EMERGENCY PARTNER POSTINGS

Volume 3, No. 4

December 1998

Demonstrating Online Communications! The Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) demonstrated the use of Internet videoconferencing by transmitting two IAEM Conference sessions to a computer in the Cyber Café. Additionally, the EIIP is working with interested individuals to test various features of PC Video cameras and software. Please contact Amy Sebring (asebring@emforum.org) for further information about minimal system requirements, software, etc. if you would like to participate in future testing.

EIIP WEBEX Huge Success - The WEBEX online hazmat exercise on November 5 was successful beyond our dreams. At its peak, 77 people were online for the Virtual Fire & Rescue Expo 2 ½-hour event conducted by the EIIP. About 35 of that number were volunteer role players, exercise controllers and evaluators. As stated by Harold Wolgamott, Gonzales, California, "This exercise added to my experience and reinvigorated the desire to continue to train in disaster drilling community wide." The entire WEBEX page, complete with transcripts from all five rooms and background materials, is available for viewing via Quick Pick Link from the EIIP Virtual Forum home page.

EIIP Road Trip - The EIIP Virtual Forum was featured and highly visible at the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Conference in Norfolk , Virginia, November 7-11. Staff assisted Mike Bittle, IAEM's Webmaster, in running the Cyber Café. This enabled conference attendees to get hands-on experience with the Internet while quite a few new Partners were signed up and tutored in using the chat features of the Virtual Forum. Computer video cameras were also used to demonstrate the transmission of video images via the Net. A 'live' from session was also conducted from the conference. Outgoing IAEM President, Randall Duncan, was featured in the session since he was unable to attend the conference due to flood/severe weather disasters in his home jurisdiction.

EIIP Virtual Catalogue - Before the EIIP Virtual Forum adjourns for the holidays, we would like to assist our last minute Christmas shoppers by presenting an EIIP Virtual Christmas Catalogue during our chat session on December 16th. But we need your help.

Please send one suggestion for a Christmas or Hanukah gift to asebring@emforum.org . Gifts may be disaster related or not --- serious or not --- intended for a certain person or not --- tech-related or not. Please send suggestions, preferably with a related web address or digital image.

Join us on December 16th, 12:00 Noon EST, if you can make it, to 'see' the Virtual Catalogue, and perhaps a surprise visit from up North. Don't forget the milk and cookies!

Please Note:

• "Round Table", Tuesdays at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, is available for Partner led discussions upon request. Communicating online is predicted to be one of the top job skills in the 21st century --- you can learn by taking your turn at scheduling and moderating a session. We will help you through the process. Give it a try!
• "Mutual Aid" informal session, all topics -- Thursdays 8:00 PM ET.

December 1998 - Wednesdays - 12:00 Noon EDT

December 2: Walter G. Green, Director of Emergency Operations for the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services, and Assistant Professor of Emergency Services Management, School of Continuing Studies, University of Richmond, Virginia, will be our special guest in the Virtual Classroom to discuss the Emergency Management Degree Program offered by the University of Richmond.

December 9: Panelists from FEMA's Preparedness Directorate, including Kay Goss, CEM, Executive Associate Director, will discuss outreach on the Y2K issue to States and Locals through partners such as the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA).

December 16: Browse the EIIP Virtual Catalogue for last minute Christmas gifts suggested by Partners --- should be a fun time! (See EIIP Update above for more info.)

The Virtual Forum will have no sessions the last two weeks of December due to the holidays. The EIIP Virtual Forum wishes all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Prosperous New Year!!!

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 (see http://www.emforum.org/partners/partic.htm). Each Point of Contact (POC) has been welcomed to the EIIP and encouraged to become an active participant and worker in the Partnership:

Calhoun County (TX) Emergency Management: W. R. 'Billy' Zwerschke, CEM, Coordinator (billyzw@msn.com)

City of Houston (TX) Office of Emergency Management: Craig McDowell, Emergency Managment Coordinator (cmcdowell@ci.houston.tx.us)

Commonwealth Edison (COMED - Illinois): Terry G. Blackmon, CEM, State/Local Program Director (Terry.G.Blackmon@ucm.com)

Fair Lawn (NJ) Office of Emergency Management: Thomas Metzler, CEM, Director
(oemfairlwn@aol.com)

Lake County (IN) Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC): Dean Larson, USS
(dlarson@uss.com)

Polk County (IA) Emergency Management: Robert G. Goldhammer, CEM
(rggoldhamr@aol.com)

York County (ME) Emergency Management Agency: Laura F. Bohlmann
(ycema@waveinter.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

Share Your Perspective: Advance Notification of Radioactive Materials Shipments

The Urban Energy & Transportation Corporation (UETC) is seeking input on a research project about regulations and practices of different states in providing advance notification to local jurisdictions about shipments of radioactive materials, especially spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. So far, in surveying state agencies which get advance notice of shipments as required by federal law, findings indicate that some state officials routinely notify law enforcement and emergency responders in local communities along the routes --- others never provide the information, often citing security concerns.

UETC is trying to gather more information on local officials' perspectives and lessons learned regarding the advance notification issue. Have you encountered this issue in planning for or dealing with spent fuel or high-level waste shipments? Has the issue come up in dealings with state or federal officials, and if so, what was your experience? If your received advance notice of shipments, how have you used the information?

Please send your stories, lessons learned, related resources or follow-up questions to Alex Thrower, UETC (at_uetc@earthlink.net). (From Energy & Transportation Network News, Fall 1998, Vol. VIII, No. 2)

CIAO Report Available

The Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office (CIAO), announced by President Clinton in May 1998, facilitates the creation of a national plan to protect the services that we depend on daily: telecommunications, banking and finance, electric power, transportation, gas and oil, emergency services and government services. This initiative requires a new level of commitment to partnership between the public and private sectors, specifically in the areas of policy formation and information sharing. CIAO report is available, "Preliminary Research and Development Roadmap for Protecting and Assuring Critical National Infrastructures." http://131.84.1.84/research.html#roadmap

The Public Assistance Disaster Grant Program has been redesigned to provide money to applicants more quickly and to make the application process simpler than before. This rule reflects changes needed to put the new Public Assistance Program into effect. This rule is effective on November 20, 1998. Comments are invited on the changes to the rule
and recommendations for additional changes can be made on or before January 4, 1999.
Federal Register: 11/20/98 Vol 63, # 224 (http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/index.html).

Send comments to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of the General Counsel, FEMA, Room 840, 500 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20472, Fax (202)646-4536 (rules@fema.gov). For information: Melissa M. Howard, Ph.D., FEMA, Room 713, 500 C Street SW, Washington DC 20472, (202) 646-4240 (melissa.howard@fema.gov).

Arizona Emergency Response Commission (AZSERC) Hosts National Workshops: Workshops are sponsored by the Commission, Arizona Division of Emergency Management, USDOT, USEPA, NOAA, FEMA, and the National Association of SARA Title Three Program Officials (NASTTPO) to be conducted in Phoenix, Arizona at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Downtown (602-333-0000).

Y2K Discussion List: The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) started a Y2K Discussion List for emergency managers to share thoughts and concerns about Y2K. Send an email message to "majordomo@new-focus.org" with the message "subscribe iaem-y2k" (no Subject line). You will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration. Everyone interested in emergency management and Y2K is invited to join.

Putting the 'why?' in Y2K: Elegant Headwear Company in Elizabeth, NJ, claims to be the first company to offer a baseball cap with a digital LCD display that counts the hours, minutes and seconds left until year 2000. It will beep one minute before the big moment and flash "Happy 2000" a minute later. And then it won't do anything. Hmmmm.

Africa meets on Y2K: As the clock ticks down to the year 2000, the World Bank in Bangladesh has spent more that $13 million to alert Central African states. Most states weren't fully aware of the problem or had taken few step to remedy it. The World Bank is offering aid packages of $54,000 for each realistic proposal addressing the problem

Y2K News Magazine/Newsletter: Trades Publishing (Crossville, TN) advertised its biweekly publication in the Winter 1998 edition of Reform Judaism. The ad asks, "Troubled waters ahead. Have you built your ark?" Talk about millennial warnings.

Stevens Register Web Site: This site (http://www.sy2k.com) lets year 2000-compliant companies register and show potential investors they are in good shape for the millennium. All sizes and types of organizations are registered.

http://www.uetc.org/tec
The Transportation External Communications Working Group --- a group of 38 national organizations which meet to address U.S. Department of Energy transportation and emergency management issues --- has a newly redesigned web site. Site includes useful resources while describing the mission, focus, activities and products of the working group.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html
Online search of the1995-1998 Federal register by accessing the National Archives and Records Administrations web page; narrow your search by entering parameters for a variety of fields, such as range of issue dates, sections (notices, proposed regulations, etc.) and keywords.

http://www.nerc.com/y2k/y2kplan.html#Section1
The U.S. Department of Energy has asked the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) to assume a leadership role in preparing the electricity production and delivery systems of the United States for the transition to the Year 2000 (Y2K).

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Update:

FEMA Suggests Holiday Gifts to Make Holidays and Coming New Year More Disaster-Resistant - Fruitcake is passé, buying another tie seems uncreative and the Beanie Baby collection is already too big. Officials at FEMA say the holidays are a perfect time to think disaster - specifically, preparing for and reducing risk from hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, winter storms, tornadoes and the like. See FEMA site for full story and list of suggested gifts (http://www.fema.gov/nwz98/98370.htm).

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National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)Update:

NEMA Position Papers Available Online - Position papers and resolutions from recent NEMA Conferences can be found online in the NEMA web site file library (http://www.nemaweb.org). You can search by the NEMA Committee which presented the position paper or search by keyword.

NEMA and NGA to hold State Terrorism Policy Summit - NEMA and the National Governors' Association will co-sponsor a policy summit for executive level state officials to discuss state policy issues related to terrorism preparedness. The event is scheduled for February 2 - 3, 1998 in Williamsburg, Virginia. Attendance is by invitation only.

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International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Update:

Your Y2K Status? - IAEM is conducting an on-line survey to provide information to the
President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion. Emergency Managers are invited to take a minute at the IAEM web site to provide some feedback, http://www.emassociation.org. This is a good place to start for Y2K information.

Writing Workshop Results - The premier 2-hour writing workshop conducted prior to the IAEM Conference was successful with 11 workshop attendees receiving certificates valid for 2 hours of general management training toward the CEM or recertification. Evaluations were excellent with attendees expressing a need/desire for more of this type professional development training in the future.

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Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) Update:

Daniel "Boone" Gardiner Joins Firehouse Emergency Services Expo - Firehouse Emergency Services Expo recently announced the addition of Daniel "Boone" Gardiner as Show Director of its upcoming trade show. Mr. Gardiner brings more than 30 years experience in the fire service arena and is considered to be one of the most respected
professionals in the fire service industry. Currently, he plays a key role in the fire protection industry as 1st Vice Chairman of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI).

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Emergency Management Association of Tennessee (EMAT) Update:

Fall InfoFest a Success! - Over 90 people attended EMAT's Fall Infofest held Oct. 19-20 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Kathy Hovis and Vickie Backus developed an outstanding program of speakers with topics such as Stress Management, Developing Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Communications, and the NWS Storm Spotters. In addition, FEMA Region IV Director, John Copenhaver, updated conference attendees regarding Project Impact, FEMA's newest hazard mitigation program. Ten vendors displayed or demonstrated their products and/or services and discussed their company's capabilities with the group. James Medling informed attendees that Tennessee's CEMP program was expanding by awarding the first out-of-state certification, CEMP level 3, to Tim Curtis, Deputy Director of DeSoto County (MS) EMA.

For information on joining the Emergency Management Association of Tennessee, please contact Libbi Rucker-Reed at 615/ 898-7764 or email her at ematweb@aol.com .

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North American Center For Emergency Communications (NACEC) Update:

Assisting with Recovery Operations in Honduras - NACEC is on its way to Honduras to help with the urgent need for communications to coordinate recovery operations following the destruction caused by Hurricane Mitch. For more information, see http://www.nacec.org/disaster/mitch.html.

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Organization of American States (OAS) Update:

Dialogue II - The Second Meeting of the Inter-American Dialogue for Disaster Reduction is taking mainstreaming disaster reduction into development as its central theme. This meeting takes place in Washington, DC on December 15 and 16, 1998 at the World Bank, 1818 H
Street, N.W. Participants from the public and private sectors will discuss conclusions and recommendations from their accumulated knowledge and experience to guide an agenda for policy and strategic action initiatives to make vulnerability reduction to natural disasters part of the development agenda. For further information, contact OAS, Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment, natural-hazards-project@oas.org, or see http://www.oas.org/en/prog/nhp/ANNOUNC.htm.

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December 9-11, 1998: Fourth Annual Government, Business & Education Technology Conference and Exposition (GBET) - The Los Angeles conference opens with an earthquake response and recovery simulation. The purpose of the simulation is to show how technology tools can aid in the response and recovery of a disaster. The response to the simulated earthquake will closely resemble the community-wide communication efforts necessary after an actual disaster. Please call 1-800-474-3976 or visit the Web site http://www.gbet.com.

December 9-12, 1998: TechnoVentions '98 From Laboratories into the Hands of Users -
Coronada Springs, Lake Buena Vista, Florida (http://www.TechnoVentions98.com).

February 7-10, 1999: NEMA 1999 Mid-Year Conference - Mayflower Hotel, Washington DC (http://www.nemaweb.org).

February 8-10 1999: Disaster Asia '99: Asia-Pacific Conference and Exhibition on Disaster Management - Hosted by: Philippine Futuristics Society in cooperation with the UN IDNDR Secretariat. Manila, Philippines: February 8-10, 1999. Abstracts are currently being accepted. Contact: Disaster Asia '99 e-mail: infinity@snap.portalinc.com.

April 21-23, 1999: Embracing Continuity & All that Jazz! Continuity Planning & Management '99 - Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Oleans LA. Visit the CPM '99 web site for details http://www.ContingencyPlanExpo.com.

May 12-14, 1999: 1999 HMAC Annual Conference & Hazardous Materials Transportation Exposition - Sponsored by the Hazardous Materials Advisory Council; contact HMAC, 1101 Vermont Avenue, Ste 301, Washington DC, http://www.hmac.org

May 24-29, 1999: CAMEO99 - Crowne Plaza Phoenix Downtown, Phoenix AZ. Sponsored by EPA CEPPO, NOAA HAZMAT, AZSERC; see web site: http://www.nrt.org/nrt/cameo.nsf

Magic Carpet Ride: Once your mouse takes its first glide over the surface of a MouseRug (http://www.mouserug.com), it may not be satisfied with that old rubber mouse pad again. Fiber-coating technology makes the run-of-the-mill mouse pad look and feel like a hand-woven Persian, Oriental or Native American rug.

"Emergency Partner Postings" is a monthly update on progress of the partnership, activities, and services available through Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) Virtual Forum web site, other electronic sources of information, and articles of interest concerning awareness and use of information technology. The news will be posted on the web site the last week of each month.

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 Avagene Moore, amoore@emforum.org).

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