire Assistance Act in the lengthy bill. This act compensates victims of the fire and acknowledges that it was caused by the National Park Service. It outlines procedures for compensation and appropriates money to support the process. In addition, $10 million was provided for an emergency conservation program to rehabilitate farmland damaged by the fires, $4 million for watershed and flood prevention in areas scarred by the fires, and $138 million to remediate damage to Department of Energy facilities.
The complete text of Public Law 106-246 can be found at any federal repository library or at the Library of Congress Web site: http://thomas.loc.gov.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent experience in some aspect of HDGEC or a closely related field. Because the work involves collaboration and interdisciplinary activities, successful candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills, and a broad understanding and appreciation of HDGEC.
The position starts September 1, 2000, is available for up to five years, and includes a full benefits package. The position will remain open until filled. Candidates should send:
Restoration of Urban Streams and Flood Control Channels. Presented by: Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Houston, Texas: September 19-20, 2000; Louisville, Kentucky: October 2000. Contact: ASFPM, 2809 Fish Hatchery Road, Suite 204, Madison, WI 53713; (608) 274-0123; fax: (608) 274-0696; e-mail: asfpm@floods.org; WWW: http://www.floods.org.
Dam Safety 2000: Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) Annual Conference. Providence, Rhode Island: September 27-30, 2000. Contact: Susan Sorrell, ASDSO, 450 Old Vine Street, Lexington, KY, 40507; (606) 257-5140; fax: (606) 323-1958; e-mail: info@damsafety.org; WWW: http://www.damsafety.org.
Basic Course in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Presented by: Business and Industry Council for Emergency Planning and Preparedness (BICEPP). Santa Fe Springs, California: September 28-29, 2000. Contact: BICEPP, P.O. Box 7942, Van Nuys, CA 91409-7942.
Critical Incident Stress Management Suite of Workshops. Offered by:
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF).
- Worcester, Massachusetts: October 5-8, 2000
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada: October 26-29, 2000
- Albuquerque, New Mexico: November 2-5, 2000
- San Diego, California: November 30-December 3, 2000
- Bakersfield, California: January 18-21, 2001
- Melbourne Beach, Florida: February 1-4, 2001
Contact: ICISF, 10176 Baltimore National Pike, Unit 201, Ellicott
City, MD 21042; (410) 750-9600; fax: (410) 750-9601; WWW:
http://www.icisf.org.
Euro-Mediterranean Millennium Meetings on Forest Fires and Special Session on Forest Fire Research. Sponsors: U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and others. Hyeres les Palmiers, France: October 24-27, 2000. Contact: Entente Interdepartementale, Comite d'Organisation des Rencontres, Euromediterraneennes Feux de Foret 2000, Domaine de Valabre, 13120 Gardanne, France; tel: +33-4.42.94. 95.00; fax: +33-4.42.94.95.29; e-mail: entente@rff2000.com; WWW: http://www.rff2000.com.
Arizona Floodplain Managers Association (AFMA) Fall Conference: Tucson, Arizona: November 2-3, 2000. Contact: AFMA; e-mail: smiller@pecaz.com; WWW: http://www.azfma.org.
Second Annual Conference on Durability and Disaster Mitigation in Wood-Frame Housing. Sponsor: PATH Consortium for Wood-Frame Housing and the Forest Products Society. Madison, Wisconsin: November 6-8, 2000. Contact: Forest Products Society, 2801 Marshall Court, Madison, WI 53705; (608) 231-1361, ext. 201; fax: (608) 231-2152.
Project Impact Summit 2000. Host: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Washington, D.C.: Week of November 12, 2000. Contact: Project Impact, FEMA, Mitigation Directorate, 500 C Street, S.W., Washington, DC; (202) 646-3000; e-mail: summit.info@fema.gov; WWW: http://www.fema.gov/impact.
Biennial Arid West Floodplain Management Conference. Sponsors: New Mexico Floodplain Management Association (NMFMA) and Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM). Albuquerque, New Mexico: March 20- 23, 2001. See http://weather.nmsu.edu/nmfma/index.htm; or contact: Les Bond, NMFMA, P.O. Box 531, High Rolls, NM 88325; (877) 682-1389 (toll free); fax: (505) 682-1369; e-mail: bond@wazoo.com.
Millennial (96th) Meeting of the Seismological Society of America (SSA). San Francisco, California: April 18-20, 2001. Contact: Anne S. Kiremidjian, John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center, Stanford University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Building 540, MC 4020, Stanford, CA 94305-4020; (650) 723-4164; fax: (650) 725-9755; e-mail: kiremidjian@ce.stanford.edu; or David P. Schwartz, U.S. Geological Survey; (650) 329-5651; e-mail: dschwartz@usgs.gov.
Sixth World Congress on Stress, Trauma, and Coping. Sponsor: International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). Baltimore, Maryland: April 18-22, 2001. Contact: Shelley Cohen, World Congress Coordinator, ICISF, 10176 Baltimore National Pike, Unit 201, Ellicott City, MD 21042; (410) 750-9600; fax: (410) 750-9601; e-mail: scohen@icisf.org; WWW: http://www.icisf.org.
Fourth Moravian Geographical Conference on Nature and Society in Regional Context. Organizers: Institute of Geonics, Czech Academy of Sciences. Brno, Czechia: September 10-14, 2001. "Disasters and Their Natural and Social Consequences" is one of the conference topics. See: http://www.geonika.cz, password CONGEO Conference; or contact: Antonin Vaishar, Institute of Geonics, P.O. Box 23, 613 00 Brno, Czechia; fax: 4205 578031; e-mail: vaishar@geonika.cz.
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