Hurricane Sandy After Action Report
This recently released report by the Federal Emergency Management Agency examines agency response to the superstorm that struck the East Coast in October 2012. The report outlines both strengths and weaknesses in four theme areas, including unity of effort, being survivor-centric, whole of community, and developing a professional emergency management workforce. “Ultimately,” the report states, “the Sandy experience demonstrated significant progress achieved in recent years, but also confirmed that larger-scale incidents will stress the Agency’s capacity for effective response and recovery.”
Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies Video
The title of this 11-minute video might be a little dry, but break out the popcorn anyway because it will be time well spent. The short, which is based on a National Research Council Report of the same name, looks at how drilling, fracking, and other underground energy production can be linked to manmade earthquakes. Ways to limit the risks are also discussed, so watch it today and wow the crowd at your next dinner party.
Energy Infrastructure Disruption Map
If you’ve ever wanted to know what type of havoc might be wrought in the energy infrastructure by a particular storm, all you need to do is check this interactive map built by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The map allows users to factor in storm tracks, types of storm, and forecasts in relation to a variety of infrastructures such as petroleum processing facilities, power plants, and pipelines. Historical data makes it easy to view past storms, as well.
Superstorm Research Lab
Why just do research when you can use research to change the world? The Superstorm Research Lab is a collective of scholars working to cross boundaries between traditional academic publishing and information sharing for the common good—all within the scope of social and environmental issues surrounding Hurricane Sandy. The group’s open online resource site hosts a wealth of information including qualitative interviews, data sets, maps, and documents from a variety of sources. Whether you’re in the market to find or share, this site is a treasure trove of Sandy info.
Dictionary of Numbers
The world of hazards comes with lots of numbers, but what exactly does it mean to lose two tons of arctic ice or cause $5 billion in damage? The Dictionary of Numbers is a Google extension that gives context to the numbers we deal with every day. Just add it to your Chrome browser and the numbers on your screen will display parenthetical equivalents to help you put it all in perspective. It’s a handy tool for translating numbers into something you recognize…just remember to turn it off before you look at your credit card bill.