EMERGENCY PARTNER POSTINGS

Volume 4, No. 10

June 2000

What's in a Name?
When it comes to the Internet, a domain name is very important. The emforum.org domain name was chosen a few years ago to suggest the purpose of our site, and was originally registered to FEMA. This past month, the emforum.org name was officially transferred to the EIIP. In addition, we have decided to register eiip.org as well, since it was still available and feel that our name is now known well enough to make it worthwhile. It takes a few days for the new domain name to percolate through the Internet's DNS servers, but we expect it to be working for many by Friday, June 2, and will merely provide an alternate means of addressing our homepage. Although regular users most likely will continue to use emforum.org, we hope that this new domain name will help others find us in the future that learn of us by the name EIIP.

A first for the EIIP, in support of the International Joint Commission, (a bi-lateral organization which addresses issues of mutual concern to the U.S and Canada), was an experimental on-line hearing to collect public comment on a recently issued report of the International Red River Basin Task Force, The Next Flood: Getting Prepared. At a minimum, we demonstrated the feasibility of using this technique for this purpose.

The RRBDIN is sponsored by the International Joint Commission, the Global Disaster Information Network, and the Red River Basin Board with support by the EIIP. Workshop transcripts and related materials are available via the Web site. http://www.emforum.org/redriver/

Wednesdays - 12:00 Noon EST:
June 7: Virtual Classroom - What are the Challenges of Teaching Emergency
Management Online? Claire Rubin, Claire B. Rubin & Associates

June 14: Virtual Library - Reaching Women and Children in Disasters, Elaine
Enarson, Gender Disaster Network (GDN)

June 21: Forum - What's Ahead for the New Standard on Disaster/Emergency
Management? Lloyd Bokman, Chair, NFPA 1600 Technical Committee on
Disaster Management

June 28: Tech Arena - Technology for Crisis Management in Schools, Eric Strohl,
Strohl Systems, Inc.

Please mark sessions of interest on your monthly planning calendar now, just as you would a business meeting or other important appointment. Login via http://www.emforum.org/vforum/formchat.htm.

The following submitted the agreement form to become formal Partners; see EIIP Virtual Forum for list of Partners (http://www.emforum.org/partners/partic.htm).

The Sandbagger Corporation, POC Daniel P. Stoye, Military and Foreign Marketing, dan@thesandbagger.com

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

Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus
Provided by David Appleby, AGI
apple@inet2.agiweb.org

The Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus is co-chaired by Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and John Edwards (D-NC). The kickoff event for the Natural Hazards Caucus is Wednesday June 21 in Washington, DC, on Capitol Hill; this event will be a forum/hearing followed by a reception. The hearing will focus on reducing America's vulnerability to natural hazards.

The primary goal of establishing a congressional natural hazards caucus is to develop a wider understanding within Congress that reducing the risks and costs of natural disasters is a public value. This requires educating Members and staff about the costs of natural disasters to their districts and states, and the benefits their constituents will realize through greater efforts to understand, prevent, and mitigate natural disasters.

Jurisdiction for natural hazards programs is spread among many committees in Congress. A caucus can provide the "big picture" to interested lawmakers and their staff, and give them the opportunity to see how the issues that fall within individual committee jurisdictions fit within a larger national effort. The goal is to work together to help the nation become more resilient to natural hazards. Shared objectives for the caucus include:

• Focus greater attention in Congress on the natural and man-made hazards facing the nation and improve understanding of the need to mitigate against the impacts of floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides and land subsidence, tornadoes, volcanoes, wind storms, drought, fire, and tsunamis.
• Foster better land-use planning and optimize building codes.
• Strengthen public and private support for science and engineering research by demonstrating how application of advances in science and engineering research can contribute to saving lives and money.
• Support implementation of new technologies, such as geographic information systems, to address societal challenges faced by state and local government and the private sector.
• Identify additional areas of consensus and common interests related to natural hazards.

A working group is currently seeking charter members of this caucus. To discuss this proposal further or request additional information, please contact David Applegate at the American Geological Institute applegate@agiweb.org or Peter Folger at the American Geophysical Union pfolger@agu.org . To read 03/07/2000 Congressional Action Alert, please see http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis106/caucus_alert0300.html.

Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus
Provided by Jana Denning, Legislative Assistant/System Administrator
jana.denning@mail.house.gov

The Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus, chaired by Representatives Walter Jones (R-NC) and Dennis Moore (D-KS), is focused on increasing the awareness of Members of Congress about the public safety and economic loss issues associated with wind. The goal of the caucus is to seek government funding to support a National Wind Hazard Reduction Program that would focus on increasing public safety and decreasing the economic losses associated with tropical storms, thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

The problem as stated by the proponents of the Caucus is the approximately $5 million Federal investment to develop and promote knowledge, practices, and policies that seek to reduce and where possible eliminate losses from wind related disasters is woefully inadequate. In contrast the Federal government invests nearly $100 million per year in reducing earthquake losses through the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. A Federal investment in Wind Hazard Reduction will pay significant dividends in lives saved and decreased property damage.

The goal of the Wind Hazard Reduction program is to reduce loss of life and property by 75% by 2010. This damage can be substantially reduced through the development and implementation of an effective National Wind Hazard Reduction Program (NWHRP). The NWHRP would address:

• Better design and construction methods and practices;
• Better emergency response;
• Use of modern technology for early-warning systems;
• Building codes enforcement; and
• Public education and involvement programs.

For further information on the Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus, contact Jana Denning in Rep. Dennis Moore's office jana.denning@mail.house.gov , Amy in Walter Jones' office amy.hanson@mail.house.gov , or Brian Pallasch, Director, Government Relations, American Society of Civil Engineers at 202-789-2200 bpallasch@asce.org .

June '00 EENet Schedule:
June 7, 2:00 PM EDT: 5th Anniversary Oklahoma City Bombing
June 14, 2:00 PM EDT: Fire Service Professional; Certification and You (Note: Program will be repeated on June 22, 8:00 PM EDT.)
June 21, 2:00 PM EDT:FEMA monthly video magazine
June 28, 2:00 PM EDT:National Fire Information Council - Part II

For a description of each of these programs and broadcast information,
visit the EENet Web site: http://www.fema.gov/home/emi/eenet.htm .

Community & Family Preparedness Conference 2000 August 22-25 at EMI:
CFP Conference Focus is Disasters and Kids, Effective Outreach to Minorities -- This year's CFP Conference will emphasize getting the disaster preparedness, prevention and mitigation messages into schools and school systems; using disaster-related topics to meet school curriculum needs; school safety; and partnerships for pubic education.

The CFP Conference 2000 is designed for people involved with disaster public education, education and curriculum development, school violence and crisis intervention, and equal rights, equal opportunity, multi-lingual, multi-cultural outreach in emergency management or related matters. If interested in participating, nominations must be submitted to FEMA Regional Office by June 18; Regions must submit nomination to National Emergency Training Center by June 26. Nominations should include Name, Title, Organization, Phone, Fax, Email address, and description of qualifying duties. Those selected will receive pre-approved applications in time to make airline reservations at the 30-day non-refundable coach class rate. Space is limited to approximately 90 for the Conference.

In conjunction with the CFP Conference, the Disaster Education Organizers Course will be offered on August 19-20. This is an excellent opportunity to qualify trainers. There will be two classes of 20 participants each. Please note that State and local staff in the training must attend the conference to qualify for reimbursement through the stipend.

ASFPM Conference June 18-24, 2000:
The ASFPM Conference (June 18-24) theme is Floodplain Management, 2000 and Beyond - A New Beginning in a New Millennium. For details, see the ASFPM site http://www.floods.org/aushome.htm; conference will be held in Austin, Texas.

Please note: The exam for Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) will be administered in Austin June 18 or 19. To learn about ASFPM's Certified Floodplain Management Program, see http://www.floods.org/certmenu.htm.

ASPEP 2000 Call for Papers:
The American Society of Professional Emergency Planners (ASPEP) is a professional organization of certified emergency managers dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about disasters and to the improvement of the practice of emergency management. The ASPEP Journal is published annually and released at the yearly conference of the International Association of Emergency Managers. Papers should be between 1500 and 4500 words and are due July 31. For details, see the ASPEP site http://www.globalserve.net/%7Etmheath/.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Update:

FEMA Supports Minority Emergency Preparedness and Information Project -- The Emergency Preparedness and Information Project is a public/private partnership with FEMA. See http://www.epipgateway.com. This Web site hosted its first 30-minute chat about "Preparing Children for Disasters" on May 3. Emergency experts will discuss the following topics 12:00-12:30 PM ET:
June 7 - "Preparing for the Hurricane Season"
July 12 - "The Elderly and Fire Prevention"
August 2 - "Urban Domestic Terrorism"

Reminder of FEMA Technology Partnership for Emergency Management -- Colorado Springs, CO, is the site for the June 11-15 fifth annual Technology Partnership for Emergency Management Workshop and Exhibition. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory hosts the event this year. Register at http://www.nrel.gov/surviving_disaster.

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National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Update:

NEMA 2000 Annual Conference -- The NEMA Conference is August 20-25, 2000 at The Breakers Hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida. A preliminary agenda is available online. Register for the conference online by clicking on the "Conference" link. http://www.nemaweb.org

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International Association of Emergency Managers Update:

IAEM Co-Sponsors Conference -- "Military Assistance to Civil Authorities: How DoD Will Support the Federal Agencies in a Domestic WMD Incident" - June 15-16, 2000 Washington, DC. The conference is hosted by the Armed Forces Journal conference and exhibition group and the National Guard Association of the United States, International Association of Emergency Managers, International Association of Fire Chiefs and National League of Cities. To register or obtain more information, visit AFJ's web site at http://www.afji.com/conferences or call 703-848-0490.

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National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Update:

The NVFC Millennium Meeting -- was held in our nation's capital May 11-13, 2000. The meeting featured a Legislative Workshop, congressional speakers, a dinner cruise on the Potomac River and much more to celebrate the achievements of America's volunteer fire service. See http://www.nvfc.org for more information on NVFC activities.

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The National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue (NI/USR) Update:

NI/USR Web Site Has New Look http://niusr.org/ - The NI/USR is a nonprofit that helps improve disaster response through research and analysis. Of special interest is A Community CEO's Primer for Developing a Risk Management and Emergency Response Plan by Eugene Lecomte, President Emeritus, Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), and Patricia Hatch, Training and Documentation Specialist, Office of Information Systems, Harvard University Library.

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EQE International and ABS Group Update:

Two EIIP Partners Become One -- EQE International, Inc. merged with ABS Group (http://www.abs-group.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). EQE International provides risk management information, software, consulting and engineering services to multiple industries, governments and businesses. ABS Group of Companies, Inc. operates through subsidiaries worldwide to provide integrated safety, quality and environmental management solutions to clients in the petrochemical, utility, offshore, marine and insurance sectors. EQE International will maintain its present identity and structure and become the risk and reliability platform company for the ABS Group. The current ABS Group's Risk and Reliability Division (http://www.jbfa.com), including the former JBF Associates, will be integrated into EQE International.

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Claire B. Rubin and Associates and Natural Hazards Center Update:

Two Members Assist Canadian Project -- Claire Rubin (EIIP Partner) and Mary Fran Myers (co-director of the Natural Hazards Center in Boulder Colorado) were two of the American members of the first Canadian Assessment of Natural Hazards and Disasters. They participated in a two-day workshop in Toronto, during May 11 and 12th. As the work progresses, various working papers and other documents will be posted on the project's web site. Currently, the site describes the conference plans. For more information, see http://www1.tor.ec.gc.ca/conferences/Hazards_2000/index_e.cfmv.

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The Horse Review Update:

Original Music CDs Help Raise Funds for Sparks Project Impact and the Emergency Animal Rescue Service -- What do Project Impact and Animals in Disasters have in common? Music! Dee Beaugez, President of Visual Imagry, Inc. and Composer Robert Forman have produced two original music CDs to benefit the City of Sparks, NV Project Impact "special needs" programs and the United Animal Nations - Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS).

Project Impact CD - 'Project Impact - Lead the Way… be Prepared!' features 9 original disaster-related songs, music by Forman, with lyrics by Forman and Beaugez. CDs are available via the City of Sparks Web site http://www.disasterplans.com with $5 per each CD going toward the 'Special Needs" project. The project is promoted nationally on the web sites of both the National American Red Cross and FEMA.

UAN/EARS Music CD - The song, "Think of the Animals," was originally written by Composer Robert Forman for Nevada's first Equine and Animal Disaster Preparedness workshop in March of 1999. Beaugez was the producer of the workshop. CDs are available at http://www.horsereview.com with $6 from each CD going to the Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) to help animals during disasters. For information about UAN/EARS, see http://www.uan.org. Contact Dee Beaugez dee@visual-imagry.com .

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Presponse Systems Integration Update:

Ownership Change at Presponse Systems Integration, LTD -- The new company is Cedergren Lyden & Associates, dba Presponse, a newly shared venture with a software package that supports the Presponse system and methodology. It includes information that can be used in any organization or entity plus Business Continuity, Business Operations, Disaster Recovery, Emergency Management, Incident Command System, and Risk Management. It includes a new methodology to Business Impact Analysis and hazards analysis which is available in real-time for planners, responders and recovery operations. Also available are workbooks, process templates, training manuals and our extremely successful Presponse Response Activity Matrix (RAM). Ryc Lyden, ryc@Presponse.com, Partner, Presponse Cedergren Lyden & Associates, 877-860-9027 Toll Free, http://www.presponse.com.

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"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 newsletter will be posted on the Web site by the first of each month.

We encourage readers to submit brief updates that relate to using 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 Lori Wieber, lwieber@emforum.org.

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