2009 Victorian Bushfires Interim Report
The interim results of an Australian Royal Commission inquiry into the February 2009 Victorian wildfires has been released, along with 51 recommendations for implementation before the 2009-2010 bushfire season. The commission found that Australia’s controversial stay-and-defend policy does not emphasize the risks of defending strongly enough or clearly direct residents in preparing their homes for defense.
The Roommates
What do you get when you bunk a wizard, a ninja, a barbarian, a robot, and a safety-savvy girl in the same house? A hilarious series of preparedness videos from the Bay Area Red Cross, that’s what. Each of the six animated episodes of The Roommates edify and entertain, while interactive activities at the end of each reinforces newfound knowledge.
Stormpulse
When you’re keeping your eye on a tropical storm, it helps to have a tracker that’s easy to look at. Stormpulse delivers with its slick topography, easy-to-interpret storm tracks, and clear data display—but it’s not just another pretty face. Stormpulse, which has both Atlantic and Pacific storm applications, is chock full of useful tools that let you view cloud overlays, forecast models, ocean buoys, and more.
The Great Flu Game
Think you can do a better job than the thousands of public health agencies scrambling to get the jump on Swine Flu? Prove it. The Great Flu game lets you try your hand at stopping a variety of world pandemics from a slowly thriving flu to a rapidly spreading killer virus. You can institute communication and safety precautions, launch research, quarantine the infected, and stockpile vaccines. Whatever it takes to stop the spread—as long as you stay in budget, that is.
Citizen Corps Volunteer Liability Guide
Because concerns about personal liability can be an obstacle in soliciting and retaining emergency volunteers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency joined forces with the Public Entity Risk Institute to create the Citizen Corps Volunteer Liability Guide. The guide will help government and nonprofit volunteer managers understand and access liability laws, gauge risk, prepare volunteers, and improve liability legislation. Volunteer checklists and links to state laws are included.
U.S. Forest Service Global Climate Change Research
The Forest Service’s Global Climate Change Research website is the entry point to more than 20 years of research on the impacts of climate change, including how it’s affecting water supply, wildfire, fish and birds, air quality, and numerous other topics. The site is searchable by region or subject matter.