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| New National Research Council Report Supports Planning for a Disaster Information Network By Stephen Parker |
| Within the last decade, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and fires have caused hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in property damage in the United States alone. In many cases, advanced technologies such as sophisticated weather tracking and warning systems were able to provide critical information that helped reduce the death toll and mitigate damage. But some emergency managers and decision makers do not have the technological capability to access or use the data available from these advanced information systems. As a result, the federal government is considering establishing a disaster information network to link disaster managers with hundreds of government, university, and private databases. The government should continue laying plans for an integrated national disaster network, which could be a powerful tool in saving lives and minimizing losses from natural disasters, says Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information, a new report by the National Research Council's Board on Natural Disasters (BOND). The network should be designed to provide timely data in formats most useful for disaster managers. Once a national network is proved effective, it could be expanded to include other countries. New sensors, communication technologies, and modeling programs have greatly improved efforts to monitor weather-related events, evaluate hazard areas, and take inventory of critical infrastructure such as buildings, roads, and power systems. However, emergency managers often are called on to make decisions with incomplete information, the report says. Many regional or local agencies may not have access to costly, sophisticated computers and other technologies. In some cases, critical basic data is not widely available because of technological limitations in generating or accessing it. Data are generated by a variety of different sources with inconsistent standards for presenting the information, making it difficult to interpret and use. The board identified several priorities in establishing a national network to overcome these obstacles: Combining data from different sources into timely, meaningful information for disaster managers. Data on an approaching hurricane, for example, could be integrated well beyond current capabilities with models that predict storm tracks, maps of population distribution, evacuation routes, and plans for emergency personnel and supplies. Those who will use the data should help design the system and define how information will be presented. In addition, government agencies, universities, and private organizations that provide data should assist in designing standards for sharing and linking vital information. Assuring that information is accurate and reliable. The network will need to develop mechanisms that would allow emergency managers to quickly evaluate information. Quality-assurance methods-such as noting a posting date on materials generated by government agencies-should be built into the network. Developing an effective plan for disseminating data. Although the Internet could be a useful tool in providing access to information, it is likely to be overwhelmed by large numbers of many kinds of users during emergencies, making information difficult to obtain. Private net systems should be considered to allow access only to specific users, and other communication systems should be set up as backups. Obtaining resources and commitment from data users and providers. Although establishing the network will be a significant effort, the databases that are needed already are well underway, the board said. Maintaining an integrated network will require additional funding and human resources. The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce on behalf of several agencies participating in the Global Disaster Information Network Transition Team. BOND's chair Prof. Wilfred (Bill) Iwan of the California Institute of Technology led the study and preparation of the report, which is available from the National Academy Press at 800-624-6242, or the BOND office (202-334-2857). Bio Stephen D. Parker is a hydrologic engineer who serves as director of the National Research Council's Board on Natural Disasters and Water Science and Technology Board. The NRC is the advisory wing of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. |
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