ICAT Damage Estimator
Hurricane junkies, be warned. There’s so much to do and explore with the ICAT damage estimator, you might need to set aside a day to play. The interactive site gives damage information on landfalling U.S. storms between 1900-2008, estimates historical hurricanes damage in today’s dollars, and lets users map landfall statistics and damage estimates based on criteria such as landfall state, storm name, category, year, month, or any combination of your choosing. Once you’ve created you’re perfect storm, share the results using Google Earth, e-mail, or exported data tables.
Climate Literacy Guide
Recent clamor about climate change has left many average citizens scratching their heads about what it all actually means. Now there’s a guide to help. Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science provides clear, accessible information about climate science, the possible impacts of climate change, and adaptation and mitigation. The guide—created with the help of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and others—is aimed at starting conversations and helping communities and teachers communicate climate science.
Remembering Hurricane Camille
It’s been 40 years since Hurricane Camille swept through Virginia, killing nearly 200 people. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management is commemorating the terrible storm by collecting personal narratives from survivors and others who experienced the event. Visit the site to read the tales and see maps, photos, videos, and other evidence of Camille’s impact—both then and now.
U.S. Fire Administration’s Tech Talk
The U.S. Fire Administration just created Tech Talk as a way for fire protection personnel to get timely and accurate information on topics that they care about. Topics are chosen based on user requests, so log in with your suggestions today.
U.S. Chemical Safety Board’s Video Room
A visit to the video room of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board can be a lifesaver for first responders who might someday find themselves called to a chemical accident, such as a propane or gas explosion. The site has a variety of videos on chemical disaster response, but be sure to check out Emergency Preparedness: Findings from CSB Accident Investigations, which compiles lessons the independent federal agency has gleaned in more than 10 years of investigation.