The EIIP Planning Team met via conference call on Friday, August 21, 1998, 12:00 Noon EDT.

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Avagene Moore, EIIP Coordinator.

Participants: Elizabeth Armstrong, Louise Comfort, Kevin Farrell, Chip Hines, Avagene Moore, and Claire Rubin participated; Amy Sebring came online to announce Corpus Christi is under tropical storm warning and duty called. David Butler and David Crews alerted the Planning Team that they were unavailable for the 8/21/98 conference call.

Amendments to the Agenda: None.

Overview - Highlights of the July 31, 1998 Planning Team meeting were sent to all and served as an overview of old business.

Quick Looks at:

• EIIP Virtual Forum 1st Anniversary Celebration: Participants unable to attend the 1st birthday party were urged to read the August 5 transcript. All totaled, close to 50 people tried to login to the celebration. The audience was global with attendees from the United Kingdom and Honolulu plus the keynote message from the IDNDR Director.
  
  
• Follow up with IDNDR: The IDNDR in Geneva is upgrading hardware and software with plans to participate in a special live Virtual Forum session on October 14 to celebrate World Disaster Reduction Day. We have devoted a page to the IDNDR Fall Campaign with a link from the Virtual Forum home page.
  
  
• OAS Virtual Conference: We have worked with Steve Bender, Organization of American States, for several months to assist with a virtual conference. The next conference call with the OAS staff is August 31 to ensure an effective conference.
  
  
• EIIP Online Hazmat Exercise for VFRE (11/05/98): Amy Sebring's brainchild for the EIIP live portion of the Fall VFRE is an online hazmat exercise experiment. Interested parties are meeting on Thursday nights to chat and plan the November 5 event.
  
  
• Other Contacts/Interests: The EIIP has been contacted in regard to a 'live from' session with World Aid '98 in Geneva in October; this is contingent upon their ability to connect with us. The EIIP has offered assistance to the Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI) in planning and conducting an early winter virtual conference.

Reports:

• Potential Funding/Status: Beth reported that we have not heard from PERI regarding our letter of inquiry for a possible grant. Additional letters of inquiry were sent to Lowe's Home Safety Council, Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office (CIAO) and the National Science Foundation. Claire asked about EIIP's relationship with EQIP and suggested we might benefit from NSF funding of earthquake interests through EQIP.
  
  
• Draft Budget: Avagene explained the three budget drafts submitted based on potential funding amounts --- $150K is the minimum needed for 1999; however, to handle growth of Partners and expansion of the Virtual Forum, $200K+ is a more desirable funding goal. Chip explained the FEMA paperwork is complete but there is a possibility of budget cuts.
  
  
• Other: Louise is sending Avagene a possible corporate funding source with contact information. There was some discussion about funding amounts to accommodate size of business or organization. Louise also shared how the University Consortium is funded through subscriptions by various organization and the mutual benefits of a shared data base.

Remainder of Fiscal Year:

• Tentative Planning Team Meeting: Date and Location - Meeting in conjunction with the IAEM Conference was briefly discussed; however, participants felt it may be better to schedule a meeting at IAEM Headquarters in Falls Church since several of Planning Team members live and work in the DC area. Beth agreed to host a meeting if that is the decision of the group. Avagene will check with the entire team to determine best time and location. If the group decides to meet in Falls Church, October was thought to be the best month for the meeting.
  
  

• Utilization of Group Systems Software: Chip is now responsible for the Group Systems Software utilization. (Vernon Adler has been reassigned to another FEMA Directorate.) He is just starting to learn about the decision making features and will get back with the Planning Team as soon as he can to determine how and when the group can try the software capabilities as a possible tool for the future.
  

• Other: Avagene expressed satisfaction at this year's growth and implementation of much of the '98 EIIP Strategic Plan. Outreach and Education are two areas with room for expansion; these areas will be addressed in the '99 Strategic Plan. Due to the need for additional funding, new funding sources and a long-range business model, a one-year agreement with IAEM is prudent at this time.

Assignments

• Highlights of the meeting will be sent to Planning Team members and posted on the Virtual Forum web site.
  
  
• Avagene will send an email to the Planning Team about a physical brainstorming meeting to determine how many can attend and when and where.
  
  
• Chip will keep the Team appraised of his progress with the Group Systems Software and steps for learning and using the software for Planning Team purposes.
  
  
• Louise will forward Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) contact information to Avagene as agreed.
  
  
• At a tentative physical meeting (as discussed) or in some other manner, the Planning Team will pursue discussion of business model for the EIIP to establish long range planning and funding goals..

Date for September meeting was not set; Avagene will send email with options for best meeting time for everyone's input.

The 8/21/98 Planning Team adjourned at 12:58 PM EDT.