On the web

Citation

(2008), "On the web", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 17 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2008.07317aag.001

On the web

Planning Aheadwww.govtech.com/em/articles/118808

This article provides tips and useful advice on creating an effective emergency management Web site. Drawing on the results of a study conducted at the American University in Washington, D.C., author Sherry Watkins discusses how to provide user-friendly disaster information and communicate effectively with the public online.

Lessons Learned Information Sharingwww.llis.dhs.gov

This dedicated resource center for the FY07 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) serves as a repository of guidance, forms, templates, and general information on the HSGP’s Urban Areas Security Initiative, State Homeland Security, Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention, Metropolitan Medical Response System, and Citizen Corps Programs. The site also features practices and guidelines from the Enhancing Grants Management Technical Assistance program and contains more than 150 documents.

SPIDER Networkwww.spidernetwork.org

The Science and Policy Interfaces for Disaster Reduction (SPIDER) Network is composed of six UK-based academic departments from different universities and promotes the work of new researchers in the disaster field. The network lists a goal of re-examining the role of scientific knowledge for disaster risk reduction.

Personal Disaster Preparedness Guidewww.operationhope.org/pdpg/

Developed by Operation HOPE, this easy-to-use guide allows users to fill in important information, including emergency contacts, phone numbers, necessary medications, and meeting locations. The site then turns that information into a convenient “Personal Disaster Preparedness Guide” to be readily accessed during and after disaster.

First Responders Guide to Satellite Communicationswww.sia.org/frgfiles/

Produced by the Satellite Industry Association, this guide is a comprehensive overview and tutorial of satellite technology and its role in the response to natural and human-induced disasters. Included in the guide is a glossary of terms, an overview of satellite capabilities, and easy-to-follow steps for using satellite data.

Special Populations: Tips for First Responders http://cdd.unm.edu/products/tipsweb020205.pdf

This document, developed for first responders and emergency professionals by the University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability, presents easy-to-understand tips on how to assist people with various types of disabilities, including mobility, visual, or hearing impairments; cognitive disabilities; and multiple chemical sensitivities.

Children and Disasters: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (EIIP transcript) www.emforum.org/vforum/lc070725.htm

The Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) hosted a live chat presentation and interactive Q&A session on July 25, 2007, with Dr. Lori Peek of Colorado State University. The topic was post-Katrina research findings on the experience of children and their caregivers in disasters. Dr. Peek’s research showed that while children are both vulnerable in disasters and need assistance from adults, they are also resilient and can find ways to effectively cope. Dr. Peek also provided a bibliography, available at www.emforum.org/pub/eiip/KatrinaResearchBibliographyJuly2007.doc

Hurricane Public Service Announcements www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/psa.asp

Nearly 20 public service announcements (PSAs) addressing hurricanes are available as Windows Media Player files from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These PSAs address topics such as preparing for a storm, staying safe around dogs after a disaster, preventing chain saw injuries, coping with stress, and many others.

Earth Portal www.earthportal.org

The Earth Portal, from the National Council for Science and the Environment, offers science-based, expert-reviewed information about the environment. It seeks to bring the global scientific community together to produce “the first free, expert-driven, massively scaleable information resource on the environment, and to “engage civil society in a public dialogue on the role of environmental issues in human affairs.”

National Academy of Sciences Gilbert F. White Lecture in the Geographical Sciences www.colorado.edu/hazards/gfw/NASlectures.html

In 2006, the Geographical Sciences Committee of the National Academy of Sciences established the Gilbert F. White lecture series, the aim of which is to examine connections between the geographical sciences and society. Developed with his blessing, it both honors Gilbert and uses his example to encourage and inspire geographers to share their work regarding the connections between science and society. The inaugural lecture was delivered on January 24, 2007, by Gilbert’s eminent former student, Robert Kates. The complete text of that lecture, which surveys Gilbert’s career as well as the methods, results, and long-term consequences of his work, is provided on this site.

USFA Announces New Online Training System www.usfa.dhs.gov

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) launched a new web-based training system. NFAOnline provides an easy, one-stop web site where fire and emergency services personnel, first responders, emergency management personnel, and the general public will find free training and education programs that they can complete at their own pace. The user-friendly, state-of-the-art training system with technical support makes training and materials available for those unable to attend resident courses in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Currently, eight courses are available on the new NFAOnline. Additional courses are in development and will be added in coming weeks. Course subjects include fire prevention, fire service supervision, incident management (ICS 100 and ICS 200), emergency response to terrorist incidents, and emergency medical services

USGS Pilot Program Makes Landsat Data Available Via the Web http://glovis.usgs.gov

Beginning on June 4, 2007, the US Geological Survey (USGS) began releasing selected Landsat 7 satellite imagery of the United States via the Internet. Landsat 7 data are of high quality with limited cloud cover. The web-enabled distribution of new and recently acquired data is a pilot project for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), currently projected for launch in 2011. The project will allow Landsat data users to help refine the distribution system planned for the upcoming LDCM. Each scene will be registered to the terrain, or “ortho-rectified,” prior to being placed on the web. Copies of these data will also be available on CD or DVD at the cost of reproduction. Landsat data have proven useful for a wide range of applications, including disaster monitoring after Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami. Customer response to the pilot project will be evaluated and will influence the future distribution system.