Table of Contents for this issue of the
Natural Hazards Observer
Below are the most recent conference announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. A comprehensive list of hazard/disaster meetings is posted on our World Wide Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/conf.html.
Sixth International Symposium and Fifth General Assembly of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. Puebla, Mexico: October 3-7, 2001. The theme of this conference is "Risk Preparedness and Emergency Response in the Context of the Management of the World Heritage Cities." Specific topics include philosophy and principles, experiences in administration, intervention and protection, fundraising and allocation of resources, and specific cases related to natural disasters. For details, contact the Organizing Committee, Av. 2 Poniente 107, altos Centro Historico C.P. 72000, Puebla, Pue. Mexico; tel: 52-22-32-9183; fax: 52-22-32-9183; e-mail: orggral@ocpmcoloquiopuebla.com.mx; WWW: www.ocpmcoloquiopuebla.com.mx.
California's 2001 Wildfire Conference and Public Events: "Ten Years after the 1991 East Bay Hills Fire." Sponsors: The Hills Emergency Forum, University of California Forest Products Laboratory, University of California Extension, and many others. Oakland, California: October 10-12, 2001. This meeting will focus on sharing the latest research on minimizing losses due to fire in the urban-wildland interface. It is intended to educate and motivate the public to adopt safe behavior with respect to wildfire and to promote interagency cooperation and long-term planning. The conference will bring together government officials, the fire ecology and fire prevention communities, academicians, the media, insurance representatives, developers, and others to determine and implement ways to break the cycle of repetitive wildfire losses. Questions about the program should be addressed to Carol Rice, (925) 944-5282, e-mail: carollrice@aol.com; or Ken Blonski, (510) 215-4277, e-mail: ken.blonski@ucop.edu. Logistical information is available from JoAn Wenker, (530) 757-8604, e-mail: jwenker@unexmail.ucdavis.edu. Interested persons should also see www.universityextension.ucdavis.edu/fire/. To register, call (530) 757-8876 or see www.universityextension.ucdavis.edu.
First Annual Conference on Infrastructure Priorities: A National Infrastructure Research Agenda. Host: Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems (ICIS), New York University. Washington, D.C. area: October 24-26, 2001. This major conference, funded by the National Science Foundation, will bring together leading researchers, research funders, users, and managers to develop a National Infrastructure Research Agenda (NIRA) to guide future research to improve our nation's civil infrastructure systems. The NIRA will go beyond technical issues and questions and will address cross-cutting institutional, social, and decisionmaking aspects of infrastructure planning, design, development, and management. The conference is aimed at infrastructure professionals from all sectors. Conference sessions will be organized around five themes: valuing and financing infrastructure, transformation of infrastructure through advanced technologies, institutional change, community engagement, and decision support. Cross-cutting themes such as education, performance measurement, and hazards will be addressed as well. For more information, see the conference web site: www.nyu.edu/icis/InfraPriorities/; or contact the Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems, 411 Lafayette Street, Room 300, New York, NY 10003; (212) 992-4247; fax: (212) 995-4875; e-mail: icis.info@nyu.edu.
Nonstructural Seismic Hazards Training Workshop. Host: U.S. Department of the Interior Seismic Safety Program. Portland, Oregon: November 27-28, 2001. The March 2001 Nisqually earthquake near Seattle provided clear evidence of the significant overall costs associated with nonstructural failures caused by even a moderate earthquake. This workshop will review these potential risks and emphasize the economic justification for taking low-cost steps to mitigate them. It will provide both hands-on training and demonstrations of cost-effective methods to identify and remedy nonstructural problems. The workshop is intended for facilities, operations, and maintenance personnel, as well as designers, engineers, and planners. For details, contact Tyna Petersen, Workshop Registrar, (303) 445-2573; e-mail: tpetersen@do.usbr.gov.
Urban Hazards Forum. Sponsors: Federal Emergency Management Agency Region II and John Jay College of Criminal Justice. New York City, New York: January 22-24, 2002. This meeting will focus on the issues involved in the management of urban hazards, including natural and technological events as well as terrorism. It will address such topics as mitigation in densely built areas; public disaster education in multicultural settings; corporate outreach and education; coordination of local, state, and federal resources; weapons of mass destruction in urban areas; and other issues confronting cities. A call for papers has been issued; abstracts are due September 14, 2001. For specifics, contact the Urban Hazards Forum, Public Management Department, 445 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019; (212) 237-8049; e-mail: urbanhazardforum@jjay.cuny.edu; WWW: www.jjay.cuny.edu/urbanhazardsforum.
98th Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG). Los Angeles, California: March 19-23, 2002. The AAG annual meeting includes several sessions on hazards and disasters. For a conference agenda, see www.aag.org, or contact the AAG, 1710 Sixteenth Street N.W., Washington, DC 20009-3198; (202) 234-1450; fax: (202) 234-2744; e-mail: meeting@aag.org; WWW: www.aag.org.
Hemispheric Conference on Vulnerability Reduction for Populations and Settlements, Natural Resources, and Urban Lifelines and Infrastructure in Trade Corridor Development. Hosts: University of South Florida, Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CDMHA); University of South Florida, Globalization Research Center; and Organization of American States (OAS), Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment (USDE). Tampa, Florida: April 18-20, 2002. The focus of this meeting is sustainable development through hazard vulnerability reduction in trade corridors involving member states of the OAS. Such trade corridors exist within the major trade agreement areas (such as NAFTA) affecting the Western Hemisphere. This conference will bring together policy makers, private business representatives, and academicians to formulate an agenda for public policy, research, training, and technology transfer dealing with the reduction of vulnerability to natural and technological hazards of populations in these trade corridors. Participants will examine the historical impact of hazards in such areas, disaster recovery, and mitigation. More information is available from CDMHA, University of South Florida, College of Public Health -- MDC-56, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612; (813) 974-2907; fax: (813) 974-9980; e-mail: cdmha@hsc.usf.edu; WWW: www.cdmha.org; or Stephen Bender, OAS USDE, 1889 F Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006; (202) 458-6295; fax: (202) 458-3560; e-mail: sbender@oas.org.
2002 National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Annual Conference. Sponsors: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Atlanta, Georgia: April 13-17, 2002. The 2002 NDMS conference is designed to promote interaction among local, state, and federal public health practitioners and policy makers. Faculty from a variety of agencies, academic institutions, and voluntary organizations will present over 75 accredited educational sessions on key topics such as weapons of mass destruction, clinical medicine, mental health, response teams, and international coordination. For more information, contact NDMS, 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 360, Rockville, MD 20857; (800) 872-6367 or (301) 443-1167; fax: (800) 872-5945 or (301) 443-5146; e-mail: ndms@usa.net; WWW: www.oep-ndms.dhhs.gov.
Third National Seismic Conference and Workshop on Bridges and Highways. Sponsors: Federal Highway Administration and others. Portland, Oregon: April 28-May 1, 2002. This conference will focus on advances in engineering and technology that provide increased seismic safety in highway bridges, other highway structures, and highway systems--both through original design and retrofit. It will include an international forum and a technology showcase enabling participants to see a wide range of solutions to seismic design of transportation infrastructure. For details on the World Wide Web see mceer.buffalo.edu/meetings/3nsc/default.asp; or contact the Third National Seismic Conference and Workshop on Bridges and Highways, c/o Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, State University of New York at Buffalo, Red Jacket Quadrangle, Buffalo, NY 14261-0052; (716) 645-3391; fax: (716) 645-3399; e-mail: mceer@ascu.buffalo.edu; or Michael Higgins, Regional Manager Eastern Region, Pure Technologies, US Inc., 10015 Old Columbia Road, Suite B-215, Columbia, MD 21046; (410) 309-7050; fax: (410) 309-7051; e-mail: mike.higgins@soundprint.com.
Third International Conference on Landslides, Slope Stability, and the Safety of Infrastructure. Singapore: July 10-12, 2002. (Preceded by a one-day workshop on "Landslide Causes and Landslide Remediation.") The aim of this conference is to allow engineers and scientists to come together to share new ideas on slope instability and remediation. The conference organizers have identified 14 themes for presentations and technical papers, ranging from landslide investigation to climatic and geological factors influencing landslides, monitoring, hazard analysis, effects on structures, remediation, disaster management, and other topics. Abstracts are due December 15, 2001. Additional information is available from CI-Premier Ltd, 150 Orchard Road #07-14, Orchard Plaza, Singapore 238841; tel: 065-7332922; fax: 065-2353530; e-mail: cipremie@singnet.com.sg; WWW: www.cipremier.com.
Holocene Environmental Catastrophes and Recovery. Sponsors: Department of Geography, Brunel University, and others. London, U.K.: September 2-7, 2002. The four main themes of this meeting are geological catastrophes and their impact on society, environmental causes of civilization collapse, biological impacts on societies, and climatological impacts on society. For more information, see www.brunel.ac.uk/depts/geo/Catastrophes/; or contact Suzanne Leroy, Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, U.K.; direct tel: +44-1895-20 31 78; fax: +44-1895-20 32 17; secretary: +44-1895-20 32 15; e-mail: suzanne.leroy@brunel.ac.uk.
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 to obtain a copy. A complete bibliography of publications received from 1995 through 2001 is posted on our web site: www.colorado.edu/hazards/bib/bib.html.
Multiple Hazards
The Bulldozer in the Countryside: Suburban Sprawl and the Rise of American Environmentalism. Adam Rome. 2001.
314 pp. $19.95, paperback; $54.95, hardbound. Copies can be purchased from the Customer Service Department,
Cambridge University Press, 110 Midland Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573; (800) 872-7423; fax: (914) 937-4712; e-mail:
orders@cup.org; WWW: www.cup.org.
The Bulldozer in the Countryside is the first scholarly work to analyze the successes and failures of efforts to address the
environmental consequences of suburban growth from the end of World War II to 1970. When the construction of tract
housing on millions of acres of land took place in a relatively short period of time, concern grew over the environmental
costs of suburban development. The author notes that there is considerable research that examines either the mass migration
to the suburbs or the rise of the environmental movement; however, the important connections between the two have not
been made. Rome's first chapter considers the political, social, and economic forces behind the rise of tract housing. In
subsequent chapters, he presents a history of different environmental issues surrounding homebuilding, including postwar
debates over heating and cooling, the problem of waste disposal at the metropolitan fringe, the altered landscape, and
effects on water, soil, and wildlife. Of particular note is his chapter entitled ''Where Not To Build: The Campaigns to
Protect Wetlands, Hillsides, and Floodplains,'' which contains a brief history of the National Flood Insurance Program as
well as a discussion of the role of Gilbert White, founder of the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information
Center, in raising awareness about the impacts of floods on humans and in promoting public policies to reduce those
impacts.
Handbook of Crisis and Emergency Management. Public Administration and Public Policy Series 93. 2001. 800 pp.
$195.00. To purchase a copy, contact Marcel Dekker, Inc. Cimarron Road, P.O. Box 5005, Monticello, NY 12701-5185;
(800) 228-1160; fax: (845) 796-1772; e-mail: bookorders@dekker.com; WWW: www.dekker.com.
This handbook is intended to instruct politicians, policy makers, administrators, researchers, and others on the wide range
of international issues and topics in emergency management within the disciplines of political science, public
administration, and public policy. It reviews approaches to natural disasters around the world; considers resolutions to
cultural, religious, and political tensions in the Middle East; discusses terrorism and safeguards against the use of
biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons; describes the function of crisis public relations; and addresses other topics.
Various contributing authors consider crisis management between and among groups; political, economic, and social crisis
management; environmental and health emergency management; conceptual, practical, and empirical aspects of emergency
management; and crisis and emergency management in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Near and Middle East.
Natural Hazards of Canada: A Historical Mapping of Significant Natural Disasters. 2001. 24" x 32". Free. Copies of
this map can be obtained from the Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness, 122 Bank
Street, 2nd Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0W6; (800) 830-3118; fax: (613) 998-9589; WWW: http://www.ocipep-bpiepc.gc.ca.
This two-sided poster, prepared through Safe Guard, the Canadian public information program to increase awareness of
emergency preparedness in Canada, geographically depicts the natural hazards that afflict that nation. It presents
information on earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hail, landslide and avalanches, icebergs, sea ice and fog, and volcanic
eruptions, along with maps that locate these risks and indicate their severity. The hazards are also depicted together in a
larger map of the country, along with lists of historical events.
''The Association Between Extreme Precipitation and Waterborne Disease Outbreaks in the United States, 1948-1994.''
Frank C. Curriero, Jonathan A. Patz, Joan B. Rose, and Subhash Lele. American Journal of Public Health, August 2001,
Vol. 91, No. 8, pp. 1194-1199. Annual subscriptions: $165.00, individual; $200.00, institution. Single copies: $17.00. To
order, contact the American Public Health Association, Subscriptions, Department 5037, Washington, DC 20061-5037;
(202) 777-2462, fax: (202) 777-2532; WWW: www.apha.org/journal/subscribejourn.htm.
According to the U.S. National Assessment on the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change, determining
the role of weather in the incidence of waterborne disease outbreaks is a priority public health research issue for this
country. Rainfall and runoff have been implicated in several outbreaks in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Because upward trends in heavy precipitation in the United States are projected to accompany climate change, this study
seeks to quantify the relationship between precipitation and disease outbreaks. The authors find that 51% of waterborne
disease outbreaks were preceded by precipitation events above the 90th percentile and 68% by events above the 80th
percentile.
World Disasters Report 2001. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). 2001. 250 pp.
$25.00. Shipping and handling within the U.S.: $4.50 for the first book and $1.50 for each additional book; outside the
U.S.: $8.00 for the first book and $2.50 for each additional book. Available from Kumarian Press, Inc., 1294 Blue Hills
Avenue, Bloomfield, CT 06002; (860) 243-2098; fax: (860) 243-2867; e-mail: kpbooks@aol.com; WWW:
www.kpbooks.com. Information about
alternate distributors in Europe and how to order via the web, e-mail, fax, or
regular mail is available from www.ifrc.org/publicat/wdr2001/.
The 2001 edition of IFRC's World Disasters Report focuses on disaster recovery and is particularly critical of international
aid that focuses on rebuilding physical structures and infrastructure while overlooking reconstitution of the economy,
livelihoods, and social structure of an affected area. The report notes that international disaster aid often fails to contribute
to the resilience and durability of communities, leaving locations no better equipped to survive future disasters. Not
surprisingly, it calls for an increased emphasis on mitigation and the integration of relief and development. However, it
notes that too often funds provided for such projects end up flowing out of the affected country to consultants and other
nongovernmental organizations.
On another front, World Disasters Report 2001 also notes that weather-related disasters appear to be on the rise due to global warming. That change, combined with the ever-increasing population threatened by such hazards, ensures that damage and deaths due to disasters will continue to rise. Chapter summaries and additional information are available on the World Wide Web: www.ifrc.org/publicat/wdr2001/.
The Use of Earth Observing Satellites for Hazard Support. A Report of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Disaster Management Support Group. 2000. 156 pp. Free. The report is avail-able on-line at: disaster.ceos.org/2000Ceos/progress/index.html.
Fair Weather? Equity Concerns in Climate Change. Ferenc L. Tóth, editor. 1999. 224 pp. £16.95, plus £8.50 shipping. To order a copy, contact Earthscan, 120 Pentonville Road, London N1 9JN, U.K.; tel: +44 (0) 20 7278 0433; fax: +44 (0) 20 7278 1142; WWW: www.earthscan.co.uk.
Weather America: A Thirty-Year Summary of Statistical Weather Data and Rankings. 2001. 2,020 pp. $175.00. Copies
can be purchased from Grey House Publishing, 185 Millerton Road, P.O. Box 860, Millerton, NY 12546; (800) 562-2139;
WWW: www.greyhouse.com.
This hefty tome provides extensive climatological data for over 4,000 locations (states, counties, cities, and towns)
throughout the United States. It contains lists of major storms, maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation,
snowfall, fog, humidity, and wind speed. The largest section of Weather America is organized into 50 state subsections.
Each state listing contains a city index to help the user locate the nearest weather station to the city or county they are
researching, narrative descriptions of climatic conditions for each state, and detailed statistical data from local weather
stations, covering maximum and minimum temperatures, number of foggy days, humidity, wind speed, and much more.
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance Annual Report FY 2000. 2001. 94 pp. Free. To request a copy, contact the
U.S. Agency for International Development, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., BHR/OFDA
8.06.01M, Washington, DC 20523-8602; (202) 712-0400; fax: (202) 216-3706.
In addition to summaries of OFDA activities for the past year, this volume contains articles describing how the U.S.
government provides humanitarian aid and discussing environmental degradation and disasters. The report also provides
data regarding specific disasters and complex emergencies by country.
Mississippi Floods: Designing a Shifting Landscape. Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da Cunha. 2001. 224 pp. $45.00.
Copies are available from Yale University Press, Order Department, P.O.
Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520; (800) 987-7323; fax: (800) 777-9253;
e-mail: custservice.press@yale.edu;
WWW: www.yale.edu/yup.
The ''design'' of the Mississippi River has long been a subject of controversy. What is missing from the discussion, say the
authors of this book, is an understanding of the ''representations'' of the Mississippi River. Landscape architect Anuradha
Mathur and architect/planner Dilip da Cunha draw together an array of perspectives on the river and show how these
different images have played a role in the process of designing and containing the river landscape. Analyzing maps,
hydrographs, working models, drawings, photographs, government and media reports, paintings, and even folklore, Mathur
and da Cunha consider what these representations of the river portray, what they leave out, and why. In short, the authors, in
their own words, ''resolved to set out on a journey, naively perhaps, to re-engage the Mississippi, not as an object, but as a
dynamic, living phenomenon that asserts its own dimensions.''
Wetlands Protection: Assessments Needed to Determine
Effectiveness of In-Lieu-Fee Mitigation. Report No.
GAO-01-325. 2001. 75 pp. Free. Copies are available from the U.S. General
Accounting Office (GAO), P.O. Box 37050, Washington, DC 20013; (202)
512-6000; e-mail: info@www.gao.gov;
WWW: www.gao.gov.
America is losing its wetlands at an increasing rate, primarily due to agriculture and development. GAO investigators say
federal programs to stem the losses are having uncertain results. Of an estimated 220 million acres of marshes, bogs,
swamps, and other wetlands in the contiguous U.S. during colonial times, over half have disappeared or have been
degraded. Wetlands perform important ecological functions, including abating floods, maintaining water quality, and
providing habitat for fish and wildlife. Provisions in the Clean Water Act require protection and replacement of wetlands.
This report evaluates the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers program that allows developers to pay fees to public entities or
private nonprofit natural resources management organizations (called in-lieu fees) to establish and/or replace wetlands.
Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the Clean Water Act. Committee on Mitigating Wetland Losses, Board on
Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Water Science and Technology Board, National Research Council. 2001. 320 pp.
$42.95, hardcover; $48.00, prepublication version. To order a copy, contact the National Academy Press, 2101
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (888)
624-8373 or (202) 334-3313; WWW: www.nap.edu/catalog/10134.html.
On-line orders receive a 20% discount.
Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater, and flood
waters. Trees, root mats, and other wetland vegetation also slow the speed of flood waters and distribute them more slowly
over the floodplain. This combined water storage and braking action lowers flood heights and reduces erosion. Wetlands
also help prevent water logging of crops, reduce shoreline erosion, improve water quality, and diminish drought impacts.
This volume contains the report of a scientific committee appointed by the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate the
federal programs that deal with wetland preservation; it was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The panel
concluded that, before granting permits to fill natural wetlands, regulators should give greater consideration to how restored
or newly created wetlands can replicate the ecological functions of naturally occurring wetlands and become a sustainable
part of the larger watershed. Wetlands within and downstream of urban areas are particularly valuable, counteracting the
greatly increased rate and volume of surface-water runoff from pavement and buildings. Preserving and restoring wetlands,
together with other water retention measures, can often provide the level of flood control otherwise produced by expensive
dredge operations and levees.
Living on the Edge of the Gulf: The West Florida and Alabama Coast. David M. Bush, Norma J. Longo, William J. Neal,
Luciana S. Esteves, Orrin H. Pilkey, Deborah F. Pilkey, and Craig A. Webb. 2001. 350 pp. $22.95. This volume can be
purchased from Books Fulfillment, Duke University Press, Box 90660, Durham, NC 27708-0660; (888) 651-0122; fax:
(919) 688-2615 or (888) 651-0124; WWW: www.dukeupress.edu.
The Gulf Coast along Florida and Alabama is a fragile combination of barrier islands, low-lying marshes, and highly
erodible mainland shores. In addition to sea-level rise, winter storms, and altered sediment supplies, hurricanes frequently
damage or destroy the human developments and infrastructure that line this coast. Indeed, a single storm can cause billions
of dollars in losses. The authors of Living on the Edge of the Gulf seek to counteract potential loss by providing an
introduction to coastal processes, a history of hazards for the region, and risk-reduction guidance in the form of site
evaluations, and descriptions of community mitigation techniques and storm-resistant construction practices. The book's
risk maps that focus on individual coastal beaches are designed to assist property owners, community planners, and other
officials in prudent decision making, while a review of coastal regulations is intended to help owners to understand and
navigate various permit requirements. This book is one of the nearly 20 volumes in the ''Living with the Shore'' series.
Eventually, there will be a book for each coastal state as well as for Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. Funding for the series
has been provided by the NOAA Office of Coastal Zone Management, the North Carolina Sea Grant Program, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, and others.
Hurricane Andrew: Ethnicity, Gender, and the Sociology of Disasters. Walter Gillis Peacock, Betty Hearn Morrow, and Hugh Gladwin. 1997. 304 pp. $20.00, plus $2.00 shipping. Florida residents, add 6% sales tax. Paperback copies of this volume (see the Observer, Vol. XXII, No. 3, p. 21) can now be obtained by contacting the Inter-national Hurricane Center, Hurricane Andrew Book, Florida Inter-national University, Miami, FL 33199; (305) 348-1607; WWW: www.ihc.fiu.edu.
Lessons Learned Regarding the Use of Spatial Data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) During Hurricane
Floyd. 2001. 50 pp. Free. Copies are available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Coastal Services Center web site: www.csc.noaa.gov/hfloyd.
This report assesses both the positive and problematic aspects of using spatial data and geographic information systems
(GIS) in response and recovery efforts during Hurricane Floyd.
In 1997 hazards researcher Henry Quarantelli compiled and edited a dozen articles into the book, What Is A Disaster? Perspectives on the Question. The authors represented six different social science disciplines as well as six different countries.
Quarantelli is now planning to put together a more up-to-date volume, What Is A Disaster, More Perspectives, to be published in 2004, and he is seeking possible chapter authors. Although he has enough contributors from Western countries, he is still looking for authors from non-Western societies and cultures. Persons interested in contributing to this proposed volume should contact E.L. Quarantelli, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716; (302) 831-6618; fax: (302) 831-2091; e-mail: elqdrc@udel.edu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch and the Pacific Health Dialog journal have announced sponsorship of a special issue of Pacific Health Dialog dedicated to issues of ''Emergency Environmental Health'' in the Pacific Region, including health issues related to natural and technological disasters, risk and emergency management, emergency medical services, water and food safety, emergency operation planning, hazard identification, mitigation, emergency response, and disaster epidemiology.
The editor of Pacific Health Dialog is now calling for papers, articles, reviews, letters, and other material. The issue is scheduled for 2002, so contributions should be submitted as soon as possible. For submission information, see www.resourcebooks.co.nz/phd/phd.htm. Questions can also be directed to the editor, Mark Keim, CDC, Department of Health and Human Services; (770) 488-4597; fax: (770) 488-4820.
A New Beginning in a New Millennium. Proceedings of the 24th Annual Conference of the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), Austin, Texas, June 18-23, 2000. CD-ROM. $20.00, members; $25.00, nonmembers; plus $5.00
shipping. The CD can be purchased from the ASFPM, 2809 Fish Hatchery Road, Suite 204, Madison, WI 53713-3120;
(608) 274-0123; fax: (608) 274-0696; e-mail: asfpm@floods.org; WWW: www.floods.org.
The theme for last year's ASFPM annual meeting was ''Floodplain Management: 2000 and Beyond.'' The technical papers
presented at the conference and collected on this disk, address topics such as federal agency programs in floodplain
management, innovative state and local activities, sustainable floodplains, regional approaches to flood risk, the natural and
cultural benefits of floodplains, acquisition programs, stormwater management, coastal issues, flood estimation and
prediction, mapping, modeling, and new technology.
Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise: A Preliminary Database for the U.S. Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico
Coasts. Erika Mannar-Klose and E.R. Thieler. Report No. DDS-0068. CD-ROM. 2001. $32.00. To obtain a copy, contact
the U.S. Geological Survey, Information Service, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225; (888) 275-8747; WWW:
mapping.usgs.gov.
The prediction of coastal evolution is not straightforward. There is no standard methodology, and even the kind of data
required to make such predictions is the subject of much scientific debate. Since a viable, quantitative predictive model for
coastal evolution is not available, the relative susceptibility of the nation's coastline to sea-level rise is quantified here at a
regional to national scale using basic information regarding coastal geomorphology, rate of sea-level rise, past shoreline
evolution, and other factors. This approach combines the coastal system's susceptibility to change with its natural ability to
adapt to changing environmental conditions and yields a relative measure of the system's natural vulnerability to the effects
of sea-level rise. This information has immediate application to many decisions related to coastal development in both the
short and long term.
Emergency Resource Management Application (ERMA). Software. $295.00. The program is available from Emergency
Management Concepts, 2509 Klondike Court, Missoula, MT 59808; e-mail: info@emconcepts.net; WWW: www.emconcepts.net/erma.htm.
This program provides a method for tracking community resources during an emergency. ERMA offers several sort
functions, allowing the user to classify resources by agency, incident type, resource type, and other factors, as well as to
track their location and availability.
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 September 21, 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
Staff
Sylvia C. Dane, Editor
David L. Butler, Pre-Bionic Man
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
Len Wright, Research Assistant
Cartoons for the Observer are drawn by Rob Pudim.
ISSN 0737-5425
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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 World Wide Web site: 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
482 UCB
University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder, Colorado 80309-0482
Last updated April 21, 2001
If you have questions about this document, please contact sylvia.dane@colorado.edu.
Table of Contents for this issue of the
Natural Hazards Observer