Fragile Earth
If seeing is believing, then this app showing the effects of climate change on the landscape should win over a few skeptics. The app, built by Harper Collins from the Fragile Earth book series, let users visualize how Earth is changing by overlaying before and after photos of disaster sites, dying lakes, melting glaciers, and other phenomena. From the effects of Hurricane Katrina to the astounding shrinkage of the Aral Sea, these pictures are truly worth a thousand words.
International Journal of Emergency Services
From the Coast Guard to mountain rescue, to all the police, fire, and EMS agencies in between, the International Journal of Emergency Services aims to collect a body of scholarship that will reach across all areas of emergency management. The journal, which emphasizes providing efficient and effective services with limited resources, will accept contributions from a number of social science fields. The first issue, to be published in July, is available for no cost until June 22.
Climate Change at the National Academies
This site from the National Academies isn’t exactly new—it used to be America’s Climate Choices—but more has changed than just the name. The site and its e-newsletter will now serve as a clearinghouse for National Academies climate change news, videos, webinars, and books. Go there to keep updated on sustainability and energy information, as well as activities such as the Climate Education Roundtable.
Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 201: Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
This guide, released last month by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is a five-step path to helping communities better manage risk and their ability to cope with it. The steps offered in the guide were designed to help local decision makers recognize threats in the context of their community and think about how they would respond based on changes in their local resources and population makeup. The guide is one of a collection of resources created by FEMA to help local governments incorporate the core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal.
Identifying Vulnerable Older Adults and Legal Options for Increasing Their Protection During All-Hazards Emergencies
If disasters are difficult to weather when you’re young and able-bodied, just imagine what they’re like when you're not. Unfortunately, not enough response organizations have imagined that scenario, according to this recently released report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC created the guide after determining that there were huge gaps in the way vulnerable adults were identified, considered in emergency plans, and legally protected. The report offers strategies and options to make sure older adults' needs are met at every level of planning.
Before the Storm
What do you do when you’re a mad scientist (or one of his beastly minions) bracing for a coming storm? This new game from Australian Emergency Management will let you find out. The game, which is aimed at fifth- through ninth-graders, lets kids take over a gothic mansion during four stages of a storm—preparedness, immediately before, during, and the cleanup afterwards. It’s a dark and stormy night, so download it on your iPad or iPod Touch now or check out some of the other great games in the Emergency Management for Schools collection.