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Effects of Catastrophic Events on Transportation System Management and Operations: August 2003 Northeast Blackout Great Lakes Region
"This report documents the actions taken by transportation agencies in response to the August 14, 2003, blackout throughout the Northeast. It is part of a larger effort to examine the impacts of catastrophic events on transportation system facilities and services and the role that intelligent transportation systems (ITS) play in emergencies. It also highlights the importance of good communications between transportation agency staff and the public safety officials who are the first responders during catastrophic events. The findings documented in this report are a result of the creation of a detailed chronology of events in the Great Lakes region, a literature search, and interviews of key personnel involved in transportation operations decision-making during the blackout. A companion case study of the New York City area has also been prepared. As part of a larger effort, four case studies have already been produced examining catastrophic events: 1) New York, N.Y., terrorist attack, September 11, 2001 2) Washington, D.C., terrorist attack, September 11, 2001 3) Baltimore, Md., rail tunnel fire, July 18, 2001 4) Northridge, Calif., earthquake, January 17, 1994."
United States. Department of Transportation. Research and Special Programs Administration
DeBlasio, Allan J.; Zirker, Margaret E.; Regan, Terrance J.
2004-05
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National Interagency Incident Management System: Teamwork in Emergency Management
"The National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIMS) was designed by a group of local, state, and federal agencies with fire protection responsibilities to improve the ability of fire protection forces responding to any type of emergency. While NIIMS is not new, it includes the best parts of two fire suppression management systems that were used across the nation for wildland fire operations and other emergencies. These were the Large Fire Organization and the Incident Command System (ICS). NIIMS includes other interactive subsystems that help to make a comprehensive emergency management system. A Concept: In 1981, NIIMS was accepted by representatives of federal and state wildland protection agencies as a concept, with the understanding that much work remained to be done on the details of the system. Thus, while the concept remains the same, interagency development efforts have broadened and strengthened the system since it was first accepted by the agency representatives. Although NIIMS was developed by fire protection agencies, the same management concepts can and have been used to respond to public emergencies of any type. Using the principles outlined in NIIMS, national disasters such as terrorist bombings, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes, and local situations in which several jurisdictions are involved, such as tornadoes, major aircraft accidents, and hazardous material spills can be managed more efficiently."
National Wildfire Coordinating Group (U.S.)
2004-04
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Emergency Response Plan Guidance for Small and Medium Community Water Systems to Comply with the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on developing or revising Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) for small- and medium-sized community drinking water systems. An ERP is a documented plan that describes the actions that a Community Water System (CWS) would take in response to various major events. A major event refers to: Credible threats, indications of terrorism, or acts of terrorism; Major disasters or emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, earthquakes, fires, flood, or explosion regardless of cause, and; Catastrophic incidents that leave extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, and disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, and government functions. On June 12, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (PL 107-188, referred to as the Bioterrorism Act). In the Bioterrorism Act, Congress recognizes the need for drinking water systems to undertake a more comprehensive view of water safety and security. The Act amends the Safe Drinking Water Act and specifies actions CWSs and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) must take to improve the security of the Nation's drinking water infrastructure. CWS characteristics vary greatly, so CWSs should apply the information contained in this document to meet their particular needs and circumstances. This document should be used as a flexible template.
United States. Environmental Protection Agency
2004-04
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Missouri Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized [March 23, 2004]
"Missouri addresses emergencies under civil defense and natural disaster statutes. The Joint Committee on Terrorism, Bioterrorism and Homeland Security of the General Assembly is responsible for terrorism preparedness and evaluating the need for policy changes. Aid is provided through the Missouri disaster fund, and relief funds are accepted from the federal government and private contributors. Both the governor and the legislature can declare an emergency. Earthquake response is a significant part of Missouri's disaster codes. This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bea, Keith; Runyon, L. Cheryl; Richardson, Sula P.
2004-03-23
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Quaternary Fault and Fold Database for the Nation
"The USGS has released a new Quaternary Fault and Fold Database that summarizes geologic, geomorphic, and geographic information for about 2,000 Quaternary faults in the United States. This online database at http://Qfaults.cr.usgs.gov/ contains information on faults and associated folds that are believed to be sources of earthquakes greater than magnitude 6 (M>6). The database is limited to structures with documented activity during the Quaternary (past 1.6 m.y.) because this period of geologic time is most relevant for studies of active earthquake faults. Earthquakes occur when faults move beneath the Earthʼs surface. When the earthquake is large enough, movement will continue up to the surface and produce scarps, folds, or other geologic evidence of ground deformation. Although not all future earthquakes will occur on known faults, virtually all occur on preexisting faults. Thus, the faults included in this database have the most potential for future large earthquakes and provide a fairly accurate picture of earthquake hazards in the United States."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2004-03
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Risk Management Series: Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of Multifamily Apartment Buildings: Providing Protection to People and Buildings
"The greatest earthquake risk is associated with existing multifamily buildings that were designed and constructed before the use of modern building codes. For many parts of the United States, this includes buildings built as recently as the early 1990s. Although vulnerable multifamily buildings need to be replaced with safe, new construction or rehabilitated to correct deficiencies, for many building owners new construction is limited, at times severely, by budgetary constraints, and seismic rehabilitation is expensive and disruptive. However, incremental seismic rehabilitation, proposed in this manual, is an innovative approach that phases in a series of discrete rehabilitation actions over a period of several years. It is an effective, affordable, and non-disruptive strategy for responsible mitigation actions that can be integrated efficiently into ongoing facility maintenance and capital improvement operations to minimize cost and disruption. This manual and its companion documents are the products of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) project to develop the concept of incremental seismic rehabilitation--that is, building modifications that reduce seismic risk by improving seismic performance and that are implemented over an extended period, often in conjunction with other repair, maintenance, or capital improvement activities."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Krimgold, Frederick, 1946-; Hattis, David; Green, Melvyn
2004-02
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Seismic Monitoring of the Atwood Building in Anchorage, Alaska
"The devastating effects of earthquakes are well known in Alaska. The great March 27, 1964 (Good Friday), Alaska earthquake shook the ground for more than 4 minutes over a 50,000-square-mile zone of destruction and caused 131 deaths and as much as $500 million (1964 dollars) in property damage. This magnitude 9.2 event, the largest earthquake ever recorded in the Northern Hemisphere, left scars on the landscape that are still visible today. Much work has been done since 1964 to mitigate the damaging effects of earth-quakes, both in Alaska and nationwide. For example, earthquake monitoring networks have been established with real-time reporting capabilities, probabilistic seismic-hazard assessments have been performed, building-code seismic provisions have been updated and adopted, and emergency-response plans have been developed and practiced. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and cooperating organizations have pursued extensive earthquake research in Alaska and else-where, but despite all these advances, further progress is needed, particularly in the area of earthquake engineering of structures."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2004
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Communicating with Owners and Managers of New Buildings on Earthquake Risk
This document was developed to facilitate the process of educating building owners and managers about seismic risk management tools that can be effectively and economically employed during the building development phase - from site selection through design and construction - as well as the operational phase. The document provides guidance for identifying and assessing earthquake-related hazards during the site selection process, including the potential seismic hazards of ground shaking, surface fault rupture, soil liquefaction, soil differential compaction, landsliding and inundation, as well as other potential hazards affecting building performance, vulnerable transportation and utility systems (lifelines), the hazards posed by adjacent structures, the release of hazardous materials, and post-earthquake fires.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2004-01
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Risk Management Series Design Guide for Improving School Safety in Earthquakes, Floods, and High Winds
"This publication is intended to provide design guidance for the protection of school buildings and their occupants against natural hazards, and concentrates on grade schools (K-12); the focus is on the design of new schools, but the repair, renovation, and extension of existing schools is also addressed. It is intended as the first of a series of publications in which hospitals, higher education buildings, multifamily dwellings, commercial buildings, and light industrial facilities will be addressed. The focus of this publication is on the safety of school buildings and their occupants, and the economic losses and social disruption caused by building damage and destruction. The volume covers three main natural hazards that have the potential to result in unacceptable risk and loss: earthquakes, floods, and high winds. A companion volume, Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks (FEMA 428), covers the manmade hazards of physical, chemical, biological, and radiological attacks. The intended audience for this manual includes design professionals and school officials involved in the technical and financial decisions of school construction, repair, and renovations. A short brochure based on this manual will also be available for school district and school board decision-makers."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2004-01
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Risk Management Series: Primer for Design Professionals: Communicating with Owners and Managers of New Buildings on Earthquake Risk
FEMA 389 was developed to facilitate the process of educating building owners and managers about seismic risk management tools that can be effectively and economically employed during the building development phase-- from site selection through design and construction-- as well as the operational phase. The document provides guidance for identifying and assessing earthquake-related hazards during the site selection process, including the potential seismic hazards of ground shaking, surface fault rupture, soil liquefaction, soil differential compaction, landsliding and inundation, as well as other potential hazards affecting building performance, vulnerable transportation and utility systems (lifelines), the hazards posed by adjacent structures, the release of hazardous materials, and post-earthquake fires.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2004-01
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Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment: Recurring Actions in California
"FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] has determined through experience that the majority of the typical recurring actions proposed for funding, and for which an EA is required, can be grouped by type of action or location. These groups of actions can be evaluated in a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for compliance with NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act of 1969] and its implementing regulations without the need to develop and produce a time-consuming, stand-alone EA for every action. This PEA evaluates typical recurring actions undertaken by FEMA within the State of California in preparation for, and in the wake of, disasters. The purpose of this document is to facilitate FEMA's compliance with NEPA by providing a framework to address the impacts of actions typically funded in response to flood, earthquake, fire, rain, and wind disasters and to prevent future disasters resulting from these types of events. This PEA also provides the public and decision-makers with the information required to understand and evaluate the potential environmental consequences of these actions. In addition to meeting the goals of impact identification and disclosure, this PEA addresses the need to streamline the NEPA review process in the interest of FEMA's primary mission of disaster response, recovery, and mitigation. This PEA applies immediately to all actions described in Section 2 of this document that have been proposed for FEMA funding under all open declared flood, earthquake, fire, rain, and wind disasters in California. Open declared disasters are defined as disasters for which FEMA is still providing federal assistance under the Stafford Act."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2003-12
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Risk Management Series: Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of Office Buildings: Providing Protection to People and Buildings
"This manual provides owners of office buildings, be they Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), pension funds, partnerships, individuals, or other forms of ownership, with the information necessary to assess the seismic vulnerability of their buildings and to implement a program of incremental seismic rehabilitation for those buildings. The manual consists of three parts: Critical Decisions for Earthquake Safety in Office Buildings, is for owner senior executives, board members, and policy makers who will decide on allocating resources for earthquake mitigation; Planning and Managing the Process for Earthquake Risk Reduction in Existing Office Buildings, is for facility managers, risk managers, and financial managers, or those responsible for these areas of management, who will initiate and manage seismic mitigation measures; and Tools for Implementing Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation in Existing Office Buildings, is for facility managers, or those otherwise responsible for facility management, who will implement incremental seismic rehabilitation programs."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2003-12
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Risk Management Series: Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of Hospital Buildings: Providing Protection to People and Buildings
"This manual provides healthcare organizations with the information necessary to assess the seismic vulnerability of their buildings and to implement a program of incremental seismic rehabilitation for those buildings. The manual consists of three parts: Critical Decisions for Earthquake Safety in Hospitals, is for healthcare organization senior executives, board members, hospital directors, vice presidents for facility management, and other policy makers who will decide on allocating resources for earthquake mitigation; Planning and Managing the Process for Earthquake Risk Reduction in Existing Hospital Buildings, is for hospital facility managers, risk managers, and financial managers who will initiate and manage seismic mitigation measures; and Tools for Implementing Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation in Existing Hospital Buildings, is for facility managers, or others responsible for facility management, who will implement incremental seismic rehabilitation programs."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2003-12
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3181: Predisaster Mitigation Program Reauthorization Act of 2003
"H.R. 3181 would authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), within the Department of Homeland Security, to provide grants to states and localities for predisaster mitigation programs such as constructing levies, relocating homes from flood plains, and retrofitting buildings in earthquake areas. Under current law, authority for this program expires on December 31, 2003. The bill would extend the authorization for the predisaster mitigation program until September 30, 2006. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3181 would cost $280 million over the 2004-2008 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. Enacting H.R. 3181 would have no impact on direct spending or revenues. H.R. 3181 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would benefit state, local, and tribal governments."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2003-10-21
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Earthquakes-Rattling the Earth's Plumbing System
"Hydrogeologic responses to earthquakes have been known for decades, and have occurred both close to, and thousands of miles from earthquake epicenters. Water wells have become turbid, dry or begun flowing, discharge of springs and ground water to streams has increased and new springs have formed, and well and surfacewater quality have become degraded as a result of earthquakes. Earthquakes affect our Earth's intricate plumbing system--whether you live near the notoriously active San Andreas Fault in California, or far from active faults in Florida, an earthquake near or far can affect you and the water resources you depend on."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2003-10
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GSA's National Security Guidance for Federal Agencies and Federal Building Operators
For the purpose of this report, GSA refers to U.S. General Services Administration. "In the post-September 11 environment, prudent steps must be identified and put in place not only to safeguard federal facilities but to enable essential services to continue, if at all possible, in the event utility services are interrupted. This is neither a new requirement nor a novel expectation. At any time, a fire, flood, earthquake, tornado or other Act of God could disrupt utility service. And one need only think back to concern over the Year 2000 Problem and the manner in which federal facility operators prepared for every conceivable contingency. Just as federal agencies prepared responsibly and effectively for that scenario, so we must expect that utility interruptions will occur in the near future -- perhaps on a wide scale -- and prepare accordingly. The purpose of this guide is to acquaint facility operators across the Federal government with general approaches as well as specific procedures recommended by GSA."
United States. General Services Administration
2003-09
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NOAA TIME Seattle Tsunami Mapping Project: Procedures, Data Sources, and Products
"This report describes the project of the NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] Center for Tsunami Mapping Efforts (TIME) to model and map potential tsunami inundation along the Puget Sound shores of Seattle, Washington (Fig. 1). The source of the scenario tsunami is a major (magnitude 7.3) earthquake of the Seattle Fault. The goal of this work is to provide data for creating tsunami inundation maps for these areas. The maps are prepared as part of the National Hazard Mitigation Program to aid local governments in designing evacuation plans for areas at risk from potentially dangerous tsunamis. The details of the tsunami generation are extremely important, since the tsunami inundation area is in close proximity to the tsunami source. Hence the latest scientific evidence about the Seattle Fault structure and seismicity is employed to design a tsunami source scenario for this study. We apply a high-resolution tsunami inundation model to estimate details of the runup on land near the Seattle shoreline."
United States. Department of Commerce; United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (U.S.)
Titov, Vasily V.; Mofjeld, Harold O.; Gonzalez, Frank I.
2003-09
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State and Local Mitigation Planning How-to Guide: Integrating Manmade Hazards into Mitigation Planning
"Disasters are events that can cause loss of life and property, environmental damage, and disruption of governmental, social, and economic activities. They occur when hazards impact human settlements and the built environment. Throughout the Cold War, the focus of emergency management planning was on responding to and recovering from nuclear attack by foreign enemies. During the 1990s, this emphasis shifted to address natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods. Yet again, the need to incorporate new threats into emergency management planning 'this time, man-made hazards such as terrorism and technological disasters' has become all too apparent, as demonstrated by the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington, DC and the July 2001 hazardous material train derailment and fire in Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally, the 2001 anthrax attacks, the 1996 bombing at the summer Olympics in Atlanta, the 1995 destruction of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and scores of smaller-scale incidents and accidents reinforce the need for communities to reduce their vulnerability to future terrorist acts and technological disasters."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2003-09
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ShakeMap- A Tool for Earthquake Response
"Immediately following an earthquake, emergency managers must make quick response decisions using limited information. Automatically and rapidly generated computer maps of the intensity of ground shaking (ShakeMaps) are now available for California within about 10 minutes of an earthquake. This quick, accurate, and important information can aid in making the most effective use of emergency-response resources."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2003-09
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National Construction Safety Team Act, Requirements and Discussion
Historically in the U.S., building failures that have "resulted in substantial loss of life or that posed significant potential for substantial loss of life" have occurred less than once per year. This is likely to continue except for terrorist acts. The number of fatalities considered to be "substantial" will depend on the nature of the event, its impact, its unusual character, historical norms, and other pertinent factors. This document outlines the requirements of the National Construction Safety Team Act, as well as conditions for establishing a team. These conditions are outlined as follows: 1. The event was: a major failure due to an extreme natural event (earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood, etc.); a fire resulting in major damage/destruction and/or spread beyond the building of origin; a major building failure at significantly less than its design basis; an act of terrorism or other event with a Presidential declaration of disaster and activation of the Federal Response Plan; and 2. An investigation will likely result in knowledge needed to reduce public risk and economic losses from future building failures.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.)
Hill, James Edward
2003-08-26
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Disaster Response and Evacuation User Service: An Addendum to the ITS Program Plan
"The surface transportation system plays a crucial role in responding to natural disasters, terrorist acts, and other catastrophic events. The Disaster Response and Evacuation (DRE) User Service uses intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to enhance the ability of the surface transportation system to respond to and recover from such disasters. The user service provides enhanced access to the scene for response personnel and resources, provides better information about the transportation system in the vicinity of the disaster, and provides more efficient, safer evacuation for the general public if needed. In addition, the transportation system includes a wealth of trained professionals and resources that constitute a portion of the disaster response. Use of ITS to prioritize, allocate, and track these personnel and resources also provides a more effective response to disasters. All types of disasters are considered in this user service including natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, winter storms, tsunamis, etc.) and technological and man-made disasters (hazardous materials incidents, nuclear power plant accidents, and national security emergencies such as terrorism, nuclear, chemical, biological, and radiological weapons attacks terrorist acts.). The basic ITS capabilities for disaster response and evacuation are essentially the same in all of these scenarios, although specific disasters do have unique characteristics (e.g., the amount of warning available, responder risks, local site management (is it a crime scene?), chances for secondary events, recovery operations required, scope and scale of the damage). Broad inter-agency coordination is critical in disaster scenarios, with transportation professionals performing well-defined roles in the larger context of the multi-agency response to the disaster."
United States. Department of Transportation. Research and Innovative Technology Administration
2003-07-15
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Making Ports and Harbors More Resilient to Earthquake and Tsunami Hazards
"Over the past decade, the threat of very large earthquakes and tsunamis in the Pacific Northwest has been well documented by the scientific community. Such events pose significant threats to coastal communities, including a potential for significant loss of life and damage to public and private infrastructure and property. Damage could result from numerous earthquake-related hazards, such as severe ground shaking, soil liquefaction, landslides, and tsunami inundation. Because of their geographic location, ports and harbors are highly vulnerable to these hazards. This is problematic because ports are centers for much of the economic and social activity of coastal communities, and are also expected to be vital as post-event, response and recovery transportation links. Increasing the resiliency of port and harbor communities to earthquake and tsunami hazards is thus a high priority. To address this issue, a collaborative, multi-year research, planning, and outreach initiative involving Oregon Sea Grant, Washington Sea Grant, the NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] Coastal Services Center, and the USGS [United States Geological Survey] Center for Science Policy was begun in early 2000 to increase the resiliency of Pacific Northwest ports and harbors to earthquake and tsunami hazards. Two pilot demonstration projects, one in Yaquina Bay, Oregon and the other in Sinclair Inlet, Washington are almost concluded at this date. Specific products of this project include a regional stakeholder issues and needs assessment, a community-based mitigation planning process aimed at port and harbor resources, a GIS -based [geographic information system] vulnerability assessment methodology, a regional data archive, and an educational web-site."
United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Coastal Services Center (U.S.)
Goodwin, Robert F.
2003-07
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ANSS-Reducing the Devastating Effects of Earthquakes
"In light of a dramatic national increase in monetary losses from earthquakes in the last two decades, the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) is being designed to integrate, modernize, standardize, and expand operations of seismic networks in the United States. The ANSS will improve ground and structural recordings of strong earthquake shaking in urban areas, providing the data necessary to improve structural safety and speed emergency response and recovery. This will improve the Nation's ability to respond effectively to damaging earthquakes, reduce monetary losses, and save lives."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2003-05
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Remarks by Secretary Ridge to Los Angeles County First Responders [April 24, 2003]
This transcript includes the April 24, 2003 remarks of Secretary Ridge to Los Angeles County First Responders. "Los Angeles County has long known the importance of comprehensive emergency planning and management. You operate under an 'all-hazards' approach, based on lessons learned from mobilizing for natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires and floods. That's the right approach. Your cities get regular emergency management training and participate in countywide exercises. Let me also say a word about your Terrorism Early Warning Group. It is a model for other cities and states. I am really looking forward to seeing the operation up close later today. And you've involved the public through education and training campaigns for students as well as adults. LAPD Chief Bill Bratton often speaks about 'tipping point' leadership - meaning that once the minds and energies of a critical mass of people are engaged behind an idea, fundamental change will come swiftly. Our job is to engage this 'critical mass' of people in their own protection. It's still early. But based on the progress we've made together, I believe we're well on our way to finding that 'tipping' point where we start going on offense instead of only playing defense. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for helping us attain that level."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2003-04-24
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Flood Information Tool User Manual, Revision 7
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), has developed a standardized, nationally-applicable natural hazards loss estimation methodology. This methodology is implemented through PC-based geographic information system (GIS) software called HAZUS MH. HAZUS MH applies a multi-hazard methodology, with models for estimating potential losses from earthquake, flood (riverine and coastal), and wind (hurricanes) hazards. The flood loss estimation methodology consists of two basic analytical processes: flood hazard analysis and flood loss estimation analysis. Flood hazards in the FIT are divided into riverine and coastal. In the riverine hazard module, characteristics such as frequency, discharge, and terrain elevation are used to model the spatial variation in flood elevation and flood depth. In the coastal hazard module, characteristics such as frequency, stillwater elevations, wave conditions, and terrain information are used to model the spatial variation in flood-induced erosion, flood elevation, and flood depth. The Flood Information Tool (FIT) is an ArcGIS extension designed to process user-supplied flood hazard data into the format required by the HAZUS MH Flood Model. The FIT, when given user-supplied inputs (e.g., ground elevations, flood elevations, and floodplain boundary information), computes the extent, depth and elevation of flooding for riverine and coastal hazards. An overall schematic of the FIT is provided in Figure 1-1 showing some of the types of data input that users may have and the FIT output (depth of flooding)."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2003-04-01
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Serial No. 108-13: H.R. 1280 - The Defense Production Act: Reauthorization of 2003: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology of the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, First Session, March 19, 2003
In 2001, when my city of New York was attacked, the Nation responded as one with aid. Today, while individuals may have divergent rules about war, we are united in hope for the well being of our troops and the innocents in the Gulf. In the future, our Nation may again have to respond to an earthquake in California, Florida hurricane, or random terrorist strike. In all these cases, it is critical that the President is empowered to invoke the Defense Production Act. In recent years, the Act has been used by the Armed Forces in the first Gulf War, Bosnia, Kuwait and in the present conflict. During peacetime, it has been used to fortify U.S. Embassies. The use of the Act is not a political issue in the sense of whether or not the U.S. should use force. The primary sections of the bill are Title I, authorizing the President to require priority performance of contracts or commit materials to promote national defense. Title III provides the President tools to ensure the viability of U.S. industries essential to national security. This authority has been used to maintain domestic production in industries dominated by foreign companies where markets are too small to otherwise sustain an upstart company. This bill continues to gain attention in the House because the failure to reauthorize could have serious consequences given current world events, and hold implications for the direction of U.S. security policy for years to come.
United States. Government Printing Office
2003-03-19
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Expanding and Using Knowledge to Reduce Earthquake Losses: The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, Strategic Plan 2001-2005
"This Strategic Plan [...] serves as an operational plan for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) agencies and guides Federal earthquake research, loss reduction, and mitigation efforts in the U.S. The plan articulates the mission and goals of the NEHRP, provides a framework for priority-setting and coordinating activities, and defines priority areas for the future."
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (U.S.)
2003-03
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Rupture in South-Central Alaska- The Denali Fault Earthquake of 2002
"A powerful magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Alaska on November 3, 2002, rupturing the Earth's surface for 209 miles along the Susitna Glacier, Denali, and Totschunda Faults. Striking a sparsely populated region, it caused thousands of landslides but little structural damage and no deaths. Although the Denali Fault shifted about 14 feet beneath the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline, the pipeline did not break, averting a major economic and environmental disaster. This was largely the result of stringent design specifications based on geologic studies done by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and others 30 years earlier. Studies of the Denali Fault and the 2002 earthquake will provide information vital to reducing losses in future earthquakes in Alaska, California, and elsewhere."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2003-03
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Expanding and Using Knowledge to Reduce Earthquake Losses: The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, Strategic Plan, 2001-2005
"This Strategic Plan is submitted in response to PL 95-124 (as amended) and PL 101-614. It serves as an operational plan for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) agencies and guides Federal earthquake research, loss reduction, and mitigation efforts in the U.S. The plan articulates the mission and goals of the NEHRP, provides a framework for priority-setting and coordinating activities, and defines priority areas for the future. […]. The plan is also responsive to the desire of Congress that NEHRP emphasize coordination of research activities, speedy transfer of new knowledge, and implementation of the results and technologies by the user community. This plan addresses demands for greater productivity, efficiency, and accountability from the Federal government. [….]. This is a living document. Factors affecting earthquake risk reduction may change and evolve differently than expected, and therefore goals and objectives, priorities, strategies, and planning contexts may change over the life of this plan. Consequently, the plan will be reviewed biennially by the participating agencies to assess the status of implementation and refine or revise approaches based on experience. The biennial review will coincide with the requirement for a NEHRP report to Congress. A more formal and comprehensive review, to be performed every five years, will involve internal and external stakeholders and may result in more substantive changes."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2003-03
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Talking about Disaster--Providing Safety Information to the Public
This guide has been developed to assist anyone providing disaster safety
information to the public. The information is based on historical data for
the United States and is appropriate for use in the United States. Some
information may not be applicable in other countries. Users of this guide
may include emergency managers, meteorologists, teachers, disaster and
fire educators, public affairs/public relations personnel, mitigation specialists, media personnel, and/or any other person in the severe-weather,
earthquake, disaster, or communications communities.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2003-02
