DISASTER RESEARCH 425

April 1, 2005

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Hazards Center Seeks Communications Specialist
  2. NOD Seeks Nominees for Focus Groups
  3. Call for Papers: Emergency Preparedness Information Systems
  4. New Quick Response Report from the Hazards Center
  5. RARE Hazard Mitigation Planning Positions
  6. Reader Request: Demand Surge
  7. ICC Telephone Seminar Series: Hazard Abatement and Safe Buildings
  8. Inter-American Development Bank Seeks Policy Input
  9. Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program
  10. Call for Papers: IJRS Issue on Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami
  11. Reader Request: USGS Seeks Input on New Web Site
  12. Reminder: 2005 Mary Fran Myers Scholarship
  13. Some New Web Resources
  14. Conferences and Training
  15. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

1) Hazards Center Seeks Communications Specialist

Founded in 1976, the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder is an international clearinghouse of knowledge concerning the social science and policy aspects of disasters. The Center collects and shares research and experience related to preparedness for, response to, recovery from, and mitigation of disasters, emphasizing the link between hazard mitigation and sustainability to both producers and users of research and knowledge on extreme events.

The communications specialist will be responsible to the director and program manager for the effective management of the Natural Hazard Center’s special publications editing and outreach efforts. In particular, the communications specialist will perform the following duties:

  • Research, write, and distribute the Center’s Disaster Research e-newsletter
  • Manage, maintain, and update the Center’s Web site
  • Edit Center publications (both print and electronic forms) to improve clarity, consistency, and accuracy and to ensure publications meet the needs of targeted audiences
  • Assume responsibility for and coordinate the production of Center special publications, meeting deadlines and budgets
  • Coordinate the planning and implementation of communications and outreach initiatives and strategies for the Center and its programs

Preferred Qualifications:

  • A university degree in a field related to natural hazards planning, management, or research, graduate degree highly preferred
  • Prior work experience in communications or with nonprofit outreach efforts
  • Ability to edit and write a range of materials for a variety of audiences
  • Highly organized, detail-oriented, team-player with superior time management skills
  • Flexible with the ability to work in a dynamic environment
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Proficiency with Web content management and organization, as well as Dreamweaver software
  • Advanced knowledge of MSOffice Suite and Adobe Creative Suite

For more information about the Natural Hazards Center, go to http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/. Please send a resume, writing sample, and cover letter via U.S. mail to Greg Guibert, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado at Boulder, 482 UCB Boulder, CO 80309 or via e-mail to greg.guibert@colorado.edu by May 16, 2005. Materials will be reviewed as they are received. This is a full time position with excellent benefits and a starting salary in the mid 30's.

2) NOD Seeks Nominees for Focus Groups

The National Organization on Disability’s (NOD) Emergency Preparedness Initiative will conduct three focus group meetings with disability and emergency management leaders in regions across the United States as part of an effort to identify programs and products that would help improve preparedness and lessen anxiety for people with disabilities facing disaster or emergency situations. The NOD is seeking individuals who have special expertise and/or experience in disaster planning and preparedness for persons with special needs, specifically people with disabilities.

Three regional focus groups will be held:
May 17, 2005 - Atlanta, Georgia
May 24, 2005 - Dallas, Texas
June 7, 2005 - San Diego, California

If you know someone who you believe would provide valuable contributions to the defining of needs and recommending of creative solutions to the ongoing challenges associated with special needs planning and preparedness, nominate them today. Nominate as many individuals as you wish, including yourself. Focus group participants will receive $250 honorarium for participation. Travel and maintenance expenses (travel, hotel, and per diem) for participants will be reimbursed.

Nominations are due April 15, 2005. Download a copy of the nomination form at http://www.nod.org/Resources/PDFs/epi_nomform.pdf. Find out more about how the focus groups will work and how participants will be selected at http://www.nod.org/ (emergency preparedness) or e-mail epi@nod.org.

3) Call for Papers: Emergency Preparedness Information Systems

The Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science, which will be held January 4-7, 2006, in Kauai, Hawaii, will feature a minitrack on emergency preparedness information systems. The minitrack chairs have issued a call for papers on any aspect of the design, development, deployment, operation, or evaluation of emergency preparedness information systems, provided the focus is on the tools, functionality, and/or interface that the system provides to human users involved with emergency and crisis response. Equally welcome are papers that focus on the requirements for this environment and/or the impact or relationship of such systems on the behavior of the individuals or organizations involved.

Papers that focus on the underlying technology or hardware of computers, networks, sensors, mobile devices and their improvements in such areas as throughput, accuracy, and security, should be directed to other appropriate sessions. An exception might be any special purpose input/output device for users of such systems that aid in meeting user requirements.

This minitrack is concerned with the functionality that emergency preparedness information systems provide for those involved in training for a crisis situation, planning for the response to a crisis situation, responding to a crisis situation, and/or evaluating the performance during and after the crises.

Find out more about the conference and the minitrack, which is part of the “Decision Technologies for Management” track, at http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/HICSS39/callforpapers.htm#Tracks. Questions about submitting a paper for the minitrack should be directed to Murray Turoff, Information Systems Department, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Heights, Newark, NJ 07102; (973) 596-3366; e-mail: murray.turoff@njit.edu.

4) New Quick Response Report from the Natural Hazards Center

The following Quick Response report has been posted on the Natural Hazards Center’s Web site at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qrrepts.html.

QR173 The 2003 Southern California Wildfires: Constructing Their Cause(s), by Richard Stuart Olson and Vincent T. Gawronski. 2005.

The purpose of revisiting the 2003 Southern California wildfire disaster for this research project was to examine how the local media constructed its cause or causes: did they attribute the fires to failures of hazard reduction, mitigation, preparedness, and/or response or fundamental land use decisions. The authors hypothesized that the wildfires would be overwhelmingly defined as a technical/organizational problem and not the result of flawed basic strategies in rural, suburban, and exurban California land use. Quantitative as well as qualitative data supported the hypothesis, finding that, for the general public, the disaster was constructed as primarily the result of preparedness and response problems.

5) RARE Hazard Mitigation Planning Positions

Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) is an AmeriCorps program run by the University of Oregon’s Community Service Center. The mission of the RARE program is to increase the capacity of Oregon’s rural communities in order to improve their economic, social, and environmental conditions through professional assistance provided by trained college graduates who live and work in communities throughout the state for approximately eleven months.

In the 2005-2006 program year, RARE and the Oregon Natural Hazards Workgroup, another program of the University of Oregon’s Community Service Center, are combining efforts to offer several RARE positions focused on natural hazard mitigation planning. This program will offer the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in developing local mitigation plans for rural communities in Oregon. Participants will receive training on the mitigation planning process and other skills relevant to developing mitigation plans. In 2002, a RARE participant coordinated the development and adoption of the first natural hazard mitigation plan in the country to meet new federal planning requirements.

The two primary goals of the Oregon Natural Hazards Workgroup are to assist local communities in the development of natural hazard mitigation plans, policies, and other natural hazards-related analysis and provide training and education to Oregon communities.

Benefits of participating in RARE include:

  • Assisting rural Oregon in the development and implementation of programs relating to natural hazard mitigation;
  • A taxable living stipend of $1,250/month;
  • Medical health insurance;
  • Educational award of $4,725 upon completion of the program (dependent on grant funding);
  • Skills in project management, communication, plan development, and more; and
  • Eligibility for nine graduate credits from the Community and Regional Planning Program at the University of Oregon.

RARE placements for 2005-2006 begin September 15. For more information and application guidelines, visit http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~rare/. Applications are due June 16. For more information on the Oregon Natural Hazards Workgroup, visit http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~onhw/.

6) Reader Request: Demand Surge

NewPoint Group is an independent, third-party consulting firm located in Sacramento, California, conducting research on demand surge for the California Earthquake Authority (CEA). Demand surge is generally defined as an increase in demand, and thus prices for material and/or labor (with resulting increase in claims costs), following a catastrophic event. We are developing a background paper for the CEA on demand surge--including theory, history, and a summary of qualitative and quantitative information. We will provide recommendations to the CEA on how to address the issue of demand surge in their rate-setting and policy. Our intent is to obtain as much information as possible on the topic of demand surge, both qualitative and quantitative, in an effort to advance the current state of knowledge on demand surge. If you are aware of any studies, reports, or data on demand surge, please contact Wendy Pratt, NewPoint Group, 2555 Third Street, Suite 215, Sacramento, CA 95818; (916) 442-0508; e-mail: wendypratt@newpointgroup.com.

7) ICC Telephone Seminar Series: Hazard Abatement and Safe Buildings

The International Code Council (ICC) is offering a series that consists of four telephone seminars taught by the industry’s foremost authorities in building safety and hazard abatement. Individuals will participate via speakerphone. Each 90-minute telephone seminar will include handouts and question-and-answer periods to provide the learner with a thorough understanding of each topic. One registration fee per telephone seminar, $175, pays for an unlimited number of participants at one location. The phone call to connect to a telephone seminar is toll-free. Groups may select to attend one or all four of the seminars in the series. Each seminar is worth 0.15 ICC continuing education units.

The Hazard Abatement/Safe Buildings Telephone Seminar Series includes:

Hazard Mitigation and Emergency Management Planning--Be Prepared!
June 22, 2005
10:00–11:30 a.m. (CST)

2003 IEBC (International Existing Building Code)--Issues with Existing and Historic Buildings
August 10, 2005
10:00–11:30 a.m. (CST)

2003 IBC (International Building Code) Wind and Earthquake Loads
October 5, 2005
10:00–11:30 a.m. (CST)

2003 IBC Fire Risks of Interior Finishes
November 16, 2005
10:00–11:30 a.m. (CST)

Visit http://www.iccsafe.org/training/telephone/ for more information, or contact Joyce Patterson at (888) 422-7233 x4322; e-mail: jpatterson@iccsafe.org.

8) Inter-American Development Bank Seeks Policy Input

The Inter-American Development Bank(1) is conducting public consultations on the profile of its new Disaster Risk Management Policy currently being developed for approval in 2006.

The purpose of the consultation process is to receive comments from government entities, civil society organizations, and the private sector on the contents of the proposed policy. As part of this consultation process, the profile of the policy is now available for comments on the bank’s web site along with the consultation plan and other supporting documents at http://www.iadb.org/sds/ENV/site_2970_e.htm (in English) and http://www.iadb.org/sds/ENV/site_2970_s.htm (in Spanish).

This first part of the consultation process will be open until May 2, 2005. The consultation will be followed by bank preparation of the draft policy document based on the comments received.

Submit comments to Niels Holm-Nielsen at nielshn@iadb.org.

9) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program

Through the Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP), the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides smaller law enforcement and emergency responder agencies with equipment items that will enhance and support regional response, mutual aid, and interoperability of responder equipment. CEDAP is being offered in two phases in fiscal year 2005.

Application materials for Phase I can be reviewed March 22 through April 5, 2005, and submitted online between April 5 and May 5, 2005, at the SLGCP Responder Knowledge Base, hosted by the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, at http://www.rkb.mipt.org/. Successful applicants will be notified this spring. Phase II will begin in May 2005.

For more information, contact the SLGCP Helpline at (800) 368-6498 or visit http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/whatsnew/whats_new.htm.

10) Call for Papers: IJRS Issue on the Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami

The International Journal of Remote Sensing is seeking papers to produce a special issue related to various aspects of the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004 . All aspects of studies related to this event using satellite and airborne sensors will be considered for inclusion in this special issue.

Interested authors are requested to signify their intention and to send the title and abstract of their paper to the Ramesh P. Singh at rsingh3@gmu.edu as soon as possible. Full papers should be submitted electronically by July 31, 2005. (For details of format etc., see http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/authors/tresauth.asp).

11) Reader Request: USGS Seeks Input on New Web Site

The U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Hazards Team in Golden, Colorado, has developed several new Web sites that display components of the national seismic hazard model.

One of these new Web sites is intended to be of relatively general public interest. It shows estimates of the probability of future earthquakes in the United States. One of the main purposes of this site is to acquaint people with the earthquake hazard in their own neighborhood. We hope this is conveyed without requiring a commitment of time to get to know the underlying model for earthquake generation.

We invite readers to look at this site and suggest ways that we might improve the presentation in order to reach a wide audience and acquaint them with local and regional earthquake hazards. For example, people in coastal towns of Puerto Rico, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and northern California could gain some idea of probability of plate-subduction earthquakes similar to the recent Sumatra earthquakes by visiting this Web site.

The web address is http://eqint.cr.usgs.gov/eq/html/eqprob.html.

All that you need to enter are three items: (1) a site location, which can be given as a city’s zip code, (2) an exposure period in years for accumulating the earthquake rates, and (3) a minimum magnitude. You will get a map in which your site is at the map center. You can read more about the Web site in two readme files on the site.

Please e-mail suggestions or comments to harmsen@usgs.gov.

12) Reminder: 2005 Mary Fran Myers Scholarship

Mary Fran Myers was codirector of the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center at the University of Colorado for 16 years until her untimely death in 2004. Reducing disaster losses, both nationally and internationally, was her life’s work.

During her tenure as codirector, Mary Fran was instrumental in maintaining the Hazards Center’s international reputation as a driving force in hazards research and mitigation. Her work helped to bring about a fundamental change in national and international perspectives regarding hazards and helped institute new, more farsighted, and sustainable ways of dealing with extreme environmental events.

Mary Fran was much more than her job title. She provided leadership, guidance, grace, and laughter, and established a standard of excellence that her colleagues both admired and strived to emulate. She was an innovator, a mentor, and a creative spirit who touched many lives and whose legacy has had a lasting impact on the global hazards community.

Each summer, the Hazards Center hosts an invitational Hazards Research and Applications Workshop in Boulder, Colorado. The Hazards Workshop brings together over 350 members of the hazards community who are working to alleviate the pain and loss inflicted by disasters.

One of Mary Fran’s primary concerns was ensuring that representatives of all ages, professions, and communities be represented at the Hazards Workshop. Mary Fran recognized that many people and organizations who could greatly benefit from and contribute to workshop activities--including, in particular, local practitioners, students, and international professionals--were among the least likely to be able to afford the meeting.

In 2003, members of the hazards community established the Mary Fran Myers Scholarship to fulfill Mary Fran’s explicit request that qualified and talented individuals receive support to attend the Hazards Workshop. The intent of the scholarship is to bring new and fresh perspectives--and otherwise unheard voices--to the workshop.

The Mary Fran Myers Scholarship provides financial support for recipients to attend and participate in the Hazards Workshop to further their research or career paths. This scholarship covers transportation, hotel accommodations, meals, and workshop registration fees.

The Mary Fran Myers Scholarship is awarded annually to at least one potential workshop participant, who is then formally invited to the workshop. Each year, the recipient or recipients are recognized at the workshop and may be asked to serve as panel discussants, where they can highlight their research or practical experiences in the hazards and disasters field.

Eligibility and Application Procedure

All hazards researchers, students, and practitioners are eligible for the Mary Fran Myers Scholarship. However, preference is given to individuals with demonstrated financial need and those who have not previously attended the Hazards Workshop.

Applicants must complete the Mary Fran Myers Scholarship 2005 Application Form, available from the Hazards Center’s Web site at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/scholarship/.

An application form can also be requested by calling the Hazards Center at (303) 492-6818 or by e-mailing Lori Peek at lori.peek@colorado.edu.

Four typed copies of the completed application should be mailed to:
Mary Fran Myers Scholarship
c/o Lori Peek
Natural Hazards Center
University of Colorado
482 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0482

Applications must be received by Friday, April 15, 2005.

Special Thanks: The Mary Fran Myers Scholarship was made possible by generous contributions from numerous individual donors as well as support from the Association of State Floodplain Managers, the Extension Disaster Education Network, the Public Entity Risk Institute, and the Red River, North Dakota, High School Classroom Teachers Association.

13) 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.nyu.edu/ccpr/pdf/NYUEMSreport.pdf
This report from New York University’s Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response identifies critical deficits in the role and organization of emergency medical services (EMS) in homeland security preparedness and provides recommendations to improve the ability of EMS to respond to a terrorist attack.

http://books.nap.edu/html/ndr/flood_losses.pdf
A summary of the March 2, 2004, Disasters Roundtable Workshop Reducing Future Flood Losses: The Role of Human Actions is available here.

http://www.bepress.com/jhsem/
For its first issue of 2005, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has published the “Special Issue on Information Systems for Emergency Preparedness and Response.” It provides four feature articles in addition to the regular content of the journal. Nonsubscribers can browse the index page for the five issues available to date and may request sample articles to download, for more information, contact Claire B. Rubin at cbrubin@gwu.edu.

http://marineeconomics.noaa.gov/socioeconomics/
The primary objective of this Web site from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service, “Spatial Trends in Coastal Socioeconomics,” is to increase awareness and improve access for the coastal stewardship community to socioeconomic information in a timely fashion. The site includes information for all 50 states and provides a set of Web-based data analysis and display tools to facilitate data retrieval, mapping, analysis, assessments, and comparative studies and also offers query tools to retrieve data by individual or multiple counties or watersheds.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tsunami/
PBS debuted Nova’s Wave That Shook the World on March 29. This episode-dedicated Web site features a transcript, links and books, a teacher’s guide, and more information about tsunami past and present.

http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/chrr/research/hotspots/
The World Bank has published a report entitled Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis that presents a global view of disaster risks associated with some major natural hazards: drought, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides. The report identifies high-risk geographic regions so that development efforts can be better informed and designed to reduce disaster-related losses. Access the 29-page synthesis report and more at this Web site.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2005/usweax/
The U.S. Geological Survey’s preliminary earthquake report for the Magnitude 8.7 quake that occurred off Indonesia on March 8, 2005, is available here.

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/OpsSecurity/
The Federal Highway Administration has reengineered and expanded its emergency transportation operations and homeland security Web site with the continued purpose of providing state and local agencies with valuable information to help them make wise decisions to improve the security of roadway operations. Resources are organized based on prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery classifications. New content includes sections on cybersecurity and funding.

14) 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.]

Fundamentals of Medical Planning: A Two-Day Workshop in Support of Emergency Response in a Medical Environment. Arlington, Virginia: April 19-20, 2005. Changes in global disease patterns; the frightening specter of terrorism and the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-explosive weapons of mass destruction (WMD); natural disasters; and complex emergency events have emphasized the central role of the health care community in helping to mitigate these threats as well as natural and technological hazards. Attendees will learn about aspects of crisis action medical planning that will help their organizations enhance their preparedness and risk management postures. For more information, visit http://www.marketaccess.org/event_fundamentals2.asp.

Intensive Training Programme on Disaster Reduction with Focus on Floods and Droughts. Sponsors: Czech Republic Government, Central European Disaster Prevention Forum, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. Prague, Czech Republic: June 24-July 1, 2005. This course is designed for students and professionals who want to enhance their knowledge of disaster risk reduction and will have a focus on disasters triggered by hydrometeorological hazards. Lectures will be delivered by professors from the Czech Republic and Austria and experts from the United States and the United Nations. For more information, contact Ms. Michalkova; +420224 382147; e-mail: michalkova@fle.czu.cz.

Fall World 2005. Organizer: Disaster Recovery Journal. San Diego, California: September 18-21 2005. This conference will focus on all aspects of disaster recovery, contingency planning, and business continuity. Attendees will gain knowledge and information through sessions, workshops, exercises, and networking opportunities. An exhibit hall will showcase the latest trends, products, and services in the industry. Among other things, attendees can participate in a real-time disaster simulation (limited to 200 participants). For more information, visit http://www.drj.com/conferences/sd2005/ or call (314) 894-0276.

Probabilistic Risk Analysis: Assessment, Management, and Communication. Sponsor: Harvard School of Public Health: Center for Continuing Professional Education. Boston, Massachusetts: September 19-22, 2005. This course brings together nationally and internationally known experts from different disciplines to teach probabilistic risk assessment, management, and communication. Using a practical and integrated approach that combines lectures with case examples and hands-on computer exercises, this program teaches the methods needed to manage risk in today’s variable and uncertain world. For more information, contact the Harvard School of Public Health Center for Continuing Professional Education, CCPE Department A, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115; (617) 384-8692; e-mail: contedu@hsph.harvard.edu; http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ccpe/programs/APRA.shtml.

2005 International Code Council Annual Conference. Detroit, Michigan: September 25-October 2, 2005. This conference will feature the Final Action Hearings, the Education Program, the Annual Business Meeting, the International Code Council Expo and networking opportunities among peers from the building safety and fire prevention fields. For more information, visit http://www.iccsafe.org/news/annual/2005Conference/.

6th International Disaster and Emergency Resilience (IDER) Conference and Exhibition. Sponsors: Fire Service College, Institute of Civil Defence and Disaster Studies, European Training and Simulation Association. Moreton-in-Marsh, United Kingdom: November 9-10, 2005. IDER is the conference and exhibition where best practice for readiness, response, and recovery for disasters and major emergencies are identified and implemented. For more information, contact Andrich International, 51 Market Place, Warminster, BA12 9AZ, UK; +44 1985 846181; e-mail: ider@andrich.com; http://www.andrich.com/ider/.

2nd Annual Canadian Risk and Hazard Network Symposium. Toronto, Ontario: November 17-19, 2005. Building on its inaugural event in 2004, this symposium will bring together national and international scholars, researchers, and practitioners in a multidisciplinary partnership for the sharing of risk knowledge, practice, and policy information in the Canadian context. A major aim of the 2005 program will be to work towards creating a Canadian Platform on Disaster Reduction to submit to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, thus allowing Canada to join the many other countries of the world that have thus far achieved this goal. Abstracts are due April 15, 2005. For more information, contact David Etkin; e-mail: david.etkin@rogers.com; http://www.crhnet.ca/.

15) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

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Adjunct Instructional Positions
St. Petersburg College

Emergency Management Online Program
Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree and 18 graduate hours in emergency management or highly related field, three years experience in teaching (highly related experience may be substituted for teaching experience), and WebCT experience (online tutorial available). Professional certifications preferred.

Fire Science Technology Online Program
Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree and 18 graduate hours in fire science or highly related field, three years experience in teaching (highly related experience may be substituted for teaching experience), and WebCT experience (online tutorial available). Professional certifications preferred.

Both positions are open until filled. For more information, visit http://www.spcollege.edu/Central/HR/jobs.htm#ADJ.

_________________________________
Emergency Services Coordinator
Flathead County, Montana

Flathead County, Montana, is seeking an emergency services coordinator to maintain the county’s disaster and emergency programs. The position requires knowledge of operation of an emergency communications system, including applicable laws and regulations; emergency services agencies; procedures pertaining to emergency services; knowledge of management practices; and standard governmental budgetary procedures. A bachelor’s degree in public administration, public safety, communications, or closely related field is desired. Interested applicants may access a complete job description at http://www.co.flathead.mt.us/ and send a letter of interest, completed Flathead County application, resume, references, and salary history to Flathead Job Service/Workforce Center, 427 1st Avenue East, Kalispell, MT 59901; (406) 758-6200. The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13.

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Emergency Management Grants and Planning Specialist
Putnam County, Florida

Putnam County Board of County Commissioners seeks an emergency management grants and planning specialist for highly responsible administrative and technical work involving development and implementation of emergency management plans and programs in compliance with Florida statutes and local policies to ensure the health and safety of the citizens of Putnam County. Five years experience in public safety/emergency management/disaster preparedness planning. Graduation from an accredited two-year college with a degree in public or business administration or related field. Salary range: $31,468-$48,779. For an application, e-mail your request with resume to Lwilloughby@putnam-fl.com or visit http://www.putnam-fl.com/. This position will remain open until filled.

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Faculty Position in Emergency Administration
University of North Texas

The Department of Public Administration invites applications for an anticipated tenure-track position in the undergraduate Emergency Administration and Planning (EADP) program. The tenure-track appointment, subject to budget approval, is at the assistant professor level and begins September 1, 2005. (Both entry level and those holding a tenure-track position are encouraged to apply.) Prospective candidates from any disaster-related discipline are encouraged to apply, but the successful candidate must have research interests and professional qualifications in emergency management. Primary teaching responsibility is in the department’s undergraduate EADP program, although the successful candidate may also occasionally teach a graduate course in the emergency administration specialization in the department’s Master of Public Administration and PhD programs. Preference will be given to candidates with research and teaching interests in one or more of the following areas: computer applications in emergency management, hazard mitigation, disaster preparedness, and terrorism and homeland security. Candidates must hold an earned doctorate at the time the appointment begins.

To ensure full consideration, candidates should submit a letter of application, vita, and the names of at least three references. Review of completed files begins April 15 but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should be mailed to EADP Faculty Search Committee, Department of Public Administration, PO Box 310617, Denton, TX 76203-0617. Information about the EADP program may be obtained at http://www.unt.edu/eadp/.

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Ready New York Program Analyst
New York City Office of Emergency Management

Civil Service Title: Community Coordinator Office
Title: Ready New York Program Analyst
Title Code No.: 56058
Salary Range: $38,169-$50,000
Division/Work Unit: Administration/Grants and Policy Work
Location: 11 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY
Hours/Shift: M-F, 9-5 (see description)
Number of Positions: 1

Job Description

Reporting to the director of Grants and Policy Coordination who manages the agency’s “Ready New York” program--a wide-scale, multifaceted preparedness program--assist in coordinating all aspects of the program, including on-going community outreach programs, individual events, communications, marketing, and grant funding. The job will include writing grant applications, developing budgets, coordinating events in the field (e.g., presentations at community board meetings), and developing evaluation tools to measure program effectiveness, among other tasks.

Qualification Requirements

  1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community-centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
  2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
  3. Education and/or experience that is equivalent to “1” or “2” above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in “1” above
  4. New York City residency is required within 90 days of appointment

Preferred Skills

  • Master’s or bachelor’s degree and at least two years work experience coordinating community-based events, developing or managing a budget, writing and reporting on grants, doing evaluation work
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office
  • Excellent meeting, organization, and time management skills, as this position requires a high level of intra- and interagency contact

This is a 9 to 5 office position, but there will be some weekend and night work. Due to the nature of work at the Office of Emergency Management, staff person will also be assigned to an activation team and will be required to work during some emergencies, both planned and unplanned (such as weather events, power outages, or citywide events).

Interested applicants should send resume and cover letter to Christina Lyndrup, NYC Office of Emergency Management, 11 Water Street Brooklyn, NY 11201; e-mail: clyndrup@oem.nyc.gov (MS Word or RTF format); http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/oem/html/about/jobs.html. Indicate the position to which you are applying.

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Human Services Assistance Coordinator
New York City Office of Emergency Management

Civil Service Title: Associate Staff Analyst Office
Title: Human Services Assistance Coordinator
Title Code No.: 12627
Salary Range: $49,778-$74,118
Division/Work Unit: Preparedness/Human Services
Work Location: 11 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY
Hours/Shift: M-F, 9-5 (see description)
Number of Positions: 1

Job Description

The Human Services assistance coordinator works as part of the preparedness division of OEM and as a member of the Human Services team. The Human Services team works with all government agencies and nonprofit organizations to develop guides, coordination mechanisms, exercises, and relationships to ensure that the disaster-caused needs of victims are met.

  • Serve as advisor and liaison to the NYC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (This organization facilitates communication between human services nonprofit and government organizations with a role in disaster response and recovery and provides a forum for presenting OEM approaches to various hazards, identifying gaps in services, and establishing relationships with local, regional, and national voluntary agency representatives)
  • Chair Animal Planning Task Force
  • Serve as lead on multiagency service center planning (entails developing capability of providing, at one site, emergency assistance from a variety of nonprofit and government agencies to victims of disaster)
  • Serve as Human Services function lead in emergency operations center during activations
  • Work with Human Services entities to coordinate recovery efforts (entails working 12-hour shift, day or night)

Qualification Requirements

  1. A master’s degree from an accredited college in economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, human resources management, management science, operations research, organizational behavior, industrial psychology, statistics, personnel administration, labor relations, psychology, sociology, human resources development, political science, or a closely related field and one year of satisfactory full-time professional experience in one or a combination of the following: working with the budget of a large public or private concern in budget administration, accounting, economic or financial administration, or fiscal or economic research; management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research or program evaluations; personnel or public administration, recruitment, position classification, personnel relations, employee benefits, staff development, employment program planning/administration, labor market research, economic planning, social services program planning/evaluation, or fiscal management, or in a related area
  2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full-time professional experience in the areas described in “1” above
  3. New York City residency is required within 90 days of appointment

Preferred Skills

  • A baccalaureate degree and a minimum of five years relevant work experience (emergency management, planning, project management, or other related fields)
  • Experience working for or with emergency response organizations
  • Master’s degree in public administration, nonprofit administration
  • Excellent written and verbal communications skills
  • Experience in project management and meeting facilitations
  • Working knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications

Interested applicants should send resume and cover letter to NYC Office of Emergency Management, 11 Water Street Brooklyn, NY 11201; e-mail: jobs@oem.nyc.gov (MS Word or RTF format); http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/oem/html/about/jobs.html. Indicate the position to which you are applying.

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.

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