DISASTER RESEARCH 340

February 22, 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS:


  1. Seeking Information on Stormwater Design Criteria

  2. Seeking Information on Factors Affecting Public Perception of Risk

  3. Seeking Information on Participation of General Practitioners in Disaster Medicine

  4. Seeking Effective Emergency Public Information Approaches

  5. Seeking Information on Canadian Disaster Research

  6. USGS Offers New National Mitigation Strategy to Reduce Losses from Landslides

  7. FEMA Seeks Comments on New Regulations

  8. Project Impact Communities Unite

  9. FEMA Plans Project Impact "Make an Impact" Week

  10. ISDR Announces 2001 U.N. World Disaster Reduction Campaign

  11. Canada Establishes Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness

  12. Medical Disaster Management and Research Academy Founded in Wake of India Earthquake

  13. New Internet Resources

  14. Panel Recommends Creating New Security Agency Built Around FEMA

  15. Help Wanted - Flood Warning Project Manager, City of Fort Collins, Colorado

  16. Some Recently Awarded Research Grants

  17. Conferences and Training


1)----------

Seeking Information on Stormwater Design Criteria

I am looking into the conveyance of surface runoff for a highly urbanized area adjacent to a highly erosive cliff. The typical standard used for stormwater conveyance is the 1:100 year storm event. I would like to know if there are any examples of higher standards utilized in areas of high risk. I would also like to know if there are any resources that may be helpful in researching this topic.

Thanks,
Deborah Chan
Project Engineer
Urban Systems Ltd.
2353-13353 Commerce Parkway
Richmond, BC V6V 3A1
Canada
Tel: (604) 273-8700
Fax: (604) 273-8752
E-mail: debchan@urban-systems.com


2)----------

Seeking Information on Factors Affecting Public Perception of Risk

I'm looking for any literature or research relating to the factors that influence the public's perception of risk, especially the risks of natural hazards. I am particularly interested in the following three areas: 1) The media; 2) Education/awareness campaigns; and 3) Experience of a natural disaster itself. I would appreciate any contributions to my study!

Thank you,
Katie Fuller
E-mail: fuller@coventry.ac.uk


3)----------

Seeking Information on Participation of
General Practitioners in Disaster Medicine

I am contacting you in the view of a speech I have to give on the participation of general practitioners in disaster medicine and disaster management. I am looking for experiences from over the whole world on the participation of GPs in disaster relief: from preparation to the acute help they can give in, for example, a hurricane, explosion, or flood until the resolution of all kinds of (medical/psychological) problems after the disaster.

(Since the task of GPs is different in different countries, please add some information about the position of the GP in the "medical society" of the country concerned.)

Thank you,
Marc Vanpoecke, MD - General Practitioner
Chief-Doctor Red Cross Province of Limburg (Belgium)
Laarderweg 18 B-3990 Peer, Belgium
Tel: +32 11 635010
Fax: +32 11 632884
E-mail: marc.vanpoecke@hnbe.com


4)----------

Seeking Effective Emergency Public Information Approaches

What effective (and perhaps, but not necessarily, innovative) approaches are out there for Emergency Public Information (EPI) in the public and private sectors worldwide?

I'm doing some research in this area and I'd really appreciate your pointers to any "best practices," especially as regards:

Your stories and references will be very much appreciated. Please e-mail any information to: best-epi@incident.com. We'll have follow-up discussion on the "Cal-EPI" mailing list (see http://www.incident.com/cal-epi.html).

Thanks!
Art Botterell
E-mail: best-epi@incident.com

[Art also recently asked: "Which are your three favorite books on Emergency Public Information?" Interested persons can reply to acb@incident.com, or the address above. - ed.]


5)----------

Seeking Information on Canadian Disaster Research

Greetings! As part of my Master's project on future training and education for entry-level Canadian emergency managers, I am constructing a framework document including the best sources of information I can find about disaster research in general and Canadian disaster research in particular. I've found no shortage of information about general disaster research, but I'm having trouble identifying Canadian disaster experts and works specifically about Canada. I'd appreciate any suggestions Disaster Research readers can make on who the experts are and how to access their research. Thank you for your time and assistance!

Sincerely,
J.P. DeMeritt
E-mail: DemerittJ@cl.uh.edu


6)----------

USGS Offers New National Mitigation
Strategy to Reduce Losses from Landslides

In the United States, landslides cause 25 to 50 deaths annually, billions of dollars in economic losses, and major environmental degradation, and these losses will undoubtedly increase until the nation adopts a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to alleviate landslide risks at the federal, state, local, and private levels. Today no such strategy exists. States, local governments, transportation departments, and numerous federal agencies, including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), handle landslide hazards independently of one another.

In 1999, however, Congress asked the USGS to prepare a strategy that would involve all parties with responsibility for dealing with landslides (Public Law No. 106-113). The recently completed report, National Landslide Hazards Mitigation Strategy: A Framework for Loss Reduction (USGS Open-File Report #00-450) is the result of an ongoing initiative by the Survey that included landslide experts, other members of scientific and professional societies, representatives of federal and state agencies, and other concerned individuals.

The strategy outlines a new public-private partnership that encourages the use of scientific information, maps, and monitoring to aid emergency management, land-use planning, and public and private policy decisions to reduce landslide losses. It calls on the federal government, in partnership with state and local governments, to provide leadership, coordination, research support, and incentives for landslide hazard mitigation. The strategy has nine major goals that address research; hazard mapping and assessment; real-time monitoring; loss assessment; information collection, interpretation and dissemination; guidelines and training, public awareness, and education; implementation of loss reduction measures; and emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.

Implementation of this strategy will require increased funding, better coordination among levels of government, and new partnerships among government, academia, and the private sector. Specifically, the strategy proposes expanded USGS landslide activities; the creation of a new state cooperative landslide program to map and assess landslides; formation of a new federal agency cooperative to do the same for federal lands; implementation of a national grants program to encourage research and implementation efforts; and the appointment of an interagency working group to provide guidance and coordination.

The USGS is currently distributing this report and working with state geological surveys and scientific and professional societies to promote implementation of the strategy. As one of the first tasks of the strategy, the USGS and the American Planning Association (APA) are developing guidelines for land-use planners to implement landslide hazard mitigation measures (see DR #328 or visit the APA web site: http://www.planning.org/Landslides).

To obtain a copy of the National Strategy to Reduce Losses from Landslide Hazards: A Framework for Loss Reduction visit the USGS Landslide Hazards Program homepage: landslides.usgs.gov, or write to the USGS Information Service, Box 25286, Denver, CO 80225. For more information on the proposed strategy, contact Paula L. Gori and Elliott C. Spiker, USGS, 906 National Center, Reston, VA 20192; e-mail: pgori@usgs.gov or espiker@usgs.gov.


7)----------

FEMA Seeks Comments on New Regulations

[Received from the Disaster-Resistant Community Association - see the following item]

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still accepting comments during the writing of regulations to implement the new federal hazard mitigation legislation. Very few communities have submitted comments, and your ideas are needed! Some groups are arguing that Project Impact should be scrapped so pre-disaster mitigation funds can go to states to continue emergency management programs. Anyone interested in commenting should e-mail: Ted.Litty.@fema.gov. To read FEMA's concept paper on the regulations, see http://www.hazmit.net/PIAssoc/PIHome.htm.


8)----------

Project Impact Communities Unite

At FEMA's Project Impact Summit conference last November, representatives from over 100 communities involved in this national effort to curb disaster losses established a "National Association of Disaster Resistant Communities - NADRC." The Project Impact coordinators from these communities are all involved in creating local programs to mobilize grassroots public-private partnerships to cut losses from earthquakes, floods, storms, and other disasters - and thus to create more livable communities.

The group's goals are to ensure that Project Impact becomes a sustainable effort; to strengthen the project nationally and locally; to share experiences among, learn from, and aid one another; to establish a forum where ideas can be expressed and the collective voice of Project Impact communities can be heard; and to build bridges to other associations and agencies who share Project Impact goals.

The organization's interim web site is:
http://www.hazmit.net/PIAssoc/PIHome.htm.
To be added to the group's mailing list or to request more information about NADRC, e-mail Ann Patton at: ProjectImpact@ci.tulsa.ok.us.


9)----------

FEMA Plans Project Impact "Make an Impact" Week

FEMA's Project Impact "Make an Impact" Week is a national campaign designed to get regional and local Project Impact representatives to conduct media outreach in their local communities. "Make an Impact" week will be conducted May 20-26 with the theme "Planting the Seeds of Prevention." Because this time of year marks the end of flood season, the middle of tornado season, and the approaching hurricane and wildfire seasons, FEMA feels that disaster awareness should be heightened and the media more receptive to prevention messages.

FEMA is inviting all communities participating in Project Impact to work with the agency to contact local print, radio, and TV outlets, and actively work to make local citizens aware of the hazards they face and the steps they can take to avoid them.

More information about "Make an Impact" week is available from the Project Impact web site: http://www.fema.gov/impact.


10)----------

ISDR Announces 2001 U.N. World Disaster Reduction Campaign

The secretariat for the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (the successor program to the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction) has announced that the theme of its 2001 World Disaster Reduction Campaign is "Countering Disasters: Targeting Vulnerability." The secretariat will provide campaign information in two parts. First, it will publish a leaflet containing sound generic information and statistics on the major disasters of the past 50 years, projections over the next 50 years if current trends continue, and possible solutions. Second, the secretariat will provide briefs on practical aspects of disaster reduction, under the general heading of "Targeting Vulnerability." These will cover: "The Role of Science and Technology in Disaster Reduction," "Building Disaster Resistant Infrastructures," and "Mobilizing Local Communities in Reducing Disasters." These sub-theme briefs will include suggestions for activities and case-examples from around the world. A special publication on risk mapping and guidelines at the local level will also be developed.

The ISDR Secretariat encourages participation by all interested persons and organizations. Articles and papers can be submitted and will be considered for publication as part of the campaign information. Questions and comments should be sent to Nicole Appel, Promotion and Awareness Issues Officer, ISDR Secretariat, United Nations, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: 41 22 917 97 06; fax: 41 22 917 97 98; e-mail: appeln@un.org.


11)----------

Canada Establishes Office of Critical
Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness

On February 6, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced the creation of a new Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness. The office will be the Canadian federal government's primary agency for ensuring natural civil emergency preparedness, encompassing the existing functions of Emergency Preparedness Canada. It will be under the direction of Associate Deputy Minister, Margaret Purdy. At the same time, the Prime Minister noted that other ministries will collaborate closely to ensure a coherent and comprehensive approach to emergency preparedness and response.

The new organization is charged with developing and implementing a comprehensive approach to protecting Canada's critical infrastructure and is committed to working actively with provinces, territories, and municipalities, as well as the private sector, other countries, and organizations. One emergency management organization in Canada cited this change as a significant strengthening of Canadian government's leadership in reducing losses due to natural disasters.

Specifically, the goals of the office are to:

For more information about this Canadian government reorganization to address disasters, see: http://www.epc-pcc.gc.ca/whatsnew/index.html.


12)----------

Medical Disaster Management and
Research Academy Founded in Wake of India Earthquake

In response to the recent Gujarat, India, earthquake, the Sheth V.S. Medical Research Foundation Trust has established a Disaster Management and Research Academy supported by Sheth Vadilal Sarabhai General Hospital and Sheth Chinai Maternity Hospital in Ahmedabad, India. With an already strong history in trauma and disaster medicine, the hospitals and related training institutions will increase their focus on disaster management and research, and the foundation trust invites organizations from around the world to consider alliances to share expertise and resources in support of the new academy.

Specifically, the research foundation trust would like to explore alliances with: disaster/hazard information sources; domestic/ international organizations dealing with specific service areas during disasters; academic institutes/universities/organizations offering study or research programs in disasters; and funding agencies that support research and study.

The new academy will study all likely sources of disasters in the region and will include both trauma/surgical and medical/nonsurgical studies.

To support this program, the trust is also establishing a "study center" on major disasters. That center will be a major repository for information from around the world to enhance disaster mitigation and preparedness programs. Through the center, information on nonmedical aspects of disasters - from disaster relief, to rehabilitation and other socioeconomic-related issues - will be shared with other interested organizations.

For more information about the new Medical Disaster Management and Research Academy and the study center, contact Dr. M.H. Makwana, c/o Sheth V.S. Medical Research Foundation Trust, Sheth V.S. General Hospital, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad-380006, India; tel: 91-79- 6577214/6577621-25; e-mail: vsresearch@satyam.net.in.


13)----------

New Internet Resources

[Below are some new or updated Internet resources we've found interesting and useful. For an extended list of Internet sites dealing with hazards, see http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sites/sites.html]

http://www.nifc.gov/fire_policy
Following the widespread wildfires in the U.S. last year, the secretaries of the departments of Interior and Agriculture asked the Interagency Wildland Fire Policy Review Working Group to review the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and Program Review and its implementation. The document provides the philosophical and policy foundation for federal activities regarding wildfires. Recently, the National Interagency Fire Center posted the results of the working group's effort - the Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy - on its web site.

The working group found that the policy is "generally sound and continues to provide a solid foundation for wildland fire management activities and for natural resources management activities of the federal government." However, they also concluded that implementation of the 1995 policy remains incomplete in many areas, especially those that involve collaboration, coordination, and integration across agency jurisdictions and across different disciplines. The group further agreed that federal activities and programs should provide for both firefighter and public safety, protect and enhance land management objectives and human welfare, integrate programs and disciplines, require interagency collaboration, emphasize the natural ecological role of fire, and contribute to ecosystem sustainability.

http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/tmc_main.htm
With the passage of the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, Congress directed FEMA to establish an advisory body to develop recommendations for improving FEMA's floodplain mapping program. Consequently, the Technical Mapping Advisory Council was formed in November 1995 and worked closely with FEMA to develop the agency's "Map Modernization Plan." The council completed its work in November 2000 with submission of its final report, available from the web site above. The report suggests numerous ways to improve maps and map provision, many of which are already being implemented - see, for example, the next web site . . .

http://www.fema.gov/msc
http://web1.msc.fema.gov

. . . speaking of flood maps.

Now you can order all of your National Flood Insurance Program mapping products on-line through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Map Service Center (MSC) Flood Map Store. Products available include: flood maps issued by the NFIP, NFIP manuals, Flood Insurance Studies, community status books, Letters of Map Change (LOMCs), Flood Map Status Information System (FMSIS), Q3 digital flood data, and coastal barrier resource area data. The MSC Flood Map Store is now open for business customers only. Individuals wishing to purchase products for personal use and customers exempt from fees, should call MSC customer service at 1-800-358-9616. Individuals and customers exempt from fees will be able to place orders on-line by the summer of 2001.

Customers can use a catalog, map search, or quick order facility to order products. This new MSC site is just one of a suite of on-line services planned to expedite the dissemination of FEMA's flood map and insurance products.

http://www.wrsc.usace.army.mil/iwr/waterchallenges
Over a five-month period in 2000, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its Institute for Water Resources (IWR) conducted "listening sessions" throughout the U.S. to obtain information and feedback from stakeholders and concerned citizens regarding U.S. water resource policies. The resultant report, America's Water Resources Challenges for the 21st Century: Summary Report on Identified Water Resources Challenges and Water Challenge Areas is available from the web site above.

Prior to conducting the sessions, the Corps identified six general water resources challenges that require immediate attention: aging infrastructure that has not kept pace with economic and social expansion, the need for environmental and ecosystem restoration, mitigation and reduction of the impacts of natural disasters, stewardship over the marine transportation system, flood control, and utilization of smart growth processes to ensure reliable sources of clean water. The listening sessions were conducted with two main objectives: to open a dialogue about assessing water resource needs and priorities and to identify the federal role in addressing them.

The report describes in detail the challenges identified by participants, the rank of importance given to each, and the importance given according to region of the country. Participants were also asked to provide suggestions regarding the roles of federal, state, and local governments in addressing the challenges.

http://www.ipcc.ch/
On February 16, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) accepted, and thus endorsed, its Working Group II report entitled Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability - the culmination of more than two years of work surveying the scientific literature related to vulnerability to, and potential impacts of, climate change. The review was conducted by hundreds of scientists and technical experts from universities and other scientific, industry, and environmental organizations worldwide. A "Summary for Policymakers" is available from the IPCC web site above.

Among other issues, the final report of Working Group II addresses climate change effects on water resources (including flood and drought hazards); agriculture and food supply; terrestrial ecosystems; coastal zones and marine ecosystems (including sea level rise); human settlements, energy, and industry (including potential changes in extreme weather hazards); human health (including effects of heat and cold weather); and key regional concerns, vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacities in various parts of the globe.

The earlier Working Group I report, Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis, addresses observed and projected changes in climate and was accepted in Shanghai in January 2001. The Working Group III report assessing options for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and otherwise mitigating climate change will be finalized in Accra, Ghana, at the end of this month.

http://www.nacc.usgcrp.gov/
The U.S. National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change, which contributed to the global assessment mentioned above, was established to provide a detailed understanding of the consequences of climate change for the nation and to examine possible coping mechanisms for adapting to such change (see DRs #275 and #325). The assessment has examined both regional and sectoral issues in order to come up with a broad synthesis for the nation. The web site for the assessment now offers on-line the final report of the National Assessment Synthesis Team, Climate Change Impacts on the United States: The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change. It also provides the more detailed reports from several of the studies focusing on specific regions and issues; the most recent additions include the final report of the Mid-Atlantic regional assessment and final reports of the Water Sector Assessment Team and the Coastal Sector Assessment Team.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/landslides/
The Washington State Department of Ecology recently launched this excellent site on landslides in the Puget Sound region. It includes information about landslides generally, warning signs, what to do if you have a slide, what to do to prevent slides, and where and how to obtain help. It also lists frequently asked questions (FAQs) and provides slope maps and a slide show on causes, recent occurrences, repair, and prevention of landslides. Much of the information on the site could be useful to people in other regions.

http://www.massey.ac.nz/~trauma/
This is the web site of the Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, with full text articles available on-line. The latest issue is a special edition on "Risk Information & Communication" edited by Bernd Rohrmann. We were particularly intrigued by an article by John Handmer entitled, "Are Flood Warnings Futile? Risk Communication in Emergencies." Handmer concludes, in part, that "flood warnings provide a margin of safety that is readily consumed by or traded for behaviour which benefits someone economically; for example a warning system connected to evacuation plans might allow the apparently safe development of a flood prone area. Warnings are likely to become an increasingly important tool for risk management . . . However, this strategy assumes reliability. Unfortunately, recent experience in Australia and Europe shows that despite increased effort flood warnings are too often seen as failures." He continues with suggestions for priorities in both policy and practice regarding flood warning.

http://www.oberlin.edu/news-info/01feb/wisnered_disaster.html
In March, the UN Chronicle will publish a piece by Ben Wisner of Oberlin College on "Disasters: What the United Nations and Its World Can Do." However a prepublication version, with related Web links and other information, is already available from the Oberlin web site above.

http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th/infores/ir.html
The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) web site includes a large section on "Information, Research and Network Support" that offers pages providing disaster information resources (categorized as hazard specific information, country specific information, disaster organizations, and reference resources), the center's newsletter Asian Disaster Management News, several ADPC on-line documents, a description of ADPC library services, and now, a searchable, annotated database of the ADPC library holdings.

http://www.crid.or.cr
http://165.158.1.110/english/ped/pedhome.htm
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), together with the U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) have just published Hurricane Mitch: A Glance at Some Thematic Trends in Risk Reduction in Central America (Huracan Mitch: Una mirada a algunas tendencias tematicas para la reduccion del riesgo), a volume that brings together the work of several experts who examined questions regarding community organization in disasters, stress management (including crisis and psychological trauma), and the loss of family members. The publication also focuses on how communities participate in the daily risk-reduction, decision-making process.

The publication describes different experiences and trends in risk reduction across Central America, provides valuable guidance for decision makers in the field of disaster management, and complements the many other studies and reports produced as a result of Hurricane Mitch, one of the most devastating catastrophes ever to hit the Central American isthmus. The publication is currently available only in Spanish. For a free copy, contact the ISDR Secretariat, United Nations, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: 41 22 917 97 09; fax: 41 22 917 97 98: e-mail: isdr@un.org; or the ISDR Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean in San Jose, Costa Rica; e- mail: isdr@crid.or.cr. The publication can also be consulted on-line at the addresses above.

http://www.disaster.info.desastres.net/saludca/desastresCR
The Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Program (PED) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID) for Latin America and the Caribbean and FUNDESUMA, has undertaken a major project on "Vulnerability Reduction and Disaster Preparedness in Countries Affected by Hurricane Mitch." Background information in Spanish is available from this web page. Further information is also available from PAHO, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Program, 525 23rd Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20037; (202) 974-3520; fax: (202) 775-4578; e-mail: disaster@paho.org; WWW: http://165.158.1.110/english/ped/pedhome.htm.


14)----------

Panel Recommends Creating New Security Agency
Built Around FEMA

The U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century was established by Congress in 1998 to examine U.S. national security policies and recommend ways to maintain and improve domestic security. Its members include prominent delegates of both major political parties. Among other things, the commission concluded that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be at the center of a major federal agency reorganization to reduce the threat of a "catastrophic attack" within U.S. borders.

In its recently released report, Road Map for National Security: Imperative for Change, the commission concluded that the U.S. faces new and different dangers within our own borders, and current methods for dealing with these risks, based on old Cold War strategies, will not work. Consequently, the commission recommends

the creation of a new independent National Homeland Security Agency (NHSA) with responsibility for planning, coordinating, and integrating various U.S. government activities involved in homeland security. NHSA would be built upon the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with the three organizations currently on the front line of border security - the Coast Guard, the Customs Service, and the Border Patrol - transferred to it. NHSA would not only protect American lives, but also assume responsibility for overseeing the protection of the nation's critical infrastructure, including information technology.
The report contains numerous other recommendations for restructuring government to better deal with these threats. The complete report is posted on the commission's web site: http://www.nssg.gov. The authors welcome comments and suggestions and have provided a place on the site where interested individuals can do just that.


15)----------

Help Wanted - Flood Warning Project Manager City of Fort Collins, Colorado

Civil Engineer II - Flood Warning
The City of Fort Collins, Colorado, Utilities Department has an exceptional opportunity for a civil engineer with flood warning and floodplain management experience. Major responsibilities will include overseeing the design, installation, and maintenance of an ALERT stream and precipitation gage network, interpreting streamflow and precipitation gage information, and assisting with emergency preparedness and response activities related to flooding. The person in this position will have overall responsibility for project management and maintaining the budget for the gaging network. Minimum qualifications include a B.S. in civil engineering, hydrology, or related field, and 3-5 years of related experience, including project management related to design, operation, and maintenance of an ALERT gaging network. Working knowledge of computer programs related to the ALERT gage network, with specific knowledge of Storm Watch, Watch Dog, and Microsoft Access, and the ability to use GIS preferred. Must live within 20 miles of the city's Utility Service Center. This is a classified position with a salary range of $3874-$5269/month, plus full benefits. Qualified candidates must submit a resume and/or city application by February 23, 2001. Please refer to Job #01-029.

A complete job announcement and more information about application procedures can be found on the City of Fort Collins Human Resources web site: http://www.fcgov.com/humanresources/. Information about the city's gaging network can be found on the city's Stormwater web site: http://www.fcgov.com/stormwater/.


16)----------

Some Recently Awarded Research Grants

Below are descriptions of recently awarded grants for the study of hazards and disasters. An inventory of contracts and grants awarded from 1995 to the present (primarily those funded by the National Science Foundation) is available on the Natural Hazards Center's web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/grants.html.

Hurricane Loss Reduction for Residences and Mobile Homes in Florida. Funding: Florida Department of Community Affairs, $700,000, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Ricardo Alvarez, International Hurricane Center, Florida International University, University Park Campus, EAS 2710, Miami, FL 33199; (305) 348-1607; fax: (305) 348-1605; e-mail: hurrican@fiu.edu; WWW: http://www.ihc.fiu.edu.

Assessing the Cost of Evacuation in Response to Hurricane Warning. Funding: Florida International University Foundation, $33,000, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Ricardo Alvarez. (Contact information above.)

Windstorm Simulation and Modeling Program. Funding: Federal Emergency Management Agency and five Florida counties, $3.2 million, three years. Principal Investigator: Stephen P. Leatherman, International Hurricane Center, Florida International University. (Contact information above.)

Natural Hazard Mitigation Experiences in Japan. Funding: National Science Foundation, $99,000, 24 months. Principal Investigators: B.F. Spencer and Yahya Kurama, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556; e-mail: spencer.1@nd.edu.

Assessment of Damage to Critical Infrastructure Facilities in the 1999 Kocaeli (Izmit) Earthquake in Turkey. Funding: National Science Foundation, $75,000, 11 months. Principal Investigators: Philip L. Gould and Gayle S. Johnson, Department of Civil Engineering, Urbauer 211, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130; e-mail: pgoul@seas.wustl.edu.


17)----------

Conferences and Training

[Below are some recent announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. A comprehensive list of upcoming hazards-related meetings and training is available from our World Wide Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/conf.html]

CRM Suite of Risk Management Courses. Offered by: Certified Risk Managers International. Offered many times and many places across the U.S. For a brochure or complete list of courses, contact: Certified Risk Managers International, P.O. Box 27027, Austin, TX 78755-2027; 1-800-633-2165; fax: (512) 343-2167; e-mail: alliance@scic.com; WWW: http://www.scic.com.

The Hemispheric Humanitarian Allied Forces Seminar (FA-HUM-01). Organizers: U.S. Southern Command and Costa Rica National Risk Prevention and Emergency Response Commission (CNE). San Jose, Costa Rica: March 19-22, 2001. The purpose of this seminar is to improve disaster preparedness and promote regional cooperation in disaster prevention and response. Contact: Alexander Solis, Comision Nacional de Prevencion de Riesgos y Atencion de Emergencias: tel: (506) 220-2020.

Building Sustainable Communities: A Watershed Approach. Host: Berkshire Institute. North Adams, Massachusetts: March 21-23, 2001. Contact: Mervin Stevens, P.O. Box 220, Walpole, NH 03608; (603) 756-3534; e-mail: info@berkshireinstitute.net; WWW: http://www.berkshireinstitute.net.

Sixteenth Annual State and Local Emergency Management Data Users Group (SALEMDUG) Conference: "Technology in Emergency Management." Las Vegas, Nevada: April 2-5, 2001. Contact: SALEMDUG 2001 Annual Conference, attn: Henrietta Alleman, P.O. Box 74833, Baton Rouge, LA 70874; (225) 775-0275; fax: (225) 774-2621.

69th Western Snow Conference. Sun Valley, Idaho: April 16-19, 2001. Contact: Robert H. Swanson, 3808 West Lincoln Avenue, Yakima, WA 98902-2210; (403) 678-6096 (until March 29), (509) 469-1558 (April 1- 14 only); e-mail: rswanson@expertcanmore.net; WWW: http://snobear.colorado.edu/WSC/WSC.html.

Second ATC-35 National Earthquake Ground-Motion Mapping Workshop. May 10-11, 2001. Contact: Applied Technology Council (ATC), 555 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 550, Redwood City, CA 94065; (650) 595-1542; fax: (650) 593-2320; WWW: http://www.atcouncil.org.

58th Eastern Snow Conference. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: May 14-17, 2001. Contact: J. Pomeroy, Centre for Glaciology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, U.K. SY23 3DB; tel: +44-1970-622781; fax: +44-1970-622659; e-mail: john.pomeroy@aber.ac.uk; WWW: http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/crysys/esc/.

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) Second Regional Course on Urban Flood Mitigation (UFM-2). Bangkok, Thailand: May 14-25, 2001. Contact: AUDMP, ADPC, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; tel: (66 2) 524-5386/524-5362; fax: (66 2) 524-5350/524-5360; e-mail: tedadpc@ait.ac.th; WWW: http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th.

Short Course on Engineering for Gulf Coast Hurricanes. Sponsored by: Wind Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University; and Center for Professional Development, Galveston College Moody Hospitality Institute. Galveston, Texas: May 23-24, 2001. Contact: Center for Professional Development, Galveston College, Moody Hospitality Institute, Seven Hope Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77554; -or- Wind Engineering Institute, Department of Civil Engineering, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 41023, Lubbock, TX 79409-1023; (806) 742-3476; fax: (806) 742-3446; WWW: http://www.wind.ttu.edu.

11th Annual Conference of the Society for Risk Analysis-Europe: "New Risk Frontiers for a New Europe." Lisbon, Portugal: May 23-27, 2001. Contact: 11th Annual Conference SRA-Europe, Faculdade de Psicologia, Universidade de Lisboa, Alameda Universitaria, 1649-013 Lisboa, Portugal; fax: 351.21.7933408; WWW: http://www.sraeurope.com.

Second Tampere Conference on Disaster Communications (CDC-2001). Host: Government of Finland, U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and others. Tampere, Finland: May 28-30, 2001. See: http://www.reliefweb.int/telecoms. Suggestions concerning the program, including offers to participate as a speaker, panelist, or presenter, as well as enquiries from potential sponsors should be addressed to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Seppo Sisatto, e-mail: seppo.sisatto@kotiposti.net, with a copy to Hans Zimmermann, e-mail: hans.zimmermann@ties.itu.int.

Sixth International Course on Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM-6). Offered by: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). Bangkok, Thailand: July 2-13, 2001. Contact: Training and Education Division, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; tel: (662) 524-5386/524-5362; fax: (662) 524-5350/524-5360; e-mail: tedadpc@ait.ac.th; WWW: http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th.

Joint Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) and the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI). Hanoi, Vietnam: August 20-31, 2001. See: http://www.iagaandiaspei.org.vn; or e-mail: iaga-iaspei@fpt.vn or engdahl@colorado.edu.

Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers 12th Annual Conference. Steamboat Springs, Colorado: September 19-21, 2001. Workshop and presentation proposals due March 16, 2001. Contact: Robert Krehbiel, Program Chair, c/o Matrix Design Group, Inc., 1601 Blake Street, Suite 508, Denver, CO 80202; (303) 572-0200; fax: (303) 572-0202; e-mail: robertk@matrixdesigngroup.com.

Twenty-Eighth International Disaster Management Course (DMC-28). Offered by: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). Bangkok, Thailand: November 5-23, 2001. Contact: Training and Education Division, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; tel: (66 2) 524-5386/524-5362; fax: (66 2) 524-5350/524-5360; e-mail: tedadpc@ait.ac.th; WWW: http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th.

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Annual Meeting. Long Beach, California: February 6-9, 2002. 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.

Seventh U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering: "Urban Earthquake Risk." Organizer: Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). Boston, Massachusetts: July 21-25, 2002. Abstracts due May 1, 2001 - see: http://www.eeri.org/7nceesubmit. 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.

World Congress on Disaster Reduction. Sponsors: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and others. Washington, D.C.: August 26-30, 2002 (tentative). Contact: Walter Hays, ASCE, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191; (703) 295-6054; fax: (703) 295-6141; e-mail: whays@asce.org; or Michael Cassaro, ASCE; e-mail: macass@aye.net; WWW: http://www.asce.org/conferences/disaster2002/. (Note: a Pre-World Congress is planned for Washington, D.C, August 18-22, 2001. Contact the individuals above for more information.)


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