10th Annual Emergency

1
The Role of Academia and Science in the
Prevention, Preparation and Response to
Emergencies
10th Annual Emergency Management
Conference Puerto Rico May 23-28, 2000
2
Engaging Universities and Communities

• The role of the University
• Create the infrastructure and culture necessary
  for engagement
• Provide curricula that promotes engagement
• Redefine scholarship to include both basic and
  applied research and professional service
• As a knowledge hub find new ways to disseminate
  and receive knowledge to and from the local,
  national and international communities
• Form new funding partnerships for engagement
  activities
• Develop systems of accountability for engagement
  activities
• Be a proactive local, regional, national and
  international citizen

3
Disaster Resistant Universities Initiative

• Builds on Project IMPACT
• FEMA Initiative to identify risks and take
  preventive actions
• Works toward building disaster resistant
  communities by protecting the substantial federal
  investment in university research and education
• Protection of universities from disasters also
  protects valuable economic, cultural and
  recreational resources to communities

4
Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian
Assistance

• is a joint program of
• Tulane University
• and the

• University of South Florida
• in partnership with

• United States Southern Command

5
The Governing Board

• Eamon Kelly, Betty Castor, Gen C. E.Wilhelm

6
Mission of the CDMHA

• Facilitate civil-military operations and
  cooperation by
• Development and implementation of education and
  training programs in
  disaster and crisis management
• Applying state-of-the-art communication and
  information technologies to support
  disaster/crisis managers, technicians and field
  personnel.
• Catalyzing improvements in disaster management
  through organizational networking and research.

7
Rationale for the CDMHA
Founded in 1998 to support critical analysis and
facilitate resource management for

• Natural disasters

• Manmade disasters

• Environmental threats

8
Information Management

• Collaborate in the development and design of a
  Virtual Information Center - ALERTAR
• Provide customized situation reports and briefs

• Develop Geographic Information System tools and
  networks for managing complex problems

9
Information Management (cont.)

• Support the development
  of a critical assets
  database
• Develop and maintain
  a comprehensive,
  
  regional-resources,
  contact database
  

10
Training and Education

• Develop computer-based, training software
  products with the purpose of strengthening
  regional, institutional capacity in responding to
  critical events
• Develop residential short courses to enhance
  civil-military readiness
• Establish certificate, undergraduate and graduate
  programs in disaster management and complex human
  emergencies through a consortium of universities

11
Certificate Program

• Proposed Graduate Certificate Courses
• Introduction to National and International
  Emergency and Disaster Management
• Natural and Manmade Hazards
• Emergency and Disaster Planning Concepts
• Disaster Recovery Operations

12
Networking

• Communicate regularly with regional institutions
  engaged in crisis mitigation and response
• Collaborate in research and training
• Produce a joint newsletter with the Center of
  Excellence in Disaster Management and
  Humanitarian Assistance

13
Networking (cont.)

• Participate in relevant conferences and seminars
  on information management and civil military
  partnerships

14
Readiness-Enhancing Research

• Assessment of Helminth Infections in Military and
  Civilian Relief Workers Involved in Humanitarian
  Assistance

15
Readiness-Enhancing Research

• Early-Warning Disease Detection and Information
  System

16
Readiness-Enhancing Research (cont.)

• Wind Resistant Modular Buildings

17
Readiness-Enhancing Research (cont.)

• Early Warning/Forecasting Research, Flood
  Modeling Feasibility Study in Central America

18
Readiness-Enhancing Research (cont.)

• Comparative Study of Trauma Survivors
  Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and South Florida

19
Readiness-Enhancing Research (cont.)

• Modeling the Role of Women in Determining
  Household Health in Post Disaster Environments

20
Readiness-Enhancing Research (cont.)

• Conceptual Framework and Evaluation of
  Mitigation, Preparedness, and Response Program
  Research on certain Reproductive Health Issues in
  Disaster Events

21
Readiness-Enhancing Research (cont.)

• Region-wide vulnerability mapping and assessment,
  improving GIS based analysis, and enhancing
  simulation models and other tools for prediction
  and exercise

Adapted from original material produced by USGS
22
The NSF on Disasters and Where Research is Needed

• Fundamental and applied research on hazard
  mitigation involves close attention to
• infrastructure
• system performance
• planning for hazard response
• system sustainability

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The NSF on Disasters and Where Research is Needed

• Fundamental and applied research on hazard
  mitigation requires integrated decision models.
• This integration requires input from many
  disciplines and sciences
• environmental
• social
• economic
• political
• public policy disciplines

• natural
• mathematical
• economic
• geographic

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THE NSF on Disasters and Where Research Is Needed

• Formulation of such a model requires new
  discoveries in
• A. Engineering Design
• new materials
• logistics
• support systems
• B. Decision Science
• performance support
• smart teaching systems

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THE NSF on Disasters and Where Research Is
Needed (cont.)

• C. Information Technology
• sensors and sensor systems
• data acquisition
• communication and data mining
• knowledge creation and management
• D. Socio-Economic sciences
• evaluation and assessment
• preference, privatization and impact of
  investment regulations and contract practice
• external effects (such as value of time
  maintenance and the environment)

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THE NSF on Disasters and Where Research Is
Needed (cont.)

• E. Medical and Emergency Issues
• F. Public Health and Prevention Issues
• Bio Terrorism and Workforce
• Preparation/Awareness
• G. Mitigation and Development Issues
• Education
• Training
• Private Sector

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Other Areas Related to Disasters Where Research
is Needed

• Public Health Approaches to preventing disasters.
  
• Issues surrounding conflict and conflict
  resolution
• Disaster Medicine, applying the best technology
  to the field.

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The Poverty of our Professions

• Core training programs in disaster and
  humanitarian studies throughout the world is
  unorganized.
• There is little formal training in the basics of
  disaster mitigation or emerging disaster issues
  such as
• Disaster Demography
• Policy Intervention (tools and methods)
• New Problems in complex human emergencies
  focusing on conflict and violence and
  sustainable development
• Mitigation

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Our Challenge

• Create a Science based , Technology Aided
  Performance Support System that
• Provides clear and technology assisted
  communication channels at the technical and
  social levels
• Provide the application of individuals with the
  right skills and competencies to the right job at
  the right time
• Develop our own performance support model within
  the environment

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Illustrative Activities

• FAHUM 2000

• Evaluation and Response to Hurricane Mitch
  Conference (Feb. 1999)

• Global Disaster Annual Meeting Mexico (Mar. 1999)

• City Poverty, Society and National Disaster
  Conference (Apr. 1999)

• VTCs on Strategic Plan Development, Interagency
  Coordination and the Media

• Acts of Mass Terror and Public Health
  Preparedness (June
  1999)

• Presentations on Professional Issues
• (I.e. community coping behaviors and
  vulnerability community education)

• SOUTHCOM Regional Conference

• Civil Affairs Annual Meeting

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In summary, the CDMHA...

• Fosters trusted partnerships among the disaster
  response and humanitarian assistance communities
• Leverages communication/information technologies
  to strengthen decision support related to
  disasters and environmental security threats
• Strengthens the readiness of civil and military
  organizations through traditional and
  non-traditional education and training
  programs
• Contributes to evolving standards in readiness
  and response through research

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GRACIAS!