ESM Research

From the USFA Learning Resource Center comes this browsable and searchable collection of research papers from the past 25 years:

“This resource page allows you to search and explore our collection of nearly 7000 EFOP papers dating from 1986 to present. You can begin by selecting the search link below or you can browse some of the more recent papers by general topic. Most EFO Papers published since FY98 are now available to download or read online. You’ll see links in our online catalog citations to these papers when they are available in digits.”lecting the search link below or you can browse some of the more recent papers by general topic. Most EFO Papers published since FY98 are now available to download or read online. You’ll see links in our online catalog citations to these papers when they are available in digits.”

Topics covered range from Emergency Management, through all aspects of Fire Safety, to Organizational Effectiveness and Strategic Planning.

Another timely bit… A great collection of information from the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency about the Japanese nuclear reactors:

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is a specialised agency within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organisation of industrialised countries, based in Paris, France.

Talk about timely… here’s a new report, issued by CRS in early February, on various government programs relating to earthquake understanding and preparation in the US. (Report is available thanks to OpenCRS.)

Did you know that four US Government agencies are responsible for earthquake risk reduction? USGS, NSF, FEMA and NIST all work together under the coordinating umbrella of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. An excellent historical overview of the NEHRP is available here.

Meanwhile, USGS is, as always, the best source for one-stop information shopping on earthquakes and geological hazards. Here’s an example:

PAGER update for the major quake off the coast of Japan.

(Many moons ago, I was an intern here. Great place to be introduced to the world of work.)

FEMA Administrator Fugate at CSIS

At CSIS on February 17, FEMA administrator Craig Fugate described FEMA’s role as one of support and coordination. In a session of the CSIS-LSU Series on Disaster Management and Emergency Response moderated by director Rick “Ozzie” Nelson of CSIS’s Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Program, Administrator Fugate presented three key messages:

• the public is part of the solution;
• the private sector is a valuable resource; and
• FEMA is authorized to support governors or a lead federal agency.

When responding to disasters, administrator Fugate described a hierarchy of needs: (1) physical access, (2) safety, and (3) search and rescue. Too much time, he said, is wasted on assessment rather than response. On security, he said, calling out the National Guard has an important psychological impact, showing decisive action and preserving the fragile peace.