DISASTER RESEARCH 443
December 20, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) FY 2006 Homeland Security Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released the FY 2006 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) Program Guidance and Application Kit, which is available online at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/docs/fy2006hsgp.pdf.
The FY 2006 HSGP integrates the State Homeland Security Program, the Urban Areas Security Initiative, the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, the Metropolitan Medical Response System, and the Citizen Corps Program. The FY 2006 HSGP Program Guidance and Application Kit aims to builds upon the FY 2005 HSGP to streamline the efforts of states and urban areas in obtaining resources that are critical to building and sustaining capabilities to achieve the interim National Preparedness Goal and implement state and urban area homeland security strategies.
Completed applications for the FY 2006 HSGP must be received no later than March 2, 2006. State administrative agencies may apply for the FY 2006 HSGP by signing-in or registering for a user ID and password on the Grants Management System available online at https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov/.
2) 2006 DHS Scholarship and Fellowship Program
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Scholarship and Fellowship Program is intended for students interested in pursuing basic science and technology innovations that can be applied to the DHS mission of preventing and deterring terrorist attacks and protecting against and responding to threats and hazards to the United States. This education program is intended to ensure a diverse and highly talented science and technology community to achieve the DHS mission and objectives. Areas of study eligible for the program include physical sciences, mathematical sciences, computer and information sciences, life sciences, social sciences, psychology, selected humanities, and engineering.
The DHS scholars and fellows are supported by University Programs in the Science and Technology Directorate. The application deadline is January 31, 2006, and supporting materials are due February 7, 2006. The 2006 competition guidelines and application materials are available online at http://www.orau.gov/dhsed/.
3) New Quick Response Report from the Natural Hazards Center
The following Quick Response report is now available from the Natural Hazards Center. The report can be accessed online at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qrrepts.html.
QR178 “Evacuation Behavior in Response to the Graniteville, South Carolina, Chlorine Spill,” by Jerry T. Mitchell, Andrew S. Edmonds, Susan L. Cutter, Mathew Schmidtlein, Reggie McCarn, Michael E. Hodgson, and Sonya Duhé. 2005. This research project focused on the evacuation behavior and media response following the Graniteville, South Carolina, train accident of January 6, 2005. Based on survey results, the researchers found that evacuation and notification disparities existed, there was some uncertainty about location in respect to the evacuation zone, there were a few differences in the timing and execution of the evacuation order in terms of household demographics, and a substantial evacuation shadow occurred. In regards to the media response, local and regional media coverage of the event, which emphasized personal stories over expert interviews, was found to be extensive; national coverage was more limited, both in print and on television.
4) Send Us Your Publications!
The Natural Hazards Center would like all hazards and disaster authors to remember to send us their published books and articles. We promise to give them a good home among the other works that comprise our extensive collection of documents on human adaptation to hazards and related events.
As an added incentive, abstracts of works (and links to full text if available) will be included in our online bibliographic database, HazLit, for other researchers, practitioners, and individuals with an interest in hazards and disasters to access. If you are not sure if we have already included your publication in our collection, you can search for it on HazLit at http://ibs.colorado.edu/hazards/Library/Hazlit/NatHazSearch.php. For more information about the Natural Hazards Center’s Library and how it can be of use to you, visit http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/library/.
Please send, fax, or e-mail your published materials to Wanda Headley, Library Manager, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado, 482 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0482; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: wanda.headley@colorado.edu.
5) Look for the Next Disaster Research in 2006
Due to the holiday season, Disaster Research will skip a week. We will e-mail the next issue of the newsletter on Friday, January 6, of the new year. Happy Holidays!
6) 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/.]
Twelve Days of Christmas: Preparing Families for Disaster
The American Red Cross has put together recommendations for gifts for the Twelve Days of Christmas to make individuals, families, and the homes they live in as safe as possible.
Relief Information Systems for Earthquakes - Pakistan
This Web site was created through collaboration between researchers and policy makers in the United States and Pakistan to track damage and relief information for villages impacted by the Pakistan earthquake. It also includes maps and several Web links to additional information.
South Asian Earthquake: Lessons Learned
In response to the South Asian Earthquake of 2005, the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action and the ProVention Consortium collaborated to produce two briefing papers, “Learning from Previous Earthquakes” and “Learning from Previous Recovery Operations,” aimed at informing operational decision makers and relief/recovery program managers in the South Asia earthquake operation working on recovery policies and strategies.
Tsunami Threat to California: Findings and Recommendations
As a result of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and past California tsunamis, the California Seismic Safety Commission created a Tsunami Safety Committee to evaluate the state of tsunami readiness in California. The committee held six meetings and took testimony from representatives of local governments and the scientific community. The findings and recommendations in this report are based upon that testimony.
UNICEF Tsunami One-Year Update
This Web site provides a one-year update by country on the efforts of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in areas affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. The report “Building Back Better: A 12-Month Update on UNICEF’s Work to Rebuild Children’s Lives and Restore Hope since the Tsunami” is also available to download for free.
"Regional Approaches to Homeland Security Planning and Preparedness"
The National Association of Development Organizations prepared this report examining the various regional initiatives, models, and strategies that are being used by state and local officials to improve their preparedness, prevention, and response capabilities. The report is the product of a survey of 520 regional development organizations in the United States.
State Strategies for Integrating Public Health into Homeland Security
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices prepared the issue brief “State Strategies for Fully Integrating Public Health into Homeland Security,” which is available here.
Transcript and Presentations from Evacuation Operations Web Cast
The transcript and presentations from the Web cast “Emergency Operations: Evacuations” on November 30, organized by the National Transportation Operations Coalition, can be found here.
Disasters Roundtable Summary Report
This report summarizes the March 8, 2005, workshop of the National Academies’ Disasters Roundtable, “Lessons Learned between Hurricanes: From Hugo to Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne,” which explored the extent that strategies for countering the challenges presented by hurricanes have changed since Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
PBS Frontline: "The Storm"
“The Storm,” a one-hour episode of “Frontline” dedicated to Hurricane Katrina, examines what can be learned from the failures in preparedness, leadership, and communication during the Katrina disaster. The program may be watched online and features interviews, analysis, a timeline of events, and personal stories.
PBS NOVA: "Storm that Drowned a City"
This one-hour documentary focuses on the science of Hurricane Katrina and what made New Orleans so vulnerable. The program is available for viewing online.
Brookings Institute’s Katrina Index
The Metropolitan Policy Program of the Brookings Institute compiled this index of economic and social indicators that measure the impact of rebuilding efforts in Orleans Parish, the New Orleans metropolitan area, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The data will be updated each month through December 2006.
"The Katrina Effect on American Preparedness"
New York University’s Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response prepared this report, which compares data collected in two surveys, one prior to Hurricane Katrina and one following. The report identifies a significant drop in public confidence in government’s ability to handle disasters in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and highlights the growth of a perceived “preparedness divide” between rich and poor.
Presentations from Louisiana APA Conference on Katrina
The presentations from the annual conference of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA), which was held in Shreveport, Louisiana, October 7-8, are available online. The theme of the conference was “Planning for Prosperity: Opportunities in Post-Katrina Louisiana.”
EIIP Virtual Forum - Hurricane Pam and Hurricane Katrina
A transcript of the Emergency Information and Infrastructure Program Virtual Forum presentation titled “Hurricane Pam and Hurricane Katrina: Pre-event ‘Lessons Learned’” is available here.
7) Conferences and Trainings
[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.]
Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Strategies and Tools for Meeting the Needs of Children. Sponsor: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Web Conference: January 11, 2006, 1:00–2:30 p.m. eastern standard time. This free Web conference will explore some of the key issues surrounding preparedness planning for the care of children and will highlight innovative research, tools, and models that can be used in developing effective preparedness strategies for addressing the unique needs of children. For more information, contact Maureen Ball; (202) 828-5100; e-mail: AHRQ_ULRT@hsrnet.com. Register online at http://www.hsrnet.net/ahrq/care4kids/about.htm.
2006 PEER Annual Meeting. Organizer: Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER). San Francisco, California: January 20-21, 2006. This meeting will provide opportunities for PEER researchers and partners to engage in discussions on research accomplishments, important research needs, and strategies to address those needs. Plenary sessions will focus on the ways in which PEER’s research is impacting earthquake engineering practice and seismic hazards mitigation. For more information, contact the PEER Outreach Office at (510) 665-3405; e-mail: peer_center@berkeley.edu; http://peer.berkeley.edu/2006AM/.
Before Disaster Strikes: A Dialogue on Management Challenges. Organizer: International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Charleston, South Carolina: January 26-27, 2006. Local governments across the country have faced substantial challenges over the past few years, particularly during this year’s hurricane season. This conference will showcase successful approaches for preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. It is designed for a broad audience of local government professionals, including managers, assistants, and key department heads. ICMA encourages teams of local government staff to attend. Ideal teams comprise local government staff responsible for transportation, public safety, purchasing, telecommunications, public works, planning, and public information. For more information, contact Sallie Burnett, ICMA; (202) 962-3553; e-mail: sburnett@icma.org; http://icma.org/beforedisasterstrikes/.
EPICC Planning Forum. Organizer: Emergency Preparedness for Industry and Commerce Council (EPICC). Vancouver, British Columbia: February 27-March 1, 2006. Experts in emergency preparedness will make presentations on topics of technology innovations, risk management, and business continuity planning at this annual forum. For more information, contact the EPICC Office, 9800 140th Street, Surrey, BC V3T 4M5; (604) 580-7373; e-mail: epicc@telus.net; http://www.epiccforum.org/.
The Australasia 2006 iETRI World Conference on Global Disaster Management and Response. Organizer: International Emergency Technical Response Institute (iETRI). Sydney, Australia: March 1-2, 2006. The purpose of this conference is to bring together disaster management and response organizations with emergency product manufacturers and suppliers to address the needs of all levels of emergency management and response. For more information, contact Conference Managers, GPO Box 128, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia; +61 2 9265 0700; e-mail: IETRI2006@tourhosts.com.au; http://www.ietri2006.com/.
International Conference on Seismology. Organizer: Pakistan Meteorological Department. Islamabad, Pakistan: March 6-8, 2006. This gathering will bring together professionals from a broad range of disciplines around the globe who are committed to reducing the impacts of earthquakes on the built environment. Topics to be addressed include seismology, earthquake prediction, geotechnical earthquake engineering, structural earthquake engineering, public awareness, and risk management. For more information, contact Anjum Bari Farooqui; (051)9250365; e-mail: pmd@pakmet.com.pk; http://www.pakmet.com.pk/WebConference/main.htm.
ASPA 2006 The Sky’s the Limit: Idealism and Innovation in Public Service. Organizer: American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). Denver, Colorado: March 31-April 4, 2006. This annual conference of the ASPA features professional development workshops, education sessions, and panel discussions for practitioners and academics. Training sessions will address issues such as ethics, human resources, women’s issues in public administration, leadership, and performance measurement, while panel discussions cover topics, such as homeland security, transportation, privatization, and internationalism and global government. For more information, contact Patricia Yearwood, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 840, Washington, DC 20004; (202) 585-4309; e-mail: pyearwood@aspanet.org; http://www.aspanet.org/scriptcontent/index_aspaconference.cfm.
5th University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Conference on Public Health and Disasters. Long Beach, California: May 21-24, 2006. This conference is designed for public health professionals as well as individuals and organizations from both the public and private sectors involved in emergency public health preparedness and response. The diverse topics will be relevant to public health and medical practitioners, emergency medical services professionals, researchers, and managers involved in the wide range of emergency public health issues resulting from natural and human-induced disasters. Contact the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, 1145 Gayley Avenue, Suite 304, Los Angeles, CA 90024; (310) 794-0864; e-mail: cphdr@ucla.edu; http://www.cphd.ucla.edu/conferenceframe.htm.
American Institute of Hydrology Annual Meeting and International Conference: Challenges in Coastal Hydrology and Water Quality. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: May 21-24, 2006. This conference will provide an international forum for the dissemination and exchange of information in coastal hydrology, hydraulics, and water quality. The conference will stimulate interdisciplinary research, education, management, and policy making from physical, biogeochemical, and socioeconomic perspectives related to complex environmental systems in coastal regions. For more information, contact American Institute of Hydrology, 300 Village Green Circle, Suite 201, Smyrna, GA 30080; (770) 384-1634; e-mail: aihydro@aol.com; http://www.aihydro.org/conference.htm.
Third Tsunami Symposium. Sponsor: The Tsunami Society. Honolulu, Hawaii: May 23-25, 2006. The Tsunami Society publishes “The Science of Tsunami Hazards” journal and conducts a Tsunami Symposium every three years. Abstracts of papers for presentation must be submitted by February 1, 2006. For additional information, contact Barbara Keating; (808) 956-8143, e-mail: Keating@soest.hawaii.edu; http://www.sthjournal.org/.
CPM 2006 West Conference and Exhibition. Organizer: Contingency Planning and Management (CPM). Las Vegas, Nevada: May 23-25, 2006. This business continuity, emergency management, and security training event provides a risk management curriculum for business and government professionals. For more information, contact CPM 2006 West, WPC Expositions, 20 Commerce Street, Suite 2013, Flemington, NJ 08822; (908) 788 0343; e-mail: CPMEvents@WitterPublishing.com; http://www.contingencyplanning.com/events/west/.
TIEMS 13th Annual Conference 2006. Hosts: Korean National Emergency Management Agency and the Korean Chapter of The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS). Seoul, South Korea: May 23-26, 2006. This year’s conference will include sessions on emergency management training and education, priorities for humanitarian aid, natural hazards, business continuity, and many others. For further information, contact Young-Jai Lee at yjlee@dgu.edu or contact TIEMS, PO Box 1462, 8021 Zuerich, Switzerland; http://www.tiems.org/index.php.
IAIA ‘06: Power, Poverty, and Sustainability 2006 - The Role of Impact Assessment. Sponsor: International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA). Stavanger, Norway: May 23-26, 2006. Participants in this event will discuss how the various instruments of impact assessment — environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental assessment, sustainability assessment, health impact assessment, and social impact assessment can contribute in assisting developers, decision makers, development cooperation providers, and the public to integrate environmental, social, and other concerns in a variety of fields. For additional information, contact IAIA, 1330 23rd Street South, Suite C Fargo, ND USA 58103; (701) 297-7908; e-mail: info@iaia.org; http://www.iaia.org.
National Conference on Animals in Disaster 2006: Learning from Katrina - A Commitment to the Future. Organizer: The Humane Society of the United States. Arlington, Virginia: May 31-June 3, 2006. The fourth biennial National Conference on Animals in Disaster will be dedicated to the lessons of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Participants will work to secure the improvements made in the disaster planning and response process and to re-create and reinvigorate approaches currently in process that will help in future preparedness and response efforts. Leaders from government, nonprofit and voluntary organizations, and the business community will all participate. For more information, contact the Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; (202) 452-1100; http://www.hsus.org/NCAD06.
2006 National Main Street Conference. Organizer: National Trust for Historic Preservation. New Orleans, Louisiana: June 4-7, 2006. This conference focuses on commercial district revitalization and showcases projects and strategies used by small and rural towns, suburban-ring communities, large and mid-sized cities, and urban neighborhood business districts to revitalize their commercial districts. A major conference theme will be opportunities related to crisis management and disaster recovery for historic sites and commercial districts. The 2006 conference will also offer an opportunity to demonstrate how preservation-based revitalization can be used to rebuild the Gulf Coast region after the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. More information is available by contacting the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 588-6219; e-mail: msconference@nthp.org; http://conference.mainstreet.org/.
Coastal Environment 2006: Sixth International Conference on Environmental Problems in Coastal Regions Including Oil and Chemical Spill Studies. Organizer: Wessex Institute of Technology. Rhodes, Greece: June 5-7, 2006. Coastal Environment 2006 will address problems related to the monitoring, analysis, and modeling of coastal regions including sea, land, and air phenomena. The conference will gather researchers, engineers, and professionals involved in the field of coastal environmental quality. For more information, contact Charlotte Bartlett, Coastal Environment 2006, Wessex Institute of Technology Ashurst Lodge, Ashurst, Southampton, SO40 7AA UK; +44 (0) 238 029 3223; e-mail: cbartlett@wessex.ac.uk; http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2006/coast06/.
Australasian Bushfire Conference 2006. Hosts: Griffith University and the South Queensland Fire and Diversity Consortium. Brisbane, Australia: June 6-9, 2006. The theme of this conference is “Life in a Fire-Prone Environment: Translating Science into Practice.” The conference will provide a forum to share new ideas on the complex issues of bushfire management, encourage communication between agencies and groups involved in bushfire management, build upon the lessons learned in previous bushfire campaigns, and facilitate a new understanding of the role of fire in the landscape. Topics will cover fire management in wildland-urban interface, development controls, bushfires in a changing climate, fuels management, community involvement and participation in fire management, fire ecology, remote sensing, mapping, and maintaining the balance between protection and conservation. For additional information, contact ICMS Pty Ltd, 88 Merivale Street, South Bank, Queensland 4101, Australia; +61 7 3844 1138; e-mail: bushfire2006@icms.com.au; http://www.bushfire2006.com/.
8) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
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Emergency Management Recovery Chief
Sarasota County Emergency Management: Sarasota, Florida
This position will maintain the emergency management program for disaster recovery as required by State Statute 252.355 and direct the planning and execution of all recovery efforts during emergency operation center activations. The recovery chief is also responsible for various programs in the community related to emergency management, including damage assessment, debris removal, and neighborhood points of distribution and reentry after an incident.
Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, public administration, professional management, or related field and four years of professional staff experience in a fire/emergency medical services/emergency management/incident command service organization. Progressively responsible professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required degree. The candidate must possess or obtain a Federal Emergency Management Agency Professional Development Services certificate and Florida Professional Emergency Manager certification issued by the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association within two years of employment. Must also obtain Florida Certified Emergency Manager and/or Certified Emergency Manager within five years of employment.
To view the full job description and apply online, visit https://pats.sarasotacounty.org/.
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Assistant Professor in Economics
East Carolina University: Greenville, North Carolina
Applications are invited for a tenure track position in one of the following fields at the assistant professor level: Microeconomics-Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty; Climate and Natural Disasters, or Macroeconomics-Aggregative Models, Prices, and Business Cycles. Candidates with research and teaching interests in the theory of risk and its applications, especially relating to natural hazards are encouraged to apply. Candidates with teaching and research interests in dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models will also be seriously considered. A PhD in economics is required, although candidates whose completion is imminent will be considered. Candidates must have an active research agenda and a commitment to effective teaching and service to the university, community, and profession. The Department of Economics works closely with the university’s Center for Natural Hazards Research.
The position will remain open until filled; screening will begin on February 15, 2006. Applicants should send curriculum vitae, one current research paper, and three current letters of recommendation. Electronic submissions are encouraged. For more information, contact Tenure Track Search Committee, Department of Economics, Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Brewster Building A-427, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858; e-mail: harringtonp@ecu.edu; http://www.ecu.edu/econ/.
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Emergency Administration and Planning Program Faculty Positions
University of North Texas: Denton, Texas
The Department of Public Administration invites applications for one and possibly two tenure track positions in the emergency administration and planning (EADP) program. One appointment will be at the assistant or associate professor level and the other at the senior level. Both appointments begin September 1, 2006. The senior level appointment requires a distinguished record of research and federal grants.
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. Although primary teaching responsibility is in the department’s undergraduate EADP program, successful candidates will also teach graduate courses in the emergency administration specialization in the master of public administration program and lead in the development of advanced research courses in the PhD program. Preference will be given to candidates with research and teaching interests in one or more of the following areas: disaster policy, technology applications, hazardous materials policy and management, public health and disasters, 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, curriculum vitae, and the names of at least three references. Review of completed files will begin January 8, 2006, but applications will be accepted until the positions are 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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Emergency and Disaster Management Instructor
State University College of Technology at Canton: Canton, New York
State University of New York (SUNY), Canton invites applications for a tenure track faculty position beginning fall 2006 for a new baccalaureate degree in emergency and disaster management. The position’s responsibilities include teaching, advising, and recruiting students; engaging in scholarly activities; developing online courses; developing internship sites for students; seeking external funds; and supervising, monitoring, and assessing student internship activities.
Preferred qualifications include an earned doctorate in a discipline related to disaster, emergency, and crisis management from a regionally accredited institution; a minimum of three years experience in higher education; the ability to develop and deliver Web-based coursework; five years experience related to business (private or public) continuity, emergency preparedness operations, disaster preparedness, security management, mitigation, community recovery, and training utilizing simulations and modeling. Candidates with emergency and disaster education and training with additional education or experience in a field closely related to criminal justice will be considered.
Review of applications will begin mid-December 2005, and will continue until the position is filled. Interested individuals should send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, a statement of qualifications and teaching philosophy, copies of transcripts, and contact information for five references to Emergency and Disaster Management Faculty Recruitment Committee, Human Resources Department, SUNY College of Technology, 34 Cornell Drive, Canton, NY 13617; (315) 386-7325; e-mail: hr@canton.edu; http://www.canton.edu/can/can_start.taf?page=HR_job27.
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Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
NCAR Advanced Studies Program: Boulder, Colorado
The postdoctoral fellowship program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) provides an opportunity for recent PhD scientists to continue to pursue their research interests in atmospheric and related science. The program also invites postdoctoral physicists, chemists, applied mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers, and specialists from related disciplines, such as biology, geology, science education, economics, and geography, to apply their training to research in the atmospheric sciences.
The primary goal of the program is to develop the careers of recent PhD graduates. The Advanced Studies Program also encourages independence and creativity while providing an environment in which fellows interact with and receive advice from experienced scientists at NCAR.
The deadline for applications is January 5, 2006. For a complete job description and information on how to apply, visit http://www.asp.ucar.edu/pdann.html. For additional information, contact Paula Fisher, Advanced Study Program, National Center for Atmospheric Research, PO Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307; e-mail: asp-apply@ucar.edu.
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.