Natural Hazards Observer
| September 2004 | Volume XXIX | Number 1 |
Below are summaries of some of the recent, most useful publications on hazards and disasters received by the Natural Hazards Center. Due to space limitations, we have provided descriptions of key publications. All items contain information on how to obtain a copy. A complete listing of all publications listed in the Observer may be found by searching the Hazards Library database at http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/library.
All Hazards
Early Warning Systems for Natural Disasters. Jochen Zschau and Andreas N. Küppers, editors. ISBN 3-540-67962-6. 2003. 467 pp. $197.00. Available from Springer, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010; (800) 777-4643; e-mail: service@springer-ny.com; http://www.springeronline.com/. Intended for decision makers in the political arena, scientists, engineers, and those responsible for public communication and dissemination of warnings, this book is a comprehensive account of early warning systems related to natural disasters. Disasters covered include tropical storms, floods, drought, El Niņo, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, avalanche, and fire. Additional sections address technological hazards, the role of satellite techniques in early warning systems, special problems for developing countries and small island states, and future technology needs.
Living With Risk: A Global Review of Disaster Reduction Initiatives. ISBN 92-1-101050-0. 2004. Vol. I: 454 pp., Vol. II (Annexes): 130 pp. $95.00 for both volumes. Available from the UN Inter-Agency Secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Palais des Nations CH 1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland; +41 22 917 2762/2759; e-mail: isdr@un.org; http://www.unisdr.org/. Written for practitioners and anyone interested in disaster risk reduction, humanitarian action, and sustainable development, this 2004 edition features examples of action taken by individuals, communities, and governments around the world to avoid and reduce the risks and impacts of natural and technological hazards. It provides an overview of the evolution of the understanding of risk and disaster management; explores the concepts of risk and vulnerability; offers lessons on how to reduce risk and vulnerability to hazards; and discusses the importance of knowledge exchange and information management. Free online extracts are available at http://www.unisdr.org/eng/about_isdr/bd-lwr-2004-eng.htm.
Protecting Emergency Responders Volume 3: Safety Disaster and Terrorism Response. Brian A. Jackson, John C. Baker, M. Susan Ridgely, James T. Bartis, Herbert I. Linn. 2004. 154 pp. Free. Available from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Publications Dissemination, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226; (800) 356-4674; e-mail: pubstaft@cdc.gov; http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-144/. This report focuses on strategies and tactics for enhancing the safety of emergency responders with the goal of fostering effective planning, preparedness, and incidentwide safety management for large-scale emergencies. Prepared by the RAND Corporation, this peer-reviewed publication is based on an extensive literature review and interviews with members of the response community. Recommendations include improving the effectiveness of safety management; ways to better obtain and share information, analyze options, make decisions, and manage risk; how to implement decisions and manage resources; suggestions for mutual aid and interagency communication; and ways to take action.
Introduction to Natural and Man-Made Disasters and Their Effects on Buildings. Roxanna McDonald. ISBN 0-7506-5670-0. 2003. 256 pp. $39.95. Available from Architectural Press, Elsevier Science/Harcourt, 200 Wheeler Road, 6th floor, Burlington, MA 01803; (781) 221-2212, (800) 545-2522; e-mail: usbkinfo@elsevier.com; http://www.architecturalpress.com/. This is a comprehensive guide to natural and human-induced disasters and the effects they have on buildings. Written for anyone involved in building design and construction, it provides overall guidance and a basic technical understanding of disaster types and prevention, mitigation, and management of disaster.
Incident Management Team All-Risk Operations and Management Study. Amy K. Donahue. 2003. 94 pp. Available free online from the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, c/o NAFRI, 3265 East Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85706; (520) 799-8760; e-mail: pnasiatka@fs.fed.us; http://www.myfirecommunity.net/documents/IMT_Shuttle_Response_FINAL.pdf. The recovery operation that followed the space shuttle Columbia accident in May 2003 in east Texas and Louisiana was one of the largest such operations in U.S. history. Capitalizing on the broad experiences of members from the 21 participating incident management teams (from the wildland fire service), the author of this report draws conclusions about the capacity of current incident management teams for all-risk response and makes recommendations for interagency and intergovernmental all-risk incident management. Major findings include support for the Incident Command System and improved interoperability. Concerns about an all-risk incident management approach include resource conflict; lack of specialized expertise, training, and equipment; and jurisdictional protectiveness.
NFPA 1600: Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Program. 2004. 46 pp. $28.75. Available free online from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169; (617) 770-3000, (800) 344-3555; e-mail: custserv@nfpa.org; http://www.nfpa.org/pdf/nfpa1600.pdf. This recently updated standard merits special attention as it has recently been endorsed by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 commission) as the proposed national preparedness standard for private sector emergency preparedness. NFPA 1600 establishes a common set of criteria for disaster/emergency management and business continuity programs, identifies methodologies for implementing such programs, and includes a list of resources useful in disaster recovery, emergency management, and business continuity planning.
Today's 10 Greatest Risks. 2004. 23 pp. Available free online from Risk Management Solutions, 7015 Gateway Boulevard, Newark, CA 94560; (510) 505-2500, (800) 767-4846; e-mail: info@rms.com; http://www.rms.com/Publications/10GreatestUSCats_R&I_041504.pdf. Through fictional disaster scenarios, this publication illustrates the 10 greatest risks faced by the U.S. today. These risks are hurricane, flood, oil spill, terrorism, blackout, wildfire, industrial accident, cyber attack, pandemic, and earthquake.
Hazards Watch: Reducing the Impacts of Disasters through Improved Earth Observations. Summary of a Workshop, October 22, 2003, Washington, DC. Richard Sylves and Helen Wood. 2004. 24 pp. Available free online from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Box 285, Washington, DC 20055; (202) 334-3313, (800) 624-6242; http://books.nap.edu/html/ndr/hazards_watch.pdf. Participants at the 9th Disasters Roundtable were tasked with exploring how we can use our ability to observe the Earth's natural systems to create a disaster-resilient society and the challenges and limits that remain in earth observation efforts. This report summarizes the workshop, stresses the value of Earth observing technologies in guiding policy and emergency management decisions regarding disaster prevention and mitigation, and discusses the importance of internationalizing the effort to better serve the planet as a whole.
Mapping Vulnerability: Disasters, Development and People. Greg Bankoff, Gerog Frerks, and Dorthea Hilhorst, editors. ISBN 1-85383-964-7. 2004. 236 pp. $29.95. Available from Earthscan, 8-12 Camden High Street, London NW1 OJH, UK; +44 (0)20 7387 8558; e-mail: earthinfo@earthscan.co.uk; http://www.earthscan.co.uk/. Hazards are natural, disasters are not. Social processes generally result in unequal exposure to risk by making some people more disaster-prone than others. This book explores aspects of vulnerability as key to understanding risk and the human response to hazards. Critical to this understanding is an appreciation of how human systems place people at risk in relation to each other and the environment-a relationship that can be best understood in terms of an individual, household, community, or societal vulnerability. These issues are examined through scholarly and case-study perspectives.
The United States Conference of Mayors Interoperability Survey. 2004. 23 pp. Available free online from The United States Conference of Mayors, 1620 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006; (202) 293-7330; http://www.usmayors.org/72ndannualmeeting/interoperabilityreport_062804.pdf. The purpose of this survey was to measure the reliability and effectiveness of communication between city agencies and federal, regional, state, and other local entities in responding to disasters. Issues addressed include the level of interoperability, obstacles to interoperability and whether the distribution of funds from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security by states delayed interoperable investment, and the investment required to become fully interoperable and whether and how much federal funding is expected or has been made available to aid interoperable implementation. While the survey results do include encouraging data, they also reveal several challenges to communication, most importantly, the lack of funding.
Severe Weather
Heads above Water: Gender, Class, and Family in the Grand Forks Flood. Alice Fothergill. ISBN 0-7914-6158-0. 2004. 270 pp. $19.95. Available from the State University of New York Press, c/o CUP Services, Box 6525, Ithaca, NY 14851; (800) 666-2211; e-mail: info@sunypress.edu; http://www.sunypress.edu/. Stories of how women and their families survived the Grand Forks, North Dakota, flood of 1997 are central to this book about women's experiences following a natural disaster. Through these tales, the book describes the challenges women faced and explores the importance of class, race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability in disaster recovery. Issues raised include women's changing roles, the stigma of charity, threats to mind and body, family relationships under stress, views about religion, domestic violence, and the importance of "home" to one's identity and sense of self.
Record Tornado Outbreaks of May 4-10, 2003. Service Assessment. 2003. 58 pp. Free. Available from the National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, W/OS52, Silver Spring, MD 20910; (301) 713-0090; e-mail: wayne.presnell@noaa.gov; http://weather.gov/os/assessments/record-may.pdf. In May 2003, 393 tornadoes and 39 resultant deaths were recorded in portions of the Great Plains, Midwest, and mid-South of the U.S. This report is the result of performance assessments of the National Weather Service (NWS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction's Storm Prediction Center, which is responsible for issuing severe weather outlooks and watches, and the five weather forecast offices responsible for issuing outlooks and warnings in the affected counties. The report indicates that the NWS' customers and partners were satisfied with services before and during the outbreak and identifies recommendations for improvements within the NWS severe weather warning process.
Learning Lessons from Disaster Recovery: The Case of Honduras. John Telford, Margaret Arnold, and Alberto Harth. Working Paper Series No. 8. 2004. 81 pp. Available free online from the World Bank, Hazard Management Unit, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20433; e-mail: hazardmanagement@worldbank.org; http://www.worldbank.org/hazards/files/honduras_wps.pdf. As part of an initiative to identify lessons learned from recovery efforts following major natural disasters, this report summarizes the findings of a case study conducted in Honduras following Hurricane Mitch in October 2002. The study examined four main areas: policies related to disaster recovery/management, systems for disaster recovery, resources for disaster recovery, and impacts of recovery efforts. Additional case studies on Bangladesh, India, Mozambique, and Turkey are in development, as is a synthesis report summarizing the different experiences of recovery in these countries.
The Blizzard of '78. Michael Tougias. ISBN 0-9719547-5-5. 2003. 128 pp. $14.95. Available from On Cape Publications, P.O. Box 218, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675; (877) 662-5839; e-mail: info@oncapepublications.com; http://www.oncapepublications.com/. In February 1978, a powerful storm tore through New England, stranding commuters and leaving a path of devastation in its wake. This chronicle of what the locals refer to as "the worst storm of the century" uses photographs and text to profile the progression of the storm, the damage it left behind, and the communities that survived it.
Lightning Protection for Engineers: An Illustrated Guide in Accord with Recognized Codes and Standards. 2004. 216 pp. $79.95. Available from the National Lightning Safety Institute, 891 North Hoover Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027; (303) 666-8817; e-mail: media@lightningsafety.com; http://www.lightningsafety.com/. Lightning is a destructive force that goes largely unrecognized by commerce and industry as well as the general public. But, with lightning losses approximating $4-5 million annually, it is a hazard that should be taken seriously. This workbook was developed, in accordance with recognized codes and standards, for architects; engineers; educators; and local, state, and federal officials in an effort to raise the understanding of lightning safety issues. It discusses the fundamental concepts of lightning protection, risk assessment, and how exterior and interior defenses can be combined to mitigate lightning damage in a variety of situations.
Earthquakes
Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country. 2004. 32 pp. Available free online from the Southern California Earthquake Center, University of Southern California, 3651 Trousdale Parkway, Suite 169, Los Angeles, CA 90089; (213) 740-5843; e-mail: scec@usc.edu; http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/roots.html. This handbook provides basic information for the general public about earthquakes in general, earthquakes in Southern California, and "The Seven Steps on the Road to Earthquake Safety." It was developed by the Southern California Earthquake Center, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the California Earthquake Center and distributed by radio station KNBC, Home Depot stores, the American Red Cross, and others.
The Big One: The Earthquake that Rocked Early America and Helped Create a Science. Jake Page and Charles Officer. ISBN 0-618-34150-1. 2004. 256 pp. $24.00. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company; http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/. Available from local and online booksellers (not from the publisher). In the early 1800s, one of the most powerful earthquakes in recorded history struck the Missouri-Tennessee border. This book tells the story of this earthquake and two others that followed, collectively referred to as the New Madrid earthquakes, and how they contributed to the creation of seismology. The authors also discuss the difficulties of earthquake prediction, the likelihood of another similar earthquake striking the region, and the devastation that would result should such an event occur.
A Dangerous Place: California's Unsettling Fate. Marc Reisner. ISBN 0-679-42011-8. 2003. 181 pp. $22.00. Published by Pantheon Books; http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/. Available from local and online booksellers (not from the publisher). The Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas of California lie on two of the most violently seismic zones on earth. The author traces the state's history and development from a desert to one of the most populous states in the country, and he posits the results of living along a fault line without a true consideration of what that means. The book concludes with a "what if" scenario that addresses the inevitable earthquake of the future.
Finding Fault in California: An Earthquake Tourist's Guide. Susan Elizabeth Hough. ISBN 0-87842-495-4. 2004. 368 pp. $18.00. Available from Mountain Press Publishing Company, P.O. Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806; (406) 728-1900, (800) 234-5308; http://www.mtnpress.com/. This earthquake tourist's guide leads readers to California's most accessible, active, and earth-shaping faults and tells the stories behind the region's major earth-shaking events. It begins with a discussion about faults-what they are and how to recognize them. Tours explore the seismic hazards of the Los Angeles Basin, the San Francisco Bay Area, central California, the Mojave Desert, and Owens Valley. Photos, maps, and diagrams, most with precise GPS coordinates, illustrate the text, and sidebars highlight the work of modern faultfinding researchers.
Terrorism
Terrorism Time Line: Major Focusing Events and U.S. Outcomes (1993-2003). Version 3. Claire B. Rubin, William R. Cumming, and Irmak Renda-Tanali. $5.00. Available free online from The Time Line Series, Claire B. Rubin & Associates, P.O. Box 2208, Arlington, VA 22202; (703) 920-7176; e-mail: cbrubin@comcast.net; http://www.disaster-timeline.com/. This latest version of the Terrorism Time Line, a 15" x 38" chart, features terrorism-related milestone incidents/events and outcomes that occurred between 1993 and 2003. Outcomes include major reports and documents, statutes, presidential directives, major response plans, federal actions, and effects on state and local governments.
Information, Technology, and Coordination: Lessons from the World Trade Center Response. Sharon S. Dawes, Thomas Birkland, Giri Kumar Tayi, and Carrie A. Schneider. 2004. 40 pp. Available free online from the Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany, SUNY, 187 Wolf Road, Suite 301, Albany, NY 12205; (518) 442-3892; e-mail: info@ctg.albany.edu; http://www.ctg.albany.edu/publications/reports/wtc_lessons/wtc_lessons.pdf. The response and recovery efforts following the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 were rife with surprising problems and challenges that demanded new solutions. This study examined what organizations did in response to the attack and distilled that information into lessons for improving crisis response and emergency management and planning. This report addresses seven topics: information needs associated with the event and the response and recovery efforts; the availability, quality, use, and management of information resources; the nature, strengths, and weaknesses of information technology; the role and effectiveness of existing plans, programs, and relationships; information policy issues; methods and effectiveness of communicating with the public; and recommendations and prospects for long-term improvements in government and community resilience and performance.
How to Lead during Bioattacks with the Public's Trust and Help: A Manual for Mayors, Governors, and Top Health Officials. 2004. 15 pp. Available free online from the UPMC Center for Biosecurity, The Pier IV Building, 621 East Pratt Street, Suite 210, Baltimore, MD 21202; (443) 573-3304; http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/pages/resources/leadership.html. This manual is the result of a working group on governance dilemmas in bioterrorism response made up of representatives from the political, public health, medical, and disaster communities; special population advocates; and news media, public affairs, and risk communication experts. It sets forth strategic goals that distinguish effective, compassionate leadership in epidemics; illustrates circumstances posed by bioattacks that further complicate response to the health crisis; identifies dilemmas of governance that commonly arise during naturally occurring or intentionally caused epidemics; and recommends principles and actions for averting and/or remedying such predicaments. Supporting materials include an interactive executive summary, a PowerPoint presentation, the proceedings of the 2003 national summit on Leadership during Terrorism, and select planning and response resources.
A Journalist's Guide to Covering Bioterrorism. Second Edition. David Chandler and India Landrigan. 2004. 51 pp. $15.00 members/$25.00 nonmembers. Available free online from the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation, 1600 K Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20006; (202) 659-6510; e-mail: rtndf@rtndf.org; http://www.rtnda.org/resources/bioguide.pdf. This handbook was written to help journalists prepare for covering bioterrorism. Its goal is to ensure that in the event of a bioterrorism incident, the media is properly equipped to disseminate helpful information quickly, accurately, and effectively. Topics include an introduction to bioterrorism, a history of the use of biological weapons, how an attack might unfold, possible weapons, laws and treaties governing biological weapons, who has biological weapons, what can be done for defense, and where to go for more information. A glossary defines scientific terms, jargon, and acronyms.
Terrorism and Disaster Management: Preparing Healthcare Leaders for the New Reality. K. Joanne McGlown, editor. ISBN 1-56793-218-5. 2004. 343 pp. $72.00. Available from the Health Administration Press, P.O. Box 75145, Baltimore, MD 21275; (301) 362-6905; e-mail: HAP1@ache.org; http://www.ache.org/hap.cfm. Written to address questions shared by health care leaders, this book focuses on planning, preparedness, and the integration of health care and emergency management, specifically as they relate to terrorism. Leaders in the fields of emergency medicine, law, and terrorism response provide guidance in understanding the legal and ethical issues surrounding disaster planning and preparedness; obtaining disaster assistance from FEMA; navigating governmental direction, control, and oversight; achieving and maintaining local interagency cooperation; integrating civilian and military response; and meeting the preparedness needs of special populations. Appendices feature a glossary of acronyms, Web resources, action forms, and a recommended reading list.
Climate Change
Climate Change 2004. Bill McGuire. Technical Paper 02. 2004. 29 pp. Available free online from the Benfield Hazard Research Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, 136 Gower Street (Lewis Building), London, WC1E 6BT, UK; +44 (0)20 7679 3637; e-mail: info@benfieldhrc.org; http://www.benfieldhrc.org/SiteRoot/activities/tech_papers/climate_change.pdf. The review of recent climate change research and observations documented in this technical paper illustrates that much has happened in the climate change arena over the past few years and that evidence supporting an anthropogenic cause of modern day climate change is overwhelming. This report provides an overview of research undertaken and observations made since 2000. Specific areas of discussion include atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations; global temperature trends, observations, and impacts; the hazard implications of climate change; concerns about changes in the circulation of the North Atlantic and potential Gulf Stream weakening; and the political and economic aspects of climate change.
Insights to Key Questions about Climate Change. Derek Winstanley and Stanley A. Changnon. 2004. 98 pp. Available free online from the Illinois State Water Survey, 2204 Griffith Drive, Champaign, IL 61820; (217) 333-8888; e-mail: gloria@sws.uiuc.edu; http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/pubdoc/IEM/ISWSIEM2004-01.pdf. What will the future climate be like? What will the effects of climate change be, both good and bad? The authors of this report present extensive information from recently published findings to address these critical questions about climate change. The report, written to better inform decision makers and the public, focuses on the scientific unpredictability of future climate conditions and the economic impacts of weather and climate.
Wildfire
South Canyon Fire: Ten Year Review of the Effectiveness of Planned Actions. 2004. 28 pp. Available free online from the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, c/o NAFRI, 3265 East Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85706; (520) 799-8760; e-mail: pnasiatka@fs.fed.us; http://www.myfirecommunity.net/documents/South_Canyon_10Year_Review.pdf. The primary objective of this review was to determine whether the solutions, plans, initiatives, and policies that resulted from the deadly South Canyon Fire have been implemented, are consistently practiced, and are useful to all levels of firefighting personnel. According to the report, the wildland fire community has made significant progress in implementing corrective actions, but concerns still exist. These concerns include a lack of clear, consistent interagency policies, wildland urban interface strategies and definitions, general fireline policy guides, and training requirements. A comparison of the South Canyon, Thirtymile and Cramer fires also reveals areas of concern common to all three fires, specifically a lack of focus and attention on human factors, negative synergy, operation priorities, and lack of management oversight.
Southern California Firestorm 2003: Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center. 2003. 69 pp. Available free online from the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, c/o NAFRI, 3265 East Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85706; (520) 799-8760; e-mail: pnasiatka@fs.fed.us; http://www.wildfirelessons.net/ICTs/LLCICT_SoCa_Final_Report_121903.pdf. The California wildfires of 2003 were unprecedented in scope and impact. This study used 107 focused interviews to capture the experiences of those who fought the fires and present recommendations on how to respond to the many firefighting, incident command, evacuation, environmental, resources, interagency cooperation, and recovery issues involved with the response to the fires. Report sections include fire behavior and scope, interagency cooperation, command and control, evacuations and homeowners, resource management, incident and personal safety, strategy and tactics, documentation, recovery, and issues for organizational leaders.
Coastal Hazards
Greenwich Bay: An Ecological History. Sue Kennedy and Virginia Lee. 2003. 32 pp. $3.00. Available free online from the Rhode Island Sea Grant Communications Office, University of Rhode Island Bay Campus, Narragansett, RI 02882; (401) 874-6842; e-mail: jgallo@gso.uri.edu; http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/bookstore/. The first step in the creation of a special area management plan for Greenwich Bay in Rhode Island, this booklet examines critical bay issues, such as water quality, flood and storm hazards, geologic processes, and land use and economy. Anecdotes from individuals with close ties to the bay are used to provide an intimate glimpse into the history and culture of the bay and the issues it faces today.
Avalanche
Powder Guide: Managing Avalanche Risk. Tobias Kurzeder and Holger Feist. ISBN 0-9724827-3-3. 2003. 180 pp. $18.95. Published by Mountain Sports Press; http://www.mountainsportsmedia.com/. Available from local and online booksellers (not from the publisher). Written by two freeriders, with the assistance of the Swiss Avalanche Research Center, this book provides general, useful, and easy-to-understand information about mountain areas and ava-lanches. Providing detailed discussion about snow type, slope, weather conditions, and avalanche safety, this highly illustrated guide also covers risk evaluation, avalanche hazards, rescue strategies, first aid, and smart freeriding/avalanche safety. This guidebook is valuable for those whose activities make them vulnerable to avalanche hazards.
Health
Disaster Medicine. David E. Hogan and Jonathan L. Burstein, editors. ISBN 0-7817-2625-5. 2004. 435 pp. $89.00. Available from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, P.O. Box 1600, Hagerstown, MD 21741; (301) 223-2300, (800) 638-3030; http://www.lww.com/. This text focuses on the role of medicine in disasters. Beginning with a basic overview of disasters, sections include disaster response planning and coordination; natural disasters; industrial, technological, and transportation disasters; and education, training, and research. Each section includes guidelines for assessing the health care needs for affected populations, establishing priorities, allocating resources, and providing treatment. The comprehensive content is valuable for medical professionals as well as emergency managers and other responders who must confront the medical aspects of disaster response.
GAO Reports
U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) reports provide background information and insight into key issues and concerns of the U.S. Congress. The office frequently publishes studies regarding hazards and disaster policy. Some recent GAO reports and testimonies that might interest Observer readers are listed below. Summaries and full text are available on the web at http://www.gao.gov. Printed copies are also available. Single copies are free. Multiple copies are $2.00 each. To order, contact the U.S. General Accounting Office, 441 G Street, NW, Room LM, Washington, DC 20548; (202) 512-6000; TDD: (202) 512-2537.
Alaska Native Villages: Villages Affected by Flooding and Erosion Have Difficulty Qualifying for Federal Assistance. GAO-04-895T. 2004. 21 pp.
Federal Land Management: Additional Guidance on Community Involvement Could Enhance Effectiveness of Stewardship Contracting. GAO-04-652. 2004. 73 pp.
Wildland Fires: Forest Service and BLM Need Better Information and a Systematic Approach for Assessing the Risks of Environmental Effects. GAO-04-705. 2004. 88 pp.
Homeland Security: Communication Protocols and Risk Communication Principles Can Assist in Refining the Advisory System. GAO-04-682. 2004. 128 pp.
Homeland Security: Federal Leadership and Intergovernmental Cooperation Required to Achieve First Responder Interoperable Communications. GAO-04-740. 2004. 100 pp., GAO-04-963T. 2004. 26 pp.
Critical Infrastructure Protection: Improving Information Sharing with Infrastructure Sectors. GAO-04-780. 2004. 69 pp.
9/11 Commission Report: Reorganization, Transformation, and Information Sharing. GAO-04-1033T. 2004. 28 pp.