Natural Hazards Observer
| March 2005 | Volume XXIX | Number 4 |
Below are the most recent conference announcements received by the Natural Hazards Center. A comprehensive list of hazards/disaster meetings is posted on our web site: http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/conf.html.
2005 Severe Storms and Doppler Radar Conference. Sponsor: Central Iowa Chapter of the National Weather Association (NWA). Des Moines, Iowa: March 31-April 2, 2005. Sessions at this conference include a radar meteorology workshop, tornado video presentations, and discussions about tornado events and forecasting, severe thunderstorms, winter storms, and hurricanes and hurricane-spawned tornadoes. For more information, contact the Central Iowa Chapter-NWA, PO Box 7512, Urbandale, IA 50323; e-mail: iowanwa@everythingweather.com; http://www.iowa-nwa.com/.
IDRA 15th Annual Conference and Trade Show. Sponsor: International Disaster Recovery Association (IDRA). Baltimore, Maryland: April 3-6, 2005. This conference focuses on the telecommunication aspects of contingency planning, homeland security, infrastructure and network protection, emergency management, business continuation and disaster avoidance, and mitigation and recovery. For more information, contact the IDRA; (508) 845-6000; http://www.idra.com/.
Water Law, Science, and Policy Conference. Host: University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. Lincoln, Nebraska: April 7-8, 2005. Sessions for this conference, “Water Management and Policy in the Great Plains: Implications of Drought and Climate Change,” include “Climate Change and Drought in Western North America,” “Decision Making Under Uncertainty: Water Management and Policy Instruments to Mitigate Drought and Climate Change,” and “Translating Science into Policy and to the Public.” For more information, contact Steve Ress, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Water Center/School of Natural Resources, 103 Natural Resources Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583; (402) 472-3305; e-mail: sress1@unl.edu; http://snr.unl.edu/waterconference/.
Development and Management of Exercises to Test Emergency Plans Seminar. Sponsor: The Institute of Civil Defence and Disaster Studies. Coventry, United Kingdom: April 14, 2005. This seminar will focus on the themes of exercise development and design, use of computer generated scenarios, and managing the aftermath of a regional exercise. For more information, contact Mandy Tipple, Coventry Centre for Disaster Management, School of Science and the Environment, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK; +44 2476 887871; e-mail: A.Tipple@coventry.ac.uk; http://www.icdds.org/.
AIRMASS 2005. Host: Wichita Chapter of the American Meteorological Society/National Weather Association. Wichita, Kansas: April 14-15, 2005. The aim of this conference is to foster the sharing of new tools, techniques, and technologies related to forecasting, warning, and response to hazardous weather conditions that affect the central United States. Such conditions include severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, winter storms, and aviation hazards. For more information, contact Brad Ketcham, National Weather Service, 2142 South Tyler Road, Wichita, KS 67209; e-mail: Brad.Ketcham@noaa.gov; http://www.wichita-amsnwa.org/index.php?display=conference.
First Regional Training Course on Skills for Effective Trainers. Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center. Bangkok, Thailand: April 18-29, 2005. This course is designed to enable participants, specifically those working in research, teaching, management, development, and donor organizations, to effectively develop, present, and manage training programs. For more information, contact the Training and Education Division, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; e-mail: tedadpc@adpc.net; http://www.adpc.net/training/SET1-brochure.pdf.
2005 Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference. Organizers: Washington State Emergency Management Division, Seattle Chapter of the American Red Cross. Bellevue, Washington: April 19-20, 2005. This regional emergency preparedness conference in the Pacific Northwest is designed for emergency management and continuity professionals from business and industry, government, schools, and nonprofit volunteer organizations. Discussions will include crisis communications, the threat of terrorism, infrastructure resiliency, large-scale computer attacks, and virtual joint information centers. For more information, contact Washington State University Conferences and Professional Programs, PO Box 645222, Pullman, WA 99164; (509) 335-3530, (800) 942-4978; e-mail: wsuconf@wsu.edu; http://capps.wsu.edu/emergencyprep/.
Third Annual Medical Reserve Corps National Leadership Conference. Sponsor: Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). San Francisco, California: April 20-22, 2005. All MRC community leaders are invited to participate in this networking and knowledge-sharing conference to share promising practices, ideas, and strategies. For more information, visit http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/index.cfm?MRCaction=Home.NationalConference2005.
Fire-Rescue Med 2005. Organizer: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). Las Vegas, Nevada: April 20-22, 2005. Designed to address the essential issues facing the emergency medical services industry today, this conference aims to sharpen leadership skills, tackle system challenges, and provide networking opportunities. Attendees will include EMS chiefs/directors, EMS providers, fire chiefs/commissioners, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, emergency managers, company-level officers, public heath professionals, and EMS physicians. Preconference sessions are scheduled for April 18 and 19. For more information, contact the IAFC, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033; (703) 273-0911; http://www.iafc.org/conferences/frm/.
Wildland Fire Safety Summit (2005): Human Factors Ten Years Later. Sponsor: International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF). Missoula, Montana: April 25-28, 2005. This summit will focus on the role of human factors in wildland firefighter safety. Attendees will review the impacts of the 1994 Human Factors Workshop and develop recommendations for the future. Presentations will cover the culture of wildland firefighting, the role of leadership in wildland firefighting, the physiological and sociological aspects of wildland firefighting, new tools and technology for wildland firefighting, and more. For more information, contact the IAWF Safety Summit, University of Montana, Continuing Education-EMP, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812; (406) 243-2979; http://www.iawfonline.org/summit/.
Working Together: Research and Development Partnerships in Homeland Security. Sponsor: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate. Boston, Massachusetts: April 27-28, 2005. This conference will focus on state-of-the-art research and development to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover from high-consequence chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosives, and cyberterrorism events. It aims to encourage research and development partnerships among scientists and engineers from government, national laboratories, universities and research institutes, and private sector firms. For more information, visit http://www.homelandsecurityresearchconference.org/.
Seismological Society of America Annual Meeting. Host: Nevada Seismological Laboratory. Incline Village, Nevada: April 27-29, 2005. Among the topics to be explored at this conference are earthquake source physics, the seismic hazard of the Great Basin, predicting ground motions, promoting public earthquake safety, advances in signal processing methods for seismic data analysis, and the September 28, 2004, Parkfield earthquake. Field trips are planned for April 29 and 30. For more information, contact John G. Anderson, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557; (775) 784-4265; e-mail: jga@seismo.unr.edu; http://quake.seismo.unr.edu/ssa2005/.
4th UCLA Conference on Public Health and Disasters. Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Public Health and Disasters. Woodland Hills, California: May 1-4, 2005. This multidisciplinary conference brings together academicians, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers from public health, mental health, community disaster preparedness and response, social sciences, government, media, and nongovernmental organizations in a forum that promotes a dialogue and exchange of ideas for improving public health emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. For more information, contact Andrea Core, UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters, 1145 Gayley Avenue, Suite 304, Los Angeles, CA 90024; (310) 794-0864; e-mail: acore@ucla.edu; http://www.cphd.ucla.edu/conf2005.html.
The Salvation Army North American Disaster Training Conference. Organizer: The Salvation Army. Orlando, Florida: May 8-12, 2005. This conference, the largest Salvation Army event dedicated exclusively to emergency disaster services, offers delegates opportunities to participate in certified disaster training programs and discuss key issues in emergency preparedness and response. The 2005 conference will introduce The Salvation Army’s new National Disaster Training Program and conference delegates will be among the first Salvation Army disaster workers to be certified under the new training standards. For more information, contact The Salvation Army, 2005 North American Disaster Training Conference, 1424 Northeast Expressway, Atlanta, GA 30329; http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/.
14th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Management. Sponsor: World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine. Edinburgh, Scotland: May 10-16, 2005. More than 1,000 delegates from around the world are expected to attend this congress to exchange ideas and discuss advances in disaster and emergency medicine. Topics include civilian/military collaboration in disaster medicine and relief, children in disasters, politics and disaster, and rural emergency medical services. A mass-gathering emergency exercise will immediately precede the congress. For more information, contact Concorde Services, 4B 50 Speirs Wharf, Port Dundas, Glasgow G4 9TB Scotland, UK: +44 141 331 0123; e-mail: info@wcdem2005.org; http://www.wcdem2005.org/.
Risk Communication Challenge: Proven Strategies for Effective Risk Communication. Sponsor: Harvard School of Public Health: Center for Continuing Professional Education, Center for Risk Analysis. Boston, Massachusetts: May 11–13, 2005. Using formal lectures and case-method teaching, this program will teach participants how to effectively communicate about risk. Subject matter will include risk perception, the news media and risk, mental models, and application of techniques. The course is designed for professionals in business, industry, law, advocacy or citizens’ organizations that deal with risk issues, and government officials who make and/or communicate about risk management policy. For more information, contact the Harvard School of Public Health Center for Continuing Professional Education, CCPE–Department A, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115; (617) 384-8692; e-mail: contedu@hsph.harvard.edu; http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ccpe/programs/RCC.shtml.
World Water and Environmental Resources Congress. Organizer: The Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Anchorage, Alaska: May 15-19, 2005. One of the largest gatherings of environmental and water resource professionals, this congress will feature technical paper presentations, plenary sessions, panel discussions, local tours, and an exhibit hall. Discussions will include global climate change and its environmental and water impacts and a wide variety of other environmental and water resources issues. For more information, contact the ASCE, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA, 20191; (703) 295-6300, (800) 548-2723; e-mail: conferences@asce.org; http://www.asce.org/conferences/ewri2005/.
Continuity Insights Management Conference 2005. Sponsor: Continuity Insights Magazine. New Orleans, Louisiana: May 16-18, 2005. In this conference the discussion of continuity strategies will take center stage. Plenary sessions will focus on leadership, enterprise-wide planning, security, and more and will be complemented by numerous breakout sessions, workshops, and special events. For more information, contact Expo Trac, PO Box 1280, Woonsocket, RI 02895; (401) 766-4142; http://www.ContinuityInsights.com/.
SismoAdobe2005: International Seminar on Architecture, Construction, and Conservation of Earthen Buildings in Seismic Areas. Organizers: Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), Proterra, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Getty Conservation Institute. Lima, Peru: May 16-19, 2005. This seminar for architects, civil engineers, restoration experts, researchers, educators, construction technicians, public administrators, and architecture and engineering students will bring together specialists from around the world to discuss the state of the art in architecture, construction, and conservation of earthen buildings and historical monuments in seismic areas. For more information, contact Nicola Tarque, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Departamento de Ingeniería, Avenida Universitaria, Cuadra 18, San Miguel, Lima 32, Perú; (511 1) 626 2000 x4614; e-mail: tarque.sn@pucp.edu.pe; http://www.pucp.edu.pe/eventos/SismoAdobe2005/.
First Regional Training Course on Exercise Management. Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center. Bangkok, Thailand: May 16-20, 2005. The purpose of this course is to provide emergency and disaster management organizations with tools and a process to evaluate the status and validity of their plans, organizational relationships, capabilities, and strategies in managing emergencies and disasters. For more information, contact the Training and Education Division, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand; e-mail: tedadpc@adpc.net; http://www.adpc.net/training/SET1-brochure.pdf.
1st Alexander von Humboldt International Conference on the El Niño Phenomenon and Its Global Impact. Sponsors: European Geosciences Union (EGU), International Research Center on El Niño. Guayaquil, Ecuador: May 16-20, 2005. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) will be the focal point of this conference. Topics will include ENSO in history, recent major El Niño events and their impacts, ENSO prediction, El Niño and global warming, and socioeconomics. For more information, contact the EGU Office, c/o Alexander von Humboldt, Max-Planck-Strasse 13, D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany; +49 (5556) 1440; e-mail: egu@copernicus.org; http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/topconf/avh1/.
6th National Hydrologic Warning Council Conference and Exposition. Sponsors: ALERT Users Group, Southwestern Association of ALERT Systems, ALERT-Flows East Coast Users Group. Sacramento, California: May 17-20, 2005. The largest conference in the United States devoted specifically to flood warning systems, technologies, and preparedness, this event will provide up-to-date information on preparing communities for flood events. Specifically, it will offer a wide range of technical sessions and workshops; provide information on the support provided by federal and state agencies and research institutions for local flood warning programs; provide an opportunity to see the latest flood warning equipment, products, and services; and provide a forum for networking. For more information, visit http://www.udfcd.org/Nhwc/ or http://www.alertsystems.org/.
Contingency Planning and Management (CPM) 2005 West. Sponsor: CPM Group. Las Vegas, Nevada: May 24-26, 2005. This conference is an educational event dedicated to professionals charged with business continuity/continuity of operations planning, emergency management, and security. The program features over 70 technical sessions, special workshops, a disaster simulation, and preconference training certifications. For more information, contact CPM 2005 West, 20 Commerce Street, Flemington, NJ 08822; (908) 788-0343 x132; e-mail: CPM2005@WitterPublishing.com; http://www.contingencyplanningExpo.com/.
2005 National Flood Conference: Tides of Change; Reforming the NFIP. Host: Federal Emergency Management Agency. Marco Island, Florida: May 31-June 3, 2005. This conference is intended for anyone involved in the National Flood Insurance Program. For more information, contact Catherine King, 2005 National Flood Conference, 7700 Hubble Drive, Lanham, MD 20706; (301) 918-1439; e-mail: CatherineR.King@associates.dhs.gov; http://www.fema.gov/nfip/2005conf.shtm.
NFPA World Safety Conference and Exposition. Sponsor: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Las Vegas, Nevada: June 6-10, 2005. The feature presentation at this conference will be the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s findings on the World Trade Center fire and collapse. In addition, more than 140 education sessions will be offered in areas such as building and life safety, business management, codes and standards, detection and suppression, disaster management/ business continuity, fire and emergency response, public education, and research. For more information, contact NFPA Registration, c/o Exgenex Inc., 437 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021; (888) 397-6209; http://www.nfpa.org/.
ASFPM 2005 Annual Conference. Organizer: Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM). Madison, Wisconsin: June 11-17, 2005. Planners, engineers, consultants, watershed managers, educators, and others will gather with government officials at this annual floodplain management conference. Over 150 industry experts will conduct sessions, sharing state-of-the-art techniques, programs, resources, materials, equipment, accessories, and services related to flood mitigation, watershed management, and other community goals. For more information, contact the ASFPM, 2809 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53713; (608) 274-0123; e-mail: memberhelp@floods.org; http://www.floods.org/Conferences,%20Calendar/madison.asp.
AOGS 2005. Host: Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS). Singapore: June 20-24, 2005. AOGS 2005 will provide a forum for sharing, debate, and professional networking. Just as the American Geophysical Union and European Geosciences Union conferences serve the North American and European geosciences communities, AOGS 2005 will serve the Asia/Oceania region. It aims to bring together scientists from around the world to develop partnerships and share accumulated knowledge and experience. For more information, contact Cheng-Hoon Khoo, AOGS, Secretariat Office, Meeting Matters International, 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224; +65 6466 5775; e-mail: kch@meetmatt.net; http://www.asiaoceania-conference.org/.
22nd International Tsunami Symposium. Host: Institute of Geodynamics, National Observatory of Athens. Chania, Greece: June 27-29, 2005. The program of this symposium will include all aspects of tsunami science and technology, such as physics, statistics, engineering, hazards and risk assessment, numerical simulations, geological studies, instrumental warning systems, disaster prevention and mitigation, and public awareness and education. Three special sessions are also scheduled: “Tsunamis in the Mediterranean and European Seas,” “Tsunami Technology and Society,” and “The Indian Ocean Big Earthquake and Tsunami of 26 December 2004.” Papers and abstracts are due May 10, 2005. For more information, visit http://www.gein.noa.gr/English/tsunamis.htm.
The 15th World Conference on Disaster Management (WCDM): The Changing Face of Disaster Management; Defining the New Normal. Sponsor: The Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness. Toronto, Canada: July 10-13, 2005. The WCDM addresses issues common to all aspects of disaster/emergency management. The program includes speakers from many parts of the world and provides opportunities for training and networking for those in emergency planning/ management, emergency response, disaster management research, business continuity, risk management, security, information technology, human resources, and environmental services, as well as for the organizations that supply and service these professions. A major goal is to offer a program that challenges delegates by examining traditional concepts and methods and provides new ideas and approaches to problem solving and both leading-edge and topical presentations. For more information, contact Adrian Gordon; e-mail: agordon@ccep.ca; http://www.wcdm.org/.
International Conference on Energy, Environment, and Disasters: Bridging the Gaps for Global Sustainable Development. Sponsor: Global Institute for Energy and Environmental Systems (GIEES) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte, North Carolina: July 24-30, 2005. This conference, organized by the International Society of Environmental Geotechnology, the Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, and UNESCO, is expected to draw more than 800 researchers, corporate officials, policy makers, teachers, and students from around the world. Discussions will focus on advancing global sustainable development through efficient/effective programs, research, and policy in the areas of energy, environment, and disasters. Abstracts are due March 30, 2005. For more information, contact Erin LaBarge, c/o GIEES, CARC–Room 238, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223; (704) 687-2182; e-mail: giees@email.uncc.edu; http://www.iseg.giees.uncc.edu/inceed2005/.
Fire-Rescue International 2005. Sponsor: International Association of Fire Chiefs. Denver, Colorado: August 11-13, 2005. This year’s program is structured to meet the needs of every fire service leader, from the up and coming company officer to the seasoned chief. The workshops will cover some of the toughest challenges fire service leaders face, including firefighter health and safety, the fire chief’s role in homeland security, violence at fire and emergency scenes, and evaluating visible smoke and fire conditions. For more information, contact the IAFC, 4025 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033; (703) 273-0911; http://www.iafc.org/conferences/fri/.
APCO International’s 71st Annual Conference and Exposition. Organizer: Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO). Denver, Colorado: August 21-25, 2005. This event is designed for decision makers in the area of public safety communications and will feature an educational forum, including the most current and cutting-edge presentations on homeland security and public safety communications technology. For more information, contact APCO, 351 North Williamson Boulevard, Daytona Beach, FL 32114; (386) 322-2500, (888) 272-6911; e-mail: apco@apco911.org; http://www.attendancemarketing.com/MS/MS11/page.php.
Third International Conference on River Basin Management, Including All Aspects of Hydrology, Ecology, Environmental Management, Flood Plains, and Wetlands. Organizer: Wessex Institute of Technology. Bologna, Italy: September 6-8, 2005. The purpose of this conference is to bring together practicing engineers, environmental managers, and academics to discuss recent advances in the management of riverine systems, including advances in hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, environmental protection, and flood forecasting. For more information, contact Rachel Green, Wessex Institute of Technology, Ashurst Lodge, Ashurst, Southampton SO407AA, UK; +44 238 029 3223; e-mail: rgreen@wessex.ac.uk; http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2005/rm05/.
The Sixth Asia-Pacific Conference on Wind Engineering (APCWE-VI). Organizers: Wind Engineering Institute of Korea, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Seoul, Korea: September 12-14, 2005. The APCWE conferences are held every four years as the regional conference of the International Association of Wind Engineering. The main objective of the conference is to exchange wind engineering information among scientists and engineers from around the world. This year the conference will focus on “Emerging Technologies in Wind Engineering.” For more information, contact Secretariat, APCWE VI, c/o TP Conference Consultants, PO Box 33, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600, Korea; +82 42 869 8451; e-mail: apcwe@bomun.kaist.ac.kr; http://apcwe-vi.kaist.ac.kr/apcwemain.htm.
IABSE Symposium: Structures and Extreme Events. Sponsor: International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE). Lisbon, Portugal: September 14-16, 2005. Notwithstanding the remarkable progress in the last decades regarding the development of structural codes and methods of analysis, it is still difficult to respond appropriately to extreme events, which today remain a last frontier in structural engineering. This conference will stimulate structural engineers to give more thought to such problems and provide information and guidance on how to deal with them. For more information, contact IABSE Lisbon 2005, Organizing Committee, c/o LNEC, Av. Brasil, 101, P-1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal; +351 21 844 3260; e-mail: iabse.lisbon2005@lnec.pt; http://www.iabse.ethz.ch/conferences/lisbon2005/.
The 15th Mexican National Conference on Earthquake Engineering. Sponsor: The Mexican Society for Earthquake Engineering. Mexico City, Mexico: September 16-19, 2005. “Mexican Earthquake Engineering 20 years after the September 19, 1985 Earthquake: What Have We Accomplished?” is the theme of this conference, which is designed for anyone interested in earthquake engineering research, teaching, design, and construction. It will bring together professionals from multiple disciplines committed to reducing the impact of earthquakes on the built and natural environment, including geology, seismology, geophysics, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, architecture, emergency response planning, and regulation. For more information, contact María Antonieta Rico-López, Sociedad Mexicana de Ingeniería Sísmica, A.C., Camino Sta. Teresa No 187, Local 9, Col. Parques del Pedregal, Delegación Tlalpan, 14020 México, D.F., México; +(52 55) 5606 1314; e-mail: smis@data.net.mx; http://www.smis.org.mx/. To access information in English, click on “Eventos próximos,” “XV Congreso Nacional de Ingeniería Sísmica.”
Kuwait First Remote Sensing Conference and Exhibition. Kuwait: September 26-28, 2005. This conference is an opportunity for scientists, engineers, professionals, program managers, experts, and policy makers from the Middle East and North Africa to explore the trends and achievements in remote sensing, exchange ideas, and present and discuss recent developments and applications. The conference is designed to meet the scientific, technical, and business needs of the remote sensing community. Abstracts are due June 30, 2005. For more information, contact Promedia International; e-mail: info@promedia-international; http://www.kuwaitremotesensing.com/.
NFPA 1600 Workshops
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is offering a series of two-day workshops on NFPA 1600: Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Continuity Programs throughout the United States to help employers in the private and public sectors prepare disaster plans. Sponsored in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Public Sector Office and New York University’s International Center for Enterprise Preparedness, the workshops are designed for developing new emergency management and business continuity programs and assessing and enhancing existing ones for potential hazards like hurricanes, tornadoes, utility or technology emergencies, workplace violence, and terrorism. Sessions address evacuation, adequate communications capabilities, and continuity of operations.
For more information, including a list of dates and locations and a link to register online, visit http://www.nfpa.org/ and click on “Learning/Professional Development/NFPA Seminars” or call (800) 344-3555.