01:01:26 PM Amy Sebring:Welcome to the EIIP Round Table. 01:01:39 PM Amy Sebring:Our format for the Round Table is less structured... 01:02:02 PM Amy Sebring:we will introduce our special guest to kick off our discussion with about a 15 min. intro... 01:02:16 PM Amy Sebring:and then we will open up discussion to our audience here today. 01:02:39 PM Amy Sebring:It is our privilege today to introduce Dr. Peter Ward of the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) ... 01:02:53 PM Amy Sebring:Dr. Ward has been working for some time on the concept of a national/global disaster information network... 01:03:06 PM Amy Sebring:He was also one of our EIIP early participants... 01:03:19 PM Amy Sebring:Welcome back Peter. 01:03:26 PM Peter Ward:Thanks Amy 01:03:33 PM Peter Ward:We also have Paul Bouget 01:03:46 PM Peter Ward:who has been working on GDIN since the spring of 1997 01:03:58 PM Peter Ward:representing DOD 01:04:02 PM Amy Sebring:Welcome Paul. 01:04:35 PM Amy Sebring:Peter, can you tell us where we are in the NDIN/GDIN effort? 01:04:52 PM Peter Ward:Let me introduce GDIN a bit for those less familiar 01:04:57 PM Peter Ward:The exponential growth of the World Wide Web has been powered by decentralization. Thousands of sites are posting disaster information, but it is increasingly difficult to know what exists, where to find it, how to merge it with other information, etc. This is especially true for people who have an immediate problem to solve. 01:05:08 PM Peter Ward:In February, 1997, Vice President Gore asked a number of Cabinet members to look into the feasibility of a Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN). The VP has had a long-term interest in the use of information to reduce disaster losses. 01:05:20 PM Peter Ward:Approximately 200 people, primarily federal government and contractors, studied the issues during 1997 and published a report "Harnessing Information and Technology for Disaster Management" (See http://disasterinfo.net). The report basically concludes that a GDIN is feasible, we are technologically enabled, the primary problems involve fostering coordination and collaboration, we should begin national and later expand to global, and representatives of all stake-holders of disaster information n 01:05:51 PM Peter Ward:A fundamental part of GDIN is to develop a Public/Private Partnership that can involve representatives of all stake-holders. 01:06:08 PM Peter Ward:GDIN is a process that promotes understanding, cooperation, coordination, and collaboration among all stakeholders of disaster information. The goal of GDIN is to reduce disaster losses by assuring that the most accurate and timely information is readily available in the most useful forms to anyone who can use it to make decisions about the best actions to take to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, or recover from natural or manmade disasters. The GDIN process has begun by enhancing coordinatio 01:06:56 PM Peter Ward:The GDIN process has begun by enhancing coordination among agencies of the U.S. Government but seeks to involve anyone who can participate in any phase of attaining this goal in a manner that leverages existing resources without taking over existing programs or responsibilities. GDIN funds will be used to solve problems of mutual interest where collaboration will provide value added to all participants. 01:07:07 PM Peter Ward:The GDIN process will take a view that is broader than any of its participants; one that is focussed on solving problems that individual participants or groups might view as beyond their capabilities. Specific GDIN objectives are driven by user needs. These needs are most cogently defined on pages 65 to 69 of the feasibility study Harnessing Information and Technology for Disaster Management (1997) but continued reevaluation and refinement of these needs is a fundamental part of the GDIN proces 01:07:22 PM Peter Ward:The GDIN process is likely to lead to the following types of products: 01:07:35 PM Peter Ward:1. A search engine that helps users find out what exists and where to get it. 01:07:45 PM Peter Ward:2. Ways to certify the quality and reliability of information. 01:07:56 PM Peter Ward:3. Ways to integrate information to support decision making. 01:08:13 PM Peter Ward:4. Ways to foster communication. 01:08:20 PM Peter Ward:5. Robust ways to deliver the information. 01:08:30 PM Peter Ward:6. Ways to promote availability of information from all sources in a timely manner. 01:09:03 PM Peter Ward:7. Ways to standardize or harmonize information. 01:09:17 PM Peter Ward:8. Ways to make complex information understandable. 01:09:30 PM Peter Ward:We are waiting for funding from Congress 01:09:42 PM Peter Ward:and beginning some studies this fiscal year. 01:09:56 PM Peter Ward:Two pilot projects are beginning in Florida on hurricanes 01:10:14 PM Peter Ward:and in the Red River of the North in the Dakotas etc. involving floods 01:10:34 PM Peter Ward:A contractor is looking into issues related to a Public/Private partnership[ 01:10:54 PM Peter Ward:The National Academy of Sciences Board on Natural Disasters is completing a study 01:11:11 PM Peter Ward:Other studies are likely to begin soon by the 01:11:28 PM Peter Ward:National Academy of Public Administration and the Open GIS Consortium 01:11:46 PM Peter Ward:The goal is to begin to involve users of all types in further defining the program 01:12:20 PM Peter Ward:GDIN is not a physical network but a virtual network that leverages off of existing sites to provide value to all. 01:12:38 PM Peter Ward:Questions, ideas? 01:12:47 PM Kevin Farrell:? 01:12:55 PM Amy Sebring:Peter, can you tell us about the Interagency Program Office? 01:13:17 PM Peter Ward:The current structure of GDIN proposed in the report last fall 01:13:24 PM Peter Ward:is 3 pronged 01:13:56 PM Peter Ward:An Executive Committee involving very senior level people in each of the government agencies involved and chaired by Jim Baker of NOAA 01:14:28 PM Peter Ward:An Interagency Integrated Program Office hosted by the USGS with fulltime representatives of each of the key agencies 01:14:36 PM Peter Ward:working together on a day to day basis 01:14:41 PM Vernon Adler:The EIIP has to some extent become "a GDIN" in microcosm. Why not post GDIN activities, results of studies, etc. on emforum.org (rather than, for example, the Reliefweb or other sites? 01:14:46 PM Peter Ward:and the Public PrivaTE PARTNERSHIP 01:15:03 PM Peter Ward:wE HAVE NOT OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED THESE GROUPS YET UNTIL WE 01:15:17 PM Peter Ward:GET THE BLESSING of congress. 01:15:38 PM Amy Sebring:We do have a link to the current site which Peter gave above... 01:15:40 PM Peter Ward:Meanwhile last January we formed a Transition Team that has begun to function in the 01:15:49 PM Paul Bourget2:No reason why we can't, Vern 01:15:53 PM Peter Ward:manner considered for the Integrated Program Office 01:16:08 PM Amy Sebring:that is www.disasterinfo.net 01:16:20 PM Amy Sebring:Kevin was waiting with a question...Kevin? 01:16:21 PM Peter Ward:or simply disasterinfo.net 01:16:25 PM Kevin Farrell:Peter, all of the things you mentioned sound like what the EIIP has been trying to do. How can the EIIP fit into the GDIN plan? (or has this been covered already?) 01:16:54 PM Peter Ward:EIIP is breaking new and important ground in communication among people 01:17:16 PM Peter Ward:GDIN covers much more, but EIIP should be a significant part 01:17:23 PM Peter Ward:Again the goal here is not 01:17:30 PM Peter Ward:to duplicate or compete 01:17:50 PM Peter Ward:but to help connect people with people and information 01:17:58 PM Amy Sebring:(I do want to mention and thank Peter again for mentioning EIIP efforts at the GDIN meeting at the State Dept. recently!) 01:18:13 PM Kevin Farrell:Does this mean GDIN plans a 'portal' to other information areas? 01:18:31 PM Peter Ward:The exact form has yet to be designed 01:18:43 PM Amy Sebring:(EIIP also worked on the defining User Needs in the first stage.) 01:18:45 PM Peter Ward:however one idea is that a GDIN homepage might have a search engine 01:19:14 PM Peter Ward:where someone could say I want to know about floods in northern Arizona and how to protect my home 01:19:26 PM Peter Ward:Then they would get a list of all relevant hyperlinks 01:19:54 PM Amy Sebring:Peter, can you describe the Florida pilot? 01:20:02 PM Peter Ward:Or an emergency manager could enter brief info about a chemical or hazardous event and get a list of relevant links and people 01:20:24 PM Peter Ward:Flodia has a very advance program for dealing with disasters. 01:20:31 PM Kevin Farrell:. 01:20:33 PM Peter Ward:They have a yearly hurricane exercise. 01:20:48 PM Peter Ward:Several members of our team recently participated in the exercise. 01:21:07 PM Peter Ward:The primary intent of the pilot propject is to understand how the systems could be improved 01:21:19 PM Peter Ward:To understand what value added GDIN might provide 01:21:39 PM Peter Ward:To begin working hand in hand with emergency managers, contingency planners, etc. 01:21:49 PM Peter Ward:to seek the best ways to proceed`. 01:22:04 PM Peter Ward:Maybe Paul could describe the Red River Pilot since he 01:22:10 PM Peter Ward:is in change of that. 01:22:29 PM Amy Sebring:I was just going to ask Paul to jump in. 01:22:54 PM Amy Sebring:What is the focus in the Red River area Paul? 01:23:15 PM Peter Ward:Basically following the disasterous floods along the Red River in the US 01:23:18 PM Paul Bourget2:The Red River project is meant to involve the various Red River Basin stakeholders in the development of a decision support system for that area 01:24:07 PM Paul Bourget2:We held three workshops in the Basin week before last and asked their input on user needs and how information might be better shared and managed 01:24:54 PM Paul Bourget2:We sent out a questionnaire and an almost unanimous vote was in favor of a virual forum such as this for those stakeholders 01:25:23 PM Amy Sebring:Is this conceived of as a region wide effort Paul? 01:25:31 PM Paul Bourget2:They were Internet literate, for the most part - down to the small town mayors 01:25:49 PM Paul Bourget2:Yes, considered as a pilot project for GDIN... 01:26:15 PM Paul Bourget2:In collaboration with an International Joint Commission Task Force effort 01:26:51 PM Paul Bourget2:Very lively discussions ensued and a report will be generated describing their needs and recommendations 01:27:13 PM Vee Adler:My screen is blank... 01:27:32 PM Amy Sebring:Let's invite our audience members to jump in here with questions/comments/ideas. 01:27:50 PM Paul Bourget2:They were frustrated that more coordinated efforts are not underway to help them out 01:28:28 PM Paul Bourget2:The area poses particular challenges owing to the cross-border issues 01:28:33 PM Amy Sebring:I will ask one for Isabel, is the Canadian side of the border also involved Paul? 01:29:16 PM Paul Bourget2:Such as data standards, information sharing, and policy barriers 01:29:38 PM Paul Bourget2:Yes, the liveliest exchange took place in Winnipeg 01:29:57 PM Paul Bourget2:We are taking a Basin-wide approach 01:30:00 PM Vee Adler:What we do today... here on EIIP...is exactly what GDIN is striving for. Why not use emforum.org for all postings of GDIN-related information? 01:30:10 PM Kevin Farrell:'Portals' are becoming popular. Microsoft, Yahoo, Netscape (NetCenter), and others are all developing them. Maybe we (the EIIP or GDIN) should do one for EM and Response folks... From what I've heard so far, we have what the GDIN has identified as being needed. 01:30:41 PM Amy Sebring:What is a portal Kevin. 01:31:15 PM Kevin Farrell:A 'Portal' is an entry site with links and search engines defined toward a target audience.... 01:31:31 PM Kevin Farrell:in our case, emergency management and response. 01:31:40 PM Paul Bourget2:Well, this is partially what's needed, as Peter suggested earlier 01:31:46 PM Peter Ward:Chat is one element of GDIN. Most efforts focus on website standards, data standards, new tools to allow use of data, etc. 01:31:47 PM Amy Sebring:Yes, that does sound like what Peter is describing. 01:31:59 PM Amy Sebring:What other needs were identified Paul? 01:32:34 PM Paul Bourget2:Well, there are issues such as data fusion 01:33:21 PM Kevin Farrell:data fusion? 01:33:25 PM Paul Bourget2:Deriving useful products from emerging sensors 01:34:01 PM Paul Bourget2:How do you take disparate data sets and derive useful information from them 01:34:23 PM Peter Ward:One example is the need for a "browser" that lets you merge GIS datasets to produce products you need. We are working with the OGC Consortium to see if it is practical to develop a set of specs that industry could build to. 01:34:56 PM Peter Ward:The result my be readily available plugins for netscape and explorer 01:35:11 PM Amy Sebring:Peter, can you tell our audience a little about the Global aspects, and the recent meeting? 01:35:35 PM Peter Ward:There was a meeting on July 16-17 in Washington 01:35:37 PM annwillis:Peter have you talked to NIMA about their data fusion capability? They may be able to help you. 01:35:46 PM Peter Ward:involving representatives from many countries 01:35:56 PM Peter Ward:The goal was to begin a dialog 01:36:12 PM Peter Ward:We do not plan to aggressivbely pursue a GDIN until further along 01:36:18 PM Peter Ward:with the national program. 01:36:32 PM Peter Ward:However there is lots of expertise out there and we think involving it 01:36:55 PM Peter Ward:sooner rather than later would lead to solutions that are more acceptable AND APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE. 01:37:04 PM Vee Adler:? 01:37:09 PM Peter Ward:aFTERALL, IF YOU PUBLISH ON INTERNET, IT IS INTERNATIONAL. 01:37:27 PM Peter Ward:Sorry for the caps. I just keep hitting the ket 01:37:30 PM Peter Ward:key 01:37:53 PM Isabel McCurdy:Vernon, your question. 01:39:01 PM Isabel McCurdy:Looks like Amy got bumped. 01:39:27 PM Kevin Farrell:technology on the bleeding edge.... 01:40:40 PM Isabel McCurdy:What is the national program? 01:40:46 PM Peter Ward:Information on the state conference can be found at www.state.gov/www/issues/relief/july.html 01:41:17 PM Peter Ward:One of the key steps to get the national program going is to begin to develop 01:41:39 PM Peter Ward:user groups working on some of the issues I mentioned earlier. We have held back on this 01:41:56 PM Peter Ward:waiting for approval from Congress. Hopefully they can begin soon. 01:42:10 PM Peter Ward:One model for the Pub/Pri Partnership 01:42:28 PM Peter Ward:is ITS America, a corporation formed in 1991 that builds consensus in the 01:42:30 PM Peter Ward:arenas of 01:42:42 PM Peter Ward:Intelligent Transportation Systems 01:43:00 PM Amy Sebring:What is the status in the Congress Peter? Do we need to drum up some grass roots support? 01:43:04 PM Peter Ward:They have 45 woprking groups and provide official advice to the US Gov and to private companies. 01:43:12 PM Peter Ward:They involve people from m 01:43:39 PM Peter Ward:industry, governments, unjiversities, etc in developing consensus on ways to solve 01:43:45 PM Peter Ward:technical problems. 01:43:57 PM Peter Ward:This all needs to be developed and you can play an active role. 01:44:36 PM Peter Ward:Status in Congress 01:44:51 PM Peter Ward:Unfortunately GDIN is a political football. 01:45:02 PM Peter Ward:No one argues against it for technical reasons 01:45:16 PM Peter Ward:but given that VP Gore helped get it started, 01:45:17 PM Vee Adler:Is there a plan of operations for the IPO as it tackles the NDIN challenge and what is current funding indication for FY99? 01:45:30 PM Peter Ward:many republicans are not anxious to help him look good. 01:45:38 PM Peter Ward:I think some funding will happen 01:45:47 PM Isabel McCurdy:Elaborate on what you mean by "you can play an active role'. 01:45:54 PM Peter Ward:but probably not until the final appropriations bill 01:46:05 PM Peter Ward:which may be in October of November. 01:46:33 PM Peter Ward:How can you play an active role? 01:46:47 PM Vee Adler:Amy -- Can't we solidify a working relationship NOW with Peter et al and emforum.org?! We ARE the GDIN in microcosm... 01:47:21 PM Peter Ward:EIIP could easily be the nucleus of a working group on human networking. 01:47:43 PM Peter Ward:It would be interesting to involve people from other arenas who have similar interests. 01:47:56 PM Kevin Farrell:I think we can be more than that Peter. The EIIP is more than online chat. 01:47:57 PM Peter Ward:Secondly EIIP could be a forum for much of the discussion. 01:48:14 PM Peter Ward:Third, each of you may have specific interests related to disaster infortmation 01:48:28 PM Amy Sebring:When we were at GDIN meeting, we have offerred use of our facilities.... 01:48:31 PM Paul Bourget2:Vern, what do you suggest? 01:48:34 PM Peter Ward:and would like to develop groups or discussions. 01:48:38 PM Amy Sebring:just have not made the follow up connection yet. 01:49:02 PM Amy Sebring:I have written in follow up, but not rec'd reply yet. 01:49:28 PM Peter Ward:We have been frustrated to have to pull on the reins, in order not to get ahead of Congress, but soon the sky should be the limit 01:49:28 PM Amy Sebring:We would certainly extend same type of offer to transition team. 01:50:16 PM Amy Sebring:Peter, I believe the IT model is largely profit motivated, whereas disasters are a little different... 01:50:19 PM Vee Adler:Paul, I'd suggest emforum.org be the IPO's 'mouthpiece', starting today, as opposed to something like Reliefweb on which you currently post information. 01:50:23 PM Peter Ward:The transition team is very open to suggestions, ideas, thoughts. The need for a GDIN is clean. The exact form is in the early gestation process. 01:50:48 PM Amy Sebring:how do you see the public private partnership relationship in this area? 01:51:37 PM Peter Ward:We have several threads here. Vern, currently the team is not posting a lot and does have a website that will be beefed up in the future. 01:51:49 PM Paul Bourget2:As we went through the course of the GDIN Task Force we quickly discovered that there are elements of GDIN strewn across the landscape 01:51:50 PM Peter Ward:Crosslinks would be very valuable. 01:51:59 PM Peter Ward:What EIIP has that is unique 01:52:17 PM Peter Ward:is the chat capability and we should explore ways to utilize that to the fullest. 01:53:20 PM Peter Ward:If the PPP gets formed and does a good job, it could be a real help to EIIP. 01:53:37 PM Isabel McCurdy:PPP? 01:53:58 PM Peter Ward:Please do link. We should have a reciprocal link. 01:54:12 PM Amy Sebring:public private partnership Isabel 01:54:23 PM Isabel McCurdy:Thanks. 01:54:47 PM Amy Sebring:(We already have a link to both IPO transition page, and GDIN info) 01:54:58 PM Peter Ward:Currently, Mike McGuire in the Transition Team Office is putting together a database of websites related to emergencies. This is a very first step simply to help future working groups come to grips with the enormity of the problem 01:56:26 PM Peter Ward:Disasters cut across all boundaries and ultimately effect all people. Bringing more coherence to disaster information is a big problem. It will take the efforts of all. We hope the GDIN process will stimulate such effort and do it in a constructive manner. 01:56:27 PM Amy Sebring:Do any of our audience who have not asked a question yet want to jump in here? 01:56:43 PM Amy Sebring:Ann, Lori, Jonathan? 01:57:35 PM Jonathan Perry:No. But this has been very informative. 01:57:56 PM Amy Sebring:What committee or subcommittees have jurisdiction Peter, in Congress... 01:58:11 PM Amy Sebring:that is, where should we be watching for funding developments? 01:58:29 PM Peter Ward:In the house, the subcommittee on Interior and other agencies 01:58:51 PM Peter Ward:in the senate the subcommittee on interior and related agencies 01:59:13 PM Peter Ward:I should point out that NEMA has been very supportive and have talked to many in congrss 01:59:27 PM Peter Ward:Roy Price, the NEMA Chairman of their information committee 01:59:36 PM Amy Sebring:Yes, I would like to see IAEM get involved also... 01:59:49 PM Amy Sebring:as well as the fire services professional organizations. 01:59:50 PM Peter Ward:introdueced a resolution in February endorsing the GDIN effort and has continued to be involved 02:00:10 PM Peter Ward:We recently had a GDIN panel in Boulder at the Hazards Conference in which Roy pariticpated. 02:00:30 PM annwillis:I was there for your presentation. 02:00:53 PM Amy Sebring:Fire services have much clout with Congress. 02:01:08 PM Paul Bourget2:What was your reaction, Ann? 02:01:19 PM Peter Ward:Yes IAEM should become more involved. They have expressed interest but we have not developed the relationship very well yet. 02:01:37 PM Amy Sebring:Well, key person there is Ms. Avagene. 02:01:56 PM annwillis:It was a good presentation, but until you get Congress in line, you don't have much. 02:01:56 PM Isabel McCurdy:Was Mark Bennett your contact from Winnipeg? 02:02:00 PM Peter Ward:Congressman Weldon of PA is a fire fighter and chair of Congressional Fire Caucus. He has spoken up for GDIN. 02:02:32 PM Paul Bourget2:There were about 60 people that showed up in Winnipeg 02:02:34 PM Amy Sebring:Well, good for him. Many local EM offices are housed within Fire Services. 02:02:58 PM Peter Ward:There is a tendancy not to get involved until something is well established 02:03:08 PM Amy Sebring:We are about at the end of our time today... 02:03:13 PM Peter Ward:and then there is a tendancy to feel it is too well established to be modified. 02:03:23 PM Peter Ward:Now is a time to have a big effect. 02:03:23 PM Kevin Farrell:Amy, is there a single point of access for NDIN/GDIN news and info? 02:03:40 PM Amy Sebring:not that I know of Kevin 02:03:42 PM Paul Bourget2:Mark Bennett was one of them, yes 02:03:53 PM Peter Ward:The NDIN/GDIN website is disasterinfo.net 02:03:54 PM annwillis:Peter would you be interested in an idea about using local schools conected to the Internet to augment the existing EM infrastructure 02:04:01 PM Kevin Farrell:maybe we should start one then. :-) 02:04:02 PM Amy Sebring:I want to thank Dr. Ward for being here today... 02:04:21 PM Amy Sebring:and also Paul Bourget added quite a bit to our discussion... 02:04:23 PM Peter Ward:Using local schools sound interesting. What do you mean? 02:04:47 PM Amy Sebring:I am trying to wrap up our scheduled session... 02:04:57 PM annwillis:A professor at Naval Postgrad School has developed a plan... 02:05:06 PM Amy Sebring:but please feel free to stick around and "chat". 02:05:24 PM Kevin Farrell: 02:05:31 PM Peter Ward:Bye Amy 02:05:32 PM Amy Sebring:I will reiterate that EIIP would be very happy to assist and host in anyway that would be helpful. 02:05:46 PM Amy Sebring:Also, a reminder about tomorrow... 02:06:01 PM Amy Sebring:at 12:00 Noon Eastern we will have a session in our Tech Arena... 02:06:19 PM Amy Sebring:about ERLink, a services provided by NCS for emergency managers. 02:06:30 PM Amy Sebring:That should also be an interesting program... 02:06:38 PM Peter Ward:ward@disasterinfo.net 02:06:49 PM Peter Ward:thanks 02:07:02 PM Amy Sebring:I will be flying home and won't be able to join you unfortunately... 02:07:17 PM Peter Ward:Safe flying Grandma 02:07:17 PM Amy Sebring:and watch for some further exciting news about our party next week. 02:07:21 PM Isabel McCurdy:Safe flight Amy. 02:07:29 PM Amy Sebring:Thanks Peter and all. 02:07:54 PM annwillis:Thank you .