Recent Publications
Below are summaries of some of the recent, most useful publications on hazards and disasters received by the Natural Hazards Center. Due to space limitations, we have not provided descriptions of all the publications. However, all items contain information on how to obtain a copy. A complete bibliography of publications received from 1995 to the present can be found on our web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/bib/bib.html.
All Hazards
Working with Women at Risk: Practical Guidelines for Assessing Local Disaster Risk. Elaine Enarson, Marta Gonzáles, Lourdes Meyreles, Betty Hearn Morrow, Audrey Mullings, and Judith Soares. 2003. 104 pp. Available free on-line in English and Spanish through the Gender and Disaster Network; http://online.northumbria.ac.uk/geography_research/gdn/resources/papers.html. Also available from the the International Hurricane Center, Laboratory for Social and Behavioral Research, Florida International University, M.A.R.C Building #360, Miami, FL 33199; (305)348-1607; http://www.ihc.fiu.edu/lsbr/Pages/LSBR_CVALW.html.
For the past two years, a team of researchers in the U.S., Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Dominica, and El Salvador have been developing a new way of studying community vulnerability in the face of hazards and disasters. Their approach builds upon the local knowledge of women, whose social roles make them exceptional sources of information on risk and risk behavior, although their views are often overlooked. This guide presents the results of this research, explores the role of gender in community assessment, discusses specific strengths and challenges for women in disasters, and presents a new model of vulnerability and resource assessment.American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center. William Langewiesche. ISBN 0-86547-675-6. 2003. 230 pp. $13.00. Available from Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003; (212) 206-5340; http://www.fsgbooks.com/nothpointpress.htm.
Following the September 11, 2001, terrorists attacks, the author obtained unrestricted access to the disaster site and those involved in the cleanup of the World Trade Center collapse. Originally a series of articles in the Atlantic Monthly, this book dissects the details of the collapse and captures the contests of politics and personality that ensued. At the center is the team of engineers, many instrumental in building the towers, who had to orchestrate their disassembly. As the work got under way, many other groups (firefighters, police, widows, bureaucrats, and even profiteers) became involved. American Ground provides a thorough account of the many complex, lengthy, and often emotionally wrenching dimensions of what may have been the largest disaster recovery operation in U.S. history.Handbook for Estimating the Socio-economic and Environmental Effects of Disasters. Ricardo Zapata Marti, editor. 2003. 357 pp. Available from the United Nations, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, through the ProVention Consortium web site at http://www.proventionconsortium.org/toolkit.htm.
Disasters have a major impact on the living conditions, economic performance, and environmental assets and services of affected countries. Their consequences may be long-term, irreversible, and more socially significant in developing countries, where they affect the poorest and most vulnerable populations. This on-line publication looks at social sectors and infrastructure along with the overall effects of damage in order to provide a framework for estimating the financial impact of a given disaster to help determine the value of lost assets and define reconstruction requirements.Building Safer Cities: The Future of Disaster Risk. Alcira Kreimer, Margaret Arnold, and Anne Carlin, editors. World Bank Disaster Risk Management Series No. 3. ISBN 0-8213-5497-3. 2003. 320 pp. $35.00. Available from World Bank Publications, P.O. Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960; (800) 645-7247; (703) 661-1580; fax: (703) 661-1501. The book can also be purchased on-line from http://publications.worldbank.org/ecommerce/; specifically, see http://publications.worldbank.org/ecommerce/catalog/product?item_id=2337355.
Disaster impacts are becoming more severe. Annual direct losses for weather-related events have increased from $3.9 million in the 1950s to $63 million in the 1990s. Moreover, a number of ongoing trends such as population growth, environmental degradation, climate change and its correlative effects, and globalization have the potential to cause broader and more severe impacts than ever before. At the same time, relative to events in wealthier nations, disasters in developing countries can inflict massive casualties and cause major setbacks to economic and social development by diverting development funds to emergency relief and recovery. By empowering communities and individuals to implement effective disaster risk reduction strategies, families, communities, and entire countries can become more resilient when disasters strike. This volume, comprising papers presented at a 2002 meeting to promote awareness among development agencies regarding the urgent need to address urban vulnerability to hazards, presents a variety of perspectives on this topic.Terrorism and Disaster: New Threats, New Ideas. Lee Clarke, editor. ISBN 0-7623-1043-X. 2003. 160 pp. $90.00. Available in the U.S. from Elsevier, Customer Service Department, 11830 Westline Industrial Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146; http://www.elsevier.com. The attacks on September 11, 2001, have been called signal events of the 21st century. Since 2001, scholars have been asking new questions about extreme events and focusing on innovations in the methods, theories, and concepts regarding terrorism and disaster. This book draws from several disciplines to address the following key questions: What does the response to the collapse of the World Trade Center tell us about disaster response generally? What has it meant for civil liberties in the U.S.? How do we conceptualize panic and mass response?
Disaster Reduction in Asia - ISDR Informs. Biannual Newsletter. To obtain a printed copy, contact the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) Secretariat, Palais des Nations, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: +41 22 917-2103; fax: +41 22 917-0563; e-mail: isdr@un.org; or, better yet, download the newsletter in PDF format from http://www.unisdr.org.
The inaugural issue of this magazine is entitled "Issue 0" to mark the birth of this collaborative publication of UN/ISDR, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, and the Asian Disaster Reduction Center. The newsletter includes statements from the directors of each of the sponsoring agencies regarding their roles in Asian disaster management and their hopes and expectations for the Second World Conference on Disaster Reduction to be held in Asia in 2005. It also includes information about other disaster reduction events and developments in the region.Interim Report: Causes of the August 14th Blackout in the United States and Canada. U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task Force. 2003. 134 pp. Available free on-line from the Office of Electric Transmission and Distribution, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 50285; https://reports.energy.gov/814BlackoutReport.pdf.
A day after the electric power blackout in the Northeast, President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Cretien created a joint task force to investigate the causes of the blackout and means to reduce the possibility of future outages. The task force divided its work into two phases: an investigation of the outage to determine the cause and why it was not contained, and recommendations to reduce the possibility of future outages and minimize their potential scope. This interim report does not yet attempt to draw broad conclusions or suggest policy recommendations. The task force will hold three public forums during which the public will have the opportunity to comment on the report. It is also possible to submit electronic comments and recommendations to either blackout.report@hq.doe.gov (U.S.) or poweroutage@nrcan. gc.ca (Canada).Enhancing New York City's Emergency Preparedness: A Report to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. New York City Emergency Response Task Force. 2003. 24 pp. Available free on-line at http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/em_task_force_final_10_28_03.pdf.
The power outage of August 14, 2003, was one of the more severe emergency management challenges faced by New York City since 2001, and the consensus is that the city and its citizens responded well and recovered quickly. Those successes notwithstanding, the city felt that it was important to learn from the experience and find ways to improve current practices. In particular, because the blackout occurred at a fortuitous time (beginning during daylight, in good weather, and at the end of the work week), the mayor recognized that another event could pose significantly greater challenges and therefore established a task force to review the event. The task force contacted every city agency and conducted extensive outreach and surveys among the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. It examined the impacts of the outage and resulting issues in six broad areas: emergency response; business continuity; the city as employer; communications; transportation; and public health, safety, and preparedness.Emergency Response and Emergency Management Law. William C. Nicholson. ISBN 0-398-07406-2. 2003. 345 pp. $79.95. Available from Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Ltd., 2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704; (800) 258-8980; http://www.ccthomas.com/details.cfm?P_ISBN=0398074062.
Emergency response law is not often considered in either the legal or emergency response literature. In addition, very few attorneys are current in emergency management law. This volume begins by examining the duty to respond and continues through the wide range of legal issues that arise during response. Chapters cover the res- ponsibility to act, vehicle and dispatch issues, scene management, hazardous materials, use of volunteer resources, local and federal government responsibilities, and the broader issues of emergency management. A variety of relevant legal cases are profiled.An Operational Framework for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction. Thomas Mitchell. Benfield Hazard Research Centre Disaster Studies Working Paper 8. 2003. 29 pp. Available from the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, UCL, 136 Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK; tel: +44 (0)20 7679 3449; http://www.benfieldhrc.org/SiteRoot/disaster_studies/working_papers/workingpaper8.pdf.
This working paper introduces a "Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Mainstreaming Framework" for application at the national level. It argues that any framework must be flexible enough to be modified through a participatory process and have specific benchmarks or grades that are locally derived. The paper also places the framework in the context of other similar initiatives and discusses current debates and definitions of "disaster risk reduction" as a precursor to formulating a framework. The DRR Mainstreaming Framework is divided into four sections: politics and legislation, policy, knowledge, and practice. Overall the framework incorporates 20 indicators with associated benchmarks, and this paper concludes by calling for further testing of the DRR Mainstreaming Framework in diverse environments.Building a Disaster-Resistant University. FEMA 443. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 500 C Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20472. 66 pp. Free. Available on-line at http://www.fema.gov/fima/dru.shtm; or by calling the FEMA Publications Warehouse, (800) 480-2520.
The FEMA Disaster Resistant University program was created to reduce potential loss of life, damage, and expense that might follow a natural disaster striking a college or university. The program is intended to help those institutions identify vulnerabilities, assess risks, and promote comprehensive predisaster planning and mitigation. This book is both a how-to manual and a distillation of the experiences of six universities and colleges across the country that have been working over the past several years to become more disaster-resistant.Disaster Health
Trauma Interventions in War and Peace: Prevention, Practice, and Policy. Bonnie L. Green et al., editors. ISBN 0-306-47724-6. 2003. 411 pp. $65.00. Available from Kluwer Academic Publishers, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013; or P.O. Box 989, 3300 AZ Dordrecht, The Netherlands; tel: +31 (0)78-6576266; http://www.wkap.nl.
With traumatic stress an increasing global challenge, the United Nations, the nongovernmental community, and government offices must be prepared to address the psychological aftermath of large-scale catastrophes and individual or group violence. This book provides a broad framework for mental health interventions in the wake of abuse, torture, war, and disaster on individual, local, regional, and inter- national levels and identifies programs that can be implemented at every level. These programs include social policy, safety programs, public education, coordination, capacity building, training, self-help, counseling, and clinical intervention. A core group of chapters covers the general concepts of traumatic stress, intervention, and social deprivation, while others focus on specific traumatic events, addressing, in each case, the scope of the problem, reactions to the traumatic stressor, intervention issues, and recommendations.Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism: A Public Health Strategy. Adrienne Stith Butler, Allison M. Panzer, Lewis R. Goldfrank, editors. Committee on Responding to the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism, Institute of Medicine, National Academies. 2003. 184 pp. $36.00 ($32.40, if purchased on the Internet). Available from National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.
Terrorism, regardless of its form, can be psychologically devastating. The broad nature of these consequences demands both planning and a full public health response. Yet the nation's mental health, public health, medical, and emergency response systems currently are not able to meet the psychological needs resulting from acts of terrorism. Management of psychological consequences of terrorism will require a range of interventions at multiple levels and involve a variety of service providers. This volume offers a public health strategy that can serve as a basis for more comprehensive plans and provides a vision for assessing the completeness and effectiveness of plans and for addressing gaps in preparedness and response.Earthquakes
Securing Society Against Catastrophic Earthquake Losses: A Research and Outreach Plan in Earthquake Engineering. Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). EERI Publication No. RP-2003. ISBN 0-943198-03-8. 2003. 106 pp. $15.00, plus shipping and sales tax for California residents. Copies are available from EERI, 499 14th Street, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94612-1934; (510) 451-0905; fax: (510) 451-5411; e-mail: eeri@eeri.org; http://www.eeri.org/cds_publications/catalog/ (click on the Publications link under the Categories heading, then on Special Issues).
A panel of scientists and engineers from throughout the U.S. spent three years preparing a new, comprehensive vision for the rapid development and deployment of research and knowledge to create safer, more resilient communities. EERI states that "the plan represents the best opportunity to positively influence the reauthorizing legislation for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and identifies the needed level of funding to carry out critical research and implementation." It identifies new research in both basic and applied science and engineering that must be investigated over the next two decades to protect life, property, and the economic stability of the nation in the event of a moderate or major earthquake anywhere in the U.S. A complete list of EERI publications, (as well as CD-ROMs and videos) is available from the web site above; several can be downloaded for free. Some of the more recent titles include:Collection and Management of Earthquake Data: Defining Issues for an Action Plan. EERI Publication No. 2003-03. 2003. 124 pp.$20.00 plus shipping and sales tax for California residents. Lessons Learned Over Time, EERI Learning From Earthquakes Program Volume IV. EERI Publication No. 2003-02. 2003. $15.00, plus shipping and sales tax for California residents. This report examines the earthquake performance of highway structures in Turkey and the remedial actions that were taken. Evaluation of Tsunami Risk to Southern California Coastal Cities. Mark R. Legg, Jose C. Borrero, and Costas E. Synolakis. EERI/ FEMA NEHRP Professional Fellowship Report. 2003. 40 pp., plus appendices. Available free from EERI's web site.
Advancing Mitigation Technologies and Disaster Response for Lifeline Systems. James E. Beavers, editor. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering Monograph No. 25. ISBN 0-7844-0687-1. 2003. A whopping 1,094 pp. $93.75, ASCE members; $125.00, nonmembers (see the ASCE web site for overseas prices, which are slightly higher). Order from ASCE Publications, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191; (800) 548-2723); http://www.pubs.asce.org.
This volume presents the proceedings of the Sixth U.S. Con- ference and Workshop on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering held in 2003. It includes 107 state-of-the-art reports and the results of studies by investigators who have analyzed and evaluated the effects of natural and technological hazards on lifelines. Although the conference focused on earthquake engineering, the papers draw on and are applicable to a wide range of hazards.
Some other recent publications from ASCE include:Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings, SEI/ASCE 31-03 (ASCE Standard No. 31-03). ISBN 0-7844-0670-7. 2003. 444 pp. $112.50, members; $150.00, nonmembers. Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings presents a three-tiered process for evaluation of buildings subject to any level of seismicity. Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst. Barry F. Beck, editor. ASCE Geotechnical Special Pub- lication No. 122. ISBN 0-7844-0698-7. 2003. 744 pp. $120.00, members; $90.00, nonmembers.
Hydrological Hazards and Water
Resources ManagementCoping Strategies and Early Warning Systems of Tribal People in India in the Face of Natural Disasters: Case Studies in Mayurbhanj, Orissa and Dungarpur, Rajasthan, India. International Labor Office (ILO). ISBN 92-2-113207-2. 2002. 63 pp. Available free on-line from the ILO, CH-1211, Geneva 22, Switzerland; http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/asro/newdelhi/download/ilocoop.pdf.
Tribal communities are often characterized by geographical isolation and social exclusion. Their livelihoods are dependant upon local natural resources, rendering them particularly vulnerable to natural hazards. In India, a recent hurricane and earthquake have resulted in organized disaster management planning. Still, recurrent phenomena, such as drought and flooding, remain problems, and efforts to deal with these hazards must involve those most affected, including tribal communities. The warning systems, coping mechan- isms, preparedness strategies, and other adaptive procedures of these communities need to be understood and, where appropriate, incorporated into plans and procedures. Hence, the ILO has undertaken studies of the coping mechanisms of Indian tribal people in the face of drought (Dungarpur) and flood (Mayurbhanj). This report provides insight into the social and economic dimensions of natural disasters in tribal communities and offers recommendations for wider application at policy and program levels both in the immediate future and long-term.Water for Life: Water Management and Environmental Policy. James L. Wescoat, Jr., and Gilbert F. White. ISBN 0-521-36211-3, hardback; ISBN 0-521-36980-0, paperback. 2003. 342 pp. $95.00, hardback; $20.00, paperback. Available from Cambridge University Press, 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4221; (212) 924-3900; http://www.cup.org. Successful water management is crucial for the heath of natural environmental systems and the support of human society. These two aspects are interdependent, but decisions about one are often made without regard to effects upon the other. This book analyzes the relationships among water management, environmental conditions, and public policy. It combines a careful review of the character and evolution of water management and an evaluation of management from the standpoint of the quality of the natural environment. Topics covered include social decision making, domestic and industrial water supply and waste disposal, groundwater use, river channel and floodplain management, and integrated river basins.
The Cost of Rehabilitating Our Nation's Dams: A Methodology, Estimate, and Proposed Funding Mechanisms. Revised edition. Prepared by a committee of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO). 2003. 62 pp. Available free on-line from ADSO, 450 Old Vine Street, Lexington, KY 40507-1544; (859) 257-5140; http://www.damsafety.org/documents/pdf/Cost%20of%20Rehabing%20Dams%20Report.pdf.
Since the establishment of the National Dam Safety Program, there has been increasing awareness of both the number of dams and their safety requirements. Many of the country's dams are in disrepair. ADSO has compiled state and national estimates of the cost of dam rehabilitation. The cost of upgrading or repairing all of the national nonfederal dams would exceed $36 billion. Over half of the country's dams are privately owned, and in many cases, the owners of dams that present the greatest safety hazards are the least able to finance the maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation of the structure. To deal with this problem, the task force recommends the creation of a national dam rehabilitation loan program and provides guidelines for establishing state revolving funds for dam rehabilitation, repair, and removal.Water Resources Systems - Hydrological Risk, Management and Development. Günter Blöschl, Stewart Franks, Michio Kumagai, Katumi Musiake, and Dan Rosbjerg, editors. International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) Publication No. 281. ISBN 1-901502-32-5. 2003. 376 pp. £60.30.
Water Resources Systems - Water Availability and Global Change. Stewart Franks, Günter Blöschl, Michio Kumagai, Katumi Musiake, and Dan Rosbjerg, editors. IAHS Publication No. 280. ISBN 1-901502-27-9. 2003. 336 pp. £54.90.
Available from IAHS Press, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, U.K.; tel: +44 1491 692442; fax: +44 1491 692448; e-mail: jilly@iahs.demon.co.uk. Tables of contents and abstracts of all papers are also available from the IAHS web site: http://www.iahs.info.
These two volumes resulted from a 2002 symposium held in Japan. The call for contributions was so successful that the meeting was expanded and the papers divided between these two books.
As a result of contamination, land-use changes, and global climate fluctuations, water availability appears to be decreasing in many regions. At the same time, dealing with the risk associated with extreme events has become an integral part of the management and development of any water resources system. Hydrological Risk, Management and Development addresses flood and drought risk trends and processes, flood runoff modeling, management of reservoir systems, water resources management policies, methods and case studies in water resources management, and integration of water resources management.
As greater demands are placed upon limited water resources, it is increasingly important to safeguard water resources systems from encroaching pollution, over-exploitation, the vagaries of natural climate variability, and the threat of anthropogenic climate change. Water Availability and Global Change cites a range of activities currently being undertaken by the international hydrological science community to deal with these problems.Hurricanes
In the Eye of Hurricane Andrew. Eugene F. Provenzo, Jr., and A. Baker Provenzo. ISBN 0-8130-2566-4. 2002. 204 pp. $24.95. Available from the University Press of Florida, 15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079; (800) 226-3822; http://www.upf.com.
Although Florida has been struck by more hurricanes than any other region of the continental U.S., most people living in south Florida in 1992 had never experienced such a storm. Then, on August 24, Hurricane Andrew ravaged several communities on the south Florida coast, leaving 250,000 people homeless and close to $30 billion in damage. Based on interviews with survivors and rescue workers in the weeks and months that followed, this book provides the story of one of the most destructive natural disasters in modern American history.
From a psychological and social point of view, Andrew was unprecedented. In this volume, nearly 100 diverse individuals share their experiences, from a mother who weathered the storm in a tiny bathroom shared with another adult, four children, and a dog, to a roofer who traveled from Tennessee to help rebuild, to the TV weatherman whose voice guided many through the storm. To provide a context for these oral histories, the book also draws upon a wide range of published sources such as newspaper and documentary accounts. A comprehensive bibliography is included, covering government reports, conference proceedings, maps, video recordings, and other materials.Fire
A Review of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspections, Evaluations and Special Reviews. Report No. OIG-ISP-01-03. September 2003. 72 pp. Available free on-line from the Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528; (202) 254-4100; http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/OIG_Review_Fire_Assist.pdf.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program identifies fire departments that lack the tools and resources to protect the health and safety of firefighters and the public they serve. AFG is managed by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) under the Department of Homeland Security. This report finds that the USFA has taken appropriate steps to determine basic needs to enhance fire service capabilities, establish program priorities, and develop specific eligibility and rating criteria, and that it has used many methods to inform, solicit, and educate applicants about the program to achieve a balanced distribution of funds. However, there are opportunities to enhance the program's effectiveness including requiring greater detail to determine need; requiring applicants to fully disclose other federal funding sources to avoid duplication; promoting regional approaches to enhancing inter- operability; improving program monitoring; developing measures to assess the program's long-term effects; and clarifying the distinctions between the AFG program and other similar programs.Living with Wildfires: Prevention, Preparation, and Recovery. Janet C. Arrowood. ISBN 1-883726-90-5. 2003. 275 pp. $19.95. Available from Bradford Publishing, 1743 Wazee Street, Denver, CO 80202; (303) 292-2590; http://www.bradfordpublishing.com.
In recent years, more and more homes have been built in and near areas affected by wildfires. This book, designed for those living in the wildland-urban interface, provides a comprehensive overview of how to prepare for a potentially devastating wildfire. Chapters discuss how to landscape effectively, create and follow an evacuation plan, design effective recovery strategies, and deal with insurance companies.The Changing Role and Needs of Local, Rural, and Volunteer Fire Departments in the Wildland-Urban Interface: Recommended Actions for Implementing the 10-year Comprehensive Strategy. 32 pp. 2003. Available free on-line from the International Association of Fire Chiefs, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Suite 300, Fairfax, VA 22033-2868; (703) 273-0911; http://www.iafc.org/downloads/Final%20Rural%20Fire%20Report.pdf.
This report to Congress was prepared as part of the Ten Year Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Com-munities and the Environment, which was developed by local, state, federal, private, and nonprofit stakeholders and approved in 2001 by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior, the Western Governors' Association, and other state, county and tribal leaders. The report highlights the importance of community-based first responders in quickly and effectively containing wildland fires before they become damaging, catastrophic wildfires like those that recently burned in California. Rural, volunteer, and other local fire departments are the nation's first line of defense in the urban-wildland interface, and their abilities to provide a quick and effective first response can dramatically impact the effects of wildfires. The report provides an overview of current response capabilities and offers suggestions for improvement.Climate Change
Communicating Uncertainties in Weather and Climate Information. Elbert W. Friday, Jr., rapporteur. Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council. ISBN 0-309-08540-3. 2003. 68 pp. $18.00 ($16.20, if purchased on-line). Available from National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.
This report explores how best to communicate weather and climate information by presenting five case studies, selected to illustrate a range of time scales and issues, from the forecasting of weather events, to providing seasonal outlooks, to projecting climate change.The Latest from the GAO
U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) reports provide background information and insight into key issues and concerns of the U.S. Congress. The office frequently publishes studies regarding hazards and disaster policy. Some recent GAO reports that might interest Observer readers are listed below. Summaries and complete texts are available on-line at http://www.gao.gov. In addition, printed copies can be obtained from the U.S. General Accounting Office, 441 G Street, NW, Room LM, Washington, DC 20548; (202) 512-6000;fax: (202) 512-6061; TDD: (202) 512-2537. Individual copies are free; multiple copies cost $2.00 each.
September 11: Overview of Federal Disaster Assistance to the New York City Area. GAO-04-72. 2003. 111 pp. The federal government has provided considerable financial aid to help the New York City area respond to and recover from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. About $20 billion in aid has been provided primarily through four sources: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (for a GAO analysis of this aid, see the Observer, Vol. XXVIII, No. 2, p. 27), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and tax benefits targeted at lower Manhattan. GAO was asked to analyze this federal assistance and determine how the response differed from previous disasters.
The designation of $20 billion to assist the New York City area was the first time that the amount of federal disaster assistance was set early in the recovery effort; normally, the level of assistance is determined as needs are assessed against established eligibility criteria. FEMA, in response to the designation of a specific level of funding and enhanced authority from Congress, changed its traditional approach for administering disaster funds by expanding eligibility guidelines, initiating an early close-out process, and reimbursing New York City and the state for nontraditional costs. A complete breakdown of funding allocations and priorities is included in this report.Homeland Security: Challenges in Achieving Interoperable Communications for First Responders. GAO-04-231T. 2003. 21 pp.
Interoperability problems have existed for many years, and Congress has taken several actions over the past two decades to address the availability and use of a public safety wireless spectrum. Further, the events of September 11, 2001, refocused public and government attention on first responders and their capacity to react to emergencies. In this report, the GAO examines barriers to improved interoperability and the roles that federal, state, and local governments can play in improving wireless communications. There are several major chal- lenges: clearly identifying the problem; establishing national interoperability performance goals and standards and balancing them with the flexibility needed to accommodate differences in state, regional, and local needs and conditions; defining the roles of federal, state, and local governments and other entities in dealing with this problem; implementing national goals and standards; and assessing alternative means of achieving those goals and standards. The fundamental barrier to success has been a lack of effective inter- disciplinary and intergovernmental planning.Bioterrorism: Public Health Response to Anthrax Incidents of 2001. GAO-04-152. 2003. 46 pp.
In the fall of 2001, the U.S. experienced its first intentional anthrax infection incident. This GAO report examines the public health response with the intent of aiding local, state, and federal agencies in applying the lessons learned to ongoing bioterrorism preparedness, planning, and mitigation. Local and state public health officials at the epicenters of the incident identified both the strengths in their responses as well as areas for improvement. These officials said that, although their pre-existing planning efforts, exercises, and experience had helped promote a rapid, coordinated response, problems arose because they had not fully anticipated the coordination needed among responders, and they did not have all the necessary agreements in place to put the plans into operation rapidly. Officials identified three general lessons for public health preparedness: the benefits of planning and experience; the importance of effective communication, both among responders and with the general public; and the importance of a strong public health infrastructure to serve as the foundation for response to bioterrorism or other public health emergencies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was challenged to both meet heavy resource demands from local and state officials and coordinate the federal public health response in the face of the rapidly unfolding incidents. CDC has said that it was effective in its more traditional capacity of supporting local response efforts but was not fully prepared to manage the federal public health response and experienced difficulty in communicating with public health officials, the media, and the public. The incident also highlighted shortcomings in the clinical tools available for responding to anthrax, such as vaccines and drugs, and a lack of training for clinicians in how to recognize and respond to anthrax.Catastrophe Insurance Risks: Status of Efforts to Securitize Natural Catastrophe and Terrorism Risk. GAO-03-1033. 2003. 75 pp.
In addition to potentially costing hundreds or thousands of lives, a major natural or terrorist catastrophe in the U.S. could place enormous financial demands on the insurance industry, businesses, and taxpayers. There is, therefore, increasing interest in marketing bonds in the capital markets to diversify catastrophe funding sources. GAO was asked to update a 2002 report and assess 1) progress in transferring natural catastrophe risks to the capital markets, 2) factors that may affect the issuance of catastrophe bonds by insurance companies, 3) factors that may affect investment in catastrophe bonds, and 4) the potential for and challenges associated with securitizing terror- ism-related financial risks.
As discussed in an earlier report (Catastrophe Insurance Risks: The Role of Risk-Linked Securities and Factors Affecting Their Use. GAO-02-941, 2002, 63 pp.), catastrophe bonds have transferred a portion of natural catastrophe risk to the capital markets. A private firm has estimated that, from 1997 through 2002, a total of 46 catastrophe bonds were issued. Another firm estimated that the nearly $3 billion in catastrophe bonds outstanding for 2002 represented 2.5-3.0% of the worldwide catastrophe reinsurance market. Some insurance and reinsurance companies issue catastrophe bonds because such securities allow for risk transfer and may lower the costs of insuring against the most severe catastrophes. Other insurers do not issue catastrophe bonds because their costs are higher than transferring risks to other insurers. To date, no catastrophe bonds related to terrorism have been issued covering potential targets in the U.S., and the consensus of most of the experts GAO contacted is that issuing such securities would not be practical at this time due in part to the challenges of predicting the frequency and severity of terrorist attacksElectronic Fare
In December, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a new training course designed to ensure that the needs of the nation's most vulnerable residents are addressed during disasters. The course, G197 Emergency Planning and Special Needs Populations, is available on CD-ROM to assist local and state emergency planners and organizations serving seniors and people with disabilities. Specialists at FEMA's Emergency Management Institute (EMI) developed the course, which is part of EMI's Advanced Professional Series. The CD-ROM contains an instructor guide, student manual, visual aids, additional resources, related articles, and manuals on evacuating people with disabilities and emergency procedures for people with disabilities in office jobs. The CD-ROM will be distributed to all state training officers and regional training managers. Social service organizations and special needs advocacy groups can also obtain the materials by calling (301) 447-1585.
Table of Contents for This Issue of the Natural Hazards Observer
