Announcing the Asian-Pacific Network of Centers for Earthquake Engineering Research (ANCER)
ANCER was established in October 2001 to enhance the research, education, and technology transfer activities of earthquake research centers located in countries around the Pacific Rim. Its vision is to broaden research regarding development impacts and earthquake mitigation practices through cooperative endeavors that can best be advanced on a center-to-center basis over a large geographical area.
The concept of a centers network was introduced during an international workshop organized by the Korean Earthquake Engineering Research Center (KEERC) in Seoul in 2000. The first activity of ANCER is the sponsorship of a major international conference on advances and new challenges in earthquake engineering research. The conference will consist of two consecutive back-to-back meetings in Harbin and Hong Kong (see the Conferences and Training section of this Observer).
For more information about this new organization, see the KEERC web site: http://www.keerc.net.
New Stuff from the Flood Insurance Folks
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) has released updates to two of its manuals that help insurance agents, state and local officials, and others in their efforts to minimize losses from flood hazards under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Flood Insurance Manual
New updates to the Flood Insurance Manual were issued for changes that went into effect May 1, 2002. Among the revisions are: 1) a clarification that a building in more than one flood zone must be rated, for insurance purposes, according to the more hazardous zone; and 2) a revised application form that specifies that documentation must be included if the building to be insured has openings in its lower area to allow the passage of flood waters.
The full Flood Insurance Manual, or just the updated pages, is available free in PDF format at http://www.fema.gov/nfip/manual05_02.htm. Printed copies of the complete manual can be ordered for $25 from FEMA/NFIP, Map Service Center, P.O. Box 1038, Jessup, MD 20794-1038; (800) 358-9616; fax: (800) 358-9620.
Community Rating System Manual
The Community Rating System (CRS) was launched in 1990 as a voluntary program for recognizing and encouraging community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 codified the CRS in the NFIP. Under the program, flood insurance premium rates for policyholders in participating communities are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk brought about by community activities such as enforcing higher regulatory standards, implementing public information programs, or preserving open space. Today over 900 communities participate, receiving up to 35% in premium reductions for their residents.
The 2002 edition of the NFIP Community Rating System Coordinator’s Manual incorporates improvements to the system and changes in scoring and other matters agreed to since the 1999 version was issued. Although the changes are not as extensive as those made to the manual three years ago, they do reflect the shifting aspects of the program. For example, credit points are now available to communities for putting flood hazard information and/or FEMA Elevation Certificates on the community’s web site, so that people can have better access to this information. The credit points were increased for communities that address multiple hazards in their local planning and in their flood awareness projects. Provision also was made for communities to earn CRS credit for participating in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s “StormReady” program, which promotes flood preparedness and the effective use of warnings.
FIMA expects to release the new manual this month. The previous manual and other publications about the CRS are available in PDF format on the CRS web site: http://www.fema.gov/nfip/crs.htm.
Table of Contents for This Issue of the Natural Hazards Observer
