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.     

基于WiMAX的地质灾害应急无线通信系统探索

基于OFDM核心技术的WiMAX(全球微波接入互操作性)具有4G技术的特点。与3G和WiFi无线通讯技术相比具有明显的高速率、大容量数据传输优势。本文就基于WiMAX的地质灾害应急通讯系统的几种技术方案加以详细论述,说明WiMAX在地质灾害应急指挥中具有广阔前景。     

The Earthquake Readiness Scale: The Development of a Valid and Reliable Unifactorial Measure

Preparedness is a key dependent variable in many studies examining people’s response to disasters such as earthquakes. A feature of many studies on this issue, however, is the lack of attention given to psychometric issues when constructing measures of preparedness. With regard to earthquake preparation, for example, many studies could be greatly improved by the use of a valid and reliable measure of preparedness. This research developed such a measure that assessed both low-level preparedness, such as having an emergency kit, and high-level preparedness, such as altering home structures to mitigate damage. Studies of Wellington (New Zealand) residents using two samples totalling n=652 showed that 23 items measuring these different aspects of earthquake preparation could be combined into a reliable, valid, unifactorial scale. This brief scale should have utility in multivariate studies of earthquake preparation, either as a dependent variable, where preparation is the outcome variable of primary interest, or as one of several independent variables, where preparation and other measures predict another outcome variable.     

城市地区抗御地震灾害风险评估项目综述

城市地区抗御地震灾害风险评估项目系联合国在上世纪末为减轻地震灾害所实施的规模宏大，影响甚远的国际性研究项目，其宗旨是为了提高社会公众防灾意识，有效地减轻城市地区的地震灾害。这一历时2年的项目在有限的经费支持下，取得了令人瞩目的成绩。结合自贡市开展这个项目的实践。综合介绍和总结了该项目的情况及经验。     

依法行政做好防震减灾工作--纪念《中华人民共和国防震减灾法》实施5周年

从立法、法制宣传、建立健全规章制度和科学规范的管理程序、公正严格执法、执法监督和法制工作队伍建设等6个方面，论述了做好防震减灾依法行政工作的重要性，指出。只有依法行政，才能保障防震减灾工作的顺利发展。     

做好基层防震减灾宣传工作的几点对策

当前，城市防震减灾宣传工作卓有成效，但在存在诸多困难的广大基层，特别是农村地区的防震减灾宣传工作还有很多不尽人意的地方。作者在借鉴一些基层地震部门工作经验的基础上，结合自身工作实际总结出了做好基层防震减灾宣传工作的几点对策。     

A methodology for drought preparedness

Drought is a normal, recurrent feature of climate that affects virtually all countries to some degree. The number of drought-induced natural disasters has grown significantly since the 1960s, largely as a result of increasing vulnerability to extended periods of precipitation deficiency rather than because of an increase in the frequency of meteorological droughts. This increase in drought-induced natural disasters has resulted in a considerable growth of interest in drought mitigation and preparedness worldwide. The purpose of a national preparedness plan is to reduce societal vulnerability to drought through the adoption of preventive, anticipatory policies and programs. This paper describes a ten-step planning process that nations can follow to develop a drought preparedness plan. This process, originally developed in 1987, has been the basis of discussions at training seminars on drought preparedness for developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It has also been adopted, with appropriate modifications, by state or provincial governments and by municipalities. The process is intended to be flexible so that governments can add, delete, or modify the suggested steps, as necessary.Published as Paper No. 10946, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Research Division. The work reported here was conducted under Nebraska Agricultural Research Division Project 27-007. This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant ATM-8704050.     

论城市应急避险场所建设

做好减灾工作,加强应急避险场所建设是一项重要的任务,是落实以人为本,构建和谐社会的具体体现之一。1城市应急避险场所的性质笔者认为,城市避险场所的定义为:城市应急避险场所是为城市或城镇受到各种灾害侵袭而暂时离开居所的人群临时提供的、利用各种空旷场地和大型馆所预先设立的躲避灾难、居留和生活的公共场所。各种灾害包括自然灾害、事故灾难、突发公共卫生灾害、突发社会安全事件等。受助人群包括当地居民以及受灾当地的外来人群。避险场所提供的是临时性的居留场所,其基本服务是政府免费提供的,一旦灾难结束或受灾家园得到重建,停…     

云南宁蒗地震应急对策与探讨

0引言1998年8月至2000年1月在云南省丽江地区宁蒗县境内先后发生13次4~6.2级地震。这一组强震事件前,丽江行署地震局前方工作组、宁蒗县地震局根据多年的预报经验两次向中国地震局和省地震局填报了临震预报卡,准确判定了各个阶段的震情发展趋势,较成功地实现了对这组地震事件的临震预报。与此同时,向丽江地委、行署、宁蒗县委、县政府等明确提出了地震应急对策措施和建议。震前行署地震局前方工作组到极震区的烂泥箐乡开展了防震减灾科普知识宣传活动,为地方政府和震区的人民群众在震前及时实施各项有效的防震减灾措施奠定了基础,对减少灾区…     

Marine riser emergency disconnection analysis using scalar elements for tensioner modelling

This work proposes nonlinear parallel spring-damper scalar elements in series with a rigid beam element to represent drilling riser tensioner behavior during an emergency disconnection scenario in global riser analysis. The software package used was Orcaflex. This is a simpler approach than the more complex, full hydraulic-pneumatic-mechanic dynamic simulation modelling of the tensioning system, commonly used in literature, which can be time consuming and numerically more sensitive. The model can also be used to represent top tension variation in global riser analysis, allowing for more complex and precise simulations, especially for fatigue life and overpull estimations. The results show adequate agreement with the researched bibliography.