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Applicants with approved proposals are eligible to receive funding to carry out their investigation should an appropriate disaster occur in the ensuing 12 months. Grants average $1,000-$3,000 and essentially cover only food, lodging, and travel expenses. In return, grantees must submit reports of their findings to the center, which publishes them in paper copy and posts them on the World Wide Web (http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qr.html).
Details about proposal submission can be obtained from the center Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr2001.html, or by contacting Mary Fran Myers, Natural Hazards Center, Campus Box 482, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482; (303) 492-2150; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: myersmf@colorado.edu. The deadline for proposal submission is October 16.
Those summaries, abstracts of the hazards research presented, descriptions of the projects and programs discussed at the meeting, an agenda, and a complete participant list are available in paper copy for $20.00, plus $5.00 shipping, from the Publications Clerk, Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, Campus Box 482, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482; (303) 492-6818; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: janet.kroeckel@colorado.edu; WWW: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards. Checks should be made payable to the University of Colorado; Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Diner's Club cards are also accepted. (Orders beyond North America require additional shipping charges; contact the Publications Clerk at the address above for details.)
But wait!
The session summaries from the workshop are now also available at no charge from the Hazards Center Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/ss/ss.html. So, if you are interested in hearing what leading professionals had to say about the cutting-edge issues in disaster management, take a look at that URL.
Working Paper #104 - Emergency Management in the 21st Century: Coping with Bill Gates, Osama bin-Laden, and Hurricane Mitch, by Claire B. Rubin
In 1998 disaster expert Claire Rubin published a working paper on the hazards we can expect in the future (What Hazards and Disasters are Likely in the 21st Century - or Sooner?, Natural Hazards Working Paper #99 - http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/wp/wp99.html). The new working paper complements that earlier essay by addressing other factors that will affect how we deal with future disasters - from new technologies, to terrorism, to the internationalization of disaster management.
Although she focuses on problems, Rubin also cites positive changes in disaster management, such as the use of the Internet, that have aided emergency managers in recent years.
Still, Rubin's primary message is that a key to effective disaster management remains adaptability in the face of ever-more-rapid change, and she concludes with several recommendations: the formation of an "Expert Panel on the Future of Emergency Management" to serve as an advisory committee to the many agencies involved in the discipline; the formation of a "National Strategy for Emergency Management"; and the development of entrepreneurial funding and an entrepreneurial ethic within the emergency management community in order to promote the creation of new methods and new technology.
A complete list of Hazards Center Working Papers is available on-line at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/wp/wp.html.
I thank you for your assistance.
Caroline Michellier
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disaster
School of Public Health
Catholic University of Louvain
30.94 Clos Chappelle-aux-Champs
1200 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 764 3369
Fax: +32 2 764 3441
E-mail: Caroline.Michellier@epid.ucl.ac.be
The Security Committee of the South Pacific Forum, has tasked me, through the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), to prepare a national and regional planning framework for providing humanitarian assistance in such emergencies. All regional countries have disaster management structures and plans, but these were designed to deal with natural disasters and do not cover all the needs of complex situations.
Most of the literature discussing humanitarian response in complex emergencies is written from a U.N., NGO, or other external donor viewpoint. There seems to be very little written from a national or regional viewpoint, and all that has been traced discusses situations in Africa where the problems are proportionally greater and often accompanied by famine and other disasters.
I would be grateful for advice on where to find any national plans for complex emergencies prepared in small countries, particularly small island states. Leads to writings on the subject or on regional planning would also be welcome.
I can be contacted (when not out in the islands) as follows: Joe Barr, 1 Lalor Street, Ainslie, ACT 2602, Australia; phone/fax: +61-2-6247 3973; e-mail: joebarr@pcug.org.au.
Many thanks.
Thanks for any guidance you can provide.
Mike Vaughan
Senior Professional, Environment
PB Kennedy & Donkin Limited
Queen Victoria House
Redland Hill
Redland
Bristol BS6 6US
U.K.
Tel: +44 (0)117 973 9090 ext 440
Fax: +44 (0)117 923 7479
E-mail: VaughanM@pbworld.com
For earth scientists in such situations, we have prepared a short paper that provides some basic intervention tools to help people who fear earthquakes:
Lamontagne, M. and La Rochelle, S. 2000. "Earth Scientists Can Help People Who Fear Earthquakes." Seismological Research Letters 71, No. 4, pp. 461-463.The text is now available on the Web: http://www.seismo.nrcan.gc.ca/staff/maurice/psychosocial.html. Additionally, a reprint can also be obtained from:
[Adapted from Disasters, Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas, a newsletter of the Pan American Health Organization]
The Global Earthquake Safety Initiative, established by GeoHazards International and the United Nations Center for Regional Development, focuses on helping cities around the world recognize and reduce the risk of life loss due to earthquakes. Building on the work of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) RADIUS Project (see DR #220, 235, and 310), this initiative has five objectives:
Hence, the American Planning Association's (APA's) research department has embarked on a program to bring together solutions from multiple disciplines into a single source to aid local planning. To launch this program and determine its scope and needed support, APA hosted a landslide symposium earlier this year. Identified products include:
Additional information about the APA Landslide Project is available from the Principal Investigator, Landslides Project, Research Department, American Planning Association, 122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603-6107; (312) 431-9100; fax: (312) 431-9985; e-mail: landslides@planning.org; WWW: http://www.planning.org/landslides/index.asp.
The program Web site not only offers extensive information about this project, such as the draft table of contents for the proposed guidebook, but also information about landslides generally, including a computer simulation of an actual slide, links to a bibliography on landslides, contact information and a "links" page to other landslide information on the Web. Additionally, APA has created a "Landslides-L" mailing list for discussions about planning for landslides. To join or find out more about the list, see the project Web site above.
Disaster Dispatch is a bi-monthly newsletter aimed to index, collect and organize news and views about natural disasters and social conflicts in South Asia. It is published by the Journalists Resource Centre and available free of cost for journalists and Rs 10/- for non-journalists.
Disaster Dispatch is an attempt to provide background information to media practitioners, government organizations and disaster practitioners, focusing on natural disasters and social conflicts in South Asia.
The current issue of the newsletter includes the following articles:
Disaster Dispatch is available from:
South Asia Media Group for Disaster Mitigation
Journalist Resource Centre
7 - B Mezzanine
Yasin Plaza, Blue Area
(Opposite Saudi Pak Tower)
Islamabad
Pakistan
E-mail: Afbhatti@hotmail.com, jrc@syberwurx.com
[Eidtor's note: The newsletter is also available from several other locations across South Asia. Contact the e-mail addresses above for the location nearest you.]
http://www.fema.gov
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Web site has been
remodeled. With more than 30,000 pages available from the site, a
primary goal of the new home page design is to make it easier for
visitors to quickly find the information they need. New features
include immediate search engine access, mouse-over menus, and a
cleaner, tighter layout. Another new page -
http://www.fema.gov/emanagers - has also been launched to provide
emergency managers with quick access to information of professional
interest. FEMA is interested in comments and suggestions about this
new design, particularly comments from the emergency management
community about the new "Emanagers" page. Comments can be e-mailed to:
eipa@fema.gov.
http://landslides.usgs.gov
http://landslides.usgs.gov/html_files/landslides/nationalmap/national.html
One of the links from the APA Landslides Project Web site
mentioned above is to the USGS Geological Hazards page on landslides.
As one would suspect, this site is a gold mine of information on
landslide hazards. It contains information on the National Landslide
Hazards Program and the National Landslide Information Center, a
searchable bibliographic database, a list of Landslide Program
publications, descriptions of current projects, and information about
recent landslide events. A particularly nifty feature, at the second URL above,
is an interactive map of landslide hazards across the United States,
which can be viewed on-line or downloaded in more detail.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om
We've often mentioned the National Weather Service Office of
Meteorology site, and, well, here we go again. The site deserves
frequent attention because it is frequently updated. For example, it
now offers the complete text of the NWS assessment of agency services
during the Hurricane Floyd floods of September 1999, revised and
updated pages on hurricane and heat/drought awareness, and a brochure
introducing the new NWS Stormready program (see DR #316).
http://greenwood.cr.usgs.gov/pub/circulars/c1188/
http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/eqhaz/anss/
In 1997 Congress asked the U.S. Geological Survey to assess
regional seismic networks operating in the U.S. and to provide
recommendations and projected costs to modernize those networks. In
response, in 1999 the survey produced a report, An Assessment of
Seismic Monitoring in the United States: Requirement for an Advanced
National Seismic System (USGS Circular 1188), which outlines the need
for an Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) to improve the nation's
ability to respond effectively to damaging earthquakes, volcanoes, and
tsunamis. The ANSS, which is now being implemented, will upgrade and
expand the current networks, while capitalizing on modern technologies
to manage and organize data collection and distribute the information
in new, more efficient ways. USGS Circular 1188 is available from the
Web site above or in hard copy at no cost from the USGS Information
Services, Box 25286, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225; (888)
275-8747 (toll free) or (303) 202-4700; fax: (303) 202-4693.
Information about the ANSS, including a past history and projected
goals for the near future, are available from the USGS Web page:
http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/eqhaz/anss/.
http://mceer.buffalo.edu/publications/resaccom/9900/default.asp
The Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research
(MCEER) second annual Research Progress and Accomplishments report
highlights the center's recent achievements in research and education.
The previous year was marked by the two devastating earthquakes in
Turkey and Taiwan. MCEER reconnaissance teams visited both these
areas, and several of the papers in this report describe their efforts
to learn from these tragic events. A few papers describe research that
has been completed, most notably the Federal Highway Administration-
sponsored project on the seismic vulnerability of new highway
construction, while others describe work in progress. For an index of
the papers and complete texts, see the Web site above.
http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Research/CAT/index.html
The Natural Catastrophes and Developing Countries (CAT) Project
at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in
Austria was created in 1999 as part of a research partnership with the
World Bank's Disaster Management Facility (see DRs #283 and #292) and
the Swiss Reinsurance Company. The project has developed a modeling
technique to integrate direct estimated costs of natural disasters
into macro-economic planning models for developing countries. The
modeling will create a base to help interested parties evaluate tools
for financing the cost of postdisaster reconstruction. The CAT team
will develop a series of four case studies of the impacts of natural
catastrophes on the economies of Argentina, Honduras, Nicaragua, and
Mozambique. The long-term objective is to build a planning tool that
can assist developing countries in evaluating options to prevent,
mitigate, or transfer the costs of natural catastrophes.
This CAT Web site provides descriptions of project research and activities, a list of publications and a suggested bibliography, links to related sites, and information about the research team. For additional information, contact the Natural Catastrophes and Developing Countries Project, IIASA, Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria; tel: (+43) 2 236 8070; fax: (+43) 2 236 71313.
http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp
The Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project, sponsored by the U.S.
Agency for International Development and undertaken by the
Organization of American States, came to a close at the end of 1999.
However the project's Web site remains an excellent source of
guidelines and publications on disaster management in the region. In
particular, see the full list of publications available on the "Papers
and Publications" page: http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp/publist.htm.
http://www.dismedmaster.com
The provision of medical services in disasters requires specific
knowledge, the ability to organize an emergency medical system adapted
to a specific disaster situation, and the professional skill to
provide medical care of high quality even in a hostile environment. To
meet these goals, education and training in all aspects of disaster
medicine are essential. Recognizing the need for such training as well
as for medical involvement in planning for and coordinating disaster
response, a group of European universities has established a Web-based
program offering a "European Master in Disaster Medicine." The program
Web site provides information about course goals and how the program
is designed, organized, and conducted, as well as an outline of course
content. For more information, see the Web site above, or contact:
Prof. Francesco Della Corte, Chairman of the Organizing Secretariat,
Istituto di Anestesiologia e Rianimazione, Universita Cattolica del S.
Cuore, L.go A. Gemelli 8 - 00168 Roma, Italy; tel: 0630154490; fax:
063013450; e-mail: fcorte@uni.net.
[Adapted from the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) Highlights newsletter - http://www.adrc.or.jp/highlights.asp]
In commemoration of ADRC's second anniversary, the center is publishing a Data Book on Asian Natural Disasters in the 20th Century, using information derived the Emergency Disaster Events Database (EM-DAT) maintained by the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disaster (CRED), Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.
In the data book, ADRC summarizes the number of disasters, number of deaths by region, decade and type of disaster for the previous 100 years as registered in EM-DAT. They also present detailed summaries for the years 1975 to 1999 (after the establishment of CRED, which means that data reliability is high). With this data, the book shows disaster trends in the region. Almost half of the total disaster deaths around the world have occurred in Asia, and 90% of all people affected by disaster are in Asia.
The data book will soon be published on the ADRC Web site: http://www.adrc.or.jp. Additionally, the center will provide copies for the cost of postage. Contact: ADRC, IHD Building 3F, 1-5-1 Wakihamakaigan-dori Chuo-ku, Kobe, 651-0073 Japan; tel: 078-230-0326; fax: 078-230-0347; e-mail: editor@adrc.or.jp; WWW: http://www.adrc.or.jp.
1) CIESIN is currently seeking an Associate Research Scientist. The candidate should have a Ph.D. in a social or natural science field with research interests in the human dimensions of global environmental change. The appointee will initiate and participate in interdisciplinary research projects, assist in the creation and maintenance of data products and services, keep abreast of a broad range of research and developments related to CIESIN's work, and represent CIESIN in scientific meetings and other forums. The successful candidate will play a significant role in two ongoing areas of work at CIESIN: indicators of environmental sustainability and international environmental agreements.
A curriculum vita including e-mail address, a letter articulating the scope of the applicant's interest in and qualifications for this position, and a dossier including three letters of recommendation should be sent to the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Search Committee, CIESIN, Columbia University, P.O. Box 1000, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964. Review of applications began September 1 and will continue until the position is filled.
2) CIESIN has also launched a visiting scientist program and is seeking applications. The program is part of CIESIN's Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) and is targeted at scientists working on areas relevant to SEDAC's core mission to facilitate integration of earth science and social science data to help understand human interactions in the environment. CIESIN is especially interested in applicants seeking creative ways to integrate cross-disciplinary, cross-scale datasets to understand the human dimensions of environmental change.
Visiting scientists will be in residence from two to three months at CIESIN at a mutually agreeable time between September 2000 and August 2001. Supplemental financial support is available. Visiting scientists will have access to CIESIN's computing facilities and data and information resources and will be expected to interact with CIESIN's interdisciplinary staff. Interested persons should submit their curriculum vitae, including names and contact information for at least two references, and a two-page (or less) description of their proposed project. A Ph.D. in a relevant discipline is required, and postdoctoral research experience or equivalent is preferred. Applicants should indicate any preferences they have for the time period of residence, as well as any financial needs. Application review began August 15, 2000. Application materials may be sent via electronic mail to ciesin.info@ciesin.columbia.edu or by mail to CIESIN, P.O. Box 1000, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964.
[Adapted from the Summer 2000 MCEER Bulletin]
A new cooperative research program was recently established by the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER), the National Center for Research in Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) at National Taiwan University, the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Office of National Science and Technology Hazard Mitigation in Taiwan. The program will address two principal aspects of the recent Chi-Chi, Taiwan earthquake:
The research program will apply new reconnaissance information to projects already in progress. Proposed focus areas include:
The directors of the four centers plan to meet this month, together with other researchers, to discuss and develop the specific details of the research program. For more information, contact MCEER, State University of New York at Buffalo, Red Jacket Quadrangle, Buffalo, NY 14261-0025; (716) 645-3391; fax: (716) 645-3399; e-mail: mceer@acsu.buffalo.edu; WWW: http://mceer.buffalo.edu.
September 13 - Virtual Library - "South Carolina's Response to Hurricane Floyd," Kirstin Dow, Ph.D., Hazards Research Lab, University of South Carolina
Sept 20 - Forum - "Emergency Management Track of the Fifth Annual Virtual Fire & Rescue Expo (VFRE): Disaster Standard, Accreditation and Certification," Amy Sebring, EIIP Technical Projects Coordinator
Sept 27 - Tech Arena - "Emergency Manager - The Emergency Management Software Solution," Amy Hennessy, Emergency Program Manager, BC Gas
Residential Coastal Construction (E386). Offered by: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Management Institute (EMI). Emmitsburg, Maryland: October 30-November 3, 2000; March 12-16, 2001; September 10-14, 2001. This is a new course offered by EMI. For a list of the many upcoming EMI courses, and for additional information, see: http://www.fema.gov/emi/rclists.htm, or contact: EMI, 16825 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD 21727; (301) 447-1000; fax: (301) 447-1441.
The Business Recovery Managers Symposium. Offered by: MIS Training Institute. San Diego, California: October 31-November 2, 2000. Contact: MIS Training Institute, 498 Concord Street, Framingham, MA 01702-2357; (508) 879-7999; fax: (508) 872-1153; e-mail: mis@misti.com; WWW: http://www.misti.com.
European Geophysical Society (EGS) XXVI General Assembly. Nice, France: March 26-30, 2001. Contact: EGS Office, Max-Planck-Str. 13, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany; tel: +49-5556-1440; fax: +49-5556-4709; e-mail: egs@copernicus.org; WWW: http://www.copernicus.org/EGS/EGS.html.
International Disaster Management Conference. Sponsor: Florida Emergency Medicine Foundation. Tampa, Florida: March 28-April 1, 2001. Contact: Suzanne Lobb, Conference Coordinator, Florida Emergency Medicine Foundation, 3717 South Conway Road, Orlando, FL 32812; (800) 766-6335 (toll free) or (407) 281-7396; fax: (407) 281-4407; e-mail: info@fcep.org; WWW: http://www.fcep.org.
12th World Congress on Disaster Medicine. Organizer: World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine. Lyon, France: May 9-12, 2001. Among other sessions, the congress will include two specialized trilingual one-day symposia: the first for emergency nursing staff; the second for paramedics, emergency medical teams, and ambulance staff. Their aim will be to compare and share practical experience, guidelines, and projects on an international level. The organizers are currently soliciting abstracts and session proposals. The congress will be conducted in English, Spanish, and French. For details, see: http://www.wcdem2001.org; or contact: WDCEM 2001, 1 rue de la Banniere, 69003 Lyon, France; fax: 33 (0)4 72 60 92 89; e-mail: wcdem2001@aol.com.
American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2001 Spring Meeting. Boston, Massachusetts: May 29-June 2, 2001. Contact: Meetings Department, AGU, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20009; (800) 966-2481 (toll free) or (202) 462-6900; fax: (202) 328-0565; e-mail: meetinginfo@agu.org; WWW: http://www.agu.org/meetings.
American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2001 Fall Meeting. San Francisco, California: December 10-14, 2001. Contact: Meetings Department, AGU, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20009; (800) 966-2481 (toll free) or (202) 462-6900; fax: (202) 328-0566; e-mail: meetinginfo@agu.org; WWW: http://www.agu.org/meetings.
American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2002 Spring Meeting. Washington, D.C.: May 28-June 1, 2002. Contact: Meetings Department, AGU, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20009; (800) 966-2481 (toll free) or (202) 462-6900; fax: (202) 328-0565; e-mail: meetinginfo@agu.org; WWW: http://www.agu.org/meetings.
American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2002 Fall Meeting. San Francisco, California: December 6-10, 2002. Contact: Meetings Department, AGU, 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20009; (800) 966-2481 (toll free) or (202) 462-6900; fax: (202) 328-0566; e-mail: meetinginfo@agu.org; WWW: http://www.agu.org/meetings.
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