Organizational response to the Mexico City earthquake of 1985: Characteristics and implications

A study involving a collaborative effort between American and Mexican social scientists was made of the individual and organizational response to the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City. Our general findings only about the activities of organizations are summarized under five general themes: (1) the massive and complex organizational response was decentralized, (2) resources for organizational actions were not problematical but there were difficulties in their quick and effective use, (3) the dominant organizational behavior was emergent rather than traditional, (4) organizational personnel carried out their work and occupational roles, and (5) there was changes in disaster planning of organizations as a result of the disaster. Both practical and theoretical implications of our research findings are noted.The findings summurized in this article are drawn from a very detailed and extensive report on the disaster by Russel R. Dynes, E. L. Quarantelli, and Dennis Wenger,Individual and Organizational Response to the 1985 Earthquake in Mexico City, issued in 1990 by the Disaster Research Center atThe findings summurized in this article are drawn from a very detailed and extensive report on the disaster by Russel R. Dynes, E. L. Quarantelli, and Dennis Wenger,Individual and Organizational Response to the 1985 Earthquake in Mexico City, issued in 1990 by the Disaster Research Center at     

Performance evaluation of disaster monitoring systems

Understanding the performance of disaster monitoring systems is a key to understanding their success; therefore, various qualitative and quantitative measures and metrics can be applied in the characterization and analysis of such systems. Through evaluation studies, problems that impede a disaster monitoring system performance can be identified. The results can be used for system design, control, and capacity planning. Previous studies address technical performance analysis metrics for analyzing monitoring systems leaving out human and organizational dimensions of such systems. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to identify and describe a set of metrics that may be employed to evaluate such systems. This study may be valuable to researchers and practitioners involved in disaster and emergency response studies in planning the transportation of vital first-aid supplies and emergency personnel to disaster-affected areas and in improving chances of survival after a disaster.     

Success factors of enhanced disaster resilience in urban community

Due to its unique geographic environment, Taiwan is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons that can cause heavy casualties and huge property losses. The effects of global warming have also increased extreme climate events and the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Therefore, disaster prevention/mitigation and response is not only an important government policy issue, but also an important daily life issue. To increase the awareness of natural disasters and the importance of community safety, the Taiwan government actively promotes a community disaster prevention system. However, to avoid over-reliance on the government taskforce, the spontaneous participation and cooperation within communities can complete specific disaster preparedness and reinforce local resources for disaster prevention and response. Although the concept of disaster-resilient community (DRC) has been shaped for a long period of time, community residents cannot keep pace with the government, which may decrease the effectiveness of DRC development. Therefore, theoretical and practical studies of urban DRC become imperative. This qualitative case study used the participant observation method to collect relevant empirical data by performing action research with self-reflection. Particularly, this article is supplemented by service work experience of the researchers in DRC promotion. A qualitative analysis of case communities during training in disaster preparedness revealed the critical success factors (CSFs) affecting the level of community-based disaster prevention and protection works. Based on the literature and empirical data, the CSFs are discussed through three spindle constructs: coping strategy, operations management, and organizational behavior. Finally, the conclusions and suggestions are given for promoting sustainable DRC.     

A disaster risk management performance index

The Risk Management Index, RMI, proposed in this paper, brings together a group of indicators that measure risk management performance and effectiveness. These indicators reflect the organizational, development, capacity and institutional actions taken to reduce vulnerability and losses in a given area, to prepare for crisis and to recover efficiently from disasters. This index is designed to assess risk management performance. It provides a quantitative measure of management based on predefined qualitative targets or benchmarks that risk management efforts should aim to achieve. The design of the RMI involved establishing a scale of achievement levels or determining the distance between current conditions and an objective threshold or conditions in a reference country, sub-national region, or city. The proposed RMI is constructed by quantifying four public policies, each of which is described by six indicators. The mentioned policies include the identification of risk, risk reduction, disaster management, and governance and financial protection. Risk identification comprises the individual perception, social representation and objective assessment; risk reduction involves the prevention and mitigation; disaster management comprises response and recovery; and, governance and financial protection policy is related to institutionalization and risk transfer. Results at the urban, national and sub-national levels, which illustrate the application of the RMI in those scales, are finally given.     

Japan’s <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jishu-bosai-soshiki</Emphasis> community activities: analysis of its role in participatory community disaster risk management

Jishu-bosai-soshiki, or Jishubo for short, with a literal meaning of “autonomous organization for disaster reduction”, is a neighborhood association for disaster preparedness and rescue activity. In this paper, the role of Jishubo in the context of participatory disaster management in Japan is discussed. Although the formation of Jishubo is not legally mandated, local governments exercise a great deal of persuasion on the inhabitants of their community to organize and participate in disaster management activities. Therefore, participants in Jishubo activities tend to be guided and mobilized with a soft touch by local governments rather than being truly self-motivated, with the objective of reducing disaster risks in their residential areas. There have been several studies on community participatory management conducted in a number of countries, including New Zealand, the USA and Europe, which will serve as a reference in our study. However interesting, the cultural comparison of the “Western” and “Japanese” approaches to community disaster management, is beyond the scope of this paper, the aim of which is to determine a case of community disaster management in Japan. This paper addresses the background behind the development of Jishubo and discusses the uniqueness and limits of this softly mobilized participatory movement in Japan. Based on a case study in Kishiwada City, Osaka, the motivations driving people to participate in disaster management activities organized for Jishubo members is examined. In conclusion, we derive some policy implications and suggest possible approaches for improving the effectiveness of Jishubo and increasing the motivation of people to participate. We also propose that the roles of administrative bodies in Japan, such as non-profit organizations, be better incorporated into community’s participatory disaster reduction activities.     

A model-based approach for a systematic risk analysis of local flood emergency operation plans: a first step toward a decision support system

The recurring heavy precipitations which have struck the south of France these last few years highlight that the affected cities have little pertinent information on how to manage these emergencies, and therefore appear powerless. In response, the development of a local emergency operations plan (EOP) for communities threatened by natural and technological hazards was made compulsory by French law in 2004. This article describes a systematic risk analysis approach for local EOPs. This method is based on a functional model that represents a local EOP as a set of interacting functions, each of them using resources and controls. This decomposition facilitates the identification of the human, technical, and organizational resources that are essential to safeguard the inhabitants of a community threatened by a hazard. This model provides a precise frame for performing an exhaustive and rigorous risk analysis of a local EOP. Based on this model and this risk analysis, potential failures are identified and organized into fault tree for each function. Then assessment checklists of the functions of the EOP are structured via these fault trees. By using these checklists, the analysis of a local EOP becomes more rigorous, exhaustive, and systematic, which makes it possible to broadly study the criticality of the plan. Therefore, this method enhances the potential success of the pre-planned actions during a disaster. This is the first step of a decision support system for city emergency managers who are designing their local emergency plan.     

Plant and insect remains from the Wisconsinan interstadial/stadial transition at Wedron, north-central Illinois

Organic material exposed within a small swale fill in Pit 6 of the Wedron Silica Sand Co. near Wedron in LaSalle County, Illinois, includes well-preserved pollen, plant macrofossils, and insect remains. This material occurs in slackwater sediment in the lower part of the Peddicord Formation, which was deposited as existing valleys were dammed by fluvial aggradation during the initial late Wisconsinan advance of Laurentide ice into the Wedron area. Wood from the organic horizon has a radiocarbon age of 21,460 ± 470 yr B.P. (ISGS-1486). The pollen spectrum is dominated by Picea, Pinus, and Cyperaceae. Plant macrofossils comprise a mix of boreal-forest taxa, including Picea, Larix laricina, and the moss Campylium stellatum; subarctic species including Betula glandulosa, Empetrum nigrum, and Selaginella selaginoides; along with the predominantly arctic Vaccinium uliginosum var. alpinum, Dryas integrifolia, and Rhododendron lapponicum. The insect fauna contains the western montane ground beetle Opisthius richardsoni; several arctic-subarctic ground beetles including Diacheila polita, Helophorus sibiricus, and Pterostichus (Cryobius) caribou; and a diverse assemblage of insects that today inhabit the boreal forest. We interpret the biotic record to record a phase in the transition from closed boreal forest to open tundra as climatic conditions deteriorated in advance of continental glaciation.     

Probabilistic seismic and tsunami hazard analysis for design criteria development of a coastal area in the city of Banda Aceh

Both seismic and tsunami hazards design criteria are essential input to the rehabilitation and long-term development of city of Banda Aceh Post Sumatra 2004 (M _w=9.3) disaster. A case study to develop design criteria for future disaster mitigation of the area is presented. The pilot study consists of probabilistic seismic and tsunami hazard analysis. Results of the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis indicates that peak ground acceleration at baserock for 10 and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years is 0.3 and 0.55 g, respectively. The analysis also provides spectral values at short (T=0.2 s) and long period (T=1.0 s) motions. Some non-linear time-domain earthquake response analyses for soft, medium, and hard site-class were conducted to recommend design response spectra for each site-class. In addition, tsunami inundation maps generated from probabilistic tsunami hazard analysis were developed through tsunami wave propagation analysis and run-up numerical modeling associated with its probability of tsunamigenic earthquake source potential. Both the seismic and tsunami hazard curve and design criteria are recommended as contribution of this study for design criteria, as part of the disaster mitigation effort in the development process of the city. The methodology developed herein could be applied to other seismic and tsunami disaster potential areas.     

Natech risk and management: an assessment of the state of the art

The present state-of-the-art for natech risk and management is discussed. Examples of recent natechs include catastrophic oil spills associated with Hurricane Katrina and hazardous chemical releases in Europe during the heavy floods of 2002. Natechs create difficult challenges for emergency responders due to the geographical extent of the natural disaster, the likelihood of simultaneous releases, emergency personnel being preoccupied with response to the natural disaster, mitigation measures failing due to the effects of the natural disaster, and others. Recovery from natechs may be much more difficult than for “normal” chemical accidents, as the economic and social conditions of the industrial facility and the surrounding community may have been drastically altered by the natural disaster. Potential safeguards against natechs include adoption of stricter design criteria, chemical process safeguards, community land use planning, disaster mitigation and response planning, and sustainable industrial processes, but these safeguards are only sporadically applied. Ultimately, the public must engage in a comprehensive discussion of acceptable risks for natechs.

An operational multiscale system for hazards prediction, mapping, and response

By definition, a crisis is a situation that requires assistance to be managed. Hence, response to a crisis involves the merging of local and non-local emergency response personnel. In this situation, it is critical that each participant: (1) know the roles and responsibilities of each of the other participants; (2) know the capabilities of each of the participants; and (3) have a common basis for action. For many types of natural disasters, this entails having a common operational picture of the unfolding events, including detailed information on the weather, both current and forecasted, that may impact on either the emergency itself or on response activities. The Consequences Assessment Tool Set (CATS) is a comprehensive package of hazard prediction models and casualty and damage assessment tools that provides a linkage between a modeled or observed effect and the attendant consequences for populations, infrastructure, and resources, and, hence, provides the common operational picture for emergency response. The Operational Multiscale Environment model with Grid Adaptivity (OMEGA) is an atmospheric simulation system that links the latest methods in computational fluid dynamics and high-resolution gridding technologies with numerical weather prediction to provide specific weather analysis and forecast capability that can be merged into the geographic information system framework of CATS. This paper documents the problem of emergency response as an end-to-end system and presents the integrated CATS–OMEGA system as a prototype of such a system that has been used successfully in a number of different situations.     

国产高分系列卫星在森林火灾应急处置中的全流程应用——以四川九龙县三岩龙乡“4·08”森林火灾为例

四川西部高山峡谷地貌发育,山高林密且地质环境恶劣,区内林草资源丰富,森林火灾多发、易发、频发,灾害应急处置难度大,防控任务重。国产高分系列卫星影像具有时空分辨率高、载荷类型多、机动性强、幅宽范围大、成像迅速等优点,对川西地区森林防灭火、灾害应急处置及防灾减灾等有明显优势。以2021年四川九龙县三岩龙乡“4·08”森林火灾为例,利用国产高分系列卫星数据分别对森林火灾初期、中期及晚期开展应急处置,包括快速解译林火火灾救援要素(初期)、感知亮温异常态势(中期)、跟踪监测过火区动态(中期)、结合火场需求提供应急扑救部署建议(中期)、开展灾损解译评估(晚期)及火后泥石流易发性评价(火后)等,结果表明国产高分系列卫星对森林火灾应急处置的全流程应用具有实践指导意义。     

The crystal structure of scotlandite,PbSO3

Summary The crystal structure of scotlandite —a=4.505(2),b=5.333(2),c=6.405(6) Å, =106.24(3)^o; space groupP2₁/m; cell content 2 {PbSO₃} — was determined from singlecrystal X-ray diffractometer data. Scotlandite is isotypic with molybdomenite, PbSeO₃. Lead is coordinated to nine oxygen atoms with Pb-O_av=2.75 Å, and possibly further to one sulphur atom with Pb–S=3.46 Å. The average S–O distance in the pyramidal SO₃ group is 1.52 Å. The structural relationships to cerussite, PbCO₃, are discussed.

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Die Kristallstruktur des Scotlandits, PbSO₃

Zusammenfassung Die Kristallstruktur des Scotlandits —a=4,505(2),b=5,333(2),c=6,405(6) Å, =106,24(3)^o; RaumgruppeP2₁/m; Zellinhalt 2 {PbSO₃} — wurde aus Einkristall-Röntgendiffraktometerdaten bestimmt. Scotlandit ist mit Molybdomenit, PbSeO₃, isotyp. Blei wird von neun Sauerstoffatomen mit Pb–O_av=2,75 Å und möglicherweise zusätzlich von einem Schwefelatom mit Pb–S=3,46 Å koordiniert. Der durchschnittliche S–O-Abstand in der pyramidalen SO₃-Gruppe mißt 1,52 Å. Die strukturellen Beziehungen zu Cerussit, PbCO₃, werden diskutiert.

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With 2 Figures     

重庆市万州区荆竹屋基滑坡特征及成因分析

论文通过对重庆市万州区孙家镇荆竹屋基滑坡的野外调查、应急抢险工作,对滑坡发生前后变形特点、滑坡形成机制以及突发性地质灾害应急处理方法等进行了总结和分析。荆竹屋基滑坡属大型基岩顺层、先牵引后推移混合型滑坡,滑坡具有变形快、裂缝、声响、掉块局部垮塌等前兆现象特征明显的特点。调查和分析发现,滑坡前缘不合理采石活动是荆竹屋基滑坡形成的主要因素。作者认为增强全社民地质灾害防灾意识、科学判断快速反应、应急预案中的实用性与操作性和岩质顺向坡的危害性等是未来万州区地质灾害防治工作的重点。     

甘肃省地质灾害应急体系基本问题研究

本文基于甘肃省地质灾害应急体系建设现状,分析了突发地质灾害应急体系建设面临的问题,基于此提出了突发甘肃省地质灾害应急体系建设的构架和建设的重点。认为地质灾害应急体系建设是一个长期化的系统建设,其建设的基础是国家的重视和民众知识的提高,建设的主体是各级政府,建设的重点是专门化队伍的建设,建设的重点是装备先进化和技术专业化,建设的方向是全面信息化。     

Natural and anthropogenic factors affecting groundwater quality of an active volcano (Mt. Etna,Italy)

New geochemical data on dissolved major and minor constituents in 276 groundwater samples from Etna aquifers reveal the main processes responsible for their geochemical evolution and mineralisation. This topic is of particular interest in the light of the progressive depletion of water resources and groundwater quality in the area. Multivariate statistical analysis reveal 3 sources of solutes: (a) the leaching of the host basalt, driven by the dissolution of magma-derived CO₂; (b) mixing processes with saline brines rising from the sedimentary basement below Etna; (c) contamination from agricultural and urban wastewaters. The last process, highlighted by increased concentrations of SO₄, NO₃, Ca, F and PO₄, is more pronounced on the lower slopes of the volcanic edifice, associated with areas of high population and intensive agriculture. However, this study demonstrates that natural processes (a) and (b) are also very effective in producing highly mineralised waters, which in turn results in many constituents (B, V, Mg) exceeding maximum admissible concentrations for drinking water.     

京津冀地区国土资源环境地质条件分析

统计分析了京津冀地区土地资源、地下水、湿地、矿产、地热和地质景观等资源条件分布,结果显示,平原区土壤质量总体良好,良好及以上等级土壤分布面积约占平原区面积的80.89%,适宜种植绿色农产品的面积为96363 km~2,富硒耕(园)地面积为1894 km~2;地下水可开采资源总量为188亿m~3/a,但呈现空间分布不均的特征;衡水湖等五大湿地分布面积约为614 km~2,近30年来减少了35.57%;金属矿产和非金属矿产资源丰富,例如铁矿资源储量98.4亿t,铜矿资源量111.50万t,石油地质储量249635.02万t;地热资源丰富,开发利用地热资源可替代3.43亿t标准煤;地质遗迹资源丰富,约有300余处可纳入环首都国家公园规划建设。同时,分析了活动断裂与地震、地面沉降、地裂缝、崩滑流和地面塌陷、地下水污染和湿地退化等主要环境地质问题现状;在此基础上,针对城镇发展和重要基础设施建设、湿地保护与修复、地下水资源开发利用、优质耕地资源保护和地质遗迹资开发利用等方面提出了地学建议,为区域规划建设提供地质安全保障和资源保障。     

The Growth of Estuarine Resources (Zostera marina, Mercenaria mercenaria, Crassostrea virginica, Argopecten irradians, Cyprinodon variegatus) in Response to Nutrient Loading and Enhanced Suspension Feeding by Adult Shellfish

While many coastal ecosystems previously supported high densities of seagrass and abundant bivalves, the impacts of overfishing, eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and habitat loss have collectively contributed to the decline of these important resources. Despite improvements in wastewater treatment in some watersheds and subsequent reduced nutrient loading to neighboring estuaries, seagrass and bivalve populations in these locations have generally not recovered. We performed three mesocosm experiments to simultaneously examine the contrasting effects of nutrient loading and historic suspension-feeding bivalve densities on the growth of eelgrass (Zostera marina), juvenile bivalves (northern quahogs, Mercenaria mercenaria; eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica; and bay scallops, Argopecten irradians), and juvenile planktivorous fish (sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus). High nutrient loading rates led to significantly higher phytoplankton (chlorophyll a) levels in all experiments, significantly increased growth of juvenile bivalves relative to controls with lower nutrient loading rates in two experiments, and significantly reduced the growth of eelgrass in one experiment. The filtration provided by adult suspension feeders (M. mercenaria and C. virginica) significantly decreased phytoplankton levels in all experiments, significantly increased light penetration and the growth of eelgrass in one experiment, and significantly decreased the growth of juvenile bivalves and fish in two experiments, all relative to controls with no filtration from adult suspension feeders. These results demonstrate that an appropriate level of nutrient loading can have a positive effect on some estuarine resources and that bivalve filtration can mediate the effects of nutrient loading to the benefit or detriment of different estuarine resources. Future ecosystem-based approaches will need to simultaneously account for anthropogenic nutrient loading and bivalve restoration to successfully manage estuarine resources.     

Link formation pattern during emergency response network dynamics

This study aims to understand the mechanisms of emergency response network evolution by quantitatively examining the link formation pattern among participants involved in a real emergency collaboration network. This is achieved by identifying the participants’ characteristics which can affect forming new links over time. The result indicates the existence of cumulative advantage process, where highly connected participants gain more new links over time. It also reveals the structural position of participants involved in a response network, i.e. brokering position, affects their number of future links. Understanding the link formation pattern is important for understanding the mechanisms of network evolution which help predict more precisely the behavior of actors and dynamics of network structure over time. This can assist researchers, decision makers and practitioners to manage and support the collaboration of actors in their systems in order to reach their organizational goals. The overall findings can contribute further to the development of network organizational theory in different contexts especially disaster and emergency response management.     

Pollen record from Colle Curti and Cesi: Early and Middle Pleistocene mammal sites in the Umbro–Marchean Apennine Mountains (central Italy)

The palynological record from the Colle Curti and Cesi continental deposits has been examined in order to identify the main palaeofloristic and vegetational changes between 0.99 and 0.6–0.7 Ma. These data show a progressive increase in aridity, as well as a progressive decrease in temperature, which are associated with the transition in dominance from the 41 to 100 ka cyclicity in the Milankovitch orbital record during the Middle Pleistocene. The disappearance of Tsuga, recorded during the lower part of the Brunhes Chron, also has been related to a shift in global aridity. During the successive open vegetational phases (glacials), Chenopodiaceae and Artemisia progressively increase, whereas Cyperaceae decrease. Forest phases (interglacials) are successively dominated by Tsuga, Abies with Picea and, finally, Pinus; but all lack significant expansion of broad‐leaved deciduous taxa. Palynological and sedimentological data, in addition to taphonomic interpretations, demonstrate the occurrence of several hiatuses in the lower parts of the interglacials. These hiatuses are considered to represent the palaeoenvironmental response to climatic changes affecting local sedimentological and geomorphological conditions. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

地质灾害应急调查工具箱客户端软件设计

针对目前地质灾害应急调查还处在野外全手工记录、应急数据传输不及时、室内手工处理数据等效率低下的情况,进行了地质灾害应急调查工具箱配套数据采集终端的研制,重点进行了自动化数据采集、数据电子化、应急数据实时化传输、数据管理智能化等设计。本文主要介绍在基于Android系统下的平板终端上,设计开发出一套智能化地质灾害应急调查软件,该软件遵循地质灾害调查技术规范,采用结构化和标准化的调查表模板,结合可视化的Google地图数据资源,为地质灾害调查人员现场采集数据（如文字信息,灾害点空间信息,有关灾害点的语音、视频、图片信息,绘制灾害点平面图、剖面图、素描图等）和后期对灾害点的管理,提供了更直观、更快捷、更高效的技术支持手段。该软件利用GIS技术,将采集的数据以可视化的方式展现在地图平台上,直观地反映地质灾害及隐患点的空间分布、灾害类型、灾害危害等级等详细信息,为地质灾害调查提供技术支撑。