+Amy Liu, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program & Allison Plyer, Deputy Director, Greater New Orleans Nonprofit Knowledge Works, Brookings Institution and the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, The New Orleans Index at Five (August 2010)
"Five years following Hurricane Katrina—a tragedy compounded and made more complex by the Great Recession and the current Gulf oil spill—new evidence shows that greater New Orleans is emerging as a healthier, more resilient region. Yet, this year’s New Orleans Index at Five, which combines comprehensive trends analyses with seven scholar essays on key post-Katrina reforms, reveals that much work lies ahead if this metropolis is to emerge with a stronger economy, better opportunities for its residents, and a more sustainable future. The Gulf oil spill creates an opportunity for New Orleanians, and their government, philanthropic and private sector partners, to build on the progress made since Katrina." (August 4, 2010)
The Homeland Security Institute (HSI) is a Studies and Analysis Federally Funded Research and Development Center established pursuant to Section 312 of the Homeland Security Act of 20021. HSI delivers independent and objective analyses and advises in core areas important to its sponsor in support of policy development, decision-making, analysis of alternative approaches, and evaluation of new ideas on issues of significance.
"The Center for Catastrophic Risk Management (CCRM) is part of the University's response to recent disasters—and our efforts to anticipate future ones.... Their goal: to improve the safety and resilience of physical and social infrastructure in the face of disaster. Their mission: through multidisciplinary research, teaching and outreach, to help societies cope better with catastrophic hazards including hurricane, tornado, flood, tsunami, earthquake, volcano, landslide, wildfire, pandemic, industrial accident, chemical spill, blackout and terrorism attack. Preparations for catastrophic events come in many forms: disaster prevention and preparedness; urban infrastructure renewal and resilience; emergency decision-making; public health crisis management; recovery of impacted communities; domestic security; environmental management after crisis."—About CCRM.
This website includes many resources regarding the status of H1N1. The resources include situation updates, general information, vaccination information, and other resources.
The Time Line Series website features recent and historic disaster events and their outcomes. The four timelines include: Terrorism Time Line: Major Focusing Events and U.S. Outcomes (2001-2006); Disaster Time Line: Major Focusing Events and U.S. Outcomes (1979-2006); Century Time Line, 1900-2005; and Disaster Time Line for B.C. and Canada: Major Focusing Events and Outcomes (1917-2007).
Provides a listing of positions and names of leadership in the Department of Homeland Security. Each name includes a link to more information about that specific person.
+The Disasters Roundtable, A Division of Earth and Life Studies, Roundtable Workshops
"The Disasters Roundtable (DR), a unit of the Division on Earth and Life Studies (DELS), facilitates and enhances the exchange of ideas among scientists, practitioners, and policy makers concerned with urgent and important issues related to natural, technological, and other disasters. Roundtable workshops are held three times a year in Washington, D.C. focused on a specific topic or issue selected by the Disasters Roundtable Steering Committee.
At the workshops, experts in the hazard and disaster field offer insight through presentations and discussion. The presentations and the dialogue that occur between invited speakers and attendees are documented in a written summary. Past workshops have furthered additional discussion on hazard science policy topics and provided insight on the nation's future research and applications needs." — About Us
This set of audio files contains presentations by Adam Doerr, Opening Remarks; Ben Depoorter: "Political Externalities & the Response of Government to Disasters"; Richard Schmalbeck and Ellen Aprill: "Disaster Relief, Tax Policy, and the Federal Action Imperative";
Commentaries by Arti Rai and Lawrence Zelenak;
Jim Rossi: "State Executive Lawmaking in Crisis" Presentation and Q&A; Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Kadlec; "Risk Assessment and the Hazards of Hindsight" Discussion and Q&A with Matthew Adler, Douglas Kysar, and Thomas McGarity.
Over 300 pages of annotated sources on topics such as floodplain management, environmental effects of flooding, insurance, rebuilding and emergency response.
FEMA Law Associates is a law firm led by a former General Counsel for FEMA. The site includes informative resources (such as a glossary of emergency terms) and links. The firm issues a newsletter, archived at the site, which summarizes recent amendments to Federal emergency management statutes.
"In a new comprehensive study, scientists have determined that the chance of having one or more magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquakes in the California area over the next 30 years is greater than 99%. Such quakes can be deadly, as shown by the 1989 magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta and the 1994 magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquakes. The likelihood of at least one even more powerful quake of magnitude 7.5 or greater in the next 30 years is 46%—such a quake is most likely to occur in the southern half of the State. Building codes, earthquake insurance, and emergency planning will be affected by these new results, which highlight the urgency to prepare now for the powerful quakes that are inevitable in California’s future." — Website
+National Hazards Center, University of Colorado at Boulder, Research Digest (PDF — 655K)
"Research Digest is a quarterly online publication (www.colorado.edu/hazards/rd) that compiles recent research into an easily accessible format to advance and communicate
knowledge on hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery within an all-hazard, interdisciplinary framework for the hazards and disasters community. It provides complete references and abstracts (when available) for current research in the field. The issues are compiled by Center
staff and include abstracts from peer-reviewed publications. Research Digest articles are categorized into 25 different topic areas, though not every topic may appear in each
issue." —Website.
+National Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado at Boulder, National Hazards Center
"The mission of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder is to advance and communicate knowledge on hazards mitigation and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Using an all-hazards and interdisciplinary framework, the Center fosters information sharing and integration of activities among researchers, practitioners, and policy makers from around the world; supports and conducts research; and provides educational opportunities for the next generation of hazards scholars and professionals."—Our Mission. See especially the links to disaster-related periodicals and web sites for other organizations, as well as the Center's own publications.
+National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States Department of Commerce, Hurricane History
This website provides a list of many notable storms in history, starting in 1900. The list does not include every major storm and is not exhaustive. The website provides a short summary of listed storms and a link to other resources including interactive maps that show the path of the storm.
"Global warming has caused more heavy rainfall events in the United States over the last few decades along with an increased likelihood of devastating floods. While no single storm or flood can be attributed directly to global warming, changing climate conditions are at least partly responsible for past trends. Because warmer air can hold more moisture, heavier precipitation is expected in the years to come. At the same time, shifts in snowfall patterns, the onset of spring, and river-ice melting may all exacerbate flooding risks." — Cover Page
"The effects of Katrina on children were particularly devastating. Following the disaster, 37 percent of displaced Louisiana children experienced clinically-diagnosed depression, anxiety, or behavior disorder even two years after the event, according to a study by the National Center for Disaster Preparedness. Roughly 1,300 children were still reported as missing a full two and a half months after Hurricane Katrina and in some cases it took up to six months to reunite children with their families.
To help reverse this situation, Save the Children's U.S. Programs has advocated that states adopt basic safety standards that would reduce the amount of time children are separated from their parents and minimize their risk of physical and emotional harm during and after a disaster.
This summer, Save the Children released a new report, The Disaster Decade: Lessons Unlearned for the United States, that reviewed four minimum standards in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report found that only seven states—Arkansas, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Alabama and Vermont—are meeting these four key standards necessary to safeguard children. Louisiana, despite being the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina, met zero out of the four standards." —savethechildren.org
This article "concerns the promulgation of disaster myths by the media during and following Hurricane Katrina. Because analyses on data collected in Katrina’s aftermath are still ongoing, the article contains only preliminary observations, presented primarily in the form of examples from major press outlets that illustrate key points." — Introduction
+United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health Law Materials
"Law is a traditional public health tool for disease prevention and health promotion. For many traditional public health problems, both acute and chronic, the role of law has been crucial in attaining public health goals, even rivaling the roles of epidemiology and laboratory science. Many of the greatest successes claimed by public health, such as high childhood immunization rates, improved motor vehicle safety, safer workplaces, and reduced tooth decay, have relied heavily on law. In the past few years, law has played an important role in the control of emerging health problems such as SARS and the threat of pandemic influenza.
"In 2000, CDC formally recognized the important role of law in public health by establishing the CDC Public Health Law Program. We are located in the Office of the Chief of Public Health Practice in the CDC Office of the Director. Our mission is to improve the health of the public through law. Our strategic goals are to: develop the legal preparedness of the public health system to address terrorism and other national public health priorities; improve the understanding and use of law as a public health tool; and
establish robust partnerships to join public health practitioners with partners in key law-related sectors, such as elected officials and the legal and law enforcement communities.
"The program works to: strengthen the competencies of public health professionals, attorneys, and other practitioners to apply law to public health and increase the number of attorneys active in public health; support and conduct applied research in public health law and translate findings into practice;
provide consultation and analysis in public health law to CDC programs and extramural constituents; establish partnerships among CDC and other organizations active in public health law and assist in strengthening their public health law capacity and expertise; and develop and disseminate authoritative information on public health law to the public health practice, policy, research, and education communities."—Website.
"The Homeland Security Centers of Excellence (HS-Centers) bring together leading experts and researchers to conduct multidisciplinary research and education for homeland security solutions.
"The centers are authorized by Congress and chosen by the Department's Science & Technology Directorate through a competitive selection process. Each center is led by a university in collaboration with partners from other institutions, agencies, laboratories, think tanks, and the private sector."—Website.
+United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Organizational Chart (February 2008) (PDF — 414K)
A one-page schematic view of DHS, including the position of FEMA within the organization. Webpage includes pdf file with more detailed information about the structure of DHS.
"This report provides a limited assessment of the controls FEMA had in place for disaster assistance during the response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Specifically, we discuss (1) whether certain aspects of FEMA’s fraud prevention controls have improved since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and (2) issues we identified related to the customer service provided to disaster applicants." — Introduction
"The U.S. National Response Team (NRT) is an organization of 16 Federal departments and agencies responsible for coordinating emergency preparedness and response to oil and hazardous substance pollution incidents. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) serve as Chair and Vice Chair respectively. The National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) and the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR part 300) outline the role of the NRT and Regional Response Teams (RRTs). The response teams are also cited in various federal statutes, including Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) ??? Title III and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act [HMTA]."—Website.
Website includes section on applicable laws, regulations, and directives.
+University of California-Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), California Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CCELP), Disaster Law
"Since late 2005, the UC Berkeley Law School and a number of UC Berkeley departments, including civil and geologic engineering, public health, city and regional planning, and business, have begun to collaborate on the many responses that climate change and aging levee infrastructures have necessitated. Obviously, the August 2005 Katrina disaster has shown the nation that coordinated responses must be designed and implemented. UC Berkeley, with its leading research centers—located in California, the cutting-edge lens for environmental solutions—is aggressively pursuing policies that will guide the nation through the inevitable future disasters as global warming increases."
A cooperative resource, operating on wiki software permitting contributions and revisions from law schools, law firms, legal organizations, and individuals.
"Hurricane Katrina not only devastated a large area of the Gulf Coast, it also raised fundamental questions about how the nation can-and should-deal with the fundamental problems of risk and responsibility.
"Nearly 300 leaders from government, business, and nonprofit organizations and journalists from throughout the nation attended the National Symposium in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill December 1, 2005, sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania, Congressional Quarterly, and The Communications Institute.
"Symposium Goals - The Symposium objectively examined the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on nearly every sector of society and involving leading experts from many of the nation's leading academic and research institutions as well as leaders from government and business and senior journalists.
"The National Symposium reviewed critical questions that must be addressed in coping with future risks and disasters: How can we best assess and prepare for the events we are most likely to face?;How can we develop the best strategies for reducing their costs and improving our response?;Who should do what-what partnerships can we build among the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and what glue can we provide to make those partnerships stick?; How should we, as a society, weigh the question of who bears the costs?; How do we deal with the important issues of equity and fairness, and how can we create mechanisms to resolve these issues as efficiently as possible?"— Conference Website.
"The mission of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center is to carry out a program of basic and applied research to promote effective policies and programs for low-probability events with potentially catastrophic consequences. The Center is especially concerned with natural and technological hazards and with the integration of industrial risk management policies with insurance. The Center is also concerned with promoting a dialogue among industry, government, interest groups and academics through its research and policy publications and through sponsored workshops, roundtables and forums."
