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• HAZUS Hot Zone [May 2009]

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  This edition of the HAZUS Hot Zone contains the following articles: "Using HAZUS-MH to Illustrate Earthquake Risk"; "2009 2nd Quarter HAZUS User of the Year"; "Success Story: South Carolina"; "HAZUS User Groups"; "HUG Updates"; and "HAZUS Conference Events in 2009".

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2009-05
• Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 1746: Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act of 2009

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  This document is a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Cost Estimate of H.R. 1746 which "would authorize appropriations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for grants to states and localities for pre-disaster mitigation programs, such as constructing levies, relocating homes from flood-prone areas, and retrofitting buildings in earthquake zones. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1746 would cost $700 million over the 2010-2014 period and $50 million in later years, assuming appropriation of the specified amounts. Enacting H.R. 1746 would not affect direct spending or revenues."

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  2009-04-16
• Tsunamis: Are Our Communities Truly Prepared for the Unexpected?

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  "The problem is that although the threat of tsunami has been rated as low for Orange County Fire Authority's [OCFA] coastal communities, due to the high probability of earthquakes along the Southern California coast, the necessity to be fully prepared for the potential disaster of tsunamis remains. The purpose of this research project is to determine the actions that have been taken to prepare for tsunamis and identify if additional preparations by OCFA and its coastal communities appear to be needed. Through these project efforts, the ultimate goal is to evaluate levels of community preparedness for the purpose of supporting optimum safety of OCFA personnel and the served citizens. For purposes of the project, a descriptive research method was utilized. The procedures for compiling and analyzing research data, consisted of using the National Fire Academy's Learning Resource Center (LRC), personal interviews, multi-agency and city based information, as well as the worldwide web. Based on that data, results indicated that it appears that the OCFA and members of its coastal communities can do a better job of preparation for the threat of tsunami. Finally, it is recommended that the OCFA work with members of its coastline communities to implement the identified recommendations and actions to improve the level of preparation. Those actions will serve in doing a better job of protecting citizens, tourists and employees."

  National Fire Academy

  James, Roger L.

  2009-04
• Pathfinder, Volume 7, Number 2, March/April 2009

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  This edition of Pathfinder contains the following articles: "On My Mind: Uniting the Global GEOINT [Geospatial-Intelligence] Community; Guest Column: Meet Canada's Directorate of Geospatial Intelligence; Up Front: British General Honored with NGA [National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency] Medallion of Excellence; GEOINT Serves NATO; China Earthquake Effects an Unprecedented Call for GEOINT; Multinational Working Group Unifies Afghan Mapping Efforts; Sidebar: Germany Spearheads Mapping for Northern Afghanistan; Agency Teams Enable Iraqi GEOINT Self-Sufficiency; NGA Facilitates Commonwealth Collaboration; Accreditation Team Ensures Secure Global Network; Partnerships: Australia's GEOINT Relationships Prove Vital [and]; Our Heritage: GEOINT Facilitates a Global Solution to Piracy."

  United States. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

  2009-04
• FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program: Overview and Issues [March 25, 2009]

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  "Hazard mitigation activities are generally categorized as structural and nonstructural. Structural mitigation activities may include physical changes to a facility or development of standards such as building codes and material specifications. Examples of physical changes to a structure are retrofitting a building to be more resistant to wind-hazards or earthquakes, or elevating a structure to reduce flood damage. Nonstructural activities may include community planning initiatives such as developing land-use zoning plans, disaster mitigation plans, and flood plans. Other nonstructural community activities may include participating in property insurance programs and developing warning systems. Federal disaster mitigation assistance provides funding for both structural and nonstructural mitigation activities. A primary source of federal disaster mitigation assistance is the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Legislation introduced in the 110th Congress would have expanded allowances for the use of HMGP funds administered by FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] in the Gulf Coast. Legislation introduced in the 111th Congress include provisions that would establish a homeowner mitigation loan program (H.R. 1239), provide a tax credit for mitigation expenditures (H.R. 308), and create a National Hurricane Research Initiative to improve hurricane preparedness (H.R. 327). Issues that Congress may wish to consider, in addition to eligible uses of HMGP funds, include the role of federalism in disasters, the lag between a major disaster declaration and expenditure of HMGP funds, the accuracy of risk assessment and disaster predictions, consolidation of hazard mitigation grant programs under a block grant, and disaster assistance to small businesses."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Love, Natalie Paris

  2009-03-25
• Hospital Shelter in Place Planning Checklist

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  "Hospitals are required to incorporate Shelter in Place (SIP) planning into their Emergency Management Program (EMP). Sheltering in place is a rapid and effective means of protecting facility occupants from an external or internal threat. In some circumstances, the external environment could pose a significant danger to patients, staff and visitors (for example, chemical, biological or nuclear event). In others, community infrastructure damage and/or limitations and a lack of timely evacuation support resources may make immediate evacuation impossible (for example, earthquake, wildfire, flood). It is not the intent of this document to address every aspect of SIP planning, but to prompt the development and documentation of criteria, critical decision-making factors, and SIP plans. SIP planning should be addressed in mitigation strategies, preparedness activities, and response and recovery plans."

  California Hospital Association

  2009-03-06
• Seismic Waves: A Stitch in Time Can Save the Whole Business

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  Seismic Waves is a newsletter published by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. "Earthquakes and other disasters can be damaging to general business activity, but downright lethal to individual businesses. Surviving enterprises can emerge with a competitive advantage and help their communities recover. But which organizations are more likely to survive? Although smaller or less-well-established businesses are generally recognized to be at greater risk from disasters, firms of any size are more likely to survive when they take action to reduce the costs that such extreme events can inflict. While it can be tempting to trust in providence to spare people and property from the ravages of an earthquake, it should be noted that 'providence' comes from the Latin 'providentia,' meaning foresight, foreknowledge, or precaution. Helping businesses to foresee the potentially devastating consequences of earthquakes and take sensible precautions to avoid them is the purpose of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) new business outreach program, QuakeSmart--Mitigation Works For Business."

  National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (U.S.)

  2009-03
• Developing and Maintaining State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local Government Emergency Plans

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  "This Comprehensive Preparedness Guide, CPG 101, expands on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) efforts to provide guidance about response and recovery planning to State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local Governments. It also extends those planning concepts into the prevention and protection mission areas. Some predecessor material can be traced back to the 1960s-era Federal Civil Defense Guide. Long-time emergency management practitioners also will recognize the influence of Civil Preparedness Guide 1-8, Guide for the Development of State and Local Emergency Operations Plans, and State and Local Guide (SLG) 101, Guide for All-Hazards Emergency Operations Planning, in this document. While CPG 101 maintains its link to the past, it also reflects the changed reality of the current operational planning environment. Hurricane Hugo and the Loma Prieta earthquake influenced the development of CPG 1-8. Hurricane Andrew and the Midwest floods shaped the contents of SLG 101. In a similar way, CPG 101 reflects the impacts of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and recent major disasters, such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, on the emergency planning community. CPG 101 integrates concepts from the National Preparedness Guidelines, National Incident Management System (NIMS), National Response Framework (NRF), the National Strategy for Information Sharing (NSIS), and the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP), and it incorporates recommendations from the 2005 Nationwide Plan Review."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2009-03
• Tsunami Hazard Assessment at Nuclear Power Plant Sites in the United States of America: Final Report

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  "We describe the tsunami phenomenon with the focus on its relevance for hazard assessment at nuclear power plant sites. Chapter 1 includes an overview of tsunamis and mechanisms that generate tsunamis. Three tsunamigenic mechanisms--earthquakes, landslides, and volcanoes--are considered relevant for hazard assessment at nuclear power plant sites. We summarize historical tsunami occurrences, including descriptions of source mechanisms and damages caused by these events. Historical landslides and potential landslide areas in earth's oceans are described. We describe the hierarchical-review approach to tsunami-hazard assessment at nuclear power plant sites in Chapter 2. The hierarchical-review approach consists of a series of stepwise, progressively more-refined analyses to evaluate the hazard resulting from a phenomena at a nuclear power plant site. [...]. Chapter 3 describes the effects tsunami waves may have at a nuclear power plant site. These effects result in hazards that may directly affect the safety of a plant's structures, systems, and components. [...]. Chapter 4 describes data required for a detailed tsunami-hazard assessment and sources of these data. We recommend using existing resources and previously completed tsunami-hazard assessments, if available and appropriate. [...]. Chapter 5 defines the probable maximum tsunami, its determination at a site, and subsequent hazard assessment. We point out that a tsunamigenic source that produces probable maximum tsunami hazards at a site may not be determined a priori. [...]. Chapter 6 describes international practices by Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which are reviewed for completeness. The appendix provides a stepwise guide to site-independent analyses for tsunami-hazard assessment."

  U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

  Prasad, R.

  2009-03
• China-U.S. Relations in the 110th Congress: Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy [February 10, 2009]

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  From the Summary: "This report deals with U.S.-China relations during the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and with a number of key events involving China during the two-year period. These events included: China's anti-satellite weapon test (January 2007); the 17th Party Congress (October 2007); a crackdown against demonstrations in Tibet (March 2008); the election of a new, pro-engagement government in Taiwan (March 2008); the massive Sichuan earthquake (May 2008); and Beijing's hosting of the 2008 Olympics (August 2008). U.S.-China relations were remarkably smooth for much of the 110th, although there were signs that U.S. China policy had become subject to competing reassessments as the Bush Administration drew to a close in 2008. The White House continued to follow the policy of engagement it had unveiled in 2005 as a new framework for the relationship, one in which the United States was willing to work cooperatively with China while encouraging Beijing to become a 'responsible stakeholder' in the global system. [...] But other U.S. policymakers began to raise concerns on issues involving China and U.S.-China relations. They cited concerns about the impact of the PRC's strong economic growth and a more assertive PRC diplomacy in the international arena; failures in procedures to assure the quality of Chinese pharmaceuticals, food, and other products being imported into the United States; repeated PRC inabilities to protect U.S. intellectual property rights; and trade practices and policies in China that contributed to a growing U.S. trade deficit with China ($256 billion in 2007 and projected to hit $267 billion in 2008)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Dumbaugh, Kerry

  2009-02-10
• Technology Helps Safeguard Citizens: Risk Assessment Data Compilations Map Quick Road to Recovery During Iowa Floods

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  This report explains how Johnson County, Iowa, Emergency Management Agency (EMA) officials found it more effective to asses the flooding situation in Johnson County, Iowa using simple Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis rather than, "...plotting historical data on ink paper maps to plan response and recovery routes." The EMA used the program HAZUS, which "...is FEMA's powerful GIS-based software methodology that estimates potential losses from earthquakes, hurricane wind and floods; calculating physical damage and functional loss in communities. HAZUS' ability to estimate the potential impacts of a flood provided the team with an unprecedented 'crystal ball.'" The report also includes maps that are produced with HAZUS and testimonials of officials.

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)

  2009-02?
• CDC's Disaster Planning Goal: Protect Vulnerable Older Adults

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  "Disasters of all kinds affect older adults disproportionately, especially those with chronic diseases, disabilities or conditions that require extra assistance to leave an unsafe area and recover from an event. For this reason, emergency managers need to recognize that the frail elderly are a special-needs population and develop strategies to meet their needs. The term 'frail elderly' refers to older adults who have serious, chronic health problems that could make them more vulnerable during disasters [Fernandez, 2002]. Disasters come in many forms, including severe weather-related events, earthquakes, large-scale attacks on civilian populations, technological catastrophes, and influenza pandemics. Although the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks focused some attention on vulnerable populations and evacuations of people with disabilities, it was the destruction of Gulf Coast areas by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 that marked a major shift in the way disaster preparedness planners approach their job. '9/11 got the attention of the disability community, caregivers, and service providers, but it really didn't penetrate the emergency response community that much. That came with Katrina,' explained Vincent Campbell, PhD, Associate Director for Science in the Division of Human Development and Disability in CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. 'Older adults are definitely a population with needs that must be addressed,' he added."

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

  2009
• Reauthorization of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program: R&D for Disaster Resilient Communities, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation of the Committee on Science and Technology, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, First Session, June 11, 2009

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  From the opening statement of David Wu: "We will hear today that the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, or NEHRP, has made many significant strides in enhancing earthquake safety and is a valuable program. However, the Subcommittee has also found that federal agencies currently have a stovepipe approach to hazards mitigation research activities. Separate and distinct programs exist for earthquake, tsunami, fire, and wind threats, despite areas of commonality such as prediction research, emergency preparedness needs, and the potential for mitigation via enhanced construction codes. Even more importantly, the key to successful mitigation of any and all potential hazards is a coordinated and effective public education program. [...] One question we can raise is whether the current structure of federal hazards research is optimal and how we could improve it. [...] Today we will hear from experts on needs for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. I hope to also learn if a program structured like NEHRP might also improve wind, fire, and tsunami research programs. It is worth exploring whether a coordinated, comprehensive, and fully funded hazards mitigation program could be a more effective approach than the current stovepipe structure, where different hazards communities fight for their own funding priorities and lessons learned are less likely to be shared between those researching different threats." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: David Wu, Adrian Smith, Harry E. Mitchell, John R. Hayes, Jr., Kenneth D. Murphy, Thomas D. O'Rourke, Michael K. Lindell, and James Robert Harris.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2009
• Are We Ready? A Status Report on Emergency Preparedness for the 2009 Hurricane Season, Hearing Before the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery, of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, First Session, June 4, 2009

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  From the opening statement of Mary Landrieu: "Our Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery will come to order. And let me welcome everyone that has joined us today for what I think is a very important hearing and what is one of a series of hearings that will continue to happen as we strive to get our Nation's response capabilities in the very best possible shape that we can for hurricanes and all disasters. That is the subject of this hearing today, to see where we are, and we have the opportunity to have on our first panel the new FEMA administrator who will be testifying today for the first time since his confirmation. Welcome, Mr. Fugate. And Major General Grass from Missouri, who will be testifying today as well. Let me say that this hearing is focused on hurricane response because we started hurricane season this week. But we will be examining issues that affect not just the hurricane region, but all regions of the country in this hearing today, and we will be focusing on plans and processes that actually have applicability across the board for many different types of threats, be it hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. The Ranking Member and I both represent States that have seen large portions of our States, major cities, and very important rural areas devastated by recent hurricanes. 2004, 2005, and 2008 were particularly hard years for cities and communities throughout the Gulf Coast, from Florida to Texas, but the last century has been difficult for many States." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Roland W. Burris, Lindsey Graham, W. Craig Fugate, Frank Grass, George Foresman, Armond Mascelli and Janet Durden.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2009
• NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures (FEMA P-750)

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  "One of the goals of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) is to encourage design and building practices that address the earthquake hazard and minimize the resulting risk of damage and injury. Publication of the 2009 edition of the NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures (FEMA P-750) reaffirms FEMA's ongoing support of efforts to achieve this goal. First published in 1985, the 2009 edition of the Provisions marks the seventh in a series of updates to the document and several complementary publications. FEMA is proud to have sponsored this project conducted by the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) of National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and continues to encourage the widespread dissemination and voluntary use of this state-of-art consensus resource document. In contrast to the earlier editions of the Provisions which resulted from three-year update projects, the 2009 edition is the first resulting from a five-year update effort that allowed the BSSC's Provisions Update Committee (PUC) to make some major changes in both the substance and the format of the Provisions document. The most significant change involves the adoption by reference of the national consensus design loads standard, ASCE/SEI 7-05, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, including the related consensus standards referenced therein and Supplements 1 and 2. Part 1 of this document includes consensus-approved modifications of the seismic requirements in the standard."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2009
• Regional Assessment of Tsunami Potential in the Gulf of Mexico: Report to the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program

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  From the Executive Summary: "The following summary is based on our observations and modeling results: (1) There is sufficient evidence to consider submarine landslides in the Gulf of Mexico as a present-day tsunami hazard, as there are clear observations of large landslides along the continental margin of the gulf; (2) Three geologic landslide provinces are de fined in the Gulf of Mexico: Northwest Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi Canyon and fan, and Florida/Campeche Margin; (3) Parameters for the maximum credible submarine landslide were determined for each of the provinces, except for the Florida/Campeche Margin where data are unavailable; […] (4) Mobility analysis suggests that constitutive parameters of the East Breaks landslide in the Northwest Gulf of Mexico are similar to the parameters for other landslides that have recently been analyzed (Palos Verdes and Currituck); (5) The largest landslides are found in the submarine canyon and fan provinces extending from present (Mississippi) and former larger rivers that emptied into the Gulf of Mexico; […] (6) Hydrodynamic modeling of potential maximum tsunamis from landslide sources was conducted for the East Breaks slide (south Texas) and for hypothetical slides along the Florida/Campeche margin. Conservative initial conditions related to tsunami generation efficiency, were used; […] (7) It is likely that seismic seiche waves resulting from the 1964 Gulf of Alaska earthquake are nearly the highest that ca n be generated owing to a predominantly continental ray path for seismic surface waves from Alaska to the Gulf Coast; (8) There are no significant earthquake sources within the Gulf of Mexico that are likely to generate tsunamis, despite recent seismic activity in the area."

  Geological Survey (U.S.)

  ten Brink, Uri; Twichell, David C.; Lynett, Patrick J. . . .

  2009?
• Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER): A System for Rapidly Determining the Impact of Earthquakes Worldwide

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  "Within minutes of a significant earthquake anywhere on the globe, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system assesses its potential societal impact. PAGER automatically estimates the number of people exposed to severe ground shaking and the shaking intensity at affected cities. Accompanying maps of the epicentral region show the population distribution and estimated ground-shaking intensity. A regionally specific comment describes the inferred vulnerability of the regional building inventory and, when available, lists recent nearby earthquakes and their effects. PAGER's results are posted on the USGS Earthquake Program Web site (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/), consolidated in a concise one-page report, and sent in near real-time to emergency responders, government agencies, and the media. Both rapid and accurate results are obtained through manual and automatic updates of PAGER's content in the hours following significant earthquakes. These updates incorporate the most recent estimates of earthquake location, magnitude, faulting geometry, and first-hand accounts of shaking. PAGER relies on a rich set of earthquake analysis and assessment tools operated by the USGS and contributing Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) regional networks. A focused research effort is underway to extend PAGER's near real-time capabilities beyond population exposure to quantitative estimates of fatalities, injuries, and displaced population."

  Geological Survey (U.S.)

  Earle, Paul S.; Wald, David J. (David Jay); Jaiswal, Kishor . . .

  2009
• Impact of Disasters and Political Violence on Mental Health in Latin America

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  "This edition of the PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder] Research Quarterly is the first in an occasional series on the epidemiology of trauma around the world. Although there are relatively few general-population studies of trauma and PTSD in Latin America (not reviewed here), a substantial body of work on disasters or political violence exists. The Americas have been vulnerable to catastrophic earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters. Latin America has also experienced horrific levels of political violence since 1970 (peaking in the 1980s) due to war, insurgencies, counterinsurgencies, and other civil conflicts. The violence has taken many terrifying forms, including massacres and burnings of villages, torture, rapes of women, and ubiquitous 'disappearances.'"

  National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (U.S.)

  Norris, Fran H.

  2009
• Historical Seismicity in the South San Francisco Bay Region

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  In this report, "Locations (intensity centers) and moment magnitude M for 24 earthquakes (1858-1911) in the southern San Francisco Bay area are estimated from Modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) assignments. The uncertainties in location and M are generally large because there are few MMI assignments available. Preferred locations are selected to be consistent with a simple model for seismic activity on the central and southern Calaveras fault. Significant seismic activity can be explained by repetitive failure of the same fault areas in nearly identical earthquakes. Significant earthquake activity occurred on both east- and west-Bay faults in the ten or so years before the 1868 east- Bay earthquake and before the 1906 and 1989 west-Bay earthquakes." This document contains numerous maps.

  United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)

  Bakun, W. H. (William H.)

  2009
• Seismic Waves: New Findings to Keep Flate-Plate Frames from Flattening

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  Seismic Waves is a newsletter published by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. "Infrastructure, so often taken for granted, is attracting more attention these days. In such times, it is worth noting that infrastructure encompasses not just the many constructed resources that directly support our daily routines, but also the research facilities that make those resources safer and more efficient. Researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota recently highlighted the value of such facilities. Taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES), they developed important new findings that will help to make a popular building system safer and more efficient to use in earthquake-prone regions."

  National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (U.S.)

  2009-01
• Guidance for Establishing Crisis Standards of Care for Use in Disaster Situations: A Letter Report

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  "The influenza pandemic caused by the 2009 H1N1 virus underscores the immediate and critical need to prepare for a public health emergency in which thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people suddenly seek and require medical care in communities across the United States. Guidance for Establishing Crisis Standards of Care for Use in Disaster Situations draws from a broad spectrum of expertise-including state and local public health, emergency medicine and response, primary care, nursing, palliative care, ethics, the law, behavioral health, and risk communication-to offer guidance toward establishing standards of care that should apply to disaster situations, both naturally occurring and manmade, under conditions in which resources are scarce. Guidance for Establishing Crisis Standards of Care for Use in Disaster Situations explores two case studies that illustrate the application of the guidance and principles laid out in the report. One scenario focuses on a gradual-onset pandemic flu. The other scenario focuses on an earthquake and the particular issues that would arise during a no-notice event. Outlining current concepts and offering guidance, this book will prove an asset to state and local public health officials, healthcare facilities, and professionals in the development of systematic and comprehensive policies and protocols for standards of care in disasters where resources are scarce. In addition, the extensive 'operations' section of the book provides guidance to clinicians, healthcare institutions, and state and local public health officials for how those crisis standards of care should be implemented in a disaster situation."

  National Academies Press (U.S.)

  Altevogt, Bruce M.; Stroud, Clare; Hanson, Sarah L.

  2009
• Protecting Yourself While Responding to Earthquakes

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  This training tool from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences provides general information on Earthquakes as well as safety information for responders and support personnel.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2008-12-01?
• Seismic Waves: The 1868 Hayward Earthquake Alliance

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  Seismic Waves is a newsletter published by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. "Although social scientists are still studying how to communicate risk effectively, they have offered some guidance: Repetition of a consistent message is needed to achieve audience penetration. How carefully audience members consider the message 'can affect what they remember . . . and their intent to comply with the message,' and careful consideration is more likely when the message is personally relevant to the recipient.1 Facing an unprecedented level of seismic risk in California's San Francisco Bay Area, the 1868 Hayward Earthquake Alliance has carried out an effective risk-communication campaign much in keeping with such guidance. The Alliance, a Bay Area-wide coalition of 140 public- and private-sector organizations led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has used an array of channels to disseminate a consistent message about the urgent importance of earthquake preparedness, and has developed innovative tools to make this message resonate with the local populace."

  National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (U.S.)

  2008-12
• Protecting Yourself while Responding to Earthquakes: Safety and Health Awareness for Responders to Earthquakes

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  "This training tool is an awareness-level health and safety resource for 'skilled support personnel' (SSP) who will participate in an earthquake response and cleanup. This tool will help workers understand at an awareness level: what an earthquake is, characteristics of an earthquake response, and how to identify and control hazards pertaining to the response and cleanup activities associated with an earthquake. Trainers may use this tool to aid in the development of an earthquake awareness level course or other awareness level materials (fact-sheets, table-top activities, etc.)."

  National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

  2008-12
• Catalog of FEMA Earthquake Resources

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  This FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] document lists earthquake resources for: individuals and homeowners; teachers and kids; community planning and public policy; and building professionals and engineers.

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2008-12
• Financing Recovery from Large-Scale Natural Disasters [November 18, 2008]

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  "Two important issues before Congress are (1) securing the nation's capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover/rebuild from natural catastrophe events, and (2) determining whether and how the federal government should intervene in catastrophe insurance markets. Since the devastating Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, and a sequence of tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, and the Midwestern floods in 2008, public attention has focused on: (1) the potential high cost of recovery and financing of natural disaster losses; (2) the supply and relatively narrow scope of private sector disaster insurance; (3) the extent to which Americans living in disaster-prone areas may be uninsured or underinsured; and (4) potential increases in federal outlays for disaster assistance. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the property insurance industry revisited catastrophe exposures with the help of recalibrated catastrophe models for Atlantic tropical storms. Based on this new analysis insurers arguably face greater potential losses in severe catastrophe events than was previously appreciated. This enhanced appreciation of risk has implications for property insurance capacity, underwriting, and pricing. Many insurers responded to recent hurricanes by requesting rate increases or refusing to renew hundreds of thousands of policies sold in areas along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Where insurance became either too expensive or unavailable, homeowners and small business owners who could not otherwise obtain property insurance in the private markets turned to state-operated 'residual market facilities' that serve as insurers of last resort in these areas. As a result, many of these facilities have expanded."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  King, Rawle O.

  2008-11-18
• Homeland Emergency Preparedness and the National Exercise Program: Background, Policy Implications, and Issues for Congress [November 10, 2008]

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  "This report, which will be updated as warranted, provides an overview of emergency preparedness authorities and guidance; development and management of the NEP; and current exercise planning, scheduling, and evaluation processes. Additionally, it provides analysis of national preparedness policy issues and exercise operations issues that Congress might wish to consider. […] An emergency preparedness and response program provides resources and support to individuals and communities that might be affected by a broad range of disruptive incidents. These incidents may be caused by natural phenomena such as severe weather, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, or disease outbreaks. Incidents might result from human activity as well, and could include accidents, criminal acts, terrorism, or other attacks. Concerns have been raised whether current preparedness and response policies and capacities are sufficient. The effectiveness of preparedness doctrine may be demonstrated through responses to real incidents, or through exercises that practice and refine responses to a variety of potential disruptions. Exercises might demonstrate that responders have the capacity to respond effectively to an incident, or identify areas in which improvement is necessary. […] Current homeland emergency preparedness exercises, carried out through authorities that created the National Exercise Program (NEP), evaluate and adapt an integrated, interagency federal, state, territorial, local, and private sector capability to prevent terrorist attacks, and to rapidly and effectively respond to, and recover from, any terrorist attack or major disaster that occurs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kapp, Lawrence; Peterman, David Randall; Lindsay, Bruce R.

  2008-11-10
• Seismic Waves: MCEER Research: Enabling Disaster-Resilient Communities

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  Seismic Waves is a newsletter published by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. "This is the last in an intermittent series of articles about the earthquake engineering research centers funded over the past decade by the National Science Foundation. These centers have 'graduated' from the Foundation's engineering research centers program and are transitioning into the next chapters of their organizational lives. The articles briefly review their accomplishments and future plans. Although resilience cannot stop all disasters from occurring, it can have a major impact on their severity. Earthquakes and other natural and manmade hazards repeatedly test the resilience of our physical, social, and economic systems, often with little or no warning. MCEER (The Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research) is enabling communities at risk to improve their resilience and better withstand these unwelcome tests. Headquartered at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, MCEER is a consortium of researchers from many disciplines working at the Center's 16 member institutions. From 1997 through 2007, the National Science Foundation (NSF) provided substantial support for MCEER under grant award EEC-9701471, enabling the Center to develop the distinctive research competencies that it offers to NSF and other clients today."

  National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (U.S.)

  2008-11
• Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Legislation for Disaster Assistance: Summary Data [Updated October 31, 2008]

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  "This report provides summary information on emergency supplemental appropriations enacted after major disasters since 1989. During the 20-year span from FY1989 through the present, Congress appropriated almost $271 billion in constant 2008 dollars. Most of the appropriations were preceded by a presidential request for supplemental funding. In 2008 a number of major natural disasters took place including Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the California wildfires, and the Midwest floods. To date however, the most costly disasters occurred in the summer of 2005 when Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma made landfall in Gulf Coast states. […] Prior to FY2005 and the hurricanes, only the terrorist attacks of 2001 led to supplemental appropriations legislation that exceeded $20 billion. Congress appropriated a total of more than $26 billion for disaster assistance in response to the attacks. […] At times, the supplementals enacted by Congress have included only disaster funding. The supplementals enacted after Hurricane Hugo and the Loma Prieta earthquake, in addition to the first two enacted after Hurricane Katrina, serve as examples. On other occasions, however, disaster funding has been part of larger pieces of legislation that appropriated funds for purposes other than disaster assistance. The most recent supplemental disaster assistance appropriation occurred on September 30, 2008 when the President signed into law H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. The statute, P.L.110-329, provides $21.3 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for relief and recovery from hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Murray, Justin; Lindsay, Bruce R.

  2008-10-31
• Seismic Waves: Getting the Word Out to Save Lives and Property

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  Seismic Waves is a newsletter published by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. "Through its participation in the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) promotes the dissemination and use of the latest advances in earthquake hazard mitigation and risk reduction. These advances are brought about through basic and applied research and through consensus-building efforts undertaken or supported by the NEHRP agencies and their many partners in the public and private sectors. The FEMA-NEHRP publications program is a key element of FEMA's dissemination and implementation activities. Over the past 30 years, this program has produced and distributed, in cooperation with a number of publishing partners, more than 170 authoritative publications aimed at reducing earthquake casualties and losses in the United States."

  National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (U.S.)

  2008-10