The Secretariat for the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR--the successor program to the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction) has announced that the theme of its 2001 World Disaster Reduction Campaign is "Countering Disasters: Targeting Vulnerability."
The secretariat will provide campaign information in two parts. First, it will publish a leaflet containing basic information and statistics on the major disasters of the past 50 years, projections for the next 50 years, and possible solutions to the risks posed by these events. Second, it will provide briefs on various aspects of disaster reduction, including: "The Role of Science and Technology in Disaster Reduction," "Building Disaster Resistant Infrastructures," and "Mobilizing Local Communities in Reducing Disasters." These publications will include suggestions for activities and examples of effective programs around the world. A special publication on risk mapping at the local level will also be developed.
The ISDR Secretariat encourages participation by all interested persons and organizations and is seeking articles and papers for possible publication as part of the campaign. Questions and comments should be sent to Nicole Appel, Promotion and Awareness Issues Officer, ISDR Secretariat, United Nations, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: +41 22 917 97 06; fax: +41 22 917 97 98; e-mail: appeln@un.org.
On February 6, 2001, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced the creation of a new Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness. The office will be the Canadian federal government's primary agency for ensuring emergency preparedness of all kinds. Encompassing the existing functions of Emergency Preparedness Canada as well as additional responsibilities, it will be under the direction of Associate Deputy Minister Margaret Purdy. In his announcement, the prime minister noted that other ministries will work closely with the new office to ensure a coherent and comprehensive national approach to emergency preparedness and response.
The new organization is charged with developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy for protecting Canada's critical infrastructure and is committed to working actively with provinces, territories, and municipalities, as well as the private sector, other countries, and organizations.
Specifically, the goals of the office are to:
For more information about this Canadian government reorganization to address disasters, contact the soon-to-be-renamed Emergency Preparedness Canada, 122 Bank Street, Second Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0W6; (613) 991-7077 or (800) 830-3118; or see: http://www.epc-pcc.gc.ca/whatsnew/index.html.
Below are descriptions of recently awarded contracts and grants for the study of hazards and disasters. An inventory of contracts and grants awarded from 1995 to the present (primarily those funded by the National Science Foundation) is available on the Natural Hazards Center's web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/grants.html.
Flood Warning Program Effectiveness in Boulder and Boulder County, Colorado. Funding: Urban Drainage and
Flood Control District, $40,000, 12 months. Principal Investigators: Eve Gruntfest and Kim Carswell, Department of
Geography, Post Office Box 7150, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150; (719) 262-4058; fax: (719)
262-4066; e-mail: ecg@brain.uccs.edu.
The governments of Boulder County and the city of Boulder created a flood-warning program in 1979 based on behavioral
science findings and recommendations made by researchers following the 1976 Big Thompson Canyon flood disaster. The
investigators will use research and findings from more recent Colorado and U.S. flood disasters, such as the 1997 Spring
Creek flash flood in Fort Collins, to evaluate the existing program and recommend ways to improve it. They will also
conduct a survey of floodplain residents to determine their awareness and understanding of the flood threat. The
investigators welcome suggestions regarding how best to measure the effectiveness of warnings and information on similar
projects conducted recently.
Flood Research Partnership: Promoting Stakeholders' Participation in Sustainable Floodplain Management in the
Red River Basin. Funding: Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada, $600,000, 36 months.
Principal Investigators: John Sinclair, Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, and Emdad Haque, Department
of Geography, Brandon University. Inquiries regarding this project should be directed to John Sinclair, Natural Resources
Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2; (204) 474-8374; e-mail: jsincla@ms.umanitoba.ca.
Funded by SSHRC's Canadian National Community-University Research Alliances (CURA), the participants in this
project will form a university, government agency, and community partnership to conduct research on sustainable
floodplain management in the Red River Basin in southern Manitoba to develop methods for large river basin planning.
Participants include Brandon University; the University of Manitoba; Lakehead University; Simon Fraser University; the
University of Western Ontario; the Water Resources Branch, Manitoba Conservation; and three local Manitoba
communities. During the initial phase, researchers will assess the attitudes, perceptions, and preferences of the floodplain
residents of the basin. These findings will then be incorporated into a decision-making framework to ensure stakeholders'
participation in forming strategic floodplain management policies in the Red River Basin. This work will also aid future
decision processes in floodplain and other resource management. The research will focus on flood risk perception and risk
communication, individual and community value systems, public involvement in floodplain management decisionmaking,
and integration of risk perception and social value systems.
Strengthening Disaster Mitigation and Management at the State Level in India. Funding: Asian Development Bank,
12 months. For information, contact the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Asian Institute of Technology, P.O.
Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; tel: 66-2-524-5353; fax: 66-2-524-5360; e-mail: adpc@ait.ac.th;
WWW: http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th/Default.html.
The overall goal of this project is to enhance the disaster management capabilities of the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and
Uttaranchal in order to reduce the adverse effects of natural disasters on their economic and social development.
Participants will form comprehensive disaster management and mitigation plans. They will also help manage the
rehabilitation efforts in the earthquake affected areas of the Chamoli district in Uttaranchal. In addition, participants will
review relief and rehabilitation systems in areas affected by the earthquake, develop a composite disaster vulnerability
index and disaster management information system, strengthen community participation in disaster management and public
awareness programs, and provide project management and reporting support.
Below are summaries of some of the recent, more useful publications on hazards and disasters received by the Natural Hazards Center. Due to space limitations, we have provided descriptions of only a few key publications or those with a title that may not indicate content. All items contain information on how a reader can obtain a copy. A complete bibliography of publications received from 1995 through 2001 is posted on our web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/bib/bib.html.
Compliance with Public Assistance Program's Insurance Purchase Requirements. Report to the Chairman,
Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate. Report No. I-01-01.
2001. Free.
Buyouts: Hurricane Floyd and Other Issues Relating to FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Report to the
Chairperson, Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate. Report
No. I-02-01. 2001. Free.
Copies of both reports can be obtained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Office of Inspector
General, Inspections Division, 500 C Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20472; (202) 646-4166; fax: (202) 646-3901.
Managing Disaster Risk in Emerging Economies. Alcira Kreimer and Margaret Arnold, editors. 2000. 208 pp. $25.00.
Copies can be purchased from the World Bank, P.O. Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960; (800) 645-7247 or (703)
661-1580; fax: (703) 661-1501; e-mail: books@worldbank.org; WWW: http://publications.worldbank.org.
Although natural disasters have long been considered a tragic interruption to the development process, increasingly the
development community is linking disaster mitigation to development. Still, earthquakes in San Fernando, California, and
in Venezuela that result in equal amounts of direct economic loss will differ significantly in recovery time and loss of life
experienced by each country. In the end, recovery is a function of basic development. Doing development right and making
sure that human activities contribute to reducing disasters rather than exacerbating them can both lessen disaster impacts
and speed recovery. This volume describes work undertaken during the first two years of operation of the World Bank's
Disaster Management Facility that led to the establishment of the ProVention Consortium in Washington, D.C. It is
organized into three parts: Part I on risk identification contains chapters on the economic impacts of natural disasters,
including flooding, in developing countries, and presents Buenos Aires as an example. Part II explores aspects of reducing
disaster risk. Part III examines strategies for developing countries to share and transfer disaster risk more effectively.
Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Small Business Administration. GAO-01-260. 2001. 35 pp. Free.
Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: U.S. Agency for International Development. GAO-01-256. 2001.
32 pp.
Both reports are available from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), P.O. Box 37050, Washington, DC 20013;
(202) 512-6000; fax: (202) 512-6061; e-mail: info@www.gao.gov; WWW: http://www.gao.gov.
The GAO recently conducted a series of analyses of various federal agencies to inform and assist the newly elected
Congress and administration. The first report addresses the major challenges facing the Small Business Administration
(SBA) as it seeks to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of the nation's small businesses and to help these small
companies and families recover from natural disasters. It summarizes actions SBA has taken and are underway to address
these challenges and outlines further actions GAO believes are needed. Since its inception, SBA has, among other things,
made 1.1 million small business loans and approved 1.4 million disaster loans to individual homeowners, renters, and
businesses of all sizes.
The second report examines USAID, which implements U.S. foreign economic and humanitarian assistance programs. USAID is currently studying ways to deploy staff more effectively in response to emergency humanitarian situations and natural disasters--one of the agency's major strategic objectives. It is considering establishing a "ready reserve" of employees and, possibly, contractors, who could rapidly respond to natural disasters such as the hurricanes that struck Central America and Caribbean in 1998.
International Civil Defense Directory 2001. 2001. 600 pp. $33.00. Available from the International Civil Defence
Organisation (ICDO), Chemin de Surville, 10-12, P.O. Box 172, CH-1213 Petit Lancy 2, Geneva, Switzerland; tel: +41 22
879 69 69; fax: +41 22 879 69 79; e-mail: icdo@icdo.org; WWW: http://www.icdo.org.
ICDO assembled this directory to aid those who must coordinate disaster prevention and response. It contains emergency
management information for over 100 countries, organized according to legislation, mission, institutional structure, staff,
training, equipment, and finances.
Risk Analysis: An International Journal. Vol. 20, No. 6 (December 2000). For subscription rate information or to order a
single copy, contact Blackwell Publishers, Inc. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148; (781) 388-8200; fax:(781) 388-8210;
e-mail: subscrip@blackwellpub.com; WWW: http://www.blackwellpub.com.
Efficient allocation of societal resources for risk mitigation sometimes involves trade-offs because risks and benefits are
weighted disproportionately among different groups in society. As this practice extends beyond the present to encompass
more distant risks to health and safety, policy makers are faced with an even more difficult set of ethical concerns. This
special issue of Risk Analysis is devoted to intergenerational equity and risk policy and contains papers that discuss nuclear
reactors, waste, and weapons; discounting across generations; intergenerational planning; global climate change; societal
response to Hurricane Mitch; and ecological risks and community perceptions of fairness and justice.
Natural Perils in Australia and New Zealand. Russell Blong, David Sinai, and Colin Packham. 2000. 124 pp. Free. A
limited number of copies are available from David Sinai, Swiss Re Australia; fax: 612-8295-9600; e-mail:
david_sinai@swissre.com.
This publication examines the geological risks (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and landslides) and meteorological risks
(cyclones, thunderstorms, floods, and bushfires) of Australia and New Zealand. It presents loss data for the insurance
industry, and discusses building standards and loss, methods of managing risk, and the impacts of El Niño on the insurance
industry in the region.
Economic Costs of Natural Disasters in Australia. 2001. 190 pp. $15.95 (Australian). To purchase a copy, contact the Bureau of Transport Economics, Department of Transport and Regional Services (DoTRS), GPO Box 501, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; tel: +61 2 6274 7210; fax: +61 2 6274 6816; WWW: http://www.dotrs.gov.au/bte/recent.htm#r103.
State of the World 2001. 2001. 290 pp. $15.95. To obtain copies, contact the Worldwatch Institute, P.O. Box 879, Oxon
Hill, MD 20791; (800) 555-2028 or (301) 567-9522; fax: (301) 567-9553; e-mail: wwpub@worldwatch.org; WWW:
http://www.worldwatch.org.
The Worldwatch Institute is dedicated to fostering the evolution of an environmentally sustainable society--one in which
human needs are met in ways that do not threaten the health of the natural environment or the prospects of future
generations. The most recent issue of its annual publication, State of the World, contains a chapter on "Averting Unnatural
Disasters," by Janet N. Abramovitz. She notes that around the world much of the growing devastation caused by "natural
disasters stems from ecologically destructive practices and poor land- use decisions. She discusses disaster data, ecological
vulnerability, social vulnerability, the politics and psychology of disasters, and the fostering of resilience in nature and
communities.
Applied Geomorphology for Mitigation of Natural Hazards. Masahiko Oya. 2001. 192 pp. $76.00. Available from Kluwer
Academic Publishers, Order Department, P.O. Box 358, Accord Station, Hingham, MA 02018-0358; (781) 871-6600; fax:
(781) 681-9045; e-mail: kluwer@wkap.com; WWW: http://www.wkap.nl.
In Applied Geomorphology of Natural Hazards, Oya outlines the history of geomorphological survey mapping in Japan;
mapping practices in Europe; mapping of flood, volcanic, and tsunami risks; flood mapping case studies in Japan and other
countries; estimation of land collapse in Japan's mountainous and volcanic regions; determination of risk of soil
liquefaction during earthquakes; and the use of geomorphological land classification maps in technical assistance to
developing countries. According the author, the study of natural hazards in the Asia Pacific region is poorly developed, and
knowledge about their mitigation is greatly needed.
Natural Hazards: State-of-the-Art at the End of the Second Millennium. G.A. Papadopoulos, T. Murty, S. Venkatesh,
and R. Blong, editors. 2000. 295 pp. $169.00. Available from Kluwer Academic Publishers, Order Department, P.O. Box
358, Accord Station, Hingham, MA 02018-0358; (781) 871-6600; fax : (781) 681-9045; e-mail: kluwer@wkap.com;
WWW: http://www.wkap.nl.
The papers in this volume were presented at the Seventh International Symposium on Natural and Man-Made Hazards held
in Greece in 1998. Topics include regional air quality monitoring, Indonesian forest fires, tidal changes and coastal hazards,
tsunamis, storm surge disasters in China, flooding in the Red River Valley in Canada, earthquake prediction, earthquake
hazard assessment, the use of geographic information systems and volcanic risk management, and modeling catastrophic
risk and insurability.
Induced Earthquakes. S.K. Guha. 2000. 320 pp. $130.00. Copies can be obtained from Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Order Department, P.O. Box 358, Accord Station, Hingham, MA 02018-0358; (781) 871-6600; fax: (781) 681-9045;
e-mail: kluwer@wkap.com; WWW: http://www.wkap.nl.
In Induced Earthquakes, Guha examines seismic activity induced by water reservoirs and deep wells, groundwater
extraction, volcanic eruption, mining, underground nuclear explosions, and tides.
Coping with Flash Floods: Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, Ravello, Italy, 8-17 November 1999.
Eve Gruntfest and John Handmer, editors. NATO Science Series 2. Environmental Security, Vol. 77. 2001. 340 pp.
$107.00, hardbound; $49.00, paperback. Available from Kluwer Academic Publishers, Order Department, P.O. Box 358,
Accord Station, Hingham, MA 02018-0358; (781) 871-6600; fax: (781) 681-9045; e-mail: kluwer@wkap.com; WWW:
http://www.wkap.nl.
Coping with Flash Floods contains the proceedings of a NATO-sponsored Advanced Study Institute that was held in Italy
in 1999. Thirty-five participants from nine countries and a variety of professional disciplines met to discuss issues relating
to flash floods and to develop a research agenda that examines the various components required to cope with flash floods.
Two major recommendations emerged from that meeting: 1) place greater emphasis on increasing understanding of the
social processes involved in flash flood warnings, particularly in flood response; and 2) reduce vulnerability in sustainable
ways compatible with long-term economic social goals. The proceedings contains sections on defining the problem and
identifying vulnerabilities, mitigating the risk, warnings and technology, related hazards, and policy and research
recommendations.
Mitigation Success Stories. Third Edition. 2000. 88 pp. $20.00, association members; $25.00, nonmembers; plus $5.00
shipping. A CD-ROM version is available for $20.00. To order, contact the Association of State Floodplain Managers,
Inc., 2809 Fish Hatchery Road, Suite 204, Madison, WI 53713; (608) 274-0123; fax: (608) 274-0696; e-mail:
asfpm@floods.org; WWW: http://www.floods.org.
Mitigation Success Stories was assembled to promote the benefits of flood hazard mitigation and describes how they were
accomplished.
Thunderstorm Data. 2001. CD-ROM. $40.00.
The CD also includes the report Development and Analysis of Data Bases for Assessing Long-Term Fluctuations in
Thunderstorms in the United States. Stanley A. Changnon. 53 pp. To order, send an e-mail request to the Midwestern
Regional Climate Center; hberg@uiuc.edu.
The Thunderstorm Data CD-ROM contains three sets of historical data. The first is a list of all 956 thunderstorm-caused
catastrophic events in the U.S. that generated more than $1 million in property losses, with original data compiled by the
insurance industry and adjusted for changes in insurance coverage, inflation, and population at risk over the period 1949-1998. Data for each event include the date of the storm, the various conditions that caused damage (lightning, hail, etc.), the
total loss in millions of dollars, and the amount of loss in each of nine U.S. climate regions and Hawaii. The second set,
which presents data by state, is a listing of cooperative weather substations and their monthly and annual number of days
with thunderstorms for the period 1901-1993. The third data set lists the names of 130 "first order" weather stations with
historical records of days with thunderstorms during the 1901-1995 period. The data for each station includes, for each year
of record, the monthly and annual number of days with thunderstorms, followed by the average values for each month and
year.
Development and Analysis of Data Bases notes that weather extremes of the 1990s caused $78 billion in insured losses and killed 4,000. Much of the increase in weather losses is due to thunderstorms. The report describes how the data sets contained in the CD-ROM were developed and how they can be used in scientific research, business, and U.S. policy development related to natural hazards.
U.S. Insurance Industry Perspectives on Global Climate Change. Evan Mills, Eugene Lecomte and Andrew Peara. LBNL
Report #45185. 2001. 185 pp. $40.00. Available from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161; (800) 553-6847 or (703) 605-6000; fax: (703) 321-8547;
e-mail: orders@ntis.fedworld.gov. Request NTIS Order # PB2001103908. Also available free on the World Wide Web:
http://eetd.lbl.gov/CBS/PUBS/LBNL-45185.html.
U.S. Insurance Industry Perspectives on Global Climate Change, published by the Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, explores the disposition of the U.S. insurance community
regarding the issue of global climate change. To provide some context, the authors first examine the history of insurance,
then discuss insurance regulation, the role of government insurance and disaster relief, the relationship between insurer
insolvencies and weather-related events, the emerging capital market alternatives to finance risk, and insurers' perception
of and participation in climate science and catastrophe modeling. While insurers generally recognize that weather-related
catastrophe losses have been rising dramatically in recent years, they are much less sure about the role of climate change.
The authors' in-depth interviews with insurance executives and extensive review of the literature found that insurers have
assumed positions on all points of the public policy compass regarding global climate change. In any case, the authors
conclude, insurers and their constituents clearly have significant exposure to extreme weather events, and the vulnerability
will rise with climate change. The report includes nine appendices with information on research and programs addressing
climate change and risk.
The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850. Brian Fagan. 2001. 274 pp. $26.00. To purchase a copy, contact Perseus Books Group Customer Service Department, 5500 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301; (800) 386-5656; fax: (303) 449-3356; e-mail: westview.orders@perseusbooks.com; WWW: http://www.perseusbooksgroup.com.
Sea Level Rise: History and Consequences. Bruce C. Douglas, Michael S. Kearney, and Stephen P. Leatherman, editors.
2000. 240 pp., plus CD-ROM. $59.95. Available from Academic Press, Inc., Order Fulfillment Department, 6277 Sea
Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887; e-mail: apbcs@harcourtbrace.com; WWW: http://www.apcatalog.com.
An increase in sea level is one of the more feared and certain consequences of global warming. Beach erosion, increased
vulnerability to coastal storms, flooding, and accelerated ecosystem destruction inevitably accompany an increase in sea
level. At special risk are the 100 million persons living within a meter of present-day mean sea level and the coastal
development valued in the trillions of dollars. Sea Level Rise: History and Consequences surveys the history of sea level
change since the last deglaciation began approximately 20,000 years ago, when global sea level was about 125 meters
lower than now. Topics covered include sea level as an elevation reference, historic and modern sea level measurements
including satellite techniques, the earth's response to the melting of the great glaciers, and how sea level rise in the 20th
century has impacted coastal habitability.
The Avalanche Booklet. 2001. 32 pp. $5.00. Copies can be purchased from Willywaw, Summer Base Camp Department,
23 South River Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882; (401) 783-2275; fax: (401) 783-8065; e-mail: jasper@willywaw.com.
This booklet lists avalanche forecasting hotlines in the U.S. and Canada, catalogs schools and courses that research and
provide instruction about avalanches, describes avalanche survival strategies, and recommends numerous publications and
videos.
Hurricane Andrew: Ethnicity, Gender and the Sociology of Disaster. Walter Peacock, Betty Hearn Morrow, and Hugh
Gladwin. $20.00.
The Gendered Terrain of Disaster: Through Women's Eyes. Elaine Enarson and Betty Hearn Morrow, editors. $15.00.
Both volumes can be ordered from the International Hurricane Center, Laboratory for Social and Behavioral Research,
EAS 2710, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199; (305) 348-1607; fax: (305) 348-1605; e-mail:
lsbr@fiu.edu; http://www.fiu.edu/~lsbr.
Furious Earth: The Science and Nature of Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis. Ellen J. Prager, Kate Hutton, Costas Synolakis, and Stanley Williams. 2000. 250 pp. $24.95. To purchase, contact the McGraw-Hill Bookstore, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; (800) 352-3566 or (212) 512-4100; fax: (212) 512-4105; e-mail: bookstore@mcgraw-hill.com; WWW: http://www.bookstore.mcgraw-hill.com.
Proceedings from the Sixth International Conference on Seismic Zonation. 2001. $200.00, CD-ROM; $150.00, printed
two-volume set.
Kocaeli, Turkey, Earthquake of August 17, 1999 Reconnaissance Report. 2001. 474 pp. $45.00, plus $10.00 shipping.
CD-ROM: $60.00, EERI members; $80.00, nonmembers.
Images from the Bhuj, India, Earthquake of January 26th, 2001. CD-ROM. 2001. $40.00, EERI members; $50.00, nonmembers.
To order these items, contact the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), 499 14th Street, Suite 320, Oakland,
CA 94612-1934; (510) 451-0905; fax: (510) 451-5411; e-mail: eeri@eeri.org; WWW: http://www.eeri.org.
The Proceedings contains more than 200 papers that were presented at the Sixth International Conference on Seismic
Zonation, held in Palm Springs, California, in November 2000. Topics include mapping technology, hazard estimation,
seismic hazard mapping for engineering and local codes, land-use planning and local government policies, financial risk
management, and lifelines and utilities.
The 7.4 magnitude quake that struck the western industrial heartland of Turkey occurred along one of the most active plate boundaries in the world. The EERI reconnaissance report, Kocaeli, Turkey, Earthquake of August 17, 1999, provides information on various aspects of the quake, including seismicity, fault rupture, tsunami, strong motion, ground failure and geotechnical effects, structures and industrial facilities, building code enforcement, lifelines, and societal impacts and emergency response.
The third product is a CD that presents over 400 images from the Bhuj, India, earthquake of January 26, 2001. It illustrates geotechnical damage, liquefaction effects, and emergency response and relief. Damage to structures, bridges, lifelines, historic monuments, industrial facilities, dams, railways, and ports is also depicted.
Living with Earthquakes in California: A Survivor's Guide. Robert S. Yeats. 2001. 416 pp. $21.95. Copies can be
obtained from Oregon State University Press, 101 Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-6407; (541) 737-3166; fax: (541)
737-3170; e-mail: osu.press@orst.edu.
Living with Earthquakes in California recounts that state's violent geologic past as well as its efforts to cope with the
earthquake threat. It is a general reader's guide to California earthquakes, combining current research with practical safety
information. Beginning with a brief introduction to the geological origins of earthquakes, Yeats describes the major faults
that threaten northern and southern California and Nevada; explores topics ranging from earthquake forecasting and
catastrophe insurance (the California Earthquake Authority is the largest residential insurer in the world) to the risks posed
by tsunamis and soil liquefaction; reviews the current level of earthquake preparedness and disaster response, including the
role of government, scientists, and the public in creating awareness and policy; and suggests actions that citizens can take
to protect their families and homes.
The Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, now offers a certificate in Environmental Hazard Management (EHM) for graduate students in the Departments of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Construction Science, and Architecture. Graduate students in other departments (for example, Geography, Chemical Engineering, Public Health) can receive the certificate when approved by the EHM Certificate Council. The program is cross-disciplinary and was designed to provide students with an understanding of the relationship between the built environment and extreme events in the natural environment. For more information about this program, contact Michael K. Lindell, Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3137; (979) 862-3970; fax: (979) 845-5121; email: mlindell@archone.tamu.edu.
The University of Washington Extension's Continuing Education for Planners Program will be offering a new course beginning in the summer of 2001. "Toward More Sustainable Communities Through Hazards Mitigation" (URBDP 598) is designed to give practicing professionals skills that will enable them to recognize and reduce long-term risks associated with natural disasters. Taught through the University of Washington's Institute for Hazards Mitigation, Planning, and Research, the course is both a survey of the field of natural hazard planning as well as a practical introduction to the tools available for encouraging disaster-resistant, sustainable communities.
For more information about this new on-line course, contact Trisha Dvorak, (206) 685-6443, e-mail: tdvorak@ese.washington.edu; or on the World Wide Web, see: http://www.extension.washington.edu/extinfo/arch.asp#urban.
ALL the papers, reports, and current disaster studies you could ever want . . .
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Your editors
The Hazards Center
The Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center was founded to strengthen communication among researchers and the individuals and organizations concerned with mitigating natural disasters. The center is funded by the National Science Foundation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Institute for Business and Home Safety, and the Public Entity Risk Institute. Please send information of potential interest to the readers of this newsletter to the address below. The deadline for the next Observer is May 23, 2001.
Center phone number: (303) 492-6818
Fax: (303) 492-2151
E-mail: hazctr@spot.colorado.edu
Publications Administrator: (303) 492-6819
E-mail: janet.kroeckel@colorado.edu
Sylvia C. Dane, Editor
David L. Butler, Cyburologist
Dennis S. Mileti, Center Director
Mary Fran Myers, Co-Director
Sarah Michaels, Information Architect
Jacquelyn Monday, Program Manager
Diane Smith, Staff Assistant
Janet Kroeckel, Publications Administrator
Lori Peek, Research Assistant
Alice Fothergill, University of Akron Professor
Len Wright, Research Assistant
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Copies of the Observer and the Hazards Center's e-mail newsletter, Disaster Research, are also available from the Natural Hazards Center's web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards
To contact the editor of the Natural Hazards Observer, send an e-mail to: sylvia.dane@colorado.edu.
To contact the editor of Disaster Research, send an e-mail to: david.butler@colorado.edu.
For other services or information provided by the Natural Hazards Center, send an e-mail to: hazctr@colorado.edu.
To reach us by printed mail, write to:
Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center
Institute of Behavioral Science #6
University of Colorado at Boulder
482 UCB
Boulder, Colorado 80309-0482
Last updated April 24, 2001
If you have questions about this document, please contact sylvia.dane@colorado.edu.
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