Citation
(2009), "On the web", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 18 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2009.07318bag.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
On the web
Article Type: On the web From: Disaster Prevention and Management, Volume 18, Issue 2
In Case of Emergency
www.incaseofemergencyblog.com/
Those with any kind of interest in emergency preparedness will not want to wait to break the glass on this useful aggregation that includes education resources, legislative news, advice from experts, a video series on what the public should know and much more. The blog, subtitled “A citizen’s eye view of emergency preparedness”, began as a way for creator John Solomon to discuss, disperse, and develop research he gathered for his upcoming book, In Case of Emergency, Read Book: Simple Steps to Prepare You and Your Family for Terrorism, Natural Disasters and Other 21st Century Crises.
Oikos Risk Management Game
www.e-oikos.net/gmap/oikos.htm
This interactive, online game aims to raise public awareness of disaster risk and preparedness issues. As mayor of Oikos city, players learn about disaster impacts and how simple preventative measures and sustainable development can save lives. The fun begins when players develop a city district facing six hazards, while addressing development, financial, and social issues. Be sure to read the game guide before getting started or you might miss out on the game’s more sophisticated elements.
Animal Disaster Preparedness
www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/
When it comes to disaster preparedness, pets do not plan – and neither do many of their owners. That is why the Humane Society of the USA has put together a series of disaster plans, evacuation tips, and information for preparing household pets, horses, and livestock for a disaster. These useful guides let people know what steps to take in emergencies to keep animals safe.
Wireless Foundation VITA Advisories
www.wirelessfoundation.org/VITAAdvisories/index.cfm
VITA advisories can turn an everyday cell phone into a tool that saves lives. VITA – Latin for life – is part of the Wireless Foundation responsible for wireless AMBER Alerts and Text 2HELP. VITA advisories provide information about how to effectively use your cell phone in an emergency. Tips range from knowing your cell phone’s many features to knowing how to communicate after disasters. (For more information about the best uses for cell phone technology in a disaster, check out Corey Reynolds’ story in the September, 2008, Observer.)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=hom_main
Disasters are stressful for all involved, but children are especially vulnerable to the psychological trauma of large-scale events. The National Child Traumatic Stress network has aggregated a wealth of information in various languages for helping kids who fall victim to terrorist threats and natural disasters, including earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, floods, and others. A handy compilation of hurricane resources on the home page makes timely advice easy to access.
Climate Resilient Cities
www.worldbank.org/eap/climatecities
This World Bank web site is one-stop shopping for anyone on the city level interested in planning for and mitigating the effects of climate change. Targeted toward East Asian cities, the site has tools, resources, and reports applicable to all cities. Among its offerings are an assessment tool to help determine vulnerability and impact potential; resilience profiles of cities ranging from Albuquerque to Rome; a climate-proofing blog; and the text of Climate Resilient Cities: A Primer on Reducing Vulnerabilities to Climate Change Impacts and Strengthening Disaster Risk Management in East Asian Cities.
Green Groove: A Phased Withdrawal on Catastrophic Climate Change
Climate resilient cities are all fine and good but change begins at home – this nifty web site will help individuals and families get their green groove on. Just sign in, choose a time frame and pick a level of commitment from Easy Does It to Green Machine. Green Groove will create a custom plan to reduce your impact on the climate one week at a time and even throw in a widget to track your progress.
Association of American Geographers EDGE
This site was created as part of a nearly $1 million effort to give geography students and faculty and Enhancing Departments in Graduate Education in Geography (EDGE). The National Science Foundation-backed project charges the Association of American Geographers with studying graduate geographers’ professional development. The site has material for both professors teaching college course and students.
HOWCALM
Faith-based communities and those interested in how faith-based organizations operate in times of crisis will be interested in a burgeoning project by New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS). HOWCALM – it stands for House of Worship Community-wide Asset and Logistics Management – is a free web site that allows the faith community to track assets in a disaster, provides a means of communicating during emergencies, and lists local disaster training opportunities. Now available in New York City, NYDIS plans to take the tool outside the city in the future.
Communicating on Climate Change
www.metcalfinstitute.org/Communicating_ClimateChange.htm
Communicating on Climate Change: An Essential Resource for Journalists, Scientists, and Educators was based on a series of workshops designed to start a dialogue – in understandable terms – between journalists and climate scientists. The resulting book, which is available for free download, contains essays on how both groups, as well as educational institutions, can bridge the climate change communication gap.
FEMA Learning Resource Center Emergency Management RSS and E-mail Updates
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is compiling a library of links to RSS feeds, e-mail lists, and other electronic notification that promises to keep users in the know about emergency management, natural hazards, and homeland security.
Observing Weather and Climate from the Ground up
www.nationalacademies.org/morenews/20081120.html
This report from the National Academies proposes joining local, business, agricultural, and other independent weather observation systems to form a “network of networks” that can be used not only to monitor weather, but also to gauge biological and nuclear contaminants, smoke from wildfires, and monitor regional climate.
Monitter.Com
Those familiar with Twitter know that the brief chirps of information during an emergency can paint a sonar-like picture of what is happening on the ground. Monitter.com allows you to enter keywords for instant and personalized monitoring of the Twitter stream.
FEMArecovery.gov
This recently-completed second phase of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Recovery Transparency Initiative allows residents to monitor the status of rebuilding in their neighborhoods. Detailed maps, reports, and expected completion dates are included.
“The political economy of ‘natural’ disasters”
www.jcr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/52/6/795?etoc
This Journal of Conflict Resolution article uses case studies and empirical evidence to examine differences in government disaster preparation and why international aid availability could lead to a lack of investment in preparedness measures. The full text is available online.
Copenhagen Climate Council’s Climate Community
www.copenhagenclimatecouncil.com/
When it comes to communicating about a changing climate, the Copenhagen Climate Council is changing it up with the launch of a new community where business leaders, academics, and government officials can brainstorm answers to the current crisis. Online forums, interviews, and a virtual summit will be features of the community, which is slated to go online in December.
DHS 2009 Grant Guide
www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1225900531284.shtm
The Department of Homeland Security this month announced $3 billion in federal grants would be available for state and local government preparedness efforts. The money will be awarded through 14 programs such as the Urban Areas Security Initiative and the Transit Security Grant program.
NOAA’s Arctic Report Card 2008
www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard/index.html
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s yearly report card continues to provide information on the effects of climate change in the Arctic. This year’s report shows evidence of warming in three areas – atmosphere, sea ice, and Greenland’s surface melt – and mixed evidence in the areas of biology, ocean, and land.
Climate and Disaster Governance
The Climate and Disaster Governance program was created to allow collaboration and information sharing that will help communities be more resilient to climate change and disasters. The site has areas for downloading research, news, and events.
Emergency Management Network
www.emergencymanagementnetwork.ning.com/
Emergency preparedness junkies might soon be able to leave MySpace and LinkedIn behind, now that there’s a social networking site devoted to them. The Emergency Management Network community is just getting off the ground, but the site has areas for news, discussion forums, sharing photos and videos, blogging, and live chat.
StormStruck: The Tale of Two Homes
Visitors to Disney World’s Epcot Center now have a chance to play Mother Nature, creating storms and learning about their impact on lives and property at the StormStruck exhibit. While the exhibit, which opened in late August, is a groundbreaking educational opportunity, kids at home also have a chance to mouse around via the StormStruck web site. Games like Storm Hero and information about how to survive weather dangers in each state turn children into preparedness advocates.
(Extracted from Natural Hazards Observer, November 2008-January 2009.)