Disaster Research 458
August 4, 2006
Table of Contents
1) Natural Hazards Center Seeks Program Associate
The Natural Hazards Center invites applications for the position of Program Associate located at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The position will be responsible to the Director and Program Manager for the effective management of the Natural Hazard Center’s special publications editing and Quick Response research program. In particular, the Program Associate 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
* Oversee the Quick Response research program, soliciting proposals, coordinating deployments, and editing and distributing reports
* Edit Center special publications (both print and electronic forms) to improve clarity, consistency, and accuracy and to ensure publications meet the needs of targeted audiences
To apply, a resume, writing sample, and cover letter should be sent to Greg Guibert at greg.guibert@colorado.edu no later than September 1, 2006. The complete job description is available at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/program_associate.pdf.
2) September Is National Preparedness Month
September 2006 marks the third annual National Preparedness Month, the nationwide effort to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and schools. Throughout the month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will work with a wide variety of organizations, including local, state, and federal government agencies and the private sector, to highlight the importance of family emergency preparedness and promote individual involvement through events and activities across the nation.
These organizations will provide information, host events, and sponsor activities that disseminate emergency preparedness messages to, and encourage action in, their customers, members, employees, stakeholders, and communities across the country. Specifically, these activities will urge Americans to get emergency kits, make emergency plans, educate themselves about the threats to their communities, and get involved with their communities’ preparedness efforts.
For more information about National Preparedness Month, including a calendar of events, visit http://www.ready.gov/america/npm/.
3) Volunteer Reviewers Needed for Hazards Mapping and Modeling Course
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Management Higher Education Project is seeking volunteer reviewers (i.e., no honorarium provided) for a draft college course at the advanced undergraduate to graduate levels on Hazards Mapping and Modeling. This approximately 400-page classroom-based course is designed to be taught within a disaster/emergency management curriculum. The course consists of 16 approximately three-hour sessions and seeks to “provide examples of environmental models for natural and manmade hazards; provide a systematic framework for examining the nature and consequences of natural and manmade hazards; and examine strategies that may be taken to utilize hazard modeling and mapping for the planning, response, recovery, prevention, and mitigation of hazards.”
For those willing to commit to review and comment upon draft course material within 30 days after receipt of a priority-mailed paper copy, contact Barbara Johnson at Barbara.L.Johnson@dhs.gov. It is requested that no one seek a review copy for information purposes only. Within a few months, a final version of this course will be uploaded to the FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Project Web site at http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu within the free college courses section.
4) 2006 Mary Fran Myers Award Winner
The Gender and Disaster Network and the Natural Hazards Center are pleased to present the 2006 Mary Fran Myers Award to Maureen Fordham. Fordham, who is a senior lecturer in disaster management at the University of Northumbria in the United Kingdom, has a background in sociology of science and technology with a focus on ecology and environmental management. Her work has a special focus on women in disasters and disaster management, emphasizing their capacities and not just their vulnerabilities. Recently she has been focusing her work on children, females in particular, as active agents in disaster.
It was shortly after she began researching disasters in 1988 that she noticed a gap in the literature dealing with gender issues, especially in the context of the developed world. Since the early 1990s, Fordham has been an advocate for gender and disaster research and was one of the founding members of the Gender and Disaster Network in 1997. Committed to the free exchange of knowledge and information, she has been involved with the design and management of a number of disaster-related Web sites, including the Gender and Disaster Network and Radix (Radical Interpretations of Disaster), and has served as the editor of the “International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters.” Additionally, she is often invited to act as an advisor or participant in activities conducted by various divisions of the United Nations and other national, regional, and local governmental and nongovernmental organizations.
The Mary Fran Myers Award was established in 2002 to recognize individuals whose program-related activities, advocacy efforts, or research has had a lasting, positive impact on reducing hazards vulnerability for women and girls. Individuals whose work adds to the body of knowledge on gender and disasters, is significant for the theory and/or practice of gender and disasters, or has furthered opportunities for women to succeed in the hazards fields are eligible to receive the award. For more information about the Mary Fran Myers Award and previous award winners, visit http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/mfmaward/.
5) DR Takes Summer Vacation
Disaster Research (DR) readers may notice that this newsletter skips a few weeks in August. Due to staff changes and vacations at the Natural Hazards Center, the DR will be on a brief summer hiatus. Look for the next issue, DR459, near the end of August. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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 www.colorado.edu/hazards/resources/.]
Hurricane Katrina Research Resource Page
The Natural Hazards Center has developed a Web page of useful resources that examine the Hurricane Katrina disaster. To limit the scope of the page and for the purposes of quality control, the resources focus on the event itself rather than what it means for the future of the hazards and disasters field and are limited to government reports, books, a few pertinent Web sites, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
USGS Preliminary Earthquake Report, July 17, 2006, Java, Indonesia
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Earthquake Information Center preliminary report on the magnitude 7.7 earthquake south of Java, Indonesia, on July 17, 2006, can be found here.
ReliefWeb Java Earthquake Report
The ReliefWeb report provides information on the postearthquake situation in Java, Indonesia, the national and international response, and assistance required to aid victims and survivors of the July 17 Java earthquake.
GAO Report: Coast Guard and Hurricane Katrina
This report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Coast Guard: Observations on the Preparation, Response, and Recovery Missions Related to Hurricane Katrina, discusses the activities undertaken by the Coast Guard in the planning, response, and recovery efforts for Hurricane Katrina in three mission areas: search and rescue, marine pollution response, and management of maritime commerce. It also discusses the challenges and lessons learned as a result of the agency’s efforts.
GAO Report on Disaster Preparedness
This Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, titled Limitations in Federal Evacuation Assistance for Health Facilities Should Be Addressed, examines disaster preparedness plans for hospitals and nursing homes and the limitations of the National Disaster Medical System to assist with patient evacuations.
Conference of Mayors Report: The State of America’s Readiness
The U.S. Mayors Homeland Security Monitoring Center released Five Years Post 9/11, One Year Post Katrina, the State of America’s Readiness, a report on survey responses received from 183 cities representing 38 states. Questions focused on issues such as federal resources for interoperable communications, improvement in levels of disaster preparedness, city evacuation plans, and confidence in the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
American Red Cross Report: Actions to Improve Disaster Response
The American Red Cross prepared this report, From Challenge to Action: American Red Cross Actions to Improve and Enhance Its Disaster Response and Related Capabilities for the 2006 Hurricane Season and Beyond, which describes five challenges facing the Red Cross (relief operations, finances, technology limitations, internal controls, and fundraising) and provides three strategies for resolving the challenges as it enters the 2006 hurricane season.
Federal Emergency Management Agency ICS Resource Center
This Web portal provides links to Incident Command System (ICS) training materials and documents, position checklists, and job aids and forms as well as a glossary of terms and reference documents.
National Science Foundation Special Report Series on Disasters
This Web site of the National Science Foundation (NSF) features the special report series "Disasters," which highlights some of the disaster research funded by NSF. The third and fourth parts of the series, “Immediate Response” and “NSF and 9/11,” are now available.
Understanding Climatological Influences on Hurricane Activity - The AIR Near-term Sensitivity Catalog, is a white paper from AIR Worldwide Corporation, which provides a review of the current state of research on climatological influences on hurricane activity including sea surface temperatures and climate signals.
Ready New York Hurricane Guide
The Ready New York: Hurricanes and New York City guide includes general tips on how to prepare for any emergency, instructions on how to develop a hurricane disaster plan and secure your home before a storm, and a map of New York City hurricane evacuation zones. The guide is available in 11 languages.
Harvard High Risk Area Hurricane Survey
The Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security conducted a survey in high hurricane risk counties in eight states - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Their analysis indicates that many individuals have not made preparations for the 2006 hurricane season.
Nonprofit Sector Research Fund Report: Role of Nonprofits in Katrina
This report, Weathering the Storm: The Role of Local Nonprofits in the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort, highlights the role of grassroots nonprofit organizations in disaster relief and emphasizes the need for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross to coordinate more effectively with local faith-based organizations.
Urban Institute: “After Katrina” Policy Briefs
“After Katrina” policy briefs include essays on education, health care, employment, arts and culture, the social safety net, the well-being of children, the status and needs of nonprofit organizations serving the city, the care provided by New Orleans’ hospitals after the storm, flood insurance coverage, the city’s information requirements as it rebuilds, and the most effective ways for nonprofit organizations and government at all levels to respond to disaster.
International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC): Tsunami Glossary
The ITIC is updating the Tsunami Glossary to include information on the recent establishment of global intergovernmental coordination groups for tsunami warning and mitigation and to include and improve the definition of terms. Informational brochures are also available online in electronic format.
In the wake of the October 2005 Pakistan earthquake, the United Nations (UN) developed a new approach to humanitarian aid - the cluster approach - to meet the needs of victims defined along specific service sectors. This report draws from the experiences of UN agencies and international, national, and local nongovernmental organizations and donors in responding to the earthquake to present an analysis of the cluster experience in Pakistan along with recommendations.
Disclosure of Healthcare Information and Emergency Preparedness
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights has developed an online decision tool for health care information in disaster based on principles in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. This tool is designed for use by emergency managers and planners.
Western Wildfire Impact Reduction Center
This Web site has been established by the Western Wildfire Impact Reduction Center to serve as a resource center for mitigating the damaging effects of wildfires in rangelands and other wildland areas of the western United States. It offers information, resources, and expertise about rangeland fuel treatments, fuel breaks, and defensible space and shares stories about successful wildland fuel reduction programs.
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.]
Business and Government Continuity from A to Z. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: August 17-18, 2006. Presenter: Business and Government Continuity Services. This practical training seminar will help management and staff develop and improve emergency response and continuity plans to include critical operations, functions, and systems. This course is for executive management and staff who will be contributing to organization emergency response and business/government recovery plans as well as those who will serve on response and recovery teams. For additional information, contact Lloyd Smith, Business and Government Continuity Services; (405) 737-8348; LRSBGCS@aol.com; http://www.businesscontinuity.info.
8th Annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness. Atlanta, Georgia: September 6-8, 2006. Presenters: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, and Public Safety Technology Center. Focusing on prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery, this conference will highlight the technology and training tools currently available and being developed for the emergency responder community to deal with major threats to lives and property, such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Conference speakers will include state and local public safety professionals as well as federal experts from the U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Defense. For more information, contact Lisa Hecker, Center for Technology Commercialization; (505) 670-6153; lhecker@ctc.org; http://www.regonline.com/eventinfo.asp?EventId=88623.
CHES 2006 National Trade Show and Education Forum: Disaster! Are You Ready? Halifax, Nova Scotia: September 17-19, 2006. Organizer: Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society (CHES). Topics at this conference will cover a variety of emergencies that health care engineers, emergency response teams, and emergency preparedness groups must face. Speakers will include individuals who have first-hand experience with disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and extended power outages. To learn more, contact, Elizabeth Hooper, CHES; (613) 531-2661; ches@eventsmgt.com; http://www.eventsmgt.com/CHES2006/.
Hospital Emergency Preparedness and Response Course. Bangkok, Thailand: September 18-22, 2006. Presenter: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). This international course is designed to help health personnel, both administrative and medical, prepare health care facilities and personnel to respond effectively to internal or community emergencies that involve large numbers of casualties. For more information, contact the Public Health in Emergencies Team, ADPC; adpc@adpc.net; http://www.adpc.net/phe/phe_data/PHE_HEPRBr.pdf.
DRIE West 21st Annual Symposium: New Norms of Continuity and Disaster Management. Calgary, Canada: September 21, 2006. DRIE is a source of information and education for contingency planners and risk managers across Canada. Business continuity, emergency response, and risk management professionals from across western Canada representing industries, nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, and institutions are expected to attend. To find out more, e-mail DRIE West at info@drie-west.org; http://www.drie-west.org/Symposium.htm.
Third TIEMS Workshop Croatia 2006. Trogir, Croatia: September 26-27, 2006. Sponsor: The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS). The theme of this workshop is "Improvement of Disaster Management Systems - Local and Global Trends." It is organized by the Regional Center for Assistance and Disaster Relief (RCADR)-Divulje in cooperation with the faculty of Maritime Studies at the University of Split under the auspices of the Republic of Croatia's Ministry of Science and Technology. Topics will include science and research, emergency medicine, psychological assistance, infrastructure, tourism and public safety, the importance of the media, and more. For more information, e-mail info@rcadr.org; http://www.tiems.org/.
Using ICT for Effective Disaster Management: Caribbean Forum 2006. Jamaica: September 26-28, 2006. Organizers: Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation and International Telecommunications Union. This free forum is designed to promote, facilitate, and enhance understanding of how stakeholders can effectively use information and communications technology (ICT) to mitigate the effects of natural disasters. For more information, contact Bhavna Kerai, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation; +44 20 7024 7605 (United Kingdom); b.kerai@cto.int; http://www.cto.int/dmcaribbean/index.php.
Fourth Annual Homeland Defense Symposium “Putting It All Together: Policy, Products, People.” Colorado Springs, Colorado: October 2-5, 2006. Organizer: National Homeland Defense Foundation. This symposium is designed for those with a professional interest in homeland defense, homeland security, civil support, emergency response, and the mission areas of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command. The event will feature keynote speakers, panels on breaking issues, and an opportunity to meet and exchange views with colleagues. For further information, contact the National Homeland Defense Foundation at (719) 577-9016; http://nhdf.org/HDSymposium/HomelandDefenseSymposium.php.
2006 Mid-Atlantic All Hazards Forum (AHF) Conference and Exhibition. Baltimore, Maryland: October 10-12, 2006. The AHF is a public-private partnership of Mid-Atlantic states and private corporations founded to improve regional homeland security and emergency management by facilitating dialog among state directors and increasing interaction between state and local governments and industry. Participants will discuss best practices, procurement procedures, technological advances, strategic planning and implementation, training and education, and readiness, response, and recovery within the context of all hazards. To learn more, contact Addy Kennedy, E.J. Krause and Associates; (301) 493-5500, x3324; kennedy@ejkrause.com; http://www.allhazardsforum.com/.
Joint ITU-T and Oasis Workshop and Demonstration of Advances in ICT Standards for Public Warning. Geneva, Switzerland: October 19-20, 2006. Organizers: International Telecommunications Union Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (ITU-T) and OASIS. This program is designed to build upon the results of the earlier Workshop on Telecommunications for Disaster Relief that emphasized the practical application of standards for public warnings and will identify standardization gaps and provide collaboration opportunities for key players from the public and private sectors. In addition, the workshop will feature an emergency management interoperability demonstration of OASIS Common Alerting Protocol as well as presentations and exhibitions by other players active in public warning. For additional information, e-mail tsbworkshops@itu.int; http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/ictspw/.
Southern Regional Conference 2006 Disaster Relief: How Do You Prepare for the Unknown? Atlanta, Georgia: October 22-24, 2006. Presenter: Society for College and University Planning. During this regional conference, participants will consider preparation for natural disasters, gaping holes in campus security and information systems, shifting structures and funding of higher education, droughts in capital project funding, overflow of deferred maintenance issues, the firestorm of opinion about higher education inadequacies, and the need for accountability, access, and affordability. For more information, contact Watson Hannah, Middle Tennessee State University; whannah@mtsu.edu; http://www.scup.org/regions/so/2006/.
2006 Emergency Preparedness Conference. Vancouver, British Columbia: October 24-26, 2006. Organizer: Pacific Northwest Preparedness Society. This annual conference is attended by delegates from across western Canada that work or volunteer in emergency health and social services, search and rescue, firefighting, and emergency preparedness planning. Themes of the conference will include the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, avian influenza, pandemic preparedness, animals in disasters, neighborhood preparedness, and the Fraser river flood hazard. Two preconference workshops will assist communities with recovery planning for local governments and with volunteer management. For further information, contact Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services; (604) 665-6097 (Canada); info@epconference.ca; http://epc2006.epconference.ca/.
Gender and Disaster in Canada: New Thinking, New Directions. Sydney, Nova Scotia: October 31-November 2, 2006. Organizer: International Centre for Emergency Management Studies at Cape Breton University. This multidisciplinary workshop will bring together individuals from across Canada in an informal and interactive study of gender issues that affect disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in Canada. Participants will explore the roles, contributions, and challenges experienced by Canadian women throughout the emergency management cycle; share practical tools for incorporating gender equality into policies, services, and programs at all levels; and assess prospects for continued networking on issues of gender and disaster in Canada and internationally. To find out more, contact David Griffiths, Pendragon Applied Research; (902) 435-6533 (Canada); griff@istar.ca; http://www.capebretonu.ca/ICEMS/Events_Gender_06.asp.
GWEA2006 Symposium on Impact Evaluation of Global Warming and Approach to Risk Analysis in East Asia. Taipei, Taiwan: October 31-November 4, 2006. Organizers: Fisheries Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, and Global Change Research Center, National Taiwan University. This symposium will focus on features and connotations of climate change in East Asia; its impacts on ecosystem and adaptation, food production and adaptation, and human health and society; and risk assessment of global warming. To learn more, contact Don-Chung Liu, Fisheries Research Institute (Taiwan); +886-2-2462-0053 (Taiwan); GWEA2006@mail.tfrin.gov.tw; http://www.gcc.ntu.edu.tw/GWEA2006/english.htm.
8) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
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Head, ProVention Consortium
Geneva, Switzerland
The ProVention Consortium, established by the World Bank in 2000, is a global partnership of international organizations, governments, academic institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations dedicated to reducing the impacts of natural disasters in developing countries.
ProVention is supported by a secretariat currently hosted at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day management, administration, and coordination of all ProVention activities and serves as the contact hub for members of the consortium. The head is responsible for the overall management and supervision of the secretariat, including staff, project management, budget and financial control, knowledge sharing and communications activities, advocacy and policy initiatives, external representation and networking, and for supporting ProVention’s governance structures and membership. The head also plays a lead role in setting the direction of the ProVention Strategic Work Plan and reports directly to the head of the Disaster Preparedness and Response Department of the IFRC and is also accountable to the ProVention Advisory Committee.
The closing date for application is August 14, 2006. To find out more details on the position, visit https://jobnet.ifrc.org/public/. Applications for this position must be submitted using JobNet, the IFRC’s online application system. To register and apply, visit http://www.ifrc.org/jobs/geneva.asp. Further information on the goals, objectives, and activities of the ProVention Consortium can be found at http://www.proventionconsortium.org/.
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Postdoctoral Fellowship in Global Risk Modeling
Oxford University Future of Humanity Institute: Oxford, United Kingdom
Applications are invited for a full-time postdoctoral fellowship in the Faculty of Philosophy at Oxford University within the Future of Humanity Institute. The appointment is for a fixed term ending June 30, 2009. The Future of Humanity Institute is a new research institute in the Faculty of Philosophy with the mission to understand and evaluate long-term prospects for humanity. One of its main research areas is global catastrophic risk - potential disasters that could cause massive damage to life, property, or well-being on a global scale.
The successful applicant will have outstanding intellectual capacity and strong evidence of research potential. The applicant will be expected to make significant independent contributions to this area of research and may focus either on particular categories of risk or on more general theoretical, methodological, or policy issues associated with global catastrophic risk. Candidates should already have a PhD, or equivalent degree, in a field relevant to global catastrophic risk, or be working towards the completion of such a degree, which must be awarded by December 31, 2006.
The closing date for applications is August 31, 2006. Further information and details on how to apply are available at http://www.fhi.ox.ac.uk/, http://www.philosophy.ox.ac.uk/,or from Miriam Wood, Oxford University; +01865 286279; miriam.wood@philosophy.ox.ac.uk. Quote reference number YD/06/007 for this position.
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Postdoctoral Position, Environmental Sciences Division
Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge National Laboratory seeks to fill a postdoctoral position in disaster-related research. The candidate should have a PhD in a relevant social science research field such as sociology, demography, or geography. The candidate should have an interest in human behavior in disasters and translating research into practical application for emergency management. An interest in both natural and human-induced hazards is necessary. Survey research and geographic information systems (GIS) skills are desirable. The initial appointment will be for one year with the possibility of extension or hiring as a full-time staff member.
To apply, submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and name, address, e-mail, and telephone number of three references to John Sorensen, Environmental Sciences Division, PO Box 2008, MS6422, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 or by e-mail to jhs@ornl.gov.
Reference the position title and number (ORNL06-30-ESD) when corresponding about this position. This appointment is offered through the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Postdoctoral Research Associates Program (http://www.orau.gov/orise/edu/ornl/ornl-pd/ornlpdoc.htm) and is administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
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.