Group items tagged

Disaster Recovery Brenda Phillips 0 Resenhas CRC Press, 2009 - 546 páginas Disaster recovery is often unplanned for in the emergency management life cycle. Yet recovery is the key stage where funds, programs, professional expertise, and volunteer efforts are applied to affected cities, states, and regions to get them up and running again. Providing a unique perspective on a highly focused area, Disaster Recovery is the first core text that tackles the myriad recovery issues faced by federal, state, and local emergency managers, public officials, and voluntary organizations in a long-term disaster recovery situation.

"Transparency is not only in the public interest, it is part of the scientific process. We want to make sure that independent scientists, engineers and other experts have every opportunity to review this information and make their own conclusions." -Secretary Chu As part of the Obama Administration's ongoing commitment to transparency surrounding the response to the BP oil spill, the Department of Energy is providing online access to schematics, pressure tests, diagnostic results and other data about the malfunctioning blowout preventer. Secretary Chu insisted on making the data widely available to ensure the public is as informed as possible, and to ensure that outside experts making recommendations have access to the same information that BP and the government have. This site is updated regularly with new data and additional documentation. Latest Information July 9th Combined Total Amount of Oil and Gas Recovered Daily from the Top Hat and Choke Line oil recovery systems. (.xls) (.ods) Visual Breakout of the Cummulative Barrels of Oil Recovered by the LMRP Cap and Q4000. Oil and Gas Flow Data from the Top Hat and from the Choke Line (.xls) (.ods) July 1st Key Events Timeline (.ppt) - This document lists key events beginning with the April 20 fire on the Deepwater Horizon through June 30th. Data Summary from Deepwater Horizon The following documents are a collection of data from operations to control flow from the Deepwater Horizon well. All information was provided directly by BP. The file names have been preserved in order to maintain a traceable record of where each file came from in the BP tracking system and whenever possible, we have worked to ensure that the contents are data readable. Description of System This page gives a general overview of the well, the blow out preventer, the lower marine reservoir package and the riser configuration as best known after the April 20 fire on the Deepwater Horizon. Well Configuration (.pdf)- showing the dept

Natural Hazards Center Publications Descriptions and links to publications of the Natural Hazards Center are provided below. In most cases, downloadable versions of the publications are available, along with archives of past publications. An updated PDF file listing all of the Natural Hazards Center Publications is available. For information on ordering hard copies of any publications, visit our publications purchasing page. Natural Hazards Observer The Natural Hazards Observer is the bimonthly periodical of the Natural Hazards Center. It covers current disaster issues; new international, national, and local disaster management, mitigation, and education programs; hazards research; political and policy developments; new information sources and Web sites; upcoming conferences; and recent publications. Disaster Research Disaster Research (DR) is a biweekly e-newsletter that includes some news items that also appear in the Natural Hazards Observer as well as other timely articles about new developments, policies, conference announcements, job vacancies, Web resources, and information sources in the field of hazards management. Quick Response Reports With funds contributed by the National Science Foundation, the Natural Hazards Center Quick Response program offers social scientists small grants to travel to the site of a disaster soon after it occurs to gather valuable information concerning immediate impact and response. Scholars participating in the program submit reports, which the Center makes available for free online. Research Digest Research Digest is a quarterly online publication that compiles recent research into an easily accessible format for the hazards and disasters community. It provides complete references and abstracts (when available) for current research in the field. The issues include more than 35 peer reviewed publications. Natural Hazards Review The Natural Hazards Review is a joint publication of the Natural Hazards Center and the American Societ

he United States and other nations are facing large-scale risks at an accelerating pace. In 2005, three major hurricanes-Katrina, Rita, and Wilma-made landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast within an eight-week period. The damage caused by these storms led to insurance reimbursements and federal disaster relief of more than $180 billion-a record sum. Today we are more vulnerable to catastrophic losses because of the increasing concentration of population and activities in high-risk coastal regions of the country. The question is not whether but when future catastrophes will strike. Who should pay the costs associated with catastrophic losses suffered by homeowners in hazard-prone areas? In At War with the Weather, Howard Kunreuther and Erwann Michel-Kerjan and their colleagues deliver a groundbreaking analysis of how we currently mitigate, insure against, and finance recovery from natural disasters in the United States. They offer innovative, long-term solutions for reducing losses and providing financial support for disaster victims that define a coherent strategy to assure sustainable recovery from future large-scale disasters. The amount of data collected and analyzed and innovations proposed make this the most comprehensive book written on these critical issues in the past thirty years.

Broadmoor Project: New OrleansThe Broadmoor Project: New Orleans Recovery is an effort initiated in 2006 to assist residents of New Orleans' hard-hit Broadmoor neighborhood in designing and implementing a strategy for post-Katrina neighborhood recovery. Launched and hosted by the Belfer Center, the project enables Kennedy School students to put their governance skills into action to help bring back one of America's great cities. The collaboration also creates the opportunity for local New Orleans leaders to build their leadership skills through intensive leadership courses at the Kennedy School. 

Symposium examines legal issues from BP oil spill Filed under Announcements, InsideUF (Campus), Top Stories on Thursday, September 9, 2010. GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Legal responses to the disaster caused by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill this summer are wide-ranging and varied, according to law professors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law who have been studying laws and policies that can determine liability for such environmental disasters. A symposium outlining the legal basis for responding to the oil spill will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16, in the Martin H. Levin Legal Advocacy Center at UF's Levin College of Law. The public is invited. Symposium participants include six UF law faculty members, one UF sociology faculty member and six UF law students who have studied the legal structures governing follow-up decisions in the aftermath of the spill along the Gulf Coast. The symposium will examine: 1. Florida laws governing oil spills, including a comparison of laws in other states affected by the spill, which are Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas; 2. Federal and admiralty laws relating to oil spills and recovery, including the Oil Pollution Act, which is the central authority on oil spills at the federal level; 3. Types of recovery that can include natural resource restoration, economic compensation for individuals, communities, and businesses, and punitive damages or fines; 4. The claims process established initially by BP and now administered by Kenneth Feinberg through the Gulf Coast Claims Facility; 5. Responses from commissions established by the State of Florida and by President Obama; and 6. Legislative actions that could assist oil spill victims. "We are in the initial stages of developing a legal framework for examining the law and policy issues that will be discussed throughout the region in the coming months and even years," said Jon Mills, who chairs UF law's Oil Spill Working Group and also serves on the univer

Natural Hazards Analysis: Reducing the Impact of Disasters John Pine 0 Resenhas Taylor and Francis, 2008 - 304 páginas With an emphasis on hazard analysis, this volume assesses critical preparedness issues that emergency personnel must face in the event of a disaster of any kind. The author discusses the nature and consequences of such hazards and examines strategies at the individual, organization, community, and regional levels. He presents a systematic process for hazards identification, vulnerability determination, and consequence assessment for natural, built, and human environments. Covering every step, from planning and preparedness to mitigation, response, and recovery, the book provides information on hazard identification, modeling, loss estimation, risk perception and definition, and sustainability.

Natural Disaster Analysis After Hurricane Katrina: Risk Assessment, Economic Impacts and Social Implications Harry W. Richardson, Peter Gordon, James E. Moore, II 0 Resenhas Edward Elgar Pub, 2009 - 320 páginas Hurricane Katrina was a pivotal event in the history of disaster mismanagement. Its impact will be felt well into the future and its lessons will be applied around the world. This influential volume explores key policy implications arising from the storm and its aftermath. Leading scholars from fields as diverse as decision analysis, risk management, economics engineering, transportation, urban planning and sociology investigate the policy issues associated with insurance, flood control and the rebuilding of levees, housing, tourism, utility lifelines recovery and resilience, evacuation, relocation and racial implications. By assessing the disruption of life in New Orleans, as well as the inter-regional economic impacts of the disaster, the authors suggest steps that can be taken to minimize future risks, not only in New Orleans but also in all locations threatened by natural disasters. It then goes beyond Katrina to explore experiences and responses to similar events in other parts of the world. Another important feature is a discussion of the overlap between terrorist-initiated disasters and natural disasters. The issues raised by Katrina are very complex and teasing out successful policy implications is far from easy. This book is a major advance towards that goal. Academics interested in the economics, policy, and planning aspects of natural and man-made disasters, specialists in emergency management and policymakers will find the insights and prescriptions offered here invaluable.

Disaster Management Handbook Jack Pinkowski 0 Resenhas CRC Press, 2008 - 595 páginas Record breaking hurricane seasons, tornados, tsunamis, earthquakes, and intentional acts of mass-casualty violence, give lie to the delusion that disasters are the anomaly and not the norm. Disaster management is rooted in the fundamental belief that we can protect ourselves. Even if we cannot control all the causes, we can prepare and respond. We can craft constructive, workable policy that will contribute to the prevention of enormous financial impact, destruction of the environment, and needless loss of life. Integrating scholarly articles from international experts and first hand accounts from the practitioner community, Disaster Management Handbookpresents an analytical critique of the interrelated, multidisciplinary issues of preparedness, response, and recovery in anticipating and rebuilding from disasters. Beginning with an introduction to the theoretical constructs and conceptual foundations of disaster management, the book reviews the relationship of modern development todisaster vulnerability, the politics of disaster management, leadership, and the role of agency coordination. The second and third sections examine case studies and lessons learned through natural disasters in North America and around the world. They compare and contrast the efficacy of different management strategies from national, provincial, and local governments, as well as non-governmental agencies. Taking a narrower scope, the fourth section focuses on emergency personnel and the methods and issues faced in on-the-scene response and preparation. It also considers the special needs of hospitals and the effective use of the media. Contributions in the final two sections present strategies for limiting and ameliorating the psychological impact of disaster on victims and personnel, and look forward to how we can be better prepared in the future and rebuild stronger, more resilient communities.

Introduction to international disaster management Damon P. Coppola 3 Resenhas Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007 - 547 páginas The purpose of Introduction to International Disaster Management is to provide practitioners, educators and students with a comprehensive academic overview of the players, processes, and the special issues involved in the management of large-scale natural and technological disasters that exceed one or more nations' capacity to respond. The book provides a global perspective on risk, hazards, and disasters. It explains the various private, non-governmental, national, and international agencies that assist in the preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery to national and regional events. The book discusses special issues encountered in the management of international disasters, and gives a detailed explanation of the conflict related to 'complex humanitarian emergencies.' It also serves as a reference to governmental and other agencies involved in international disaster management activities, and is the first of its kind to take a global approach to the topic of international disaster management. -Caters to both students within disaster management programs and young professionals entering the field -Provides links to disaster management websites and information sources -Numerous case studies examine a diverse range of issues involved in the management of large-scale, international disasters, including the 2004 Asian Tsunami disaster, the SARS epidemics, and Hurricane Mitch

Disaster communications in a changing media world George D. Haddow, Kim Haddow 0 Resenhas Butterworth-Heinemann, 2009 - 218 páginas Communications that supports disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery by disseminating accurate information to the general public, to elect

Superfund and Retroactive Liability: Is It Really Fair? by Adam J. Smargon Part I -- Introduction The United States produces close to 300 million tons of hazardous waste every year. Nineteen years ago, Congress wanted to improve the management and disposal of hazardous waste, and it therefore enacted the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). But that act failed in the area of previously existing hazardous waste sites which threatened nearby residents by leaking into the water supply. In 1976, the nation awoke to find that Love Canal families had to move due to the neighborhood being built over an abandoned hazardous waste site. The end result in the wake of this public outcry was the passing of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), more commonly known as Superfund. It gave more authority to the federal government to react to threatened or actual releases of hazardous materials, and "it allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compel parties to clean up their properties, or alternatively, to reimburse [the] EPA for the government's cost of doing the cleanup."[1] CERCLA was amended and reauthorized six years later, as the obviously-named Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA).

The Perfect Spill: Solutions for Averting the Next Deepwater Horizon By Robert Costanza, David Batker, John Day, Rusty Feagin, M. Luisa Martinez, Joe Roman National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) f we refuse to take into account the full cost of our fossil fuel addiction-if we don't factor in the environmental costs and national security costs and true economic costs-we will have missed our best chance to seize a clean energy future." -President Barack Obama, Carnegie Mellon University, June 2, 2010 he continuing oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon is causing enormous economic and ecological damage. Estimates of the size and duration continue to escalate, but it is now the largest in U.S. history and clearly among the largest oil spills on record.1 s efforts to plug the leak and clean up the damages continue, it is not too soon to begin to draw lessons from this disaster. We need to learn from this experience so we can prevent future oil spills, reevaluate society's current trajectory, and set a better course. ne major lesson is that our natural capital assets and other public goods are far too valuable to continue to put them at such high risk from private interests. We need better (not necessarily more) regulation and strong incentives to protect these assets against actions that put them at risk. While the Obama administration's demand for a trust fund to compensate injured parties is appropriate, it arrived only after the fact. Common asset trusts and new financial instruments like assurance bonds would be better able to shift risk incentives and prevent disasters like the Deepwater Horizon. The Costs: Damages to Natural Capital Assets he spill has directly and indirectly affected at least 20 categories of valuable ecosystem services in and around the Gulf of Mexico. The $2.5 billion per year Louisiana commercial fishery has been almost completely shut down. As the oil extends to popular Gulf Coast beaches, the loss of tourism