Published: July 1, 1997

A Grand Forks, N.D., City Council member will describe the impact of this year's devastating flood during a workshop on natural disasters to convene July 14-16 in downtown Denver.

Councilman Eliot Glassheim will give the keynote address at the event sponsored by the Natural Hazards Center of the University of Colorado at Boulder on July 14 at 9:30 a.m. The Red River flooded 80 percent of Grand Forks this spring and forced the evacuation of nearly all residents.

The 22nd annual CU-Boulder workshop on natural hazards issues will be held at the Executive Tower Hotel, 1405 Curtis St. News media are welcome to attend.

In other conference highlights, Professor Dennis Mileti, director of the CU-Boulder Natural Hazards Center and chair of the sociology department, will present the initial draft of a three-year study for the National Science Foundation aimed at setting the research agenda in the field over the next 20 years. A distinguished panel will offer reactions to the draft from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on July 15.

The role of the insurance industry in dealing with natural hazards, including industry concerns about the threat of insolvency, will be discussed by a panel from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on July 15.

The workshop will attract about 300 people involved in natural hazards issues from the United States and several other countries.

For a complete schedule of events or more information, call Peter Caughey in the Office of Public Relations at (303) 492-4007.