EMERGENCY PARTNER POSTINGS

Volume 3, No. 5

January 1999

EIIP Welcomes New Interns - The Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) is pleased to announce that we have secured two student interns from the University of North Texas. They are Lindsey Burke and Jennifer Suter and they will begin working with the EIIP this month. Welcome aboard, Lindsey and Jennifer!

EIIP Road Trips - The EIIP participated in a panel presentation and various breakout sessions during the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) Meeting at the National Research Center in Washington DC on December 1-3. A live online demonstration and tour of the EIIP Virtual Forum was featured as part of a reception one night of the workshop.

The EIIP also attended Dialogue II which was held at the World Bank in Washington DC on December 15-16. This was the Second Meeting of the Inter-American Dialogue for Disaster Reduction. Participants from the public and private sectors discussed 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

Please Note:

• "Round Table", Tuesdays at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, is available for Partner led discussions upon request. The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) will host one Round Table discussion each month starting this month on January 26. We know other Partners will also step up to the plate and meet the challenge of scheduling and moderating a session.
• "Mutual Aid" informal session, all topics -- Thursdays 8:00 PM ET.

January 1999 - Wednesdays - 12:00 Noon EST

January 6: 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 and Crisis Operations Manager certification offered by the University of Richmond.

January 13: The topic in the EIIP Panel Room is the NFPA 1600 featuring committee members Lloyd Bokman (State of Ohio Emergency Management), Robert Fletcher (FEMA), and Pat Moore (Strohl Systems). This is a new, proposed substitute standard for disaster management, recently entering the public comment phase. This will be an opportunity to learn about the proposal and how to participate in the process.

January 20: The Virtual Library features Kellye A. Junchaya, author of "They Laughed at Noah -- Preparing for Natural Disasters".

January 27: Technology Arena presentation, to be announced.

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:

Central Scotland Fire Brigade: Geoff Williams, Deputy Firemaster (gwilliam@usarscotland.u-net.com)

Team for Disaster Prevention & Sustainable Development (Sri Lanka): Prabhath Patabendi, Team Leader (patabedi@slt.lk)

Illinois Emergency Services Management Association: Bob Klannukarn, Webmaster
(esda@cyberdesic.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

Kay C. Goss Discusses FEMA Outreach on Y2K Issues

As we countdown the days to the Year 2000, the EIIP Virtual Forum will attempt to share information our audience needs and wants be prepared for whatever problems may arise as result of Y2K. Earlier this year, we started a discussion via our mail lists on Year 2000 issues. Last month, Kay C. Goss, CEM, Associate Director, FEMA Preparedness Directorate, discussed FEMA's outreach to States and Locals about Y2K in the Virtual Forum. Goss spent little time talking about agency compliance; the discussion focused on FEMA's responsibility to the emergency management community to heighten awareness and sensitivity to Y2K issues and potential consequences arising from Y2K failures.

To accomplish this, Goss recounted meeting with NEMA and IAEM officials this fall in an effort to more closely coordinate with grass roots partners. FEMA has compiled information from States and locals with the help of both organizations to assess levels of Y2K compliance activity. Thus far, information has been gathered from 46 States, the District of Columbia and 4 territories. A number of basic problem areas were identified by this assessment:

1. Funding and resource (staffing) limitations are a big issue.
2. Time available to correct Y2K problems is increasing awareness of the need to act.
3. Concern about the power grid and other external dependencies; possibility of power failures, especially where power is provided by smaller utilities.
4. General lack of awareness of status of emergency preparedness and compliance at the local level (counties/locals).
5. No central clearinghouse for Y2K issues focusing on emergency preparedness issues.
6. Little contingency planning and guidance exists on contingency planning for Y2K.

According to Goss, the States are putting a significant amount of thought and work into this problem. Significantly, a large number of States indicated they have no plans to assist or to provide funding for local authorities to use in resolving their own Y2K issues. However, some States are planning or have underway a number of outreach activities to local communities.

In the meantime, the FEMA Preparedness Directorate will:

• Produce helpful products in the next 4-6 months to include a number of EENET broadcasts on the Y2K problem; EENET broadcasts of exercises dealing with Y2K, and a short (6-8 hours) field course on how to respond to Y2K caused disruptions.
• Work through Regional Offices and constituent organizations to raise Y2K awareness and provide technical assistance wherever possible.
• Work on a plan for exercises relating to Y2K issues for all levels of government to identify potential problems, necessary corrective actions and areas that need additional work.
• Develop guidance and target additional information needs based on exercise results.
• Enhance Y2K information on the Preparedness section of the FEMA.GOV web site and possibly expand into a clearinghouse of Y2K information community.

For the full transcript of the December 9, 1998 discussion with Kay C. Goss, please see the Virtual Library Live Chat Archive or http://www.emforum.org/vforum/981209.htm.

Statistics on Fall VFRE and WEBEX

(A note from Pat C. West, Editor/National Fire & Rescue/VFRE Coordinator)

"Thank you for taking the time to plan and execute an excellent tabletop exercise, WEBEX, for the Fall Virtual Fire & Rescue Expo. The overall success of this meeting of minds in cyberspace is in fact driven by the quality of content delivered by our presenters, and, on behalf of the VFRE staff, I can say we were all very proud to facilitate this groundbreaking exercise. The overall response to the conference was excellent. Our guestbook was signed by hundreds of people who had nice things to say about the Expo (300,000 hits and 14,800 user sessions). WEBEX was our most highly attended workshop with 887 user sessions. You had many people from Canada and a few from South Africa, Chile, Finland and several other nations. I'm sure all these people were grateful for the opportunity to learn with you online..."

Project Impact Recognizes Communities and Partners: Project Impact recently recognized people and communities working toward building disaster-resistant communities across the nation during the past year. The award winners were announced during a Wednesday night awards banquet at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Project Impact is a national initiative launched by FEMA to include everyone in a partnership to make their communities resistant to disasters.

• Most Outstanding Model Communities: Tulsa, Oklahoma and Berkeley, California.
• Model National Corporate Partners: Washington Mutual & Seafirst Bank/Bank America
• Outstanding National Business People: Debbie Pratt, Community Relations Coordinator, Barnes & Noble Bookstore; and Lee McConnell, Manager, Lowe's Companies, Inc.
• Project Impact Person of the Year: Larry Deetjen, City Manager, Deerfield Beach, Florida
• Outstanding Citizen: Katie Little, Founder, Concerned Citizens Coalition, Tucker & Randolph Counties, West Virginia
• Outstanding Local Business Person: Robert Schoonover, President, Citizens National Bank, Tucker & Randolph Counties, West Virginia
• Outstanding Media Individual: Dave Jones, Meteorologist, NBC4
• Outstanding Voluntary or Non-Profit Organization Member: Kathy Schoettlin, Director of Public Relations, Disaster Services and Volunteer Relations, Southwestern Indiana Chapter of the American Red Cross
• Outstanding Voluntary or Non-Profit Agency: Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters of Alameda County (CARD)
• Outstanding Public Sector Employee: Renee Domingo, Assistant Emergency Services Manager, Office of Emergency Services, Fire Services Agency, City of Oakland

January 1999 EENet Schedule:

January 6 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Time
Classroom Connection: "Project Impact - How to Build Disaster Resistant Communities": Looks at a community and a corporation who have successfully implemented mitigation programs to reduce the impact of future disasters.

January 13 2:00-4:00 PM Eastern Time
Unified Command: Practical Issues - Part I: First of 3-part series; available live over the Internet; see the EENet web site for details: www.fema.gov/emi/eenet.htm

January 20 2:00-3:30 PM Eastern Time
National Alert Broadcast: FEMA's monthly Video Magazine on emergency management activities and issues.

January 27 2:00-3:30 PM Eastern Time
Disaster Resistant Homes: Featuring the Homewatch "Natural Disaster Special" and the Homewatch Special on "Extreme Cold & Snow." Produced by the Home & Garden Television Network and provided to FEMA as a public service for re-broadcast.

Calls for Papers:
Abstract deadline: January 10, 1999 -- The International Disaster and Emergency Readiness (IDER) Conference and International Emergency Planning Conference (IEPC) are joining forces for the 1999 event in the Netherlands Congress Centre, The Hague, October 12-14, 1999. This is an invitation for papers dealing with disaster and emergency readiness to meet the needs of governments, industry and organizations involved in the avoidance of disasters, major incidents and emergencies, and if they occur, the mitigation of their effects. Authors wishing to submit papers should email to ider@andrich.com an abstract (Word 7 for Windows 95 please) of at least 250 words along with a short CV/Resume of the author(s) for each paper --- please title your email "IDER 1999 Abstract - (with short paper title)". All abstracts should include Title and Author(s). For abstracts with more than one author, the primary author should be listed first and that person will be the one to receive all communications regarding the abstract. Abstracts must be in English.

ASPEP Deadline for Completed Papers: July 31, 1999 -- The American Society of Professional Emergency Planners (ASPEP) is an organization of certified emergency managers dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about disasters and to the improvement of the practice of emergency management. ASPEP is soliciting papers for the 1999 ASPEP Journal, which will be published in November.

The journal is committed to the sharing of ideas, research, lessons, practice, and opinion and serves as a forum for all disciplines involved in emergency management. For details: http://www.aspep.org; or contact Thomas M. Heath, tmheath@globalserve.net .

Global Y2K 'Peace Corps' Proposed: Howard Rubin, renowned information technology consultant, proposed the creation of a "Peace Corps" of experts to share knowledge of Y2K with national Year 2000 coordinators for free. Although the proposal went to the United Nations and President Clinton's Y2K czar, John Koskinen, it faces obstacles due to the time it would take to get it off the ground. (Read complete article in 12/21/98 Computerworld http://www.computerworld.com .)

Replacements for Entertainers on New Year's Eve 1999? As reported in the New York Daily News, Barbra Streisand canceled a Madison Square Garden performance on New Year's Eve 1999, saying she wants to do as little traveling as possible at year 2000 time.

Abundant Internet Y2K Sites: Hundreds of web sites include information of varying accuracy on the year 2000 computer flaw. Here is a sampling of what's available:

• http://www.senate.gov/~y2k/ -- The US Senate Special Committee site.
• http://www.cpsr.org -- Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility link for thorough listing of rumor, speculation and prediction.
• http://www.computerworld.com/news/year_2000/index.html --Computerworlds' collection of year 2000 links and resources
• http://www.year2000.com -- Features writings and links from Peter de Jager, one of the first to sound the Y2K alarm in an oft-quoted 1993 article.

• http://www.utne.com/y2k/ -- The alternative monthly publication Utne Reader's year 2000 report; also includes a citizen's action guide.

http://www.iaem.com
Visit the new and improved IAEM web site. New Webmaster, Michael Bittle of Canada is redesigning IAEM's site --- a work in process.

http://www.fema.gov/mit/sstory
Through this interactive Web site individuals and organizations can transmit "mitigation success stories" to FEMA. After approximately 200 stories have been obtained, they will be posted on the site and users will be able to retrieve them using a search system. Additionally, as the site evolves, FEMA will add maps, photos, testimonials, and Web links to accompany stories and provide additional information.

National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)Update:

NEMA Board of Directors Meeting with FEMA Director Witt - On Tuesday, December 8, 1998, the NEMA Board of Directors and Committee Chairs met with James Lee Witt, FEMA Director, and Mike Walker, FEMA Deputy Director, to discuss issues of mutual concern. Among the topics discussed were Donations Management; Disaster Declaration Criteria; Insurance for Public Facilities; Contiguous County Declarations; Consolidated Grant Program; Standards and Accreditation; Future Budget Direction for FEMA; Office of Foreign Donations Assistance; World Watch Institute Report; Domestic Terrorism Preparedness and Funding; Year 2000 Problem; Repetitive Loss Issues; and Demolition as relates to the hazard mitigation buy-out program.

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International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Update:

Early '99 Mid-Year Committee Retreat - IAEM's Mid-Year Committee Retreat will be held at EMI, Emmitsburg, MD, March 13-16; the CEM Commission will meet at EMI also on March 11-13, prior to the Mid-Year Retreat.

Duncan to Sedgwick County Emergency Management - Randall C. Duncan, CEM, Immediate Past President of IAEM, assumed duties as Director of Emergency Management for Sedgwick County on December 14, 1998. Best wishes to Randy in his new position.

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National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Update:

National Fire Academy Courses Available - (from Anne Wilson, NVFC Government Affairs Representative awilson@nvfc.org ) The Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) is an intensive 6-day educational opportunity designed specifically for the volunteer fire service officer. The following VIP courses have a sizable number of vacancies still open for the January 31 - February 5 and March 7 - 12 sessions: Fire Command Operations; Fire Service Planning Concepts for the 21st Century; Leadership and Administration; Fire Cause Determination for Company Officers; Hazardous Materials Incident Management; Challenges for Local Training Officers; Community Education Leadership; Emergency Response to Terrorism; and Incident Management.

Fax copies of signed applications to Office of Admissions at (301) 447-1441 attn: Mary Bare. VIP applications require the signature of the State training officer. Information concerning application procedures can be obtained by contacting the State Fire Training Agency or the NFA VIP Program Manager at (800) 238-3358, ext. 1158, or (301) 447-1158.

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Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Update:

ASFPM Offers Graduate Fellowship for 1999-2000 - The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), with support from FEMA, has announced competition for a scholarship for graduate work in floodplain management and flood loss reduction. The association offers an award of up to $25,000 for a full-time graduate student for one academic year. For details and an application package, contact ASFPM, 4233 Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53711; (608) 274-0123; fax: (608) 274- 0696; e-mail: asfpm@floods.org; WWW: http://www.floods.org. Applications are due March 1, 1999.

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The Horse Review Update:

The Horse Review web site (http://www.horsereview.com) staff is in the process of adding any web sites that deal with animal disaster preparedness. Also if you have a personal experience you'd like to share with our readers, please email Dee Beaugez, Publisher, at deebeaugez@visual-imagry.com. If there are any books or articles, we'd also like them included for 1999.

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Organization of American States (OAS) Update:

Dialogue II Meeting - The Second Meeting of the Inter-American Dialogue for Disaster Reduction: Mainstreaming Disaster Reduction in Development was held in Washington, DC on December 15-16, 1998, organized by the Organization of American States with The World Bank, International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR), La Red, and the Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO). Approximately 130 people attended from 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean representing international, national and local government, the voluntary sector, non-governmental organizations, labor, and military groups. Sessions of the conference dealt with a wide range of issues including:
* Putting Disaster Reduction in a Development Perspective
* Disaster Reduction in the Health and Water Sectors
* Social Communication, Disasters and Development
* Strategic Actions and Programs for Vulnerability Reduction: Sector Issues and Challenges
* Changing Perceptions of Risk, Investment Lending and Insurance in Development
* Vulnerability Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis in Project Evaluation
* Community-based Mitigation through Civic and Military Institutional Actions as part of Disaster Mitigation

The conference focused in particular on the challenges of integrated vulnerability reduction in the context of reconstruction following major disasters given recent events such as Hurricanes Mitch and Georges, and the El Niño episode. Proceedings of the conference will be available on the Natural Hazards Project web page in the first quarter of 1999 at http://www.oas.org/en/prog/nhp.

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The Stirling Associates Update:

Rotary International Vocational Fellowship Approved - A new Rotary International Vocational Fellowship was recently approved by the Rotary International Board. It
is called the International Fellowship of Rotary Disaster Managers and Responders. Its purpose is to promote the fellowship, education and service of Rotarians world-wide who share a common interest in the field of disaster management. Enquires can be sent to Cam King, The Stirling Associates, 130 Laurentia Bay, Winnipeg MB R2C 0H1, Canada. Email <stirlng@mb.sympatico.ca> or fax/phone (204) 224-9985.

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January 19-21, 1999: Application of Remote Sensing and GIS for Disaster Management Conference - Washington DC; contact Greg Shaw ( glshaw@gwu.edu ).

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

February 7-10, 1999: SALEMDUG Conference - New Orleans, LA (504-342-1586).

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.

February 9-12, 1999: Post Hurricane Evaluation of Preparedness and Response Meeting - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Registration forms, information are available at http://www.paho.org/english/ped/pedeval.htm. Registration deadline is 15 January. Forward questions/comments to disaster-meeting@paho.org.

March 13-16, 1999: IAEM Mid-year Committee Retreat - Emmitsburg, Maryland.

March 22-24, 1999: Disaster Recovery Journal Spring Conference - San Diego, CA http://www.drj.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 12-15, 1999: Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN) Conference - Mexico City; sponsored by the Mexican government in partnership with the US Government and the World Bank, http://www.state.gov/www/issues/relief/gdin99.html.

May 23-28, 1999: Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Annual Conference - Portland, Oregon ( asfpm@floods.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

June 3-6, 1999: International Hazardous Materials Response Teams - IAFC, Towson Maryland.

June 16-19, 1999: Response '99 - National Association of Search & Rescue, Orlando, Florida.

Chocoholics Unite! http://www.virtualchocolate.com
There are other sites for chocolate lovers but only one that lets you share anecdotes about cravings, get 'The Chocolate Scoop' newsletter and join the Chocoholic Club. "As a Certified Chocoholic, the cardholder is entitled to compassion and understanding if they do not share their chocolate with others," says the lifetime membership card. Cardholders have "the inalienable right to use chocolate as a source of comfort, placation or bribery, for personal, professional and medicinal purposes of any kind."

"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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