On the Web

Citation

(2003), "On the Web", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 12 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2003.07312eag.001

On the Web

FAMComwww.family.crisissupport.com

FAMCom is an online kit that includes fact sheets, discussion topics, and contingency planning suggestions, designed to help families plan how to get in touch quickly during a crisis and prepare for potential crisis situations.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Business Continuity Management Team (BCMT)http://web.mit.edu/bcmt

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Business Continuity Management Team (BCMT) represents many of the organizations that help with continuity issues in the event of a campus emergency, and coordinates with MIT’s Emergency Response Group. This Web site provides an overview of the group’s plans and activities, as well as disaster recovery and business continuity efforts on the MIT campus.

Cambridge University Center for Risk in the Built Environment (CURBE)http://www.arct.cam.ac.uk/curbe/infosheets.html

The Cambridge University Center for Risk in the Built Environment (CURBE) has posted several fact sheets and idea sheets on their Web site. Topics include mitigation, the UN role in risk and disaster management, deaths from the 1953 storm surge, the European Union’s role in risk and disaster management, reverse insurance, disaster ecology, and safety day.http://www.bepreparedtc.com/

Teton County’s Project Impact program in Wyoming has launched a new interactive natural hazards Web site. Along with general information and hazard resources, the site contains an interactive natural hazards map that allows users to pinpoint hazards at specific locations.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations’s National Ocean Service (NOS)http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/csdl/op/nowcoast.htm

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations’s National Ocean Service (NOS) recently launched a Web site that provides real-time coastal observations and forecasts for major US estuaries and seaports, the Great Lakes, and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The map-based Web portal called “nowCOAST” provides spatially-referenced links to real-time information from meteorological, oceanographic, and river observing networks.

Department of Health and Human Services Disasters and Emergencieshttp://www.hhs.gov/disasters/index.shtml

The Department of Health and Human Services Disasters and Emergencies Web site provides categorized information relating to terrorism and other disasters.

FLASH, Inc.http://www.flash.org

The Federal Alliance For Safe Homes (FLASH, Inc.) announces a new and improved Web site that offers disaster safety tips, property protection information, and resource links for flood, hail, hurricane, lightning, severe wind, tornadoes, wind, and wildfire protection.

“MetEd.”http://www.meted.ucar.edu/topics_emt.php

The COMET Program has remodelled its education and training Web site, “MetEd.” The new site also contains free self-paced distance learning materials for emergency managers and community decision makers.

Southern California Earthquake Centerhttp://www.scec.org/education/030310longbeach.html

These Web pages from the Southern California Earthquake Center commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Long Beach Earthquake on 10 March 1933.

The Pacific Institutehttp://www.pacinst.org/resources/

The Pacific Institute announces an online, searchable, water and climate change bibliography that is a comprehensive database of scientific literature pertaining to climate change and freshwater resources worldwide. The bibliography currently contains more than 3,000 entries.

El Nino and La Ninahttp://showcase.netins.net/web/trhalvorson/g-stuff/gs_elnino.shtml

This comprehensive Web site includes a large variety of links to other Web sites and information about El Nino and La Nina.

Research Institute for Climate Protection at Columbia Universityhttp://ingrid.ldeo.columbia.edu

This Web site from the International Research Institute for Climate Protection at Columbia University includes a broad collection of earth science data on atmospheric and oceanic conditions.

Trout Unlimited and American Rivershttp://www.tu.org/small_damshttp://www.americanrivers.org/damremovaltoolkit

These companion Web sites, from Trout Unlimited and American Rivers, provide a variety of information for communities that are looking for help with dam-removal decisions. The sites provide an overview of fundamental issues and perspectives that should be considered, along with case studies.

Disaster Ready Austin and the Texas Environmental Centerhttp://www.floodsafety.com

Sponsored by Disaster Ready Austin and the Texas Environmental Center, this Web site is a clearinghouse for a variety of information regarding flood safety and the reduction of flood-related fatalities and property damage.

NOAAhttp://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/csdl/op/nowcoast.htm (click on “Web portal” on the Office of Coast Survey page).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency’s (NOAA) National Ocean Service has recently launched a Web portal that should be of interest to DR subscribers. The portal provides information for coastal areas in an easy to use “one stop” Web-based database. The site allows users to obtain real-time coastal observations and NOAA forecasts for major US estuaries and seaports, the Great Lakes, and the coastal ocean.

The map-based portal, called “nowCOAST” provides spatially-referenced links to information from meteorological, oceanographic, and river observing networks operated by federal and state agencies and educational institutions. It also provides links to forecast point guidance from many National Weather Service (NWS) atmospheric and oceanographic forecast models and to NWS’ county weather forecasts and marine forecasts.

For more details about the project or the presentation, contact John G.W. Kelley, Marine Modeling and Analysis Programs, Coast Survey Development Lab, NOAA/National Ocean Service, Silver Spring, MD; (301) 713-2809; E-mail: John.Kelley@noaa.gov.

All-Hands Communityhttp://www.all-hands.net/pn/

All-Hands Community Electronic Newsletter, a virtual, growing, and user-supported community of emergency and continuity professionals, announces the first edition of its electronic newsletter. All-Hands was started with the goal of making it easy to post articles, share files, and communicate with others in the emergency management and business continuity professions. Newsletter issues will contain links to recently added Web site resources, along with relevant articles and news. The newsletter will never feature advertisements, only content straight from the community.

This service is available free on registering as a member of the All-Hands Community at the above URL.

International Volcanic Health Hazard Network (IVHHN)http://mail.bris.ac.uk/

The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network (IVHHN) was launched in February of this year to try to determine the health effects of volcanic emissions. IVHHN members work in diverse disciplines such as volcanology, epidemiology, toxicology, public health, and chemistry.

The goals of the network are to: promote the expansion of the newly emerging field of volcanic health hazard research; continue existing collaborations and develop new collaborative links between the multidisciplinary international partner organizations; produce and widely disseminate protocols and volcanic health hazard information to volcano observatories scientists, governments, emergency managers, health practitioners and the general public; and encourage collection of geologic and medical data to evaluate health hazards.

NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/customdatacd/

NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) announces a new service that allows online users to make custom selections from four of its most popular data sets and then write them to a CD-ROM for immediate shipment. This new feature is an easy and affordable way to retrieve customized specific data.

Currently, you can choose from the following list of data to create a custom CD: global land one-kilometer base elevation, GEODAS marine geophysical data, night time lights of the world, and ecosystems and global change.

World Trade Centrehttp://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/wtc/index.html

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (a federal public health agency) are creating a registry of people who were exposed to the smoke, dust, and debris during the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster and the subsequent clean-up of the disaster site. Information will be collected on the short- and long-term physical and mental health of people who came in contact with smoke, dust, and debris from the WTC collapse or who witnessed the WTC disaster at close distance to help identify patterns of illness and recovery that might not be uncovered by individual doctors. When completed, it will be the largest registry of its kind, and have up to 200,000 people enrolled.

National Association for Amateur Radiohttp://ema.arrl.org/fd/FD_ICS.html

The National Association for Amateur Radio Eastern Massachusetts division has posted an extensive overview of the incident command system (ICS) with a number of good Web-based resources.

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)http://www.world-housing.net

The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)’s housing encyclopedia Web site is continually updated to include new information on a wide range of country-specific housing information.

Oklahoma Water Resources Boardhttp://www.owrb.state.ok.us/hazard/index.php

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board has launched an updated and revamped Web site, and this link will lead you to the hazard mitigation pages.

Crisis Managerhttp://www.crisismanageruniversity.com/

“Crisis Manager”, a free, printed newsletter, announces a complementary Web site and listserv on the topic of crisis management. Click on “register” on the upper right corner.

Society for Environmental and Sustainable Developmenthttp://www.indianenvironmentonline.net

This Web site is maintained by the Society for Environmental and Sustainable Development in New Delhi, and is updated daily. It unites hundreds of organizations throughout India and provides extensive environmental information and news. They are currently seeking to update their information and improve their user-friendliness and all comments and suggestions are welcome.

SAFETYvictoriahttp://www.safety.vic.gov.au

The SAFETYvictoria Web site is an information portal in Australia that draws together information from a wide range of government departments and other organizations to provide quick access to safety and emergency information. The site has been designed to provide information for individuals and families, and is organized around topics and life events.

India’s National Institute of Hydrologyhttp://www.angelfire.com/nh/cpkumar/hydrology.html

This Web site, created by a student at India’s National Institute of Hydrology, contains a comprehensive list of hydrology-related Web resources.

First Responder Institutehttp://www.firstresponder.org

Established in January 2003, the First Responder Institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide assistance to emergency personnel to help them make their communities safer. They are currently accepting grant applications from fire departments for the purchase of life-saving equipment.

Downloadables

Bad Weather? Then Sue the Weatherman!

Bad Weather? Then Sue the Weatherman! Part 1: Legal Liability for Public Sector Forecasts. Part II: Legal Liability for Private Sector ForecastsRoberta Klein and Roger A. Pielke JrBulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Vol. 83, No. 12, pp. 1791-1807.Interested persons can download free copies of the article at http://ams.allenpress.com/amsonlin.

For subscription and membership information, contact the AMS, 45 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-3693; Tel: (617) 227-2425; Fax: (617) 742-8718; E-mail: amsinfo@ametsoc.org

Weather forecasts have become demonstrably more accurate in recent decades due to increasingly sophisticated computer technology and models. Yet scientists cannot predict the future with 100 per cent certainty. However, relying on inaccurate or inadequate forecasts can result in great financial or even bodily harm. In such situations, what liability, if any, arises under the US legal system? Part I discusses several court decisions resolving lawsuits against the federal or state government based on inaccurate or inadequate weather-related forecasts or failure to issue weather warnings that led to injury or loss. In general, most claims against the federal government based on weather forecasting or failure to warn about weather conditions have been (and likely will continue to be) resolved in favour of the government on the basis of immunity under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). State government immunity will depend on the provisions of a state’s immunity statute and how the state interprets its immunity statute. Part II of the review addresses claims against private sector weather forecasters. Both articles aim to familiarize the reader with some of the legal issues involved when forecasts are the subject of a lawsuit, rather than provide a comprehensive, law-review-style legal analysis.

National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee, National Institutes of Standards and Technology

Minutes of April 29, 2003 MeetingGaithersburg, Maryland200311 pp.FreeCopies are available online from the National Institute for Standards and Technology: www.nist.gov/public_affairs/ncstmin_apr29.htm.

The minutes from the first meeting of the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee contain an overview of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and its expectations for the committee, a presentation on the World Trade Center (WTC) response plan, the WTC investigation plan and its progress, and a discussion of the Rhode Island Nightclub Fire investigation.

The Essential Role of Public Works in Emergency Management

20032 pp.FreeThe fact sheet can be downloaded from the American Public Works Association (APWA) Web site: www.apwa.net/Documents/About/PET/Emergency/EM_Fact_Sheet.pdf

This brochure describes the many roles local public works departments play in emergency management, including ensuring safe building practices; building, operating, and protecting lifelines; and responding to disasters.

Inventory of Disaster Management Education in Major Canadian Universities

L. Falkiner200330 pp.FreeAvailable from the Office of Critical Infrastructure and Emergency Preparedness, 2nd Floor, Jackson Building, 122 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0W6, Canada; Tel: (800) 830-3118; www.ocipep.gc.ca/research/scie_tech/emerMan/DisManCanUniv/2002D013_e.pdf

Over the coming decades, changing perceptions and understanding of risk from natural and human-made hazards and shifting employment demographics will combine to create increased demand for professionals in the field of emergency management and disasters throughout Canada. The provision of comprehensive university-level education is key to meeting this demand. This study contains an audit of course descriptions within six social science disciplines at 38 Canadian universities undertaken to assess the state of disaster management education in Canada. The author concludes that a greater emphasis on hazards and disaster management is needed; targeted disaster education modules should be created and integrated into existing curricula; and there needs to be further research about the availability of disaster-related courses in the natural and social sciences.

Uncertain Power: The Changing Role of Official Donors in Humanitarian Action

HPG Report #12Joanna Macrae, Sarah Collinson, Margie Buchanan-Smith, Nicola Reindorp, Anna Schmidt, Tasneem Mowjee, and Adele Harmer200285 pp.Free

The document is available online at www.odi.org.uk/hpg/papers/hpgreport12_screen.pdf To obtain information about the availability of printed copies, e-mail: j.bygraves@odi.org.uk

Modular Emergency Medical System: Expanding Local Healthcare Structure in a Mass Casualty Terrorism Incident

200254 pp.FreeCopies of the report can be downloaded from the US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command’s (SBCCOM’s) Homeland Defense Business Unit Web site: http://hld.sbccom.army.mil/ip/mems_copper_book_download.htm

In order to manage the potentially overwhelming casualty load that would result from a covert bioterrorist attack, SBCCOM developed the modular emergency medical system (MEMS) to address the effective management of casualty care resources in the event a large number of victims seek treatment. This report describes MEMS and provides tips for planning for neighbourhood emergency help centers, acute care centers, medical command and control, casualty transportation, community outreach, mass prophylaxis, and public information.