Editor:
As the head of the agency responsible for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), I take exception with the article in your November 1997 issue titled GAO Says GOES Needs More Attention, in which you compare the GOES satellites to another aging space jalopy Mir [see the Observer Vol. XXII, No. 2, p. 12]. The GOES state-of-the-art satellites provide timely images and soundings of North and South America and neighboring environs of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to monitor the earth's clouds, surface temperature, water vapor fields, and the atmosphere's vertical thermal and moisture structure. GOES observes severe storms that threaten life and property. By continuously observing and measuring meteorological phenomena, GOES dramatically improves short-term weather forecasting and space environmental monitoring, and supports atmospheric research and numerical weather prediction modeling.
Five GOES satellites were procured, with the first launched in 1994 and stationed above the East Coast of the United States, and the second launched in 1995, now positioned above the West Coast. Each satellite has a five-year design life and is currently fully operational. A third GOES was launched in 1997 and is currently stored in orbit as a hot spare if either of the other two fail. Our current plans call for launches in 1999 and 2002 on an as-needed basis.
We are currently procuring two more GOES satellites, with options for two additional that meet all of today's known requirements. We adhere to a strict yet on-going requirements process with our major customer, the National Weather Service. This procurement philosophy allows us to perform cost-benefit analyses and make changes, where required, to continue to fly operational satellites that meet our nation's goals and objectives.
Robert S. Winokur, Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is currently soliciting applications to research earthquake hazards prediction; provide earth science data and information essential to determine seismic hazards in the U.S.; and gather information needed to mitigate earthquake damage. The application deadline for FY 99 is April 1.
The NEHRP supports research related to evaluating national and regional hazards and risk; evaluating urban hazard and risk; understanding earthquake processes; providing real-time hazard assessment; and providing geologic hazards information services. The Survey has $8 million available for up to 125 awards. Grants typically range from $10,000 to $75,000, and average $55,000. The project period is one year, though some grants may be renewed for a second year. Educational institutions, private firms, private foundations, individuals, and state and local government agencies are eligible. For more information, contact John Sims, Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, U.S. Geological Survey, Mail Stop 905, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192; (703) 648-6722. The full announcement is available on-line at http://www.usgs.gov/contracts/nehrp; refer to 1434-HQ-99-PA-00061.
To speed the application process, the Survey recently announced that its External Research Program now offers on-line registration of proposals via another Web site: http://erp-web.er.usgs.gov/register.htm. For additional information, visit that Web site; e-mail Keith Estes, kestes@usgs.gov; or fax: (703) 648-6642. For more information about the NEHRP External Research Program, see http://erp-web.er.usgs.gov.
The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) Secretariat is now supporting a one-year pilot project for disaster prevention at the local level in Costa Rica. This joint initiative with the U.N. Development Program and UNICEF is being implemented together with the National Emergency Commission of Costa Rica and local authorities and communities in three Costa Rican regions.
The secretariat is currently developing the 1998 World Disaster Reduction Campaign entitled "Natural Disaster Prevention and the Media." Various activities are being planned, together with support material. The campaign will go beyond traditional discussions of the role of the media in disasters by placing a special emphasis on building active partnerships with different types of media and promoting community-based risk assessments.
The IDNDR Secretariat has selected nine case study cities for the RADIUS urban earthquake hazard mitigation project (see the Observer, Vol. XXI, No. 5, p. 7; Vol. XXII, No. 2, p. 14): Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Antofagasta, Chile; Bandung, Indonesia; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Izmir, Turkey; Skopje, TFYR Macedonia; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Tijuana, Mexico; and Zigong, China. The secretariat will offer financial assistance for the case studies thanks to a substantial financial contribution from the government of Japan. The studies will be conducted from February 1998 until July 1999 and will lead to the development of practical tools for seismic risk assessment in urban areas.
In order to promote widely the work accomplished under RADIUS, the IDNDR Secretariat is inviting more cities to participate as either "associate" cities or "member" cities. Cities that have carried out a similar seismic risk assessment or are in the process of doing so can participate as associate cities. They are expected to share their valuable experience with other cities while obtaining useful information from the network. Cities that are not carrying out a similar study can nevertheless participate in RADIUS information exchange as member cities. They will be incorporated into a comparative study--"Understanding Urban Seismic Risk Around the World."
Applications for either associate or member status will be accepted until the end of March 1998. For more information on RADIUS, visit the RADIUS Web site: http://pangea.stanford.edu/~tucker/Radius/RADIUS.html.
To promote the exchange of information and institutional collaboration, and to support research, training, and the application of disaster reduction at the local and regional levels, the IDNDR Secretariat has created, together with the University of Geneva, a Web site entitled "Directory for Disaster Reduction Institutions." It provides an inventory of scientific, technical, and research institutions active in disaster preparedness, prevention, and mitigation. By early 1998, almost 250 institutions from around the world had registered. The site's address is http://www.unige.ch/idndr.
In mid-December 1997, the IDNDR Secretariat and other U.N. organizations hosted a press conference in Geneva to highlight a U.N. resolution on international cooperation related to the El Niño phenomenon, to emphasize the cross-sectoral approach to this issue within the U.N., to encourage dialogue with the press, and to facilitate contacts with various organizations. The resolution, entitled "International Cooperation to Reduce the Impact of the El Niño Phenomenon," calls upon relevant intergovernmental bodies and others involved in the IDNDR to actively support Decade activities to reduce the impact of the current El Niño and also asks the Secretary General to promote an international strategy for preventing, mitigating, and rehabilitating damage caused by this and future El Niño phenomena.
Subsequently, the IDNDR Secretariat convened the second meeting of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on El Niño in late January 1998. Participants agreed to assemble an international meeting of experts on El Niño to determine preventive strategies for future El Niño occurrences. They also discussed an action plan that would address both medium- and long-term El Niño problems, as well as the specific needs formulated in the U.N. resolution. The action plan comprises five stages: data collection and analysis, hazard predictions, the formulation of user-oriented products, the development of communication media with users, and the generation of effective user applications and, thus, direct-user benefits. The participants agreed to produce a consolidated information/press kit that would concentrate on specific country situations and requirements. For a copy of the final report of the meeting, please contact the IDNDR Secretariat at the address below. The press kit, which provides an overview of United Nations actions regarding El Niño, is accessible via the United Nations Reliefweb Web site: http://www.reliefweb.int (click on "The Latest on El Niño").
For additional information on any of these developments, or to receive regular IDNDR updates via e-mail, contact Scott Weber, IDNDR Secretariat, United Nations, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41-22) 740-0377, 798-6894; fax: (41-22) 733-8695; e-mail: scott.weber@dha.unicc.org.
The Ninth Session of the Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) of the IDNDR was held in Geneva, October 13-17, 1997. The agenda focused on the finalization of the IDNDR Action Plan for 1998-1999 and on future arrangements for disaster reduction beyond 1999. Hence, the STC endorsed an "IDNDR Action Plan for the Final Phase of the Decade," which identifies priority actions at the national, regional, and international levels and identifies key events in the coming year (such as the Early Warning Conference to be held in Potsdam, Germany, September 1998--see the Observer, Vol. XXII, No. 2, p. 17) and possible concluding events for the Decade. It outlines both thematic and regional approaches and also establishes parameters for overall evaluation of IDNDR programs.
The committee also decided to produce a final report on the Decade, which will contain an independent appraisal of the program's achievements and will recommend further development and practical application of science and technology for disaster reduction in the 21st century.
For additional information about this meeting and the work of the STC, as well as a copy of the STC's "Final Statement" from the October meeting, contact Nicole Appel, United Nations IDNDR Secretariat, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41-22) 798 6894; fax: (41-22) 733 8695; e-mail: nicole.appel@dha.unicc.org.
Below are some interesting Internet resources we've come across lately. A more extensive, annotated list of useful hazard/disaster Web pages is posted on the Hazard Center's World Wide Web page:
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/sites/sites.html
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards
The Natural Hazards Center has two new full-text Quick Response reports available on-line:
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qr102.html
QR102: First Aid Response to the Kobe Earthquake, January 17, 1995, by Sharlene Adamson
http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qr103.html
QR103: Children's Response to Traumatic Events, by Richard D. Allen and William Rosse
Quick response reports offer the findings of researchers who examine the immediate aftereffects of disasters. The entire list of quick response reports is available at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/qr/qr.html. In addition, printed copies can be purchased for $5.00 each, plus shipping charges ($3.00 for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; $4.00 for international surface mail; and $5.00 for international air printed matter). Orders should be directed to the Publications Clerk, Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, Campus Box 482, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0482, (303) 492-6819; fax: (303) 492-2151; e-mail: jclark@spot.colorado.edu.
http://www.floods.org
The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) is an organization of professionals
involved in floodplain management; flood hazard mitigation; the National Flood Insurance
Program; and flood preparedness, warning, and recovery. The group has become a respected and
influential voice concerning floodplain management practice and policy in the U.S., representing
flood hazard specialists from across jurisdictions and disciplines. ASFPM supports
comprehensive nonstructural and structural management of the nation's floodplains and related
water resources and believes that, through coordinated, well-informed efforts, the public and
private sectors can reduce loss of human life and property damage resulting from flooding,
preserve the natural and cultural values of floodplains, and avoid actions that exacerbate
flooding. To help reach these goals, ASFPM fosters communication among those responsible for
reducing flood losses; provides technical advice to governments and other entities about
proposed actions or policies that will affect flood hazards; and encourages flood hazard research,
education, and training.
The new ASFPM Web site includes information on how to become a member, the organization's constitution and bylaws, directories of officers and committees, a publications list, information on upcoming conferences, a history of the association, and other useful information and Internet links.
http://elnino.noaa.gov
Yet another El Niño page from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (for
others, see the Observer, Vol. XXII, No. 2, p. 8), this excellent Web site is titled "NOAA: El
Niño Forecasts, Observations and Research." It provides forecasts and status reports regarding
current conditions, a "threats assessment" for the entire U.S. and individual states, as well as
information on El Niño preparedness. It includes sections entitled, "About El Niño," "What is El
Niño?" "Frequently Asked Questions," "Glossary of Terms," "The Atmosphere During El Niño,"
and "NOAA's Role." It also covers El Niño impacts regionally, nationally, and globally; provides
copious links to other research institutions and publications; and summarizes NOAA research on
this phenomenon.
http://tropical.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/index.html
This site provides the latest forecasts from the Colorado State University climatology team
headed by William Grey. The forecasts cover the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, precipitation in
the African Sahel region, and El Niño effects. Past predictions are also evaluated.
http://www.bbsr.edu/agcihome/rpi/rpihome.html
The Risk Prediction Initiative (RPI) is a research and educational program within the Atlantic
Global Change Institute (AGCI) of the Bermuda Biological Station for Research. Its overall goal
is to bring the international science and business communities closer together. Initially, RPI is
concentrating on insurance and reinsurance on the business side and climate research on the
science side, because the insurance industry is affected at all levels by climate variability and
extremes, and because the international science community is becoming more and more capable
of realistic climate forecasts for some parts of the climate system. Hence, the focus of the initial
RPI efforts is on the effective transfer of climate forecast information from the academic
community to business, based on the creation of a greater appreciation in the business community
of the utility of climate science, and further research within academia on the implications of
climate forecasts for all levels of the insurance industry.
The RPI Web site includes background information about the initiative; frequently asked questions about the reinsurance industry; explanations of climate processes; forecasts of El Niño events, hurricanes, and climate change; a climate and hazard bibliography; and, of particular note, a recently published document entitled, Tropical Cyclones and Climate Variability: A Research Agenda for the Next Century. A short booklet summarizing this latter publication and additional information about RPI is available from the Risk Prediction Initiative, Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Ferry Reach GE 01, Bermuda; tel: (441) 297-1880; fax: (441) 297-2890; e-mail: rpimail@bbsr.edu.
http://www2.nas.edu/wstb
The site of the National Research Council's Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB)
provides the mission statement of the board, information about current and past projects--many
of which deal with flooding and other water-related hazards--and on-line reports and other
publications. The site also includes the WSTB newsletter, with current project updates and
contact information.
http://geohazards.cr.usgs.gov/landslide.html
http://geohazards.cr.usgs.gov/eq
http://geohazards.cr.usgs.gov
To make citizens more aware of landslide hazards, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently
published a digitized landslide map of the conterminous United States. The 1:3,750,000 map
shows both landslide susceptibility and incidence. The map can be viewed at the first URL
above, and high resolution image files can also be downloaded from this Web site. In addition,
the site offers a paper on the possible influence of the current El Niño on landslides in the West.
The Survey has also recently announced several new products related to the USGS national seismic hazard mapping program. Many new features have been added to the program's Internet Web site: http://geohazards.cr.usgs.gov/eq. For example, users can now look up the seismic hazard in any part of the continental U.S. by zip code, and the Survey has added a custom mapping feature through which the user can specify latitude and longitude bounds and produce customized hazard maps of the selected area. Additionally, large versions (24" x 36") of the national and western U.S. seismic hazard maps can be ordered using forms available from the Web site.
The landslide and earthquake sites are part of the USGS Central Region Geologic Hazards page--the final URL above--which also covers geomagnetism. For each topic there are images, lists of publications, fact sheets, and lots of other information.
http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov
http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/epic/epic.html
The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) Web site, which we've mentioned before,
offers details about the center, access to its products and services, current quake information,
general earthquake facts, and access to other earthquake data sources. In addition, users can now
search the National Earthquake Information Services (NEIS) historical database at the second
URL above. Anyone can search a given geographical area for a range of earthquakes using
several, user-defined parameters (such as magnitude, dates of occurrence, etc.). The database
includes earthquakes occurring from 2100 B.C. to the present.
http://peer.berkeley.edu
The new Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center (see the Observer, Vol. XXII,
No. 2, p. 19), is a consortium of nine institutions conducting earthquake research regarding: 1)
policy, planning, and economics; 2) seismic hazards; 3) performance assessment; 4) systems
reliability; and 5) innovative technologies. The PEER Web site contains information about each
of the collaborating institutions and about the PEER Information Services program; the PEER
business and industrial partnership program; and PEER's other research, education, and outreach
efforts.
http://nceer.eng.buffalo.edu/enews
The National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (NCEER) Information Service
recently added "Express News" (ENews) to the NCEER Web site. ENews is a customized
electronic service that, based on a reader's self-defined interest profile, alerts readers to
earthquake/hazards information selected from the most recent issue of the service's newsletter,
NCEER Information Service News. ENews will provide e-mail notification when the latest
newsletter is posted on the Web; present a list of article titles, publications, and meetings from
the newsletter that pertain to the reader's interests; and create and update a personal ENews Web
page for each subscriber. The ENews personal page will contain the full text of the selected news
items. Persons with questions or comments on this new service should e-mail the NCEER
Webmaster, Michael Kukla at nceeris@acsu.buffalo.edu. To subscribe to ENews, just go to the
Web address above.
http://vflylab.calstatela.edu/edesktop/VirtApps/VirtualEarthQuake/VQuakeIntrhttp://www.colorado.edu/hazards/o/
http://vearthquake.calstatela.edu/
http://vquake.calstatela.edu/
http://cdl-flylab.sonoma.edu/
This nifty "Virtual Earthquake" site was created by California State University-Los Angeles
students as part of an electronic desktop project. The simulation allows students and others to use
seismic data to calculate the epicenter and magnitude of an imaginary earthquake in any of four
geographic areas. Virtual Earthquake carefully guides the student through the calculations and
then shows the actual epicenter and magnitude. There are four mirror sites, so if one addresses
doesn't work, try another one!
http://www.state.fl.us/comaff/hcd/programs/ltr/index.htm
http://www.state.fl.us/comaff/hcd/index.htm
Last fall, the Florida Department of Community Affairs published a booklet entitled Residential
Construction Mitigation Program: Helping Floridians Harden Their Homes Before Disaster
Strikes. This model program guide is now available on the Web at the first address above. The
Community Affairs Web site also includes information and guidelines for developing a local
mitigation strategy that could be adapted by any community; see the second URL above.
http://www.metro-region.org/drc/nathaz/nathaz.html
Portland/Metro, the regional government of the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area, is a national
leader in comprehensive regional planning for hazards. This site offers insight into this program,
which could serve as a model for other regions.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/puad/ijmed
The tables of contents of all issues of the International Journal of Mass Emergencies and
Disasters (Volume 1, No. 1 [March 1983] to the present) are now available on the journal's Web
site, along with other information about the journal, including descriptions of upcoming articles
and special issues.
http://www.riskinstitute.org
This is the Web site of the recently established Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI) (see the
Observer, Vol. XXII, No. 2, p. 20), an organization whose mission is to promote better risk
management--including management of risks associated with natural hazards. PERI is charged
with serving public-sector organizations, as well as small nonprofit organizations and businesses.
The Web site includes extensive information about the organization, its plans and programs, and
links to other useful risk information on the Web.
http://www.turningpointgroup.com
Turning Point Group, Inc., an emergency management product and service company in
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, recently announced that it had established "Canada's first fully
accessible bulletin board focusing on the complete range of emergency management topics." The
bulletin board is intended to cover any issue related to emergency management--emergency
preparedness, disaster response, and business recovery--and is open to anyone. Located on the
Turning Point Web site, the bulletin board is a forum for dialogue and exchange of ideas among
emergency practitioners from across Canada and the world; it will be managed by three members
of Turning Point Group, Inc., all of whom have extensive experience in emergency management.
http://www.mitigation.com
hazmit-request@mitigation.com
A new mailing list called HAZMIT has been established for the global hazard mitigation
community. The list is in English and both natural and anthropogenic disasters will be covered.
To subscribe, send the command "subscribe" in either the subject or body of a message to
hazmit-request@mitigation.com. Alternatively, you may subscribe via the Web page http://www.mitigation.com/listserv.htm. The mitigation.com Web site is still under constructio
n, but the
creators intend to include sections covering news, articles and editorials, resources, discussion
boards, listserves, and employment.
listserv@zipcode1.office.aol.com
The EMERGENCY-MANAGEMENT e-mail discussion list is intended for anyone interested in
the protection of local communities from hazards and resulting emergencies. To subscribe, send
e-mail to listserv@zipcode1.office.aol.com, with no subject in the subject line, and the message
"subscribe emergency-management <your real name>" in the body of the message. The list is
owned by Public Safety America--America Online's new all-public safety information service.
However, you do not need to be an AOL member to subscribe to the
EMERGENCY-MANAGEMENT list.
http://www.uwo.ca/emerg/list.html
emerg-univ@julian.uwo.ca
emerg-univ-request@julian.uwo.ca
The University and College Emergency Planning List (EMERG-UNIV) is an e-mail discussion
list for persons concerned about emergency planning and management at institutions of higher
education. By simply sending a note to the list address, emerg-univ@julian.uwo.ca, anyone can
communicate with peers involved in campus emergency planning. This is a manual process, not
controlled by listserve software. The list managers ask that anyone participating please post an
introduction note when subscribing; to subscribe, simply send a note to emerg-univ-request@julian.uwo.ca, with the subject: "subscribe," and a short note stating your full name and
signature information in the body of the message. Complete details about this new campus
emergency management list are available from http://www.uwo.ca/emerg/list.html.
http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/IHC/gender/
An initial Gender and Disaster Network Web page has recently been established at Florida
International University. The creators urge any persons with knowledge and interest in this area
to submit information; the page is intended to be a dynamic resource for the entire community of
scholars and other interested persons concerned about gender issues in disaster management.
http://www.unex.ucr.edu/EMEN/EMEN.html
EMEN--the Emergency Management Education Network--is a Web-based resource that
addresses a broad range of issues regarding emergency management, including business
continuity and disaster recovery. Developed by the University of California Extension, Riverside,
which offers courses in these fields, EMEN offers information about the Riverside program and
in-depth information on emergency management for all interested persons. It also provides links
to lessons learned from previous disasters; approaches taken by various organizations to lessen
the impact of disasters; and future directions the discipline might take.
http://inform.dia.govt.nz:8080/mocd
The New Zealand Office of Civil Defense deals with natural and technological hazards and
emergencies, providing national co-ordination and a range of support for local government and
other emergency services. The office's Web site describes the agency, its programs, and available
training; offers tips on personal preparedness as well as an overview of New Zealand hazards and
disasters, particularly volcanoes; provides updates on ongoing emergencies; and furnishes an on-line version of the office's fine periodical, Tephra Magazine.
Have you ever found just the information you were looking for on the Internet . . . except that it was in French (or Spanish or German), a language you hadn't read or spoken since those faded freshman days decades ago? Or have you ever wanted to send some information to a colleague in Brazil (or Mexico or Italy), but wished that you could provide it in her or his native tongue?
Well, AltaVista--the search engine company that seems to index everything on the Net--now provides a translation engine:
http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com
that will translate documents in English to French, Spanish, German, Italian, or Portuguese and vice-versa. You can submit plain text or refer the translator to a Web page, which it will then tackle. The translations can be somewhat crude, but they can also help make sense of an article that would otherwise remain opaque. Give it a try . . .
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