William E. Bertrand, Payson Center Tulane University

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William E. Bertrand, Payson Center Tulane
University Co-Director CDMHA
INTERHANDS 2002
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The Center for Disaster Management and
Humanitarian Assistance (CDMHA)

• is a joint program of
• Tulane University
• and the
• University of South Florida
• in partnership with
• United States Southern Command

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Mission of 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

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Training and Education

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

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Networking

• Communicate and coordinate regularly with
  regional institutions engaged in crisis
  mitigation and response
• Collaborate and sponsor quality research and
  training
• Produce appropriate data based documentation for
  training and development missions in
  collaboration with public and private sector
• Participate in relevant conferences and seminars
  on information management and civil military
  partnerships

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Moores Law The Principal Force
Driving All Science
Every 18 -24 months the density of the elements
on a micro-processor doubles. The effect of this
is to double the processing power or halve the
cost. As a result of this and other factors
the doubling time of information in the world is
three to five years.
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Implications of Moores Law forDisaster Response
and Mitigation

• Huge input of new data to the response
  environment.(World Data total doubling every 3-5
  years)
• Advances in every scientific discipline are being
  driven by information tech.(NSF)
• Communication on almost every subject is near
  real time therefore its form and structure is
  important.

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ResearchThe Cycle of Intelligent Action and
Mission Support
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Case Study of Evolution of a Problem for CDMHA
Based upon experiences with Mitch General Wilhelm
suggests that a priority is to increase private
sector involvement prior to disaster event
and organize same for the future
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Analysis of State Current Research
USF commissions literature review (Dr.
Colmenares) Tulane consults and ultimately
employs former OFDA Asst. Director and expert
(O. Davidson) to review three decades of USAID
and related work in area and to Lead a new
initiative.
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Preliminary Research ResultsReported
Summary paper in development on state of
public-private sector and disaster coordination,
including identification of knowledge gaps,
short and long term strategy and feasibility
study for private sector foundation in support of
USSOUTHCOM activities.
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Develop Needs Based ResearchAgenda

• Two operations research projects
• designed to fill identified gaps.
• Survey of company readiness plans in
• Central America.
• Formation of pilot group from
• business sector to meet during
• IDB meeting in New Orleans and serve
• as a focus group, steering group for
• future action to develop decision support
• software.

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Research Executed and ResultsSynthesized For
USSOUTHCOM and Other DOD Clients
Research is now available and integrated into
Interhands course
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In summary, the CDMHA...

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