Emergency Information
Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP)
Virtual Forum
Contact:
Avagene Moore, CEM
EIIP Coordinator
International Association of
Emergency Managers (IAEM)
1017 Hayes Road
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464–4007
Tel: 931–762–4768
Fax: 931–762–7539
E-mail: amoore@emforum.org

Elizabeth B. Armstrong, CAE
Executive Director
International Association of
Emergency Managers (IAEM)
111 Park Place
Falls Church, VA 22046–4513
Tel: 703–538–1795
Fax: 703–241–5603
E-mail: ebarm@aol.com

Program Type:
Web site.

Target Population:
All persons involved in or
interested in emergency manage-ment and related disciplines.

Setting:
World Wide Web
(http://www.emforum.org).

Project Startup Date:
1997.

 Program Description:
The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) produces the Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP), a collaboration of organizations and individuals involved in emergency management, that has developed a World Wide Web site to provide a forum for information exchange among members of the emergency management community. The EIIP Virtual Forum fosters partnerships and interactive dialog through online sessions with experts in the emergency management field, live chat rooms, discussion groups, and e-mail lists. Online sessions take place 3 days each week, and access to discussion groups, mail lists, and chat capability is available 24 hours a day. Virtual Forum resources include a monthly online news-letter, meeting transcripts, and online versions of slide presentations, survey results, and information on EIIP activities. The Virtual Forum also provides a partner room that can be reserved for partner meetings and discussions. The EIIP Virtual Forum is truly global in scope, with members and participants from around the world. The Virtual Forum recently hosted two live partner chats from Puerto Rico; plans for a virtual conference with the Organization of American States are ongoing, as well as a special online discussion with global participants in Vienna this fall.

The Virtual Forum’s founding partners are the Congressional Fire Service Institute (CFSI), FEMA, International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM, formerly NCCEM), the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), and the State and Local Emergency Management Data Users Groups (SALEMDUG). More than 80 formal partners now provide input into the partnership and the Web site.

Evaluation Information:
The success of the Virtual Forum is demonstrated by continuing growth in the number of formal partners in the EIIP and participants in the various interactive features of the Virtual Forum. The site is noted for its easy access and intuitive features using leading edge technology. Thus far, no presenter who has been asked to participate has turned down the opportunity. In its first year, more than 100 emergency professionals presented valuable sessions in the Virtual Forum.

Annual Budget:
$100,000, with at least an equal amount of in-kind support.