DISASTER RESEARCH 415

November 5, 2004

TABLE OF CONTENTS


  1. Hazards Center Job Opportunity: Editor and Outreach Coordinator
  2. Updated NIMS-Related Resource Management Tools
  3. Gender Equality and Disaster Risk Reduction
  4. New Center: Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response
  5. NWS Seeks Comments on Strategic Plan 2005-2010
  6. Update on Earthquake and Wind Hazards Legislation
  7. Small Entity Scholarship Program for 2005 PRIMA Conference
  8. Homeland Security Appropriations Bill of 2005
  9. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
  10. Some New Web Resources
  11. Conferences and Training

1) Hazards Center Job Opportunity: Editor and Outreach Coordinator

The editor and outreach coordinator will be responsible to the director and program manager for the effective management of the Natural Hazard Center's editing and outreach services. In particular, the editor and outreach coordinator will perform the following duties:

  • Assume responsibility for and coordinate the production of Center publications, meeting deadlines and budgets
  • Edit Center publications (both print and electronic forms); improve clarity, consistency and accuracy; and ensure publications meet the needs of targeted audiences and deadlines
  • Assist in planning, coordinating, and implementing communication initiatives and strategies for the Center and its programs
  • Develop, maintain, and update Center electronic online content (Website, electronic newsletter, and other Web-based products)
  • Assist with the Center's fellowship, award, and educational competition related efforts, ensuring broad promotion and timely review of applications
  • Conduct ongoing research related to the state of the hazards and disasters field
  • Perform other duties as necessary

Preferred Qualifications:

  • A university degree in a field related to natural hazards planning and management with experience in communications
  • Ability to edit and write a wide range of materials for a variety of audiences
  • Highly organized, detail-oriented, and a team player who has the ability to work with outside consultants
  • Flexible with the ability to work in a dynamic environment
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Proficient with Web development technologies
  • Advanced knowledge of MSOffice Suite and other publishing software

For more information about the Center, visit http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/. Send a resume, writing sample, and cover letter via U.S. mail to Greg Guibert, Natural Hazards Center, 482 UCB, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309 or via e-mail to greg.guibert@colorado.edu by November 19, 2004.


2) Updated NIMS-Related Resource Management Tools

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Incident Management System Integration Center have released an updated “National Mutual Aid Glossary of Terms and Definitions” and a new “Resource Typing Definitions-II” to help incident managers identify, obtain, and track needed resources during an incident or a disaster. Both documents can be downloaded at http://www.fema.gov/nims/mutual_aid.shtm.


3) Gender Equality and Disaster Risk Reduction

In preparation for the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) in Kobe, Japan, in January 2005, a group affiliated with the recent Gender Equality and Disaster Risk Reduction Workshop in Hawaii has established a voluntary coordinating group to collaborate on gender-related recommendations and implementation strategies to present at the WCDR. While many workshop participants have pledged to promote the concept of improving gender equality in their organizations, the coordinating group is taking the initiative a step further and is looking at the language of background documents and making recommendations about areas where gender considerations should be incorporated more directly into disaster reduction strategies. These recommendations are being made through the national delegates who will be attending the WCDR.

Along with working to improve understanding of the importance of gender to sustainable disaster mitigation and reduction strategies, the group is also collaborating on a much needed “Gender and Disaster Sourcebook” (funded by the Public Entity Risk Institute and the East-West Center Pacific Disaster Center) based on existing documents, brochures, case studies, and success stories from around the world. The initial document will be published in English on CD-ROM and on the Internet. The concept of the sourcebook sprung from the need for a publicly available resource featuring examples of the implementation of gender fair practices in disaster risk reduction. Several authors will debut the sourcebook at the WCDR to solicit comments and input from the broader disaster risk management community.

For more information about the workshop outcomes (including the sourcebook), or if you are interested in participating in the "Honolulu Call to Action," contact Cheryl Anderson, University of Hawaii Social Science Research Institute, 2424 Maile Way, Saunders 719, Honolulu, HI 96822; (808) 956-3908; e-mail: canderso@hawaii.edu or Greg Guibert, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado, 482 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309; (303) 492-2149; e-mail: greg.guibert@colorado.edu.


4) New Center: Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2003, the Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response was founded at New York University (NYU) to leverage NYU’s research, development, and application activities to enhance the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to terrorist threats and catastrophic events. Drawing on each of its fourteen schools, the center relies on a cross-disciplinary approach to generate important research-based recommendations that will help shape public decision making. For more information, contact the center at 70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012; (212) 998-2183; e-mail: center.for.cpr@nyu.edu; http://www.nyu.edu/ccpr/.


5) NWS Seeks Comments on Strategic Plan 2005-2010

The National Weather Service (NWS) has recently released “Working Together to Save Lives: National Weather Service Strategic Plan for 2005-2010” for public comment. The plan describes how the NWS intends to accomplish its mission of promoting public safety and the general welfare of the United States, its citizens, and its economy by providing accurate and timely weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings. While the NWS supplies the forecasts and warnings, it is the emergency management community that prepares communities, responds to events, and directs recovery efforts. The NWS acknowledges the importance of providing emergency managers with the information they need, when they need it, and the opinions of this critical constituency are extremely valuable to the NWS as it sets forth its plans for the future. Read the plan online at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/sp/ and let the NWS know what it can do to help meet your needs. Comments should be submitted to John Sokich at john.sokich@noaa.gov by November 30, 2004.


6) Update on Earthquake and Wind Hazards Legislation

On October 25, the president signed the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-360). The new law authorizes $900 million to be spent over the next five years on the development and implementation of earthquake hazard reduction measures and interdisciplinary earthquake research activities and moves NEHRP from the jurisdiction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The law also authorizes $72.5 million over three years for a new National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program to be modeled after NEHRP with the intent of studying the impact of wind on structures and developing cost-effective ways to mitigate these impacts. The complete text of Public Law 108-360 is available in any federal repository library and on the Library of Congress Web site at http://thomas.loc.gov/.


7) Small Entity Scholarship Program for 2005 PRIMA Conference

The Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI) will award $1,000 scholarships to up to 60 individuals to help them attend the 2005 Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) Annual Conference. The PERI Small Entity Scholarship Program assists employees and officials from smaller public entities and nonprofit organizations who could benefit from the PRIMA Conference, but who may not have the budget to attend. In 2005, the conference will be held June 5-8 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and will feature more than 80 workshops and conference sessions that address vital public risk management topics and issues. It is the largest conference devoted to public sector risk management in the United States.

The application deadline is February 18, 2005. For complete eligibility information and an application form, see the brochure at http://www.riskinstitute.org/newsite/uploads/SmallEntityScholarshipProgram2005.pdf or, for more information, contact Audre Hoffman, PERI, 11350 Random Hills Road, Suite 210, Fairfax, VA 22030; (703) 352-1846; e-mail:ahoffman@riskinstitute.org; http://www.riskinstitute.org/test.php?pid=news&tid=1423.


8) Homeland Security Appropriations Bill of 2005

On October 18, the president signed the Fiscal Year 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, providing $28.9 billion in net discretionary spending for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Among the appropriations, the law provides approximately $4 billion to support state and local governments and first responders, which includes grants to high threat areas, firefighters, and emergency management. Also, recognizing that no community is immune from terrorism, the law tries to create a balance between basic formula grants (used by states and localities to achieve a minimum level of preparedness) and funds for high-risk urban areas. The complete text of Public Law 108-334, including specific funding levels, is available in any federal repository library and on the Library of Congress Web site at http://thomas.loc.gov/. A fact sheet issued by DHS is available at http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4065.


9) 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.]

_________________________________
Assistant Professor Position: Hazards and Society

University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Geography, invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the assistant professor level in hazards and society. Candidates must have a Ph.D. degree by July 1, 2005, in geography or a related field, excellent potential for quality teaching, and evidence of outstanding potential for developing a vigorous research program.

Hazards are the result of interactions among natural (physical and biological), social, and technological factors. The successful applicant will have a research emphasis that integrates at least two of these three factors. Possible research foci include natural hazards, behavioral aspects of environmental risks, biohazards and disease transmission, and cognitive aspects of global climate change.

The department has strengths in three systematic areas: (1) modeling, measurement, and computation; (2) human-environment relations; and (3) earth system science. Candidates should be able to support one or more of these areas in teaching and research. The department has a strong commitment to multidisciplinary research and teaching, and provides opportunities for interactions with other departments and research units on the campus, including the Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science, the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, the Institute for Computational Earth System Science, the Graduate Emphasis Program in Cognitive Science, and the Graduate Emphasis Program in Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences. The department is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching, and service, regardless of academic rank. The application deadline is December 9, 2004, and the starting date is July 1, 2005.

Qualified applicants should mail a complete curriculum vitae, a statement of research and teaching interests, and the names of at least three references to Search Committee Chair, Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4060; fax: (805) 893-3146; e-mail: hazards@geog.ucsb.edu; http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/.

_________________________________
Fellow (Policy Research and Analysis)

Resources for the Future (RFF) is a nonprofit, nonadvocacy research organization whose mission is to improve public policy through policy research and analysis. RFF addresses a wide variety of natural resource, energy, environmental, and public health issues, both domestically and internationally. RFF’s Risk, Resource, and Environmental Management Division seeks a talented policy researcher and analyst with a commitment to developing knowledge that can be of practical use to policymakers and stakeholders in the policy process. This opening for a career-track research fellow requires a Ph.D. in a relevant field (such as public policy, political science, law, economics, or environmental science) or the equivalent (for instance, a master’s degree coupled with experience demonstrating the ability to work independently and conduct high quality research on public policy issues). Completion of dissertation by September 1, 2005, is required. The position requires a commitment to careful and impartial research, excellent writing and analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with policymakers and stakeholders. Subject matter knowledge is required in one or more policy areas that relate to the mission of RFF.

Salary is competitive. RFF offers excellent fringe benefits and a collegial work atmosphere. Entry-level applicants should send a letter of application, graduate transcript, curriculum vitae, a short writing sample, and three letters of recommendation. More senior candidates should send curriculum vitae, two to three examples of recent publications, and three references (with address, telephone, and e-mail). Electronic submission of full application packages is encouraged; use PDF format or Microsoft Word.

Submit applications by December 1, 2004, to Resources for the Future, Box RREM-F, 1616 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; e-mail: hire2005@rff.org; http://www.rff.org/.

_________________________________
Tenure-Track Faculty Position: Science, Technology, and Society

The Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes (CSPO) at Arizona State University (ASU) seeks to fill a new, tenure-track faculty position in the general field of science, technology, and society available for August 2005. This position will likely be filled at the assistant professor level, but we will also consider candidates recently promoted to associate professor. Qualified candidates will have a doctorate or equivalent in a related area; demonstrated research and teaching interests at the intersection of public policy, scientific and technological advance, and social impacts appropriate to rank; and evidence of potential in both research and teaching appropriate to rank. Particular areas of specialization are open but could include emerging technologies (nanotechnology, genomics, robotics, etc.), biomedicine and health, social progress indicators, research policy, information technology, technology and development, globalization, etc. Disciplinary approaches are also open, but could include political science, economics, anthropology, sociology, communication, history, law, and cultural studies. Experience with policy, public engagement, technology assessment, or other applied areas is a plus. Natural scientists with significant policy research experience will also be considered.

The appointment will be split between CSPO and an appropriate disciplinary unit within ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Salary and start-up package very competitive. CSPO and ASU offer an innovative, interdisciplinary environment for developing and testing research and teaching ideas related to the governance and conduct of science and technology in the public interest.

Review of applications will begin November 19, 2004 (no electronic applications accepted) and will continue every Friday thereafter until the search is closed. Submit a detailed letter of application stating qualifications, experience, research plans, and teaching interests; a complete, detailed curriculum vitae; and three letters of recommendation to David Guston, Chair, Search Committee, Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874401, Tempe, AZ 85287; http://www.cspo.org/.


10) 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/resources/.]

http://www.eeri.org/lfe/usa_centralcalifornia.html
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute has posted a preliminary report on the September 28, 2004, earthquake in Parkfield, California along with links to other sites with related data.

http://www.health.ri.gov/environment/biot/responseguide.php
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Region 1 has created this Palm version of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “2004 Emergency Response Guide.”

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/RL32631.pdf
This new report from the Congressional Research Service addresses "Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets: Definition and Identification.”

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Quakes/uspyal.htm
A preliminary U.S. Geological Survey report on the magnitude 6.6 earthquake near the west coast of Honshu, Japan, on October 23, 2004, is available here along with links to additional related information.

http://www.cdera.org/cunews/uploads/caribbean_rea_2004.pdf
This Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment examines the effects of Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne in Haiti, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic.

http://depts.washington.edu/nwfire/
The Northwest Fire Research Clearinghouse (FIREHouse) is a Web-based project providing data and documentation on fire science and technology relevant to Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The goal is to provide "one-stop shopping" for resource managers, decision makers, scientists, students, and communities who want access to the results of efforts to understand and manage fire and fuels on public lands in the region.

http://www.frames.gov/
The Fire Research and Management Exchange System (FRAMES) is a virtual collaborative workspace for wildland fire managers and researchers that serves them and others through the exchange of information and tools that are essential for wildland fire and fuels management.

http://www.earth.northwestern.edu/people/seth/Texts/lunch.pdf
This article from a "Natural Hazards Observer" reader advocates the need for seismologists to view earthquake hazard mitigation issues as involving policy and economic issues as well as scientific ones and suggests some approaches.

http://www.domesticpreparedness.com/
Integrating the professional first responder communities of fire, law enforcement, emergency medical, National Guard, and local, state, and federal governments with industry concerned with domestic preparedness is the aim of this site, which features news about grants, government, industry, people, reports, events, and more.

http://www.purepursuitintelnetwork.com/
This Web site provides relevant and timely information for the military and air defense, emergency services, and remote sensing communities. Free subscriptions to e-mail updates are also available.

http://www.operationhope.org/documents/EmergencyFinancialFirstAidKit.pdf
Operation Hope offers a free Emergency Financial First Aid Kit on its Web site. Designed to help Americans minimize the financial impact of a natural disaster or national emergency, this tool helps users identify and organize key financial records and serves as a quick reference to important financial documents. A Spanish version is under development.

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/noaaorgchart4czm/
This National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Organizational Chart for Coastal Managers was developed for coastal managers and staff to facilitate their understanding of the organizational structure, role, and responsibilities of NOAA offices involved in coastal management activities, such as weather, research, and fisheries management. Hard copies can be obtained by e-mailing clearinghouse@csc.noaa.gov.

http://www.waterhealthconnection.org/bt/index.asp
Developed to assist the medical and public health community as well as public utility and emergency response professionals, this new Web site offers a free terrorism preparedness guide that addresses the public health and security challenges resulting from intentional acts of water terrorism.


11) 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.]

9th Suppression and Detection Research Application Symposium: Responding to New Century Challenges. Sponsors: Fire Protection Research Foundation, Society of Fire Protection Engineers. Orlando, Florida: January 26-28, 2005. Technical papers from a variety of current research initiatives in fire suppression and detection will be presented by fire protection engineers, fire prevention officers, code writers, and researchers at this symposium. As in previous symposia, the theme is "bridging the gap" between practitioners and researchers and between detection and suppression innovations. For information, contact Eric Peterson, Fire Protection Research Foundation, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269; (617) 984-7281; e-mail: epeterson@nfpa.org; http://www.nfpa.org/foundation/.

Fire Rescue East 2005: Strategic Partnerships...Fire Service in Transition. Sponsors: Florida Fire and Emergency Services Foundation, Florida Society Fire Service Instructors, Florida State Fire College. Jacksonville, Florida: February 10-13, 2005. Conference details are available from the Florida Fire Chiefs' Association, 821 North U.S. 1, Suite B, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; (386) 676-2744; http://www.firerescueeast.org/.

The 2nd Consequence-Based Engineering (CBE) Institute. Sponsor: Mid-America Earthquake Center. College Station, TX: January 6-12, 2005. This institute is designed to provide qualified graduate students and professionals from a variety of disciplines, universities, and organizations with an understanding of the “big picture” of CBE, the details of the major research thrust areas, and other related topics. It also provides a chance for participants to interact and build a network for future collaboration. For more information, contact Mary Beth Hueste, Department of Civil Engineering, 705J CE/TTI Building, 3136 TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843; (979) 845-1940; e-mail: mhueste@tamu.edu; http://cbe.civil.tamu.edu/.

Wildland Fire 2005: Partnering to Protect Our Communities. Sponsor: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). Albuquerque, NM: February 16-18, 2005. This conference will bring together fire service leaders at the local, state, and federal levels to address the critical problem of the wildland/urban interface to better provide firefighters with the tools and skills they need to protect themselves and the communities they serve. Attendees include fire chiefs, company officers, firefighters, land use planners, federal and state agency employees, and military personnel. For more information, contact the IAFC at 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033; (703) 273-0911; e-mail: wildlandfire@iafc.org. http://www.iafc.org/conferences/wildland/.

ASDSO 2005 West Regional Conference. Sponsor: Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO). Santa Fe, New Mexico: April 24-26, 2005. This regional conference will be geared toward dam safety engineers and dam owners/operators in the Western states. Both technical and nontechnical topics will be included on the agenda. Abstracts are due by January 20, 2005. For more information, contact ASDSO, 450 Old Vine Street, Floor 2, Lexington, KY 40507; (859) 257-5140; e-mail: info@damsafety.org; http://www.damsafety.org/.

Solutions to Coastal Disasters 2005. Sponsors: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute. Charleston, South Carolina: May 8-11, 2005. The inaugural Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference in 2002 created a productive exchange of ideas among professionals worldwide. This second generation conference will share lessons learned since 2002 as well as creative new solutions to coastal disasters. Conference topics will focus on the science and management of erosion, hurricanes, coastal storms, tsunamis, seismic events, climate change, sea level rise, and wind hazards. Papers must be submitted by December 15, 2004. For more information, contact ASCE, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191; (703) 295-6300; e-mail: conferences@asce.org; http://www.asce.org/conferences/cd05/.

ASDSO 2005 Northeast Regional Conference. Sponsors: Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), Northeast Regional Council for Safe Dams. Cape May, New Jersey: May 16-18, 2005. This biennial conference will be geared toward dam safety engineers and dam owners/operators in the Northeast states. Both technical and nontechnical topics will be included on the agenda. Abstracts are due by January 21, 2005. For more information, contact ASDSO, 450 Old Vine Street, Floor 2, Lexington, KY 40507; (859) 257-5140; e-mail: info@damsafety.org; http://www.damsafety.org/.

Tenth Americas Conference on Wind Engineering (10ACWE). Sponsors: American Association for Wind Engineering, Louisiana State University (LSU) Hurricane Center. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: May 31-June 4, 2005. This conference seeks to facilitate the exchange of the latest scientific and technical information between academics, researchers, engineering and architecture practitioners, and students on the many aspects of wind engineering. In addition to traditional oral presentations of papers, the conference will include technical poster sessions, exhibitor booths, tours of the LSU Wind Tunnel Lab and other campus research facilities, and continuing professional development seminars and short courses designed for practitioners. For more information, contact Marc Levitan, 10ACWE, c/o LSU Hurricane Center, Suite 3221 CEBA Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; (225) 578-4813; e-mail: 10ACWE@hurricane.lsu.edu; http://www.10acwe.lsu.edu/.

The 9th European Conference on Traumatic Stress (ECOTS). Sponsor: The Swedish National Association for Mental Health (SFPH). Stockholm, Sweden, June 18-21, 2005. This interdisciplinary conference welcomes anyone with an interest in psychotraumatology. Among the many main themes are effects of disasters and terrorism, helping the helpers, media and disaster, and community programs and intervention. The deadline for submitting abstracts is December 1, 2004. For more information, contact SFPH, Box 3445, SE-103 69 Stockholm, Sweden; +46 (0)8 34 70 65; e-mail: info@sfph.se; http://www1.stocon.se/ecots2005/9/12734.asp.

31st International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment (ISRSE): Global Monitoring for Sustainability and Security. Sponsor: International Center on Remote Sensing of the Environment. Saint Petersburg, Russia: June 20-24, 2005. The overall theme of this symposium is the use of Earth observation systems in monitoring, understanding, and managing our planet's environment with particular emphasis on global change, security, and sustainability. Abstracts are due December 1, 2004. For more information, contact the Secretariat for ISRSE, 1955 East Sixth Street, Suite 208D, Tucson, AZ 85719; isrse@email.arizona.edu; http://www.niersc.spb.ru/isrse/.

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