The EIIP was busier than usual in May with three regularly scheduled online sessions each week and live chat capability and interaction expansion through special presentations and Partner Room use to meet specific organizational needs. Additionally, the Virtual Forum site is growing and expanding --- see opening page for new links to expedite access to the most popular and heavily trafficked sections of the Virtual Forum.

• EIIP Bus Tour in the Virtual Fire & Rescue Expo: The EIIP Presentation in the VFRE on May 3 was our first time to use the Bus Tour feature of the eShare Technologies software capability. As the audience arrived for the EIIP session, they were asked to join the moderated tour of the Virtual Forum. As the tour proceeded, the audience was carried through the various rooms and pages of the Virtual Forum while a few of our past presenters in the Virtual Forum shared their first-hand experiences as speakers in the first year of the Virtual Forum. The Bus Tour was a new experience for all in attendance --- very much in keeping with a number of firsts as the Virtual Forum has grown and expanded its features this year.
  
  
• Live! from Puerto Rico: The American Red Cross of Puerto Rico (ARC PR), one of our many Partners, requested two special online sessions in the Virtual Forum, May 15 and 16, to highlight disaster programs scheduled for Puerto Rico. Gilberto Guevara, ARC PR, EIIP Point of Contact, hosted a session about "Business and Industry Recovery After a Disaster" with Harvey Ryland, President of Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), as guest speaker. The other session overviewed the "Second Annual Disaster Convention" for the ARC PR disaster volunteers. Armond Mascelli, ARC National Headquarters, joined Gilberto online to discuss the upcoming hurricane season and air disaster planning and training.
  
  
• Partner Discussion Group established for STOs and ETOs: To fill a need expressed by State Training Officers (STOs) and Exercise Training Officers (ETOs), the EIIP Virtual Forum created a Partner Discussion Group with two sub-headings to accommodate this request. This enables state personnel to share ideas and network to enhance their respective areas of emergency management training. (See Discussion Groups link on Virtual Forum opening page.)
  
  
• Partner Room Available for Partner Meetings: The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM, formerly NCCEM) Board of Directors met in the Partner Room for the first time last month. They have established a standing meeting as result --- the fourth Wednesday of each month at 2 PM Eastern Time. IAEM's International Development Committee also met to conduct official committee business on May 28. Additionally, FEMA conducted a meeting with Canadian counterparts on May 19 in the Partner Room. The Partner Room only requires scheduling; access/chat instructions and a password will be given to share with persons who are to participate in the private meeting. Contact Avagene Moore (amoore@emforum.org) or call (931)762-4768 to take advantage of this service provided to Partners.
  
  
• Heads Up! EIIP Virtual Forum 1st Year Anniversary in August: The EIIP is planning a special event to celebrate the first year of the Virtual Forum. We will honor all our speakers this year --- at least 100 emergency professionals successfully met the challenge of online presentation and interaction! (See the Virtual Library Archives as testimony of their success and to catch up on presentations you may have missed. http://www.emforum.org/vlibrary/livechat.htm) Watch for the 1st Anniversary Celebration date and time --- plan to be there for this gala cyber-event.

Join us as we meet regularly three times each week in the Virtual Forum:

Tuesdays, 1:00 PM EDT - Informal Brown Bag / Help Desk session;
Wednesdays, 12:00 Noon EDT - Formal sessions with guest speakers (schedule below);
Thursdays, 8:00 PM EDT - Informal Round Table discussions led by Guest Host.

June 1998 - Wednesdays - 12:00 Noon EDT

June 3 - Elaine Enarson, PhD, Visiting Scholar, Disaster Preparedness Resources Centre, University of British Columbia, presents her paper, "Battered Women in Disaster: A Case Study of Gendered Vulnerability," in the Virtual Library.

June 10 - The Virtual Forum takes us to the Emergency Management Institute (EMI), Emmitsburg, MD, for a session "Live From" the Community and Family Preparedness Conference.

June 17 - The EIIP Panel Room presents the FEMA Region IV Tornado Summit with panelists John Copenhaver, FEMA Region IV Director and other leaders involved in the Tornado Summit.

June 24 - The Technology Arena hosts a demonstration of California OES RIMS Program by Troy Armstrong.

The following submitted the agreement form to become formal Partners and are listed on the EIIP Virtual Forum web site, with links to Websites if available. Each Point of Contact (POC) has been welcomed to the EIIP and encouraged to become an active participant and worker in the Partnership:

Boyd County Disaster and Emergency Services POC: Matthew K. Adkins, Deputy Director (bcdes@dragg.net)

Center of Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance POC: Jan Zastrow, Information Network Director (zastrowj@website.tamc.amedd.army.mil)

Harden Structures / Harden Shelters Incorporated POC: Brian V. Camden, President
(clxx10a@prodigy.com)

National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials (NASTTPO) POC: Lloyd W. Bokman (lbokman@dps.state.oh.us)

Salem Department of Fire and Emergency Services POC: Danny (Dan) Hall, Fire Chief/Emergency Services Coordinator (salem-va-fd@worldnet.att.net)

Sherman Dynamics & Security, Ltd. (SDSL) POC: Nahida C. Sherman, Vice President (ns@sdsltd.com)

Visual Information Support Center (VISC) POC: John Evans, Manager (visc@tn-ngnet.army.mil)

Words at Work POC: Sue Painter, B.S., M.Ed., President (painterwordsatwork@compuserve.com

Interested in joining the EIIP? New Partners are welcome; Partnership Criteria and Agreement Form may be found at the following URL: http://www.emforum.org/partners/criteria.htm

EIIP Logo Accessible to Partners

We continue to add new Partners to the EIIP. Part of the EIIP Memorandum of Agreement states that we will link to each other's web sites, if one exists. In response to a request of a new Partner for the EIIP logo, we have made the logo easily accessible and in an appropriate size for any of our Partners' use at: http://www.emforum.org/images/ic_forum.gif

International Year 2000 - Information Technology Virtual Conference

The Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP), Information Technology, General Services Administration (GSA), in cooperation with the Group of Seven (G7) Government On Line (GOL) program, is sponsoring an International Year 2000 (Y2K) - Information Technology Virtual Conference. The Conference will be located at the GSA International Year 2000 web site at: http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/mks/yr2000/intconf.htm with an anticipated availability date of mid-June, 1998.

The Virtual Conference is part of a continuing effort to promote awareness of critical Year 2000 issues and emphasize the significance of sharing problems, progress, and solutions within the International community. The conference will focus not only on internal Y2K issues that are common to individual Nations, but also those that may cross international boundaries. In addition, the conference also plans to have various countries contribute written updates or status reports on their respective Y2K compliance progress.

If you would like to participate as an author of a Y2K issue paper, status report, have other topics that should be considered, or have any other comments or questions, please send all correspondence to the Y2K Program Office, Office of Governmentwide Policy, attention Gary Winters at: y2k.gol@gsa.gov.

The International Conference "Global Problems as a Source of Emergencies" on disaster impacts in the 21st Century was held from 22-23 April in Moscow, Russian Federation. The Conference was organized by EMERCOM and was sponsored by the IDNDR. The participants discussed current trends in natural and other disasters and examined directions for the evolution of disaster impacts in future.

The newly established IDNDR National Committee of the Czech Republic, in cooperation with the IDNDR Secretariat, has organized a meeting of the IDNDR National Committees of the countries most affected by the floods in Central and Eastern Europe of 1997 (Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovak Republic, Hungary and Austria). The June 9-11, 1998 meeting will address subregional cooperation for flood prevention.

The IDNDR Secretariat took part in the working group meeting for the organization of the International Symposium on Integrated Systems for Flood Warnings and preparedness to be held in Krakow, Poland. The meeting is organized by the Institute for Meteorology and Water Management of Krakow and is sponsored by IDNDR, WMO, NOAA and other international organizations.

Discussions were held at the IDNDR Secretariat in Geneva in late March, with H.E. Mr. Vladimir Kholosha, Deputy Minister for Emergency Situations and the Protection of the Population against the Effects of the Chernobyl Catastrophe. The Minister was briefed about the objectives, structure and organizational set-up of IDNDR's concluding Programme Forum in July 1999, and its preparatory process.

The IDNDR Secretariat is also sponsoring the International Workshop "Disaster Planning, Relief and Protection of Cultural Heritage" to be held in Warsaw and Wroclaw, Poland, 18-22 September, 1998. The meeting was prompted by the impact that the floods of 1997 had on cultural heritage in Poland.

The Fifth Annual TIEMS (The International Emergency Management Society) held its meeting at The Geo. Washington University in Wash., D.C., from May 19-22. Almost 200 people were in attendance during that time. The audience was in fact an international one, with many visitors from Asian countries, Scandinavian countries and Russia. Also representatives of the World Bank and various international development organizations were there. Although TIEMS is somewhat of a fledgling organization, it seems to be growing nicely.

Copies of the papers presented were made available as a proceedings, upon arrival at the conference. Copies of the nearly 600 page volume will be available for order (for about $30) from GWU.

EIIP Partner and Planning Team member, Claire Rubin, made sure that EIIP literature was available as handouts during the conference -- all copies were taken!

http:www.ctr.osd.mil/main.htm
If you grew up in the 1950s, you probably remember "duck-and-cover" drills in school. The practice of ducking under a desk to mitigate the effects of a potential nuclear blast remains a core memory of childhood. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War all but ended nuclear brinkmanship --- and theoretically the need to "duck and cover" --- but many nukes are still poised on launch pads, especially in nations that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. That stockpile is gradually being reduced by the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program managed by the Defense Department. To learn more about this program, check out the web site above.

http://www.epa.gov/enviro/index_java.html
The EPA Envirofacts Warehouse offers a tool the public can use to get involved with local environmental issues. The site provides electronic maps that show the potential sources of pollution in neighborhoods, including sites that release airborne chemicals and those that discharge compounds into the water.

Three Sites Help Solve Y2K Problem

For the next one year and approximately seven months, anyone remotely connected to information technology probably will need to turn their browser to the new web site of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion (http://www.y2k.gov). The site is still under construction but is already packed with information about tackling the date-conversion problem. The site features two main categories: (1) for policy about forming the council, click on the "About the Council" section; (2) for real substance, click on "Y2K Information" to access categorized industries affected by the Millennium bug. The "Government" category features links to the Year 2000 Web pages for each state.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) has been working on various aspects of the Year 2000 problem over the past two years, particularly in the areas of testing and defining standards for testing Year 2000 features. The NIST web site (http://www.nist.gov/y2k/) includes updated versions of the "Date/time Test Assertions" document, the FINDDATE program, and a new product called GJDATES that provides reference data for checking the accuracy of date routines. Another new product, Unravel, is intended to help in the debugging process after conversion to Year 2000.

Another site relating to Y2K is particularly interesting because it is designed for the average citizen and his questions (http://www.pathfinder.com/money/y2k/index.html) about how Y2K may affect credit cards, banking, etc.

Organizational & Issue Updates from EIIP Partners

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)Update:

Emergency Education Network (EENET): June 1998

June 2 1:00-2:00 PM - Eastern Time: CLASSROOM CONNECTION - YOUR TIE TO EMI (Pilot) - This new series features EMI resident classroom instructors and is provided as material for State and local emergency management training programs. The pilot focuses on Humor for Personal and Professional Survival and will feature Dr. Juliann Martinez, educator, psychologist, and founder of "The Humor Connection". Dr. Martinez offers humor-based skills and strategies to improve communication and increase productivity.

June 11 2:00-4:00 PM - Eastern Time: PARTNERSHIPS - PRIVATE, PUBLIC AND FEDERAL - This program features several unique emergency management partnerships throughout the country, and provides a forum to learn from their experiences.

June 17 2:00-3:30 PM - Eastern Time: NATIONAL ALERT BROADCAST - FEMA's monthly Video Magazine on emergency management activities and issues.

June 30 1:00-2:00 PM - Eastern Time: CLASSROOM CONNECTION - YOUR TIE TO EMI --The second program in this new series featuring instructors from the EMI classroom.

For the most current listing of programs and satellite information, See the EENET web pageon the Internet at: http://www.fema.gov/emi/eenet.htm. In the near future, FEMA will also be adding a Feedback Page and building an internet mailing list. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may still contact the EENET Office at (800) 500-5164 or (301) 447-1068 to obtain updates, or to be added to the surface mailing list.

* * * *

International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM, formerly NCCEM) Update:

IAEM Board of Directors Secure Standing Date for Virtual Forum Partner Room - As the first Partner to use the Partner Room for a Board of Directors meeting on April 30, the IAEM leadership has reserved the private room each month on the fourth Wednesday, 2 PM Eastern time. According to Beth Armstrong, CAE, IAEM Executive Director, meeting online is cutting edge among organizations and associations around the world. Among the advantages says Armstrong, "Meeting in the Virtual Forum drives the IAEM leadership to learn new Net and technology skills; expedites the flow/order of business because preparation by all board or committee members is a must for effective online meetings; the Virtual Forum provides a verbatim transcript of the meeting which saves time and administrative support; and meeting online saves money." The IAEM Board plans to dedicate its July or August meeting to its ongoing commitment to the EIIP with emphasis on encouraging members to avail themselves of the Forum's features and timely topics. Of special note, IAEM's International Development Committee also met in the Partner Room on May 28.

* * * *

National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Update:

NEMA To Be Represented in NWS Emergency Management Advisory Group and NGB Working Group on Terrorism - The first meeting of the NGB Working Group on terrorism is scheduled for June 8 - 9, 1998 at the National Guard Training Center in Arlington, VA. Representing NEMA will be Bob Tarrant (MI) and George Foresman (VA). NEMA President-Elect Ellen Gordon (IA) will represent the Council of State Governments on the working group.

The National Weather Service is in the process of forming an emergency management advisory group. Both NEMA and IAEM have been invited to name representatives.

* * * *

The Congressional Fire Service Institute (CFSI) Update:

The American Fire Service: The Talk of the Town in D.C. - The Congressional Fire Service Institute hosted the Tenth Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner on April 30, at the Washington Hilton and Towers. Over 1,600 national fire service leaders attended the event to hear national political leaders pay tribute to the American Fire Service.

Celebrating 350th anniversary of the American Fire Service, the dinner was both festive and a learning experience for all who attended. This year's keynote speaker was Attorney General Janet Reno who spoke on the issue of communication needs for public safety officials and other challenges facing our domestic defenders. In addition, Brian Williams of NBC News entertained the crowd with his memories as a firefighter providing evidence in the form of his own helmet to skeptics in the audience that a television news anchor actually did enter burning buildings in his former life.

Demonstrating the altruistic nature of the fire service, Chief James Scholl of the Cranston Heights (DE) Fire Department, presented keys to a 1978 Mack to Chief Timothy Love of the Concord (AL) Fire Department. The Cranston Fire Department donated the engine to the Concord department following a tornado storm that destroyed two of Concord's stations and four pieces of apparatus.

Earlier in the day, Congressman Curt Weldon, founder of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, conducted a national press conference to discuss a new measure he has introduced that addresses the fire service's need for additional training and resources in the area of terrorism response. Joined by other members of Congress, Weldon targeted his message at his colleagues in Congress and the White House urging them to become more sensitive to the needs of the American Fire Service. A parade of 50 fire engines with sirens blaring preceded the media event, capturing the attention of members of Congress and tourists alike as the engines made their way around the Capitol building.

* * * *

National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue (NIUSR) Update:

NI/USR announces CONOPS for XII tm Xtreme Information Infrastructure - Today, we do not have a crisis information system which enables the nation to coordinate emergency response at multiple levels and provide inter-communication among many diverse participating agencies, both civil and military. XII tm will provide the Communications Architecture for such an interlinking system.

The Proof of Concept Demonstration in May at Hanscom AFB was the first in the three part development program for XII tm. Part one calls for establishing the Datum Point against which improved near-real time information exchange can be accomplished. It also includes the establishment of a Web based interlinking communications capability with levels of security for all parties. Part Two in August '98 at Hanscom will feature the XII tm Data Fusion Engine, providing enhanced near real-time information to the Decision Maker. During the July 99 Joint Warrior Interoperability Demonstration, XII will provide a model that integrates the military system with the civil sector for eventual migration to the field for information and data throughout the country.

In the event of a national emergency XII tm will provide a vital National capability which could link every response level from the Oval Office to the rural volunteer fire department. Unlike most large scale coordination and control projects, its goal is linkage among existing systems rather than replacement and imposition of another. This practical approach embodies three important assumptions. First, a truly national capability to merge cooperation and support is needed at every level. This needed cooperation and support will be forthcoming only if existing emergency response organizations are integrated into a larger capability. Second, we live in a time of breathtaking technological change. Nowhere is the pace faster than in the fields of communications and data transfer. Accordingly, XII tm must embody the capability to flexibly adjust its architecture and procedures as change occurs. Third, the system will only become reality and endure if it has the continuous backing of American citizens whose business IS emergency response. Therefore, the NIUSR will not only seek to create the system, but will continuously monitor its performance and support needed improvements for its future.

For Additional Information Contact:
National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue
PO Box 90909, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
Voice: 800-767-0093 FAX: 805-966-6178
e-mail : niusr@ix.netcom.com URL: http://niusr.org

* * * *

National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Update:

NVFC Announces Three Free Course Offerings - The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) announces three new course offerings due to an overwhelming number of requests to run the Volunteer Leadership in the 21st Century seminar. This two-day seminar has been developed by the NVFC and the IAFC's Volunteer Chief Officers Section (VCOS) to address the challenges facing the volunteer fire service as we move into the 21st century and is being offered in Baton Rouge, LA; Highland Heights, KY; and Emmitsburg MD. The course will explore retention and recruitment, marketing, leadership, management and more. The program is derived from four manuals offered by the U.S. fire Administration: Retention and Recruitment in the Volunteer Fire Service, EMS Retention and Recruitment, the Alternative Funding Guide and the Public Information Education Resource Manual.

As a special offering from the NVFC - all fees for these three seminars are WAIVED. The NVFC will cover the costs of the seminar and meals for both days. Participants will be responsible for travel and hotel/room accommodations. As part of this special offering, registered participants will also receive a complimentary Personal Membership with the National Volunteer Fire Council with all the benefits of membership for one full year. For More Information Contact: Tanja Spalinger at (202) 887-5700 or visit the NVFC site at http://www.nvfc.org.

* * * *

Natural Hazards Center - University of Colorado Update:

Position Announcement - The Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, is seeking a person to develop a plan for creating Disaster Recovery Assistance Teams (DRAT). The DRAT teams, comprised of experienced disaster professionals, would be deployed to communities affected by disasters to help community leaders determine their recovery options. Specifically, the person selected will be responsible for: establishing an advisory committee for the project; conducting a review of disaster recovery literature and compiling a bibliography and summary report on the literature; identifying and interviewing key informants who can advise the project about communities' needs following disasters; developing a database of disaster experts; organizing and conducting workshops; writing a plan for implementing the Disaster Recovery Assistance Team program; and preparing a manual to guide teams when they are working in the field.

Minimum qualifications include a Masters degree in a pertinent discipline; knowledge of disaster literature and recovery/reconstruction programs; excellent writing and communication skills; and ability to work independently and in a team setting. This is a one-year, three-quarter time position with the possibility of being extended. The salary is $36,000 plus benefits. Interested persons should submit a letter of application, resume, and contact information for three professional references, stating their relationship to the applicant, to the address below. Screening of applications will begin June 15, 1998, and continue until the position is filled.

Mary Fran Myers, Co-Director
Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center
Campus Box 482
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0482

* * * *

State of Utah Emergency Management Update:

UCEM Undertakes New Tasks - The State of Utah Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management (UCEM) is undertaking two major administrative tasks currently. UCEM is in the process of conducting CAR workshops in four regional locations in Utah with the goal of having all counties trained by the end of May and assessments completed by PPA submittal time. In the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP), UCEM is working with FEMA Region VIII officials to prepare a Utah CSEPP Project Management Plan using Microsoft Project 98 software to be used as both a CCA negotiating and tracking tool. If successful, the use of this tool should eliminate many of the misunderstandings that have occurred in the past between FEMA and the State of Utah.

* * * *

University of Richmond - School of Continuing Studies Update:

University of Richmond Offers New Courses and New Designation - This summer the University of Richmond's Emergency Services Management program is offering its ESM 303 Research Practicum course. The Research Practicum teaches students how to define problems and research solutions in an academic format. Each student will complete a paper for publication in an online academic journal. In the fall semester we come on-line with our first Internet delivery course ESM 301 Introduction to Emergency Services Management.

Additionally, The Emergency Services Management program will be sponsoring a new professional credential, Certified Crisis Operations Manager. The CCOM is designed for emergency management and business continuity professionals who staff emergency operations centers or command posts and focuses on management of the response phase of disasters. The day long, four part examination will be offered for the first time this fall. A study guide is available to help prepare for the test.

For additional information, contact Walter Green at (804) 371-3500 or e-mail
at n0psb@aol.com.

June 2-3, 1998: Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Programs (CBDPP)- Best Practices and Lessons Learned Workshop - Hosted by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL); sponsored by Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environment, Safety and Health and Chicago Operations Office. Visit the DOE EH CBDPP web site at http://tis-nt.eh.doe.gov/be/ or call Ed Patigalia (301)903-3972.

June 8-10, 1998: FGIPC's XVIII Management of Change Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Irvine, CA. The Countdown to the Year 2000 continues and so do the evolving issues and challenges. The Irvine conference will stress the intergovernmental aspects of electronic solutions. The issues? Digital Cities of the Future; Federal, State and Local Governments: the Ultimate Partnerships; New Technology Adoption: How Do You Introduce It?; and Year 2000: Closer Than You Think. For more information, visit the FGIPC web site at: http://www.fgipc.org or send email to: fgipc@fgipc.org.

June 22-24, 1998: IAEM Region IV & Alabama Emergency Management Council Annual Conference at Gulf State Park Resort Hotel, Beachside, Gulf Shores, Alabama. For hotel reservations call: 1(800)544-4853 or contact Jerry Wilson, CEM, IAEM Region IV President for further information at: frjdw@mail.charmeck.nc.us

June 24-26, 1998: Western United States Earthquake Insurance Summit, Sacramento, California - An opportunity for developing and fostering public-private partnerships that address the critical issues regarding disaster preparedness and personal safety. Over 200 representatives from the insurance, finance, public policy, emergency management, geoscience, and engineering communities will attend this conference. For more information call 415-974-6435. Or visit the on-line at http://www.wsspc.org

June 26-July 1, 1998: Disaster Forum '98: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Contact Dave Hodgins at: disaster@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca or visit the web site at: http://www.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/disaster.

July 20-23, 1998: Technology Partners for Emergency Management Workshop and Exhibition at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne IL. See web site at: http://www.fema.dis.anl.gov or call FEMA Workshop Information Line at 1 (800)752-6367.

July 22, 1998 or December 3, 1998: Improving Local Emergency Management Workshop at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides an opportunity for emergency managers in the public and private sectors; examine the elements of a simplified Integrated Emergency Management System (IEMS); take home your own action plan. Call 1(800)462-0876 or check web site at: http://epdwww.engr.wisc.edu/ or email at: custserv@epd.engr.wisc.edu

August 24-26, 1998: Making the Connection '98. The Colorado Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Association of Contingency Planners (ACP) presents 4th Annual ACP International Symposium, The Village at Breckenridge, a Wyndham Resort, Breckenridge, CO 1(800)800-STAY or contact Linda Hagg at by phone at: (303)768-4369.

September 9-10, 1998: The Internet Intranet-centric Government Enterprise Conference on the Advanced Information Technologies for Government Conference Series for Federal/State/Local Government Technologists; to register, call 1(800)949-3660.

September 9-11, 1998: EPA Radiological Post-Emergency Response Issues Conference in Washington D. C. For more information, send email to: EPAConference@scicomm.com

September 9-12, 1998: NEMA Annual Conference - Charleston, SC. For more information, contact Marcia Hensley (606)244-8162.

September 14-16, 1998: Disaster Recovery Journal (DRJ) Fall Conference in Orlando FL. For more information, please visit the web site at: http://www.drj.com.

September 22-25, 1998: California Emergency Services Association (CESA) State Conference in Clear Lake, CA. For more information, send email to Henry Renteria at: hrrenteria@aolcom.

October 3-7, 1998: IAP2 1998 - International Conference and Workshop on Public Participation at Tempe Mission Palms Resort in Tempe AZ. Register online at: http://www.pin.org/iap2.htm.

December 9-12, 1998: TechnoVentions '98 in Orlando FL and coordinated by University of Central Florida's College of Engineering and Division of Continuing Education. For more information, see web site at: http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~conted/techno.htm or send email to: conted@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu.

ORGANIC FOOD

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/980518/18orga.htm
Just what is "organic" food? Find out how it's defined and why chefs and grocers are selling more than ever. Discover where you can buy organic food and how much it costs. Find links to resources on organic products and grocery stores and restaurants that carry these foods.

INTERNET RECREATION

Late planning for summer vacation? Point your browser to http://www.recreation.gov for a site resulting from a National Partnership for Reinventing Government commitment of federal land management agencies to offer one-stop, electronic shopping for information about recreation on federal lands. This project will be complete by the year 2000 as a comprehensive, user-friendly resource to campers, bikers, fishermen and others.

We encourage readers to submit articles for this newsletter about use of the Internet for emergency management and other aspects of information technology. Deadline for contributions is the 20th of each month for that month's newsletter. Submit contributions to Ashley Streetman, (astreetman@emforum.org).