Natural Hazards Observer
| January 2006 | Volume XXX | Number 3 |
Below are new or updated Internet resources that the Natural Hazards Center staff have found informative and useful. For a more complete list, visit www.colorado.edu/hazards/resources/sites.html.
All Hazards • Earthquakes • Hurricanes • Tsunamis •
Floods and Flood Insurance • Weather • Fire • Health
All Hazards
http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/disasters/
Disasters, a special online report series from the National Science Foundation (NSF) highlights some of the disaster research supported by NSF. The first two parts of the series are “Understanding Disasters” and “Preparing for the Worst.”
http://www.unisdr.org/eng/about_isdr/basic_docs/SG-report/SG-report-60-180-eng.pdf
This report to the United Nations secretary-general provides an overview of the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the follow-up to the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in January in Kobe, Japan.
http://www.avma.org/disaster/
The Web site of the American Veterinary Medical Association provides educational materials to assist veterinarians, animal owners, and others interested in the well-being of animals in preparing for animal safety in the event of a disaster.
http://www.benfieldhrc.org/disaster_studies/rea/rea_index.htm
The Benfield Hazard Research Center’s rapid environmental assessment in disaster response Web page has been substantially updated and expanded. Visit the site for an updated training schedule, background papers, resources, and links to other information about environment and disasters.
http://www.georgetown.edu/sfs/programs/isim/Publications/GrantReports/Disaster%20Management%20and%20Response.pdf
Disaster Management and Response: Capacity Building for Developing Country Institutions by Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of International Migration is the result of a project to identify and assess the effectiveness of capacity-building activities related to natural and human-induced disasters in developing countries and determine gaps in such activities, areas in need of strengthening, and opportunities for improvement. Based on the assessments, this report recommends actions that could be undertaken to enhance capacity to manage disasters in the most effective manner possible.
http://www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca/res/em/cdd/index-en.asp
This database contains historical information on disasters that have directly affected Canadians, at home and abroad, over the past century. It includes references to all types of Canadian disasters, including those triggered by natural hazards, technological hazards, or conflict (not including war).
http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/hurricane/
The Rural Assistance Center helps rural communities and other rural stakeholders access the full range of available programs, funding, and research to enable them to provide quality health and human services. This site includes tools, funding, news, and more related to emergency preparedness and hurricane relief.
http://www.readycolorado.com/
“READYColorado” is a public awareness campaign supported by public and private partners concerned with raising awareness about the importance of disaster preparedness among Colorado citizens. The Web site includes tools, checklists, strategies, and information for preparing, responding, and recovering from natural and human-induced disasters.
http://www.envoyworldwide.com/pdf/PillarsWppr0805.pdf
“The Five Pillars of Emergency Communications Planning,” a white paper produced by EnvoyWorldwide, discusses best practices for planning communications to key parties in times of crisis.
Earthquakes
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2005/usdyae/
This preliminary report on the magnitude 7.6 earthquake in Pakistan on October 8 is available from the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center.
http://www.eeri.org/lfe/clearinghouse/kashmir/
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute has created this virtual clearinghouse to provide observations and resources for rebuilding as they relate to the October 8 South Asia earthquake.
http://www.who.int/hac/crises/international/pakistan_earthquake/en/
This World Health Organization Web site provides situation reports and other information on the countries affected by October’s South Asia earthquake.
Hurricanes
http://www.paho.org/english/dd/ped/ElSalvador-Floods1005.htm
This Web site of the Pan American Health Organization includes reports and photographs from the countries impacted by Hurricane Stan and the related floods and landslides.
http://www.cbo.gov/publications/collections/hurricanes.cfm
The Congressional Budget Office created this page for publications and other documents related to the macroeconomic and budgetary effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/wilma/
The U.S. Geological Survey Impact Studies for Hurricane Wilma are available here.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/fbci/katrinatoolkit/intro.cfm
This kit provides information about what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is doing to assist faith-based and community organizations involved in coordinating relief activities related to Hurricane Katrina. It also provides useful contact information for HUD and others directly assisting the public.
http://www.epa.gov/katrina/outreach/handouts.html
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created these flyers on potential environmental and health issues for residents returning home to communities affected by recent hurricanes.
http://www.epinet.org/briefingpapers/166/bp166.pdf
The Economic Policy Institute published this briefing paper titled “Lessons for Post-Katrina Reconstruction: A High-Road vs. Low-Road Recovery.”
http://www.nvoad.org/
The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster has compiled a guide containing information for individuals and families affected by Katrina and Rita. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Relief and Recovery Assistance Guide is available here and updated as new information becomes available.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5440a4.htm
The October 24, 2005, issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report features “Surveillance for Illness and Injury after Hurricane Katrina—New Orleans, Louisiana, September 8-25, 2005.”
http://www.brookings.edu/comm/katrina.htm
This Web page, Katrina: Disaster Preparedness and Response, includes research on such topics as homeland security, disaster preparedness, transportation and infrastructure, terrorism, and metropolitan readiness contributed by scholars of the Brookings Institute.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lix/Katrina_overview.html
The New Orleans/Baton Rouge Office of the National Weather Service has compiled this information related to Hurricane Katrina, including reports, maps, photos, and other products.
Tsunamis
http://www.who.int/hac/events/tsunamiconf/en/
Proceedings and outcomes from the World Health Organization Conference on the Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia held in Phuket, Thailand, in May 2005 can be found here.
Floods and Flood Insurance
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33126.pdf
This Congressional Research Service report, Disaster Response and Appointment of a Recovery Czar: The Executive Branch’s Response to the Flood of 1927, describes the flood of 1927 and assesses the federal government’s response.
http://www.coffi.org/pubs_flood_insurance.html
Two short publications on flood insurance, Federal Flood Insurance after Katrina and National Flood Insurance Program Summary, developed by the Center on Federal Financial Institutions are available here.
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33129_20051026.pdf
Flood Risk Management: Federal Role in Infrastructure by the Congressional Research Service discusses federal investment decisions on flood control infrastructure, such as levees, floodwalls, and dams and analyzes flood risk as a composite of flood threat, consequence, and vulnerability.
Weather
http://www.ofcm.gov/fp-fy06/fedplan.htm
The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research has released its federal plan for fiscal year 2006, articulating the provision of meteorological services and the support for meteorological and related research by agencies of the federal government.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=pah&storyid=134&source=
The preliminary damage assessment from the National Weather Service for the F3 tornado that struck the Evansville, Indiana, area on November 6 is available here.
Fire
http://fe.pennnet.com/about/links.cfm
This site by Fire Engineering magazine, allows searches for paid, volunteer, and mixed fire agencies by state throughout the United States by clicking on a map. It also links to various levels of information about each fire organization.
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/chiefs-corner/
“Chiefs’ Corner” on the U.S. Fire Administration Web site will showcase items of interest shared by fire prevention and fire safety individuals and will be used to spotlight new and innovative programs.
http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/fwf/fwf.htm
The Global Fire Monitoring Center serves as facilitator for the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Global Wildland Fire Network and maintains this Web site with information on global fire weather and climate forecasts as well as other materials on early warnings of wildland fire.
Health
http://www.istss.org/guilford.htm
Two chapters from a forthcoming book, Interventions Following Mass Violence and Disasters: Strategies for Mental Health Practice, offering guidelines for disaster mental health training and adult psychological first aid in immediate response to disaster, are available on the Web site of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.