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In July, hazards professionals from around the world gathered in Boulder, Colorado, for the 26th Annual Hazards Research and Applications Workshop. The participants focused on cutting edge hazards issues, tackling such topics as changes in hazards in the 21st century, bioterrorism, international information sharing, the evolving profession of emergency management, balancing the environment and the economy in hazard mitigation, and response to the Gujarat earthquake in India.
To ensure that the ideas and discussions generated at the workshop are shared with those who did not attend, the Natural Hazards Center publishes brief summaries of each session, abstracts of the hazards research presented, and descriptions of the projects and programs discussed at the meeting. A set of all workshop materials, including the agenda, participant list, and workshop notebook, costs $25.00, plus $6.00 shipping for domestic orders; $25.00, plus $10.00 shipping for orders outside the U.S. (For detailed ordering information, contact the Publications Administrator at the address below).
A list of titles of all session summaries is available on-line at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/ss/ss.html. On or before November 1, the complete text of all session summaries will also be available at that site, although abstracts of hazards research, programs, and projects will not.
To order these materials, send your payment (checks should be payable to the University of Colorado) to the Publications Administrator, Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, 482 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482; (303) 492-6819; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: janet.kroeckel@colorado.edu; WWW: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Diner's Club cards are also accepted.
Through its research program, the Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CDMHA) supports the discovery and application of scientific knowledge related to disaster preparedness and mitigation in the Americas (see DR #346 for a list of grants awarded this year). In pursuit of this mission, the center has issued its 2001 request for proposals on "Collaborative Research on Disasters in the Americas." Approximately $600,000 is available to fund four to six one-year projects with budgets up to $150,000 each. The CDMHA's competitive grant program is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of Naval Research.
Proposals will be considered in three areas: 1) public health issues in disasters; 2) social science, disasters, and development; and 3) information technology and decision science applied to disaster manage- ment. Priority will be given to proposals that focus on coordination among international, governmental, NGO, and military groups in disaster preparedness and response; assessment of program effectiveness; integration of disaster management with long-term sustainable development; and use of technology to enhance information systems in disaster management. Also, studies that undertake research with relevance to U.S. military operations in disaster situations are encouraged. Examples of projects appropriate for this announcement include program evaluations with a strong research design, vulnerability assessments with practical relevance for the region, research on hazards management effectiveness, and sociocultural research on community preparedness and response. Projects must have a Latin America or Caribbean focus and involve institutional collaboration between North and South American researchers.
Applicants must submit proposals through a North or South American sponsoring institution, including research organizations, universities, consortia, NGOs, government and private agencies, and foundations. Projects involving human subjects, laboratory materials, or other safety considerations must be reviewed by official research compliance committees (e.g. human subjects/institutional review boards).
Applicants interested in submitting proposals must send a two-page letter of intent by November 1, 2000. The letter should summarize the project objectives, study design, significance, and budget, and should identify collaborating partners and institutional arrangements. Applicants who propose projects judged to fit best the identified criteria and priorities will be invited to prepare a full proposal, due March 1, 2001, to be evaluated by an outside scientific review committee. The proposal format will follow the guidelines of the National Science Foundation (http://www.nsf.gov).
Letters of intent and proposals should be submitted by mail to the Research Grants Program, Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612. Awards will be announced May 1, 2002.
Additional information is available from CDMHA, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, MCD 56, Tampa, FL 33612; attn: Jeannine Coreil, (813) 974-6698, e-mail: jcoreil@hsc.usf.edu; or Nick Colmenares, (813) 876-1113, e-mail: erminow@aol.com; or Erin Hughey, (813) 974-2907, e-mail: ehughey@hsc.usf.edu.
For general information on the CDMHA see the center's web site: http://www.cdmha.org; or contact the center at the address above; (813) 974-2907; fax: (813) 974-9980; e-mail: cdmha@hsc.usf.edu.
Dear DR Readers,
If you happen to have information/contacts on procurement of disaster supplies by developing country suppliers, this is a topic to which we will be dedicating an entire magazine issue. The magazine can be viewed on-line at http://www.tradeforum.org. It is published in English, French, and Spanish and has global print distribution and web readership.
I am also looking for existing articles on untied aid, which is a critical issue related to procurement of disaster supplies from developing countries. If any readers have any advice on this I would really appreciate it.
Thanks for your help,
Natalie Domeisen
E-mail: domeisen@intracen.org
It is easy to find methodologies in the literature for assessing damage caused by natural hazards, however not so easy to find information or literature for methodologies to assess damage cause by technological accidents or hazards. I am undertaking independent research on this topic and would be very interested if any DR readers can suggest useful research or literature relating to this topic? I am especially interested in those methodologies that could be used in a developing country perspective as well as any other high-tech, state-of-the-art methodology that could be used anywhere in the world.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Geraldine Teakle
Environment Analyst
Canberra, Australia
E-mail: geraldine_teakle@ausaid.gov.au
In the DR #348 (item 10), we mentioned that President Bush had created a new Office of National Preparedness within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Recently, FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh announced additional realignments within the agency. The director believes the new agency structure will "flatten the organization where possible; reduce the number of organizations reporting directly to the Office of the Director; and consolidate like functions." In addition, Allbaugh changed the title of agency directorate heads from "Associate Director" or "Executive Associate Director" to "Assistant Director." However, the Administrators of the Federal Insurance Administration and the United States Fire Administration will retain their titles as prescribed by law.
The new offices in FEMA include:
Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada, is seeking a director for its Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies (ADES) Program, and the university invites applications for this tenurable faculty position. The successful candidate will assume the responsibilities of director for a five-year term, renewable upon review. The ADES program offers four-year baccalaureate degrees (B.A. and B.Sc.) in Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies with concentrations either in Planning and Management or Disaster Science. ADES is a new program aimed at integrating theories and applications in environmental disasters and emergencies from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The successful candidate will have demonstrated leadership ability, administrative experience, and an understanding of the challenges posed by interdisciplinary approaches to risks, hazards, disasters, and the emergencies that arise from such phenomena. In addition, the successful candidate will have a proven record in teaching, research, and scholarship, and must be an effective coordinator. Required credentials include a) a Ph.D. or equivalent in any of the following fields: anthropology, economics, geography, geology, hydrology, management, meteorology, planning, political science, psychology, public administration, sociology, or a relevant discipline or interdisciplinary area; b) considerable experience in dealing both with all-hazard issues and specialized knowledge in some aspect of emergency and disaster management; and c) a demonstrated ability to effectively link university-based activities with public and private agencies and institutions. The successful candidate will teach 9-12 credit hours per year.
Applications are due by August 31, 2001, or until the position is filled. The appointment will take effect January 1, 2002, or upon availability of the successful candidate. Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Please send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, transcripts, and the names of three referees to: Dr. Janet S. Wright, Dean of Science, Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada R7A 6A9.
Detailed information about Brandon University can be found on its web site: http://www.brandonu.ca.
In accordance with Canadian Immigration Regulations, this advertisement is directed primarily to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Both women and men are encouraged to apply.
The Overseas Development Institute in London is seeking consultants for their "Improving Performance in the International Humanitarian System Through Improved Learning: Mapping Study."
Consultant/s are required to undertake a study between September and December 2001 that:
Applications, including CV, list of previous publications, and a covering letter outlining suitability and availability should be addressed to Colin Hadkiss, ODI, 111 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7JD, U.K.; e-mail: c.hadkiss@odi.org.uk. Closing date: August 30, 2001.
[The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently sent the following request to recipients of their e-mail list, EENET-LIST. To subscribe to that source of information and notices about FEMA's Emergency Education Broadcast Network - send an e-mail to majordomo@fema.gov with the words "subscribe eenet-list" (without the quotes) in the body of the message.]
As many of you know, EENET has been providing weekly programming since January 1999 on various [emergency/disaster] topics. We need to know from you our viewers, if these programs are beneficial and how you are using the information provided. Are there any particular topics we should add or delete from our schedule? How can EENET better serve you, our viewing audience?
You are very important to us and we want to provide information that is both informative and beneficial, and we want to hear any comments you may have.
Feel free to contact me via e-mail - sue.downin@fema.gov - to voice your opinion, as it will be very valuable to assure these programs continue in the future.
[Below are some new or updated Internet resources we've discovered. For an extensive list of good Internet sites dealing with hazards, see http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sites/sites.html]
http://www.ofcm.gov
The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology (OFCM) is a
federal interdepartmental office established in 1964 because Congress and
the president recognized the importance of full coordination of all
federal meteorological activities. Hence, the mission of the office is
to ensure the effective use of federal meteorological resources by
coordinating weather services and supporting research among the federal
agencies. Fifteen federal departments and agencies are currently engaged
in meteorological activities and participate in the OFCM program. In
addition to providing a coordinating infrastructure, the OFCM prepares
operations plans, conducts studies, and responds to special inquiries and
investigations. The OFCM web site provides more information about the
office, numerous publications about federal meteorological plans and
programs, and a section on "Special Projects" that includes proceedings
from such meetings as the National Hurricane Conference and the Forum on
Risk Management and Assessments of Natural Hazards held earlier this
year.
http://www.edm.bosai.go.jp/english.htm
http://www.edm.bosai.go.jp/team3/pamph3_e.html
The main purpose of the Earthquake Disaster Mitigation Center (EDM),
part of the National Research Institute for Earthquake Science and
Disaster Prevention (NIED) in Japan, is to produce "Frontier Research on
Earthquake Disaster Mitigation for Urban Regions." EDM's web site
provides information about the center's "Development of Earthquake and
Tsunami Disaster Mitigation Technologies and their Integration for the
Asia-Pacific Region" (EQTAP) project, and the center's three research
teams: the Disaster Process Simulation Team, the Disaster Information
System Team, and the Structural Performance Team. The center has recently
released two reports:
http://www.nps.gov/fire/fireinfo/cerrogrande/reports.htm
The federal officials involved in the prescribed fire in Bandelier
National Monument that exploded and destroyed 235 buildings in the Los
Alamos, New Mexico, area last year used "questionable judgement" despite
following National Park Service policy, according to the Cerro Grande
Prescribed Fire Board of Inquiry, which investigated the fire. The board
also concluded that National Park Service policy at the time of the fire
"had weaknesses that helped contribute to the chain of events that caused
the Cerro Grande Fire to escape [the control area]." In addition, the
board concluded there was insufficient coordination among federal
agencies to handle the fire.
The Board of Inquiry Final Report, available at the URL above, was released in early June. It contains a chronology of events surrounding the fire, a detailed explanation of findings and recommendations, and a summary of the actions taken by individuals involved in managing the controlled burn. The board determined that all federal land management agencies need to develop better protocols and guidelines for dealing with complex prescribed burns.
http://www.booth-seismic.co.uk/Gujarat
Edmund Booth, a British seismic engineer, and Rabindra Vasavada, an
architect from Ahmedabad, India, toured the earthquake-affected region
of Gujarat, India, in March of this year to determine the effect of
January's quake on the palaces and other heritage buildings in the area.
Sponsored by the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage,
they have published their findings on the web at the address above.
http://www.sec.noaa.gov
http://www.sec.noaa.gov/SWN
The web site of NOAA's Space Environment Center (SEC) is the
"Official Source of Space Weather Alerts, Warnings, and Forecasts." The
site provides on-line data, educational materials about space weather
hazards, and descriptions of SEC projects and services. Most notably, it
provides a "Space Weather Now" page at the second URL above with
information on imminent or ongoing solar radiation storms, geomagnetic
storms, and radio blackouts, as well as real-time information about solar
and auroral activity. The page also links to separate pages for SEC user
groups (navigation, radio, electric power, satellite operators, the
media).
http://disaster-resource.com/index.htm
The on-line version of the Disaster-Resource Guide offers multiple
forms of information for responding to human-caused and natural
catastrophes: articles, products for responding to emergencies, web
links, book reviews, and an extensive list of upcoming events in disaster
management.
http://www.hsus.org/disaster
http://www.hsus.org/disaster/disastermonthmain.html
Last June, in support of National Disaster Preparedness Month for
Animals, the Humane Society of the United States published three
downloadable brochures in PDF format to help animal owners prepare for
emergencies:
These pamphlets are available from the second URL above; at the first is
additional information (including brochures in HTML format) on protecting
animals from various hazards.
The Municipality of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) are seeking submissions for the 2002 Dubai International Awards for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment (DIABP). This biennial environmental award recognizes outstanding, sustainable achievements in this area. One identified field of interest is "Improved disaster preparedness, mitigation, and reconstruction."
The award is open to government agencies, national habitat committees or focal points, multilateral agencies, cities, local authorities and associations, nongovernmental groups, the private sector, research and academic institutions, media, public or private foundations, as well as individuals, provided they are submitting specific initiatives or projects that meet the best practice criteria.
Ten best practices will be selected, and each winning organization will receive a DIABP trophy and certificate, a monetary prize of U.S $30,000, and travel and expenses to attend the award ceremony. Final date for submission is March 31, 2002, although the organizers encourage submission before December 31, 2001. For complete details, see: http://dubai-award.dm.gov.ae and http://www.bestpractices.org.
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) is soliciting nominations for the Shah Family Innovation Prize, which recognizes young professionals and academics for their creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit in the field of earthquake risk mitigation and management. The $10,000 prize honors individuals less than 35 years old who have demonstrated the potential to make major contributions in this field. For details about the nomination process and selection criteria, 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. Nominations will be accepted until October 15, 2001.
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute has announced its Annual Student Paper Competition to promote active involvement of students in earthquake engineering and the earthquake hazards research community. The competition includes graduate and undergraduate categories. Up to four winners will receive travel support to the EERI annual meeting next February in Long Beach, California, and their papers will be considered for publication in EERI's Earthquake Spectra journal. Guidelines for preparing manuscripts are available from EERI at the address above. Papers must be received by November 5.
Below are descriptions of recently awarded contracts and grants for the study of hazards and disasters. An inventory of contracts and grants awarded from 1995 to the present is available on the Natural Hazards Center web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/grants.html.
Measuring the Environmental Context of Social Vulnerability to Urban Earthquake Hazards: An Integrative Remote Sensing and GIS Approach. Funding: National Science Foundation, $6,125, 24 months. Principal Investigator: John R. Weeks, Department of Geography, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4493; (619) 594-8040; fax: (619) 594-4938; e-mail: jrweeks@mail.sdsu.edu.
Technological Disaster, Resource Loss and Long-Term Social Change in a Subarctic Community. Funding: National Science Foundation, $210,416, 24 months. Principal Investigator: J. Steven Picou, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL; e-mail: spicou@jaguar1.usouthal.edu.
Quick Response Study: The Gujarat, India, Earthquake of 26 January 2001. Funding: National Science Foundation, $10,613, six months. Principal Investigator: Louise K. Comfort, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; e-mail: lkc@pitt.edu.
Improved Liquefaction Hazard Mapping Procedures for Urban Areas. Funding: National Science Foundation, $54,727, 12 months. Principal Investigator: T. Leslie Youd, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT; e-mail: tyoud@byu.edu.
Workshop on Research with NEES Tsunami Facility. Funding: National Science Foundation, $34,141, 12 months. Principal Investigator: Harry H. Yeh, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; e-mail: harryeh@u.washington.edu.
Collaborative Research on Volcanic Hazard Mitigation in Guatemala and El Salvador. Funding: National Science Foundation, $60,000, 36 months. Principal Investigators: William I. Rose and James W. Vallance, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI; e-mail: raman@mtu.edu.
[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]
National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue (NIUSR) Annual Conference: "Technology in Progress: Crisis Management and Counter-Terrorism Programs in Action." Huntsville, Alabama: September 25-27, 2001. See http://www.niusr.org; or contact Sherry Adlich, NIUSR Fall 2001 Conference Registration, Teledyne Brown Engineering, 300 Sparkman Drive, MS 158, Huntsville, AL 35807; (800) 933-2091, ext. 62122, or (256) 726-2122; fax: (256) 726-2779; e-mail: conference@niusr.org; WWW: http://niusr.org/Conference/Fall2001Conf.htm.
First Annual Conference on Infrastructure Priorities: A National Infrastructure Research Agenda. Host: Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems (ICIS), New York University. Washington, D.C. area: October 24-26, 2001. See: http://www.nyu.edu/icis/InfraPriorities/; or contact: Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems, 411 Lafayette Street, Room 300, New York, NY 10003; (212) 992-4247; fax: (212) 995-4875; e-mail: icis.info@nyu.edu.
Regional International Training Course: "Seismology Hazard Assessment and Risk Mitigation." Offered by: GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ). Site: Universidad de Concepcion and Universidad Catolica del Norte, Chile: October 28-December 1, 2001. Intended for participants from Latin America and the Caribbean. Subjects include earthquake seismology, tsunami and volcano monitoring, and hazard assessment. See: http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/pb2/pb21/Kurs/course1e.html or contact: GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, c/o Prof. Peter Borman, Telegrafenberg E428, D-14473, Potsdam, Germany; tel: (+49-311) 288 1202; fax: (+49-311) 288 1204; e-mail: course@gfz-potsdam.de.
European Crisis Management Academy (ECMA) Conference 2001: "Foundations for Cooperative European Crisis Management: Establishing Common Ground." Sponsors: National Center for Crisis Management Research and Training, Swedish National Defence College; Swedish Agency for Civil Emergency Planning; and Leiden University Crisis Research Center. Stockholm, Sweden: November 22-23, 2001. Conference language will be English. Applications are due September 15. Contact: ECMA 2001, Kongress & Konferens, Dragarbrunnsgatan 32, S-753 20 Uppsala, Sweden; tel: +46 18 15 00 80; fax: +46 18 13 40 50; e-mail: kongress@ukkab.se.
Symposium on Maritime Disaster Management. Organized by: Frontier Guard General Directorate, Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dhahran, Saudi Arabia: January 19-23, 2002. Abstracts due October 15, 2001. Contact: Dr. Abdulaziz M. Al-Suwailem, Chairman, Organizing Committee, Symposium on Maritime Disaster Management, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, P.O. Box 5042, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; tel: (+966-3) 860-1391; fax: (+966-3) 860-1205; e-mail: seasymp@kfupm.edu.sa; WWW: http://www.saudi-sea-symp.org/.
2002 National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Annual Conference. Sponsors: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Atlanta, Georgia: April 13-17, 2002. Contact: NDMS, 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 360, Rockville, MD 20857; (800) 872-6367 or (301) 443- 1167; fax: (800) 872-5945 or (301) 443-5146; e-mail: ndms@usa.net; WWW: http://www.oep-ndms.dhhs.gov.
Third International Conference on Risk Analysis 2002: Computer Simulation in Risk Analysis and Hazard Mitigation. Host: Wessex Institute of Technology. Sintra, Portugal: June 19-21, 2002. A call for abstracts has been issued: final papers are due January 15, 2002. Contact: Susan Hanley, Conference Secretariat, Risk Analysis 2002, Wessex Institute of Technology, Ashurst Lodge, Ashurst, Southampton SO40 7AA, U.K.; tel: 44-0-238-029-3223; fax: 44-0-238-029-2853; e-mail: shanley@wessex.ac.uk; WWW: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2002/risk02/index.html.
2002 Annual Conference of the Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR): "Integrated Transboundary Water Management." Traverse City, Michigan: July 23-26, 2002. Co-sponsors: Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), National Ground Water Association, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Abstracts are due October 1, 2001. For details, contact UCOWR, Southern Illinois University, 4543 Faner Hall, Carbondale, IL 62901-4526; (618) 536-7571; fax: (618) 453-2671; e-mail: ucowr@siu.edu; WWW: http://www.uwin.siu.edu/ucowr/.
Eleventh International Conference on Wind Engineering. Lubbock, Texas: June 2-5, 2003. Session proposals are due January 15, 2002; abstracts are due August 2002. Contact: Eleventh International Conference on Wind Engineering, Wind Science and Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University, Box 41023, Lubbock, TX 79409-1023; (806) 742-3476; fax: (806) 742-3446; e-mail: 11icwe@wind.ttu.edu; WWW: http://www.icwe.ttu.edu.
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