Disaster Research 401

February 9, 2004


Table of Contents

  1. Upcoming Webcast Series
  2. Reviewers Wanted
  3. Socioeconomic Aspects of Weather Information
  4. Inter-American Regional Fellowship
  5. Funding for Organizations to Engage Students in Homeland Security Projects
  6. OCIPEP Request for Proposals
  7. FEMA/USFA Fire and Emergency Services Preparedness Guide
  8. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
  9. Some New Web Resources
  10. Conferences and Training

1) Upcoming Webcast Series

The International City/County Management Association (ICMA), an organization representing local government leaders, and the Water Environment Federation (WEF), a not-for-profit technical and educational organization, have developed a program intended to reduce the vulnerability of drinking water systems to human-made threats and natural disasters and enhance their ability to respond in emergency situations. The program will provide vulnerability assessment (VA) and emergency response plan (ERP) training as well as limited follow-up technical assistance to water utilities serving populations of 10,000 to 99,999. Starting this month, ICMA and WEF will provide training and resources on emergency response planning, wireless-enhanced 911 deployment, wind energy, and watershed management through a series of interactive webcasts.

A webcast combines telephone and Internet technology to give local governments the opportunity to gain relevant, useful information through a medium that encourages collegial discussion of concerns and issues. Information about upcoming events and regional workshops, along with technical assistance and registration information, is available at http://www.lgean.org/watersecurity/webcasts.cfm. Contact ICMA with questions at 777 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20002; (202) 289-4262.


2) Reviewers Wanted

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Management Higher Education Project is seeking volunteer reviewers for a draft upper division college course, "Social Dimensions of Disaster, 2nd edition," an approximately 1000-page "Instructor Guide" that updates and expands Thomas Drabek's original 1996 course "Social Dimensions of Disaster."

The original course was written in 1996 and the second edition of "Social Dimensions of Disasters" reflects the many changes that have occurred since then. Five types of changes have been incorporated: updated organizational structures and policies, such as the creation of the Department of Homeland Security; updated research and recommended course readings; the addition of new course sessions; the adoption of a more user friendly format; and an active student role.

For those willing to commit to review and comment upon this draft, 30 days will be provided after receipt of a priority-mailed package to review and return comments. Reviewers should familiarize themselves with other FEMA courses at http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu/completeCourses.asp prior to agreeing to review this course. It is requested that no one seek a review copy for informational purposes only as within a few months a final version of this course will be uploaded to the FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education web-site at http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu and will be available for downloading free of charge.

For more details, contact Wayne Blanchard, Higher Education Project, Emergency Management Institute, Federal Emergency Management Agency Department of Homeland Security, e-mail: wayne.blanchard@dhs.gov.


3) Socioeconomic Aspects of Weather Information

The Environmental and Societal Impacts Group (ESIG) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is seeking a post-doctoral scientist to conduct research on the socioeconomic use, impacts, and value of weather information. The post-doctoral scientist will join a multidisciplinary team of researchers in the growing Collaborative Program on the Societal and Economic Benefits of Weather Information, coordinated at NCAR.

The primary research foci for the position are to synthesize and integrate knowledge on socioeconomic aspects of weather information, and conduct original research on the use, impacts, and value of weather forecasts in the post-doctoral scientist's field of expertise. As a participant in a growing interdisciplinary program, the researcher will also have a unique opportunity to influence an expanding area of research at the interface of science and society.

The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and is located in Boulder, Colorado. Information about the Environmental and Societal Impacts Group can be found at http://www.esig.ucar.edu. The post-doctoral scientist must have at Ph.D. or equivalent in a relevant social science or interdisciplinary field, preferably obtained within the last 5 years. Examples of relevant fields include (but are not limited to): public policy, economics, communication sciences, sociology, or geography. The position is for one year (renewable for up to two additional years) and will start between April and August 2004.

To apply send a curriculum vitae, brief (1-3 page) statement of interest related to the position, Ph.D. dissertation abstract, and names and contact information for three references to: UCAR Human Resources, 3065 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO. 80301 (reference job #4081), or submit on-line at http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers. Initial consideration will be given to applications received prior to March 19, 2004. For further information visit http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco.cfm?do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=242.


4) Inter-American Regional Research Fellowship

The Center for Inter-American Studies and Programs (CEPI), with support from the Ford Foundation, invites applications from professionals of diverse disciplines and sectors for its resident fellowship program, based at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), in Mexico City. The CEPI mission is to provide a space for discussion and specialized research on inter-American issues in order to stimulate greater understanding and interest in this area.

Fellowships are open to nationals of any country from the following sectors: academic; public sector, diplomatic, and intergovernmental organizations; and civil society organizations, including the media. Fellowships range from three to nine months, and encompass a wide variety of disciplines and research interests, including (but not limited to) security and terrorism, migration, vulnerability, citizenship and democracy, regional and international institutions and structures, and environment and natural resources.

Applications are due March 15, 2004. Information about eligibility, requirements, benefits, and obligations can be found at http://interamericanos.itam.mx/englishversion/index_eng.html.

Contact Jennifer Jeffs, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México Río Hondo 1, Colonia Tizapán San Ángel, Delegación Alvaro Obregón México D.F. 01000; tel: +52 (55) 5628 4000 ext. 3926; e-mail: interamericanos@itam.mx for specific details.


5) Funding for Organizations to Engage Students in Homeland Security Projects

The Corporation for National and Community Service, the nation's volunteer agency, announced the availability of "Learn and Serve America" (LSA) school-based funds to support organizations that are addressing homeland security concerns through actively working with students (ages 5-17) in service-learning activities related to school-based crisis planning in their schools and communities. The intent of these funds is to tap into America's youth as an important resource for local schools and communities planning for and responding to health, safety, and security concerns. The Corporation has worked with FEMA and the American Red Cross in the past to respond to federally declared disasters. Funding will be awarded for projects that support and promote public safety, public health, and preparedness for any emergency, natural or human-made.

The Corporation expects providing students with the opportunity to help plan, organize, and implement services (instead of being solely the recipients of community/school crisis planning) will both empower youth to become more civically engaged around these issues and provide relief to school-aged children dealing with the anxiety, stress, and fear that may be associated with disaster planning and response.

Project applications are due March 9, 2004. Complete information including application guidelines, eligibility, budget requirements, and an overview of LSA is available from the Corporation for National and Community Service Headquarters, 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20525; (202) 606-5000; e-mail: webmaster@cns.gov; http://www.nationalservice.org/whatshot/notices.html.


6) OCIPEP Request for Proposals

The Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness (OCIPEP) in Canada is soliciting applications for a variety of hazards-related projects to be administered through the Division of Research and Development (DRD) which promotes research in the areas of critical infrastructure protection (CIP) and emergency management (EM). DRD's objective is to improve understanding in these subject areas and to develop solutions that will help manage, reduce, or mitigate Canada's exposure to risk and losses due to disasters, and enhance response capabilities to all hazards.

OCIPEP is currently looking to fund proposals that help contribute to, or define the scope and direction of CIP and EM research in Canada. Topic areas include tracking natural disaster costs/loss data, reducing fire vulnerability in the wildland/urban interface, and web mapping.

Proposals are due February 20, 2004, and work must be completed by March 1, 2005. Information can be obtained from Kelly Healy, OCIPEP Public Affairs, 122 Bank Street, 2nd Floor, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0W6; (613) 944-4875; e-mail: kelly.healy@ocipep-bpiepc.gc.ca; http://www.ocipep.gc.ca/research/rfp_e.asp.


7) FEMA/USFA Fire and Emergency Services Preparedness Guide

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) has prepared a comprehensive guide for all fire and emergency services that provides suggestions for activities that may be appropriate for the five Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS) levels. The "Fire and Emergency Services Preparedness Guide for the Homeland Security Advisory System" is intended to assist the heads of fire, emergency response, and emergency medical service agencies with the development and implementation of appropriate agency-specific preparedness measures that respond to each threat level, from green to red. The preparedness actions recommended are not intended to be comprehensive. However, the developers feel they provide a good place to start development, or enhancement, of agency-specific plans. Copies of the guidelines are available at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fire-service/cipc/cipc-jobaid.shtm.


8) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

[Below are a few recent job vacancies that are related to some of the myriad activities in which DR readers engage. Please contact the organizations directly for more information.]

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Emergency Management Coordinator

The city of Edmond, Oklahoma, is looking to hire an emergency management coordinator to assist with on-site safety or severe weather surveys and emergency planning activities. The incumbent will be a liaison with various public and private agencies, work with emergency operations centers, assist with generator and radio tower site management, and telephone and pager service/support. Responsibilities also include planning, implementation and support of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program, the Storm Ready Community Certification Program, and the development and delivery of a public education program on various emergency related subjects.

Desirable qualifications include a bachelors degree in communications or related field and experience in emergency services along with excellent communication skills.

Applications are due February 20, 2004. To request an application contact the City of Edmond, Human Resources Department, 100 East First Street, Room 106, Edmond, OK; (405) 359-4685; http://www.edmondok.com.

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Graduate Research Assistantship
Human Dimensions of Wildfire Management

A graduate research assistantship (GRA) is available for students entering the graduate program in the School of Natural Resources at The Ohio State University in Autumn 2004. The GRA will work on a federally funded project dealing with the human dimensions of wildfire management; specifically a study of adaptive fuel management in the U.S. and Canada. The theoretical basis for this work draws on insights from studies of risk, the decision sciences, and behavioral decision research.

Applications are due February 20, 2004. To apply, send a cover letter, resume, graduate record exam scores, official transcript, and contact information for three references to Joseph Arvai, School of Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus OH 43210; (614) 292-9877; e-mail: arvai.7@osu.edu.

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Chief of Party

Chemonics International seeks a chief of party to lead a four year USAID-funded project assisting the Indian government at the national, state, and local levels to improve disaster management. The successful candidate will lead an interdisciplinary team of Indian professionals and expatriate consultants in supporting USAID assistance to the Indian government in a major reorganization and enhancement of its disaster management functions. Responsibilities include: facilitating exchanges between U.S. and Indian government agencies; designing and evaluating program activities; coordinating capacity-building activities among Indian stakeholders; supervising project operations including logistics, procurement, budgeting, and financial management; and ensuring compliance with procedures for grant-worthiness and procurement.

The successful candidate will have a substantial grounding in emergency management and disaster mitigation, with at least 10-15 years of experience with federal or state agencies and a familiarity with the spectrum of agencies involved in disaster management. International experience is required and other desired skills include experience with USAID programs and proven skills in budgeting, financial management, procurement, and grants management.

Review of applications will begin in mid-February and continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to IndiaDMS@chemonics.net.

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Emergency Preparedness Specialist

New York University School of Medicine is seeking to hire an emergency preparedness specialist to prepare medical center personnel to respond to emergencies; assist in managing an emergency management program that meets federal, state, and local government requirements; assist in the development and completion of grant applications and in the management of grant awards; and coordinate activities and scheduling functions at the NYU Center. Excellent organizational and communication skills are essential and experience in grant writing is preferred. The successful candidate will have a bachelor's degree in business, public administration, or a related field and one to two years of related experience, knowledge of the incident command system, and familiarity with standard response to chemical or biological agents. Please e-mail resume, cover letter and salary history (with the title of the position in the subject area of the e-mail) to Saadia Bennett, NYU Medical Center, Human Resources-Staffing, One Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016; e-mail: NYUMC-Management@msnyuhealth.org.


9) Some New Web Resources

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

http://www.disastereducation.org
The National Disaster Education Coalition (NDEC)has launched a new web site. NDEC is composed of federal government agencies and national not-for-profit organizations that work together to develop and disseminate consistent educational information for the public about disaster preparedness. NDEC member agencies ensure that disaster safety messages are appropriate, accurate, research-based, and crafted appropriately for the audience by using understandable language.

http://www.safetylit.org/
SafetyLit, a free service of the Center for Injury Prevention Policy and Practice at San Diego State University, posts general information about the occurrence and prevention of injuries from many sources and disciplines on its web site. SafetyLit staff and volunteers regularly examine more than 300 journals and scores of reports from government agencies and organizations.

http://www.ridiproject.org/downloads/annotated_bibliography.pdf
The Rhode Island Disaster Initiative, a project to study and analyze various practices in disaster medicine, has an extensive bibliography of disaster medicine resources.

http://www.riskdesignnetwork.org/
This electronic network, hosted by the Lancaster University Management School, is designed to get people who are interested in technical risk assessment together with people interested in human risk perception.

http://www.noahswish.org/index.htm
Noah's Wish is an organization devoted to ensuring animal welfare during disasters. The site provides a variety of information and resources, including schedule information and requirements for their extensive national volunteer training program.

http://www.cfspress.com/introarticles.htm
CFS Press is a small press dedicated to getting information about flood and swiftwater rescue into the hands of people who need it—firefighters, rescue, EMS, law enforcement and other emergency services personnel—in a clear, easy to read form. Many articles are available on-line, including a recent addition on hurricanes and electrocution available at http://www.cfspress.com/HurricanesAndElectrocution.pdf.


10) 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 web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/conf.html.]

Reducing Future Flood Losses: The Role of Human Actions. Sponsor: National Academies Natural Disasters Roundtable. Washington, DC: March 2, 2004. The Disasters Roundtable seeks to facilitate and enhance communication and the exchange of ideas among scientists, practitioners, and policymakers concerned with urgent and important issues related to natural, technological, and other disasters. This workshop will focus on preventing flood disasters in the U.S. It will provide an opportunity for presenters and audience participants to discuss the nature of the nation's current vulnerability to flood disasters, the role that such factors as land use and government policy have played in this over the years, and what promising actions can be taken by various sectors and stakeholders to reduce the nation's future flood losses. The agenda and information about on-line registration is available at http://dels.nas.edu/dr/f10.html. Questions may be addressed to Patricia Jones Kershaw, Disasters Roundtable, and Water Science and Technology Board, The National Academies, 500 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; (202) 334-3063; e-mail: pkershaw@nas.edu; http://dels.nas.edu/dr/index.html.

1st International Anti-Terror Conference: Dimensions of International Terrorism Now Confronting America. Sponsor: Archangel Corporation. Lakewood, Colorado: March 9-11, 2004. In an effort to both share information with, and learn from the experiences of those countries that have fought the war on terrorism for decades, this conference will provide access to information from officials and officers from such nations as Israel, the United Kingdom, and Russia, as well as speakers from the U.S. military, federal government agencies, and federal law enforcement. For more information contact Archangel Corporation, P.O. Box 16850, Golden, CO 80402; (303) 215-0779; http://www.antiterrorconsultants.com/homepage.html.

Spring 2004 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security. Sponsor: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). Cambridge, Massachusetts: April 21-22, 2004. This conference will focus on the technology that can enhance infrastructure security at airports, seaports, rail, road, and mass transit, and foster the safe transportation of people and goods. Conference details may be obtained from IEEE Boston Section, One Centre Street, Suite 203, Wakefield, MA 01880; (781) 245-5405; http://www.ieee-boston.org/.

Second International Conference on Post-Disaster Reconstruction. Sponsor: Coventry Center for Disaster Management at Coventry University. Coventry, England: April 22-23, 2004. This conference, a follow up to an earlier meeting, will develop the core themes of a multi-disciplinary planning approach that can be applied to the development process to help improve the sustainability and resilience of urban communities. It will provide a forum for presentations from researchers, academics, and practitioners developing a framework to improve the resilience of communities. Conference detail can be obtained from Andrew Fox, Planning for Reconstruction, School of Science and the Environment, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK; tel: 024 7688 7688; e-mail: a.fox@coventry.ac.uk; http://www.coventry.ac.uk/cms/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=786.

First Samuel Henry Prince Student Conference. Sponsor: Department of Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies at Brandon University. Winnipeg: Manitoba: April 23-24, 2004. Students studying disaster management are invited to present papers within a forum of students from other schools with the goal of showcasing student research and enabling North American students to network about disaster-related topics. Abstracts are due February 15, 2004. For more information contact Ryan Wainwright, Brandon University, Room G-40, 270-18th Street, Manitoba, Canada; (204) 725-2155; e-mail: shp@brandonu.ca; http://www.brandonu.ca/academic/ADES/SHPConf/SHP%201.htm.

National Conference on Animals in Disaster 2004. Sponsor: The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: May 12-15, 2004. This conference will include seminars and workshops geared toward emergency managers and responders, animal care and control personnel, veterinary professionals, and volunteers of all levels and experience who work with animals and disasters. Topics fall into three main areas: preparedness and planning; national and veterinary issues; and response issues. For more information, contact the Disaster Services Department at HSUS, 700 Professional Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20879; (301) 258-3063; e-mail ncad@hsus.org; http://www.hsus.org/ace/20292.

NFPA World Safety Conference and Exposition. Sponsor: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Salt Lake City, Utah: May 23-26, 2004. This conference offers a combination of educational programs ranging from World Trade Center evacuation studies, wildland fire fatalities, emergency evacuation for people with disabilities, to keynote presentations, along with a variety of pre-conference seminars. Registration information is available from NFPA Registration, 1600 Boston Providence Highway, Building Box 79, Walpole, MA 02081; (508) 668-2669; e-mail: eduarda@leadsetc.com; http://www.nfpa.org/ProfessionalDev/EventsCalendar/WFCSExpo/WFCSExpo.asp.

Disaster Recovery Planning: Insuring Business Continuity. Sponsor: American Management Association International. New York, New York: April 21-23, 2004. This workshop is participant-oriented and will provide the knowledge and tools to develop a comprehensive program to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from both large and small disasters. Topics include step-by-step project plans; methodologies for identifying and analyzing threats; processes for identifying essential business functions; how to develop and conduct a training and testing program; and how to plan for continued communication with stakeholders. Workshop details can be obtained from the American Management Association International, 1601 Broadway New York, NY 10019; (212)586-8100; e-mail: customerservice@amanet.org; http://www.amanet.org/events/index.htm.

The Continuity Insights Management Conference. Sponsor: Continuity Insights Magazine. New Orleans, Louisiana: April 26-28, 2004. The goal of this conference is to address the strategic and practical approaches to ensuring business continuity. A variety of classes, breakout sessions, and mock disaster exercises will complement keynote speakers. Complete information is available from Expo Trac, P.O. Box 22046, Woonsocket, RI 02895; (401) 766-4142; http://www.continuityinsights.com/documents/cireg.pdf.

Disasters and Society: From Hazard Assessment to Risk Reduction. Sponsor: University of Karlsruhe Program in Natural Disasters, Collaborative Research Center, and Center for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Technology. Karlsruhe, Germany: July 26-27, 2004. This conference will provide a forum to present and discuss research results in the following areas: understanding and modeling hazards, hazard and risk assessment, forecasting and early warning, information and communication, disaster management, and risk reduction in industrialized societies. Abstracts are due March 31, 2004. For more information contact Karlsruhe University, Kaiserstrasse 12, D-76 131 Karlsruhe, Germany; e-mail: disasterandsociety@uka.de; http://www.disasterandsociety.uni-karlsruhe.de/default-en.html.

Fire Related Research and Developments: Annual Conference. Sponsor: Fire Service College. Moreton-in-Marsh, UK: November 24-25,2004. This conference will be held at the National Training Center and will include a special session on emergency management. Abstracts are due April 30, 2004, and detailed submission guidelines can be found at http://www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk/research/re04/re04.htm. For further information contact Anne Eyre, Trauma Training, P O Box 2590, Leamington Spa, Warks CV31 1GQ, UK; tel:+44(0)1926-427939; e-mail: anne.eyre@traumatraining.com; http://www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk/.


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