DISASTER RESEARCH 419

January 7, 2005

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. U.S. National Response Plan Complete
  2. U.S. National Response Plan Online Training
  3. IBHS and ACSP Scholarship in Planning and Natural Hazards
  4. Gender Broadsheet Available
  5. Reader Request: Disasters, Aid, and Geospatial Information
  6. Funding Opportunity: Emergency Preparedness Demonstration Program
  7. International Code Council Foundation Seeks Silent Defenders
  8. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
  9. Some New Web Resources
  10. Conferences and Training

1) U.S. National Response Plan Complete

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with federal departments and agencies; state, local and tribal officials; private sector; and national and international associations, has announced completion of the National Response Plan (NRP). The NRP establishes a unified and standardized approach for protecting citizens and managing homeland security incidents within the United States. It is a comprehensive, all-hazards tool for domestic incident management across the spectrum of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. All federal departments and agencies that may be required to assist or support during a national incident will use the NRP. When fully implemented, the NRP will supersede the Initial National Response Plan, the Federal Response Plan, the U.S. Government Interagency Domestic Terrorism Concept of Operations Plan, and the Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan.

The NRP uses the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to establish standardized training, organization, and communications procedures for multijurisdictional interaction and clearly identifies authority and leadership responsibilities. Together, the NRP and NIMS establish incident management processes to improve coordination and integration between federal, state, local, tribal, regional, private sector, and nongovernmental organization partners; integrate the federal response to catastrophic events; improve incident management communications and increase cross-jurisdictional coordination and situational awareness; improve federal to federal interaction and emergency support; maximize use and employment of incident management resources; and facilitate emergency mutual aid and federal emergency support to state, local, and tribal governments.

Find out more and download a copy of the plan at http://www.dhs.gov/nationalresponseplan/. To get more information, first responders and incident management authorities may call (800) 368-6498.

2) U.S. National Response Plan Online Training

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has released a new independent study course to introduce emergency management practitioners to the National Response Plan (NRP). The course, "The National Response Plan, an Introduction,” IS-800, is designed primarily for U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal department/agency staff responsible for implementing the NRP. State, local, and private sector emergency management professionals can also benefit from this course. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to describe the purpose of the NRP, locate information within the NRP, describe the roles and responsibilities of entities as specified in the NRP, identify the organizational structure used for NRP coordination, describe the field-level organizations and teams activated under the NRP, and identify the incident management activities addressed by the NRP. Access this course on the Web at http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/is800.asp.

3) IBHS and ACSP Scholarship in Planning and Natural Hazards

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) are collaborating to recognize scholarship in the general area of planning and natural hazards. The organizations are seeking papers in conjunction with the ACSP conference in Charleston, South Carolina, October 27-30, 2005. One winner will be awarded a $500 prize and will present their paper at the conference. The winner will agree to first publication rights by IBHS in its quarterly publication Disaster Safety Review.

Papers should address land use or other types of planning that incorporate natural hazards, including, but not limited to, flooding, coastal erosion, land subsidence, earthquakes, and other geologic or meteorological hazards whose risks can be minimized through community, regional, and state planning. Undergraduate, graduate, and joint faculty/student papers are eligible. For joint faculty/student papers, the student must be the first author and designated presenter of the paper.

Submit abstracts directly to the ACSP conference organizers between January 17 and February 28, 2005. Abstract submission procedures can be found at http://www.acsp.org/. (Note: Put “IBHS Award Submission” in one of the key word boxes on the submission form.) At the same time, send copies of the abstracts by e-mail to Ann-Margaret Esnard, Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, 219 West Sibley Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853; e-mail: ame7@cornell.edu. Include a cover memo indicating intent to submit a paper for the ACSP-IBHS award.

Only papers accepted for presentation at the conference are eligible for the award. Authors whose abstracts are accepted for presentation will be notified and expected to submit final papers electronically to Ann-Margaret Esnard by May 25, 2005, with full student author information: name, institutional affiliation, name of faculty advisor or coauthor (indicate clearly if faculty member is coauthor), degree program (undergraduate, masters, PhD), degree status (in progress or awarded), mailing address, phone, fax, and e-mail. Papers are not to exceed 20 pages. Final papers will be reviewed during the summer of 2005 with notification in September.

4) Gender Broadsheet Released

The Gender and Disaster Network has developed a set of broad principles for promoting gender equality in disaster response and reconstruction. It comes with the certain knowledge that putting women and girls at the center is not divisive or secondary, but vital to the larger agenda of constructing more just, sustainable, and disaster-resilient communities. This can’t be done without us all. It also comes in hopes of sharing some of the hard lessons learned from “small” disaster events, which occur just beyond the camera lens, and from decades of local organizing by women around the world for environmental and social justice. These principles make up the gender broadsheet, “Gender Equality in Disasters: Six Principles for Engendered Relief and Reconstruction.” Access the broadsheet online at http://online.northumbria.ac.uk/geography_research/gdn/resources/genderbroadsheet.doc.

For more information about the Gender and Disaster Network and links to other gender and disaster-related resources, visit http://online.northumbria.ac.uk/geography_research/gdn/index.html.

5) Reader Request: Disasters, Aid, and Geospatial Information

I would like to call upon the broad user base of this e-newsletter to assist me in my academic research, so I will briefly introduce myself. My name is Lewis Miller, and I am a final-year PhD researcher within the Department of Geography of University College London (UCL). My background is in physical geography, and I have also completed an MSc in Remote Sensing at UCL.

I am currently cofunded by the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and the Economic and Social Research Council to assess the social and economic value of earth observation data. I am in the third year of my work.

I am looking closely at the humanitarian aid sector, particularly the role of geospatial information in both disaster preparedness and emergency response. The spatial and temporal coverage of Earth observation techniques (most typically satellite images) qualifies them as potential sources of valuable information for relief agencies, especially in remote/inaccessible/dangerous regions.

Although there is a limited body of literature and previous studies on this subject, I would like to undertake a survey of aid professionals and researchers to clarify the needs and expectations of the sector.

It is crucial that I characterize current practice (by taking a representative sample) before undertaking a series of interviews, worked examples, and case studies later in the year. Within the context of my report, the findings will influence funding streams and the direction of UK space policy through the BNSC, so this is an opportunity to effectively capture the nonmarket value of Earth observation datasets.

To this end I have prepared a questionnaire, which I would be very grateful if you could complete. It is available online at http://www.pm-04.com/survey.html and as a Word form at http://www.pm-04.com/aid_survey.doc.

I would be delighted if you could forward the survey (which has an attached cover letter) to as many individuals/organizations as you think may be able to contribute. I would be very happy to discuss the work in more detail. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or comments.

It would be most helpful if you could respond by January 31, 2005. Thank you very much.

Lewis Miller
Mobile: +44 (0)77 1314 8532
Home: +44 (0)20 8374 5913
Fax: +44 (0)20 7679 4293
E-Mail: Lewis.Miller@UCL.ac.uk or Lewis.Miller@Orange.net

6) Funding Opportunity: Emergency Preparedness Demonstration Program

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the availability of funds for the Emergency Preparedness Demonstration Program. The program will competitively award $1.5 million for a single cooperative agreement to an eligible organization to conduct postdisaster critiques and evaluations in disadvantaged communities affected by Hurricane Isabel, provide an assessment of emergency preparedness awareness in these communities, and develop recommendations for new methods to improve outreach to these and similar communities. Details of this funding opportunity, including eligibility and the application process, are available at http://www.fema.gov/preparedness/preparedness_demonstration_program.shtm. For more information, contact Ralph Swisher, Program and System Development Branch, Preparedness Division, FEMA, 500 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20472; (202) 646-3561; e-mail: ralph.swisher@dhs.gov.

7) International Code Council Foundation Seeks Silent Defenders

The International Code Council Foundation is accepting nominations for its inaugural Silent Defender Awards. The program recognizes individuals and organizations that perform an extraordinary act that demonstrates a commitment to the foundation’s mission of building stronger, safer communities. The Foundation Award Committee is looking for individuals and organizations that have made a difference in the lives of people through improving building safety and fire prevention. Nominees should have high ethical standards and lend themselves to the dignity and credibility of their profession. The Silent Defender Awards may be awarded to more than one person and are not limited to those in the building safety or fire prevention profession.

If you know someone who has improved the lives of others through selfless acts of benevolence, help give them the recognition they deserve. Nominate them for the Silent Defender Award. In 150 words or less, relate the details of the nominee’s act and include the nominee’s contact information. Nominations are accepted by e-mail, mail or fax through March 31, 2005. Address nominations to Silent Defender Awards Program, Attention: Paul Myers, International Code Council Foundation, PO Box 11335, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45311; fax: (513) 574-2159; e-mail: pmyers@iccsafe.org. To find out more, visit http://www.iccsafe.org/foundation/silent_defenders.html. Winners will be announced during Building Safety Week 2005 (May 8–14, 2005) at the International Code Council Foundation’s Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

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.]

_________________________________
Civil Engineer or Architecture/Physical Scientist
Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a number of immediate employment opportunities in FEMA headquarters in Washington, DC. They are seeking highly qualified engineers, architects, or physical scientists with expertise in areas of earthquake and wind engineering, knowledge of the model building codes and consensus standards development processes, knowledge and expertise related to the building science-related mitigation programs within FEMA, knowledge of GIS systems and software systems development program management, knowledge of risk assessment and loss estimation methodologies and modeling, as well as federal contract procurement and project management expertise.

These positions are open continuously until filled. The application process must be completed electronically, using an online applicant assessment system, AVUE Digital Services (ADS).

For a complete description of the vacancy and job requirements, see https://www.avuecentral.com/, click on the logo to enter, click on “job search” within the menu on the left side of the screen, select the “Federal Emergency Management Agency,” and click on “search.” The job vacancies are:

  • HQPUS-M04-SW0049 Status Candidates Civil Engineer (810) or Architecture (808)
  • HQPUS-D04-SW0049 All Sources Civil Engineer (810) or Architecture (808)
  • HQPUS-M04-SW0050 Status Candidates Physical Scientist (1301)
  • HQPUS-D04-SW0050 All Sources Physical Scientist (1301)

To apply, register online through AVUE at http://www.avuedigitalservices.com/fema/applicant.html. Those interested are encouraged to apply as soon as possible since the positions will be filled as soon as highly qualified candidates are found.

_________________________________
Summer Intern
Geotimes

Do you like science and love to write? Geotimes magazine is currently accepting applications for the position of summer 2005 intern. This intern will work as a member of the Geotimes staff writing for the News Notes section and other parts of the magazine as needed, writing weekly Web Extras for Geotimes online, attending press briefings and science seminars in Washington, DC, and helping to edit and produce the magazine for print and the Web. A $3,500 stipend is supplied for the 12-week internship. Starting time is flexible.

All applications should be postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed by March 11, 2005. A background in the geosciences is a plus. Send a resume, letter describing what you hope to gain from the internship, and writing samples (no more than three) to Geotimes Summer Internship, American Geological Institute, 4220 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302; fax: (703) 379-7563; e-mail: geotimes@agiweb.org. Writing samples can include essays, newspaper or magazine articles, or samples from classroom work that demonstrate that you have a flair for writing and that you can describe science well.

View the internship announcement and find out more about Geotimes at http://www.geotimes.org/.

_________________________________
Senior Research Fellow, Economics
Senior Research Fellow, Science and Impacts
Pew Center on Global Climate Change

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change is currently accepting applications for two senior research fellow positions, one in economics and one in science and impacts.

Descriptions of these positions are available online at http://www.pewclimate.org/about/career_opportunities/.

The Pew Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and independent organization dedicated to providing credible information, straight answers, and innovative solutions in the effort to address global climate change. The center was formed in 1998 with a large grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Center strives to inform the debate by publishing reports in the areas of domestic and international policy, economics, environmental impacts, and practical solutions relating to climate change. To facilitate dialogue among business, government, and nongovernmental organizations, the center hosts conferences and workshops on selected topics that have included the timing of climate change policy, technology policy, and improving the state of the art of the economic modeling of climate change. Finally, Pew Center staff participate in meetings on international climate change issues, including the ongoing negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. For more information about the Pew Center, visit http://www.pewclimate.org/.

_________________________________
Program Officer
Winrock International

Winrock International has an opening in Arlington, Virginia, for a program officer in its Forestry and Natural Resource Management (F/NRM) unit. Primary responsibilities of this position will be to provide support to F/NRM for project development and implementation activities focusing in a wide range of topics such as poverty, environmental services, illegal logging, certification, etc. The position requires a master’s degree with a minimum of seven years relevant experience, including at least three years of international experience (working in a developing country). The successful candidate will have a proven track record in new business development with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other donors, strong proposal writing capabilities, demonstrated experience working with the private sector and/or international nongovernmental organizations, strong business skills, and experience in financial management of projects and activities.

Applicants should send a current resume, cover letter, and reference contacts by January 17, 2005, to HRM-Program Associate, Winrock International, 2101 Riverfront Drive, Little Rock, AR 72202-1748; fax: (501) 280-5090; e-mail: jobs@winrock.org; http://www.winrock.org/. E-mail is the preferred method of receiving applications. Only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted.

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/resources/.]

http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/
On December 26, 2004, a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated coastlines throughout southern Asia. In light of this tragedy, the Natural Hazards Center is providing a list of resources to provide ready access to information about the event itself and the relief efforts underway.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2004/ann/ann04.html
This report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center has released Climate of 2004: 2004 in Historical Perspective. Contents of the report include major highlights, global analysis, ENSO conditions, U.S. and global significant events, U.S. summary, and U.S. Drought.

http://www.riskinstitute.org/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi
The Public Entity Risk Institute has posted these “Issues and Ideas Papers” from their recent Benchmarking for Continuous Improvement in Risk Management symposium.

http://www.ahrq.gov/research/btpreplist.htm
Subscribe to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) listserv to receive concise descriptions of findings from AHRQ’s published research; announcements about new products and tools; and updates on initiatives, meetings, and other key developments in bioterrorism planning and response.

http://peer.berkeley.edu/Archive/News/parkfield04.htm
This page on the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center’s Web site features a multitude of links to information about the 2004 Parkfield earthquake.

http://www.paho.org/English/DD/PED/DeadBodiesBook.pdf
http://publications.paho.org/english/dead_bodies.pdf
These two reports from the Pan American Health Organization, Management of Dead Bodies in Disaster Situations and Infectious Disease Risks from Dead Bodies Following Natural Disasters, are of particular interest in light of the recent tsunami disaster.

http://www.nvoad.org/ManagingSpontaneousVol.pdf
Published by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Volunteer Management Committee, Managing Spontaneous Volunteers in Times of Disaster: The Synergy of Structure and Good Intentions provides a basis for developing a national strategy for working with unaffiliated volunteers and is based on an analysis of effective practices and models.

http://www.westgov.org/wga/initiatives/fire/tempe-report04.pdf
The Western Governors’ Association (WGA) has sent to the secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Interior and Agriculture this report from the WGA’s Forest Health Advisory Committee on the progress made and improvements needed in the implementation plan for the 10-Year Comprehensive Wildfire Strategy.

http://www.westgov.org/wga/publicat/nidis.pdf
This report, Creating a Drought Early Warning System for the 21st Century: The National Integrated Drought Information System, is the first product to result from a partnership between the Western Governor’s Association and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which was created to develop a vision and recommendations for establishing an improved drought monitoring and forecasting system.

http://www.ssri.hawaii.edu/research/GDWwebsite/pages/proceeding.html
The proceedings from last summer’s Gender Equality and Disaster Risk Reduction Workshop in Honolulu, Hawaii, are now available online, including presentations, posters, background resource materials, participant profiles, regional commentaries, and the call to action.

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/public/w2000.html
The April 2004 issue of Women 2000 and Beyond, published by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, addresses gender issues in disaster reduction and sustainable development. It is also available in French and Spanish.

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.]

IDRA 15th Annual Conference and Trade Show. Sponsor: International Disaster Recovery Association (IDRA). Baltimore, MD: April 3-6, 2005. This conference focuses on the telecommunication aspects of contingency planning, homeland security, infrastructure and network protection, emergency management, business continuation and disaster avoidance, and mitigation and recovery. For more information, contact the IDRA at (508) 845-6000; http://www.idra.com/.

Third Annual Medical Reserve Corps National Leadership Conference. Sponsor: Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). San Francisco, California: April 20-22, 2005. All MRC community leaders are invited to participate in this three-day networking and knowledge-sharing conference. This conference is MRC communities’ best opportunity to share promising practices, ideas, and strategies. Proposals for concurrent session presentations are due by January 31, 2005. For more information, visit http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/index.cfm?MRCaction=Home.NationalConference2005.

World Water and Environmental Resources Congress. Organizer: The Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Anchorage, Alaska: May 15-19, 2005. One of the largest gatherings of environmental and water resource professionals, this congress will feature technical paper presentations, plenary sessions, panel discussions, local tours, and an exhibit hall. Attendees will gain insight into global climate change and its environmental and water impacts and discuss a wide variety of other environmental and water resources issues with their colleagues and friends. For more information, contact the ASCE, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA, 20191; (703) 295-6300, (800) 548-2723; e-mail: conferences@asce.org; http://www.asce.org/conferences/ewri2005/.

Continuity Insights Management Conference 2005. Sponsor: Continuity Insights Magazine. New Orleans, Louisiana: May 16-18, 2005. In this conference the discussion of continuity strategies will take center stage. Plenary sessions will focus on leadership, enterprise-wide planning, security, and more and will be complemented by numerous breakout sessions, workshops, and special events. For more information, contact Expo Trac, PO Box 1280, Woonsocket, RI 02895; (401) 766-4142; http://www.ContinuityInsights.com/.

6th National Hydrologic Warning Council Conference and Exposition. Sponsors: ALERT Users Group, Southwestern Association of ALERT Systems, ALERT-Flows East Coast Users Group. Sacramento, California: May 17-20, 2005. The largest conference in the United States devoted specifically to flood warning systems, technologies, and preparedness, this event will provide up-to-date information on preparing communities for flood events. Specifically, it will offer a wide range of technical sessions and workshops; provide information on the support provided by federal and state agencies and research institutions for local flood warning programs; provide an opportunity to see the latest flood warning equipment, products, and services; and provide a forum for networking with professional colleagues from across the country and around the world. Abstracts are due January 14, 2005. For more information, visit http://www.udfcd.org/Nhwc/ or http://www.alertsystems.org/.

NFPA World Safety Conference and Exposition. Sponsor: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Las Vegas, Nevada: June 6-10, 2005. The feature presentation at this conference will be National Institute of Standards and Technology’s findings on the World Trade Center fire and collapse. In addition, more than 140 education sessions will be offered in areas such as building and life safety, business management, codes and standards, detection and suppression, disaster management/business continuity, fire and emergency response, public education, and research. For more information, contact NFPA Registration, c/o Exgenex Inc., 437 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021; (888) 397-6209; http://www.nfpa.org/.

APCO International’s 71st Annual Conference and Exposition. Organizer: Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO). Denver, Colorado: August 21-25, 2005. This event is designed for decision makers in the area of public safety communications and will feature an educational forum, including the most current and cutting-edge presentations on homeland security and public safety communications technology. For more information, contact APCO, 351 North Williamson Boulevard, Daytona Beach, FL 32114; (386) 322-2500, (888) 272-6911; e-mail: apco@apco911.org; http://www.attendancemarketing.com/MS/MS11/page.php.

The 15th Mexican National Conference on Earthquake Engineering. Sponsor: The Mexican Society for Earthquake Engineering. Mexico City, Mexico: September 16-19, 2005. “Mexican Earthquake Engineering 20 years after the September 19, 1985 Earthquake: What Have We Accomplished?” is the theme of this conference, which is designed for anyone interested in earthquake engineering research, teaching, design, and construction. This gathering will bring together professionals from a broad range of disciplines committed to reducing the impact of earthquakes on the built and natural environment, including geology, seismology, geophysics, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, architecture, emergency response planning, and regulation. Abstracts are due February 11, 2005. For more information, contact María Antonieta Rico-López, Sociedad Mexicana de Ingeniería Sísmica, A.C., Camino Sta. Teresa No 187, Local 9, Col. Parques del Pedregal, Delegación Tlalpan, 14020 México, D.F., México; +(52-55) 5606-1314; e-mail: smis@data.net.mx; http://www.smis.org.mx/. To access information in English, click on “Eventos proximós,” “XV Congreso Nacional de Ingeniería Sísmica,” and then “English.”

Questions for the readership and contributions to this e-newsletter are encouraged. Questions and messages should be indicated as such and sent to hazctr@colorado.edu.

Back to Top