Avagene Moore: Let's go ... Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Library! Avagene Moore: Before introducing the authors of the paper under consideration today, I would like to alert any newcomers to the Virtual Forum that URLs used in today's session are live links. Avagene Moore: You can click on any URL (shows up in blue), the site will come up in your browser window behind the chat screen. You may lose the chat screen on the first one but simply go to the bottom of your computer screen ... Avagene Moore: and click on the short bar that reads 'EIIP Virtual Forum.' We find the URLs are very beneficial in demonstrating what our speaker is discussing. Avagene Moore: For example, today's background page, where you will find a link to the paper we will discuss, bios on all of the co- authors, and a link to Argonne National Lab, is at http://www.emforum.org/vlibrary/000112.htm . Avagene Moore: We also request that you not send Direct Messages to the speaker(s) and moderator. It is distracting and can hinder the smooth flow of discussion. Avagene Moore: And now today's introductions --- The paper featured is entitled "Uses of the Internet in Emergency Response." There are four co-authors who submitted this effort to the American Society of Professional Emergency Planners (ASPEP) Journal. The paper was published in ASPEP's most recent publication, the 1999 ASPEP Journal. Avagene Moore: All the co-authors are from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Argonne, Illinois. I will introduce our guests alphabetically. Avagene Moore: Kenneth M. Bertram, Ph.D., is Group Manager of the Emergency Preparedness Group, Decision and Information Sciences Division at ANL. Dr. Bertram coordinates and manages 140 Argonne professional staff (120 staff are in the group) and 50 subcontractor staff performing emergency preparedness planning, analysis, training, consequence modeling, guidance development, and evaluation activities for technological and natural hazards. Avagene Moore: Among his more than 40 publications, major accomplishments include lead authorship of the FEMA/DOT Report to Congress on Hazardous Materials Training, Planning, and Preparedness and the FEMA guidance manual (FEMA-218) for hazardous materials emergency preparedness at railyards and adjacent communities. Ken also co-authored the National Response Team Training Committee guidance document (NRT-2). Avagene Moore: Caroline L. Herzenberg, Ph.D., is a physicist and emergency/energy systems engineer at ANL. She has conducted internationally recognized research in several fields of science and engineering, as well as in history of science and other areas. Avagene Moore: Her work in emergency preparedness has been predominantly in support of FEMA, DOE, and the U.S. Army, and has emphasized technological hazards, including primarily radiological and chemical emergency preparedness. Caroline is the author of two books and more than 100 other publications. Avagene Moore: Donald E. Newsom, Ph.D., P.E., is an Emergency Systems Engineer in the Decision and Information Sciences Division of ANL. Dr. Newsom was the principal investigator for Year 2000 emergency preparedness and lead author of "Contingency and Consequence Management Planning for Year 2000 Conversion: A Guide for State and Local Emergency Managers." Avagene Moore: He analyzed and reported State and local emergency management Y2K survey results for FEMA, the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), and the International Association 0f Emergency Managers (IAEM). Avagene Moore: Dr. Newsom has developed and taught over 100 courses internationally and nationally for FEMA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Transportation, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Atomic Energy Council of Taiwan, and other agencies. Avagene Moore: Dr. Craig Swietlik is the Group Manager of Advanced Computer Applications in the Decision and Information Sciences Division at ANL. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science/Applied Mathematics from Northwestern University and has over 20 years of experience at Argonne. Avagene Moore: He has focused on advanced information technology systems, with an emphasis on Internet applications, high-speed computer systems and networking, computer and cyber security, large- scale databases, full-text retrieval, geographic information systems, modeling and simulation, and associated tools and technologies. Avagene Moore: I would like to add that Craig Swietlik has been involved in the first meeting at Mt. Weather that resulted in the EIIP. He was a member of one or more of the Work Groups used to further the development of the EIIP and the Virtual Forum as we know it today. Avagene Moore: We are very pleased to have all the co-authors online with us today. Caroline Herzenberg will present the formal part of our session. The other co-authors are available for Q&A. After Caroline's presentation, I will review the protocol for Q&A to ensure an orderly and meaningful discussion period. Avagene Moore: Caroline, Ken, Don, and Craig -- we welcome you all! Caroline, I will turn the floor to you now. Avagene Moore: Caroline, are you ready? Caroline Herzenberg: Just a moment! Avagene Moore: No problem. Caroline Herzenberg: I'm having difficulty in transfer... Avagene Moore: We have a good audience today. I encourage each of you to read the complete bios on our speakers at your leisure ... Avagene Moore: as well as the paper which is linked from the background page. Caroline Herzenberg: Can the Internet be of value in emergency response: Caroline Herzenberg: It sure can! Caroline Herzenberg: Everyone here now online has already experienced some aspects of how useful the internet can be in support of emergency preparedness. The internet has also been used successfully during a number of actual emergencies and in post- emergency applications. Caroline Herzenberg: Disasters and emergencies in which the Internet has been useful include the Kobe earthquake in 1995 in Japan (a web page is still up at http://riksun.riken.go.jp/news/earthquake/sony/index.html ); Caroline Herzenberg: the Loma Prieta earthquake in California in 1989; Caroline Herzenberg: the ice storm in the northeastern United States and Canada in January 1998 (you can view this web page at http://www.nysemo.state.ny.us/IceStorm98/icestorm98.htm including seeing some images Caroline Herzenberg: volcanic eruptions in New Zealand in 1995 and 1996 (here's a mirror site associated with the Ruapehu volcanic eruption: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/ajw/www/ruapehu/index.html ); Caroline Herzenberg: and in the U.S., the internet was useful in conjunction with the floods a couple of years ago in the Red River Basin; and the major flooding in the Ft. Collins area was one of the early areas to use the Internet successfully in response. Caroline Herzenberg: After the devastating earthquake of 1995 hit Kobe in western Japan, local TV stations around the world were slow in starting to report news, but internet users around the world were getting it already. Caroline Herzenberg: The Kansai Area Earthquake Information Web site set up in 1995 for the Kobe earthquake (at http://riksun.riken.go.jp/news/earthquake/sony/index.html Caroline Herzenberg: links to pages listing the deceased and survivors; Caroline Herzenberg: damage information, including images; Caroline Herzenberg: information on relief; Caroline Herzenberg: mail services information; Caroline Herzenberg: lists of out-of-service and useable phone numbers; Caroline Herzenberg: information on Internet connections in the area; Caroline Herzenberg: information on congregate care and relocation facilities; Caroline Herzenberg: information from banks, railway service status; Caroline Herzenberg: arrangements for donating money; Caroline Herzenberg: information for volunteering; Caroline Herzenberg: arrangements for pet care; Caroline Herzenberg: arrangements for donating blood; Caroline Herzenberg: maps, local information, hospital information, etc. Caroline Herzenberg: and a message board. Caroline Herzenberg: There are lots of other applications! Before an emergency, emergency response information can be put up on the internet. Caroline Herzenberg: For example, utilities with nuclear power plants could include on their Web pages information and graphics about the evacuation routes, host schools, and reception center maps. Caroline Herzenberg: Information put up before an emergency can of course be supplemented and modified quickly during the emergency and during the post-emergency period. Caroline Herzenberg: Advantages of internet use in disasters include such features as interactivity, two-way communications, and multimedia information on demand. A substantial amount of real-time information can be made widely available. Caroline Herzenberg: Disadvantages of internet use in disasters include limited access (but this is improving rapidly in the United States as more and more people get access to computers and the Internet). Caroline Herzenberg: Another disadvantage is that the internet is an information free-for-all, and there is plenty of misinformation that is hard to control. Caroline Herzenberg: Security issues on the internet can be a big concern; this technology requires protective mechanisms to safeguard the integrity of information. Network traffic load could be a concern during emergencies. Caroline Herzenberg: Looking to the future, availability of a high- speed wireless internet could be very valuable in disasters. Improvements continue to be made in the internet that will make it more valuable for use in future emergencies. Caroline Herzenberg: You can access our full paper online in the EIIP virtual library by clicking on: http://www.emforum.org/vlibrary/intern.htm Caroline Herzenberg: We welcome comments and suggestions and discussion of other potential applications and issues relating to use of the internet in emergencies! Avagene Moore: Thank you, Caroline. If you have a question or comment for our guests, please input a question mark (?) to the chat screen. Please compose your question but hold it until you are recognized before submitting. In this way, we can control the discussion. ... Avagene Moore: Questions will be taken in the order they are submitted to the screen. Caroline will help steer the question to the appropriate speaker; each speaker has been encouraged to make additional comments to any given response. With your cooperation and patience, we will take the first question now. chip hines: ? Avagene Moore: Just input a question mark. Chip Hines, your question please. Rick Tobin: ? Dennis Atwood: ? Christopher Effgen: ? Avagene Moore: Let's give Chip a moment to compose his question. chip hines: You talk of access as a problem that will lessen as more people get internet access. Isn't access in an emergency area likely to be poor even in the future? David Crews: ! Don Newsom: Responding to Chip... Don Newsom: There's still a long way to go... Don Newsom: but there is some history of the Internet being up or recovering.. Don Newsom: even sooner than other forms of communication... Don Newsom: as in, I think, the Kobe earthquake, right, Caroline? Caroline Herzenberg: Yes, I'd agree! Avagene Moore: Any other response to Chip's question? Craig Swietlik: There are also improvements expected in wireless communication, similar to cell phones. Avagene Moore: Rick Tobin, your question, please. Rick Tobin: I would like to know what role the Internet played in the Loma Prieta Earthquake, according to your comments. I'm not aware of any considering the State of the Net and California emergency services in 1989. Linwood DeLong: ? Russell Coile: ? Caroline Herzenberg: I'll reply to Rick's question... Dennis Atwood: Chip's ? late follow-up. Emergency management leaders wanting to use web technology must consider the routing/channels/server locations/distant-based redundancy. Caroline Herzenberg: We understand there were problems during Loma Prieta with the TV antennas on nearby mountain being out because of cable breaks due to the earthquake. Ray Pena: ! Avagene Moore: Other responses to Rick? Caroline Herzenberg: Also, there were problems of phones. Russell Coile: Response to Rick - Jan Parcell, reference 4 commented that power was out for 5 ... Russell Coile: hours but the phones in Sunnyvale never went down. Caroline Herzenberg: Take a look at our full paper & references for a little more on that. This was a fairly early use of the internet but because of the TV & phone problems it turned out to be useful. Avagene Moore: OK. Dennis Atwood, do you have another question or comment? Dennis Atwood: yes...wait pls. Dennis Atwood: sorry...cut/paste didn't work....the recent... Dennis Atwood: Y2k rollover had extensive net use... Dennis Atwood: international at www.iy2kcc.org and domestic Dennis Atwood: www.y2k.gov with web-based reporting using ICRS... Dennis Atwood: needs to be fully studied for possible future use... Dennis Atwood: agree? Don Newsom: Let me type... Don Newsom: Yes, the Internet was great for tracking Y2K reports... Don Newsom: showing potential for other events... Dennis Atwood: thanks Don Newsom: I wonder, though, if it would be as effective in an acute case vs. the time-spread Y2K scenario? Avagene Moore: Christopher, you are up next. Christopher Effgen: The commercial use of the internet during disasters depends on sources of information. What we have found to be the most effective tool for the distribution of disaster related information from official sources is notification by email from agencies. Yet, only one State Emergency Management Agency that we know of distributes disaster related information by Email. FEMA's distribution of information by Email is poor at best and only occurs after the information is posted on it's web site. Valerie Gagnon: ? Avagene Moore: Any comment from our co-authors re: Christopher's comments? Georgia Sales: ! Don Newsom: Comment... Don Newsom: Yes, e-mail would be most effective at getting a message to who you want to get it to (bad grammar)... Don Newsom: But over the Y2K rollover, I also found on-line news reports to be useful. Russell Coile: ? Roger Kershaw: ? Craig Swietlik: Also, email addresses only specific issues, whereas a web site on the Internet can track a range of issues and allow the user to explore for more information. Avagene Moore: David Crews, you had a comment? David Crews: I use the internet all the time (more than 10 disasters) in response and recovery activities in FEMA DFOs and was at the Ft Collins flood recovery where both State and Local EMAs used the Internet successfully. Avagene Moore: Thank you, David. Linwood, your question. Linwood DeLong: I was wondering if many of these disaster web sites are archived, for the benefit of future researchers. What has your experience been? Several of the web sites that were set up in Winnipeg, after our flood, seem to have disappeared. One advantage of the Internet could be that information could come from a remote location where there is currently no disaster, and people anywhere could be accessing this information, IF their Internet connections are working. Caroline Herzenberg: Comment Caroline Herzenberg: I'd like to hear more about the Ft. Collins internet use. Caroline Herzenberg: As far as I know, there has been no systematic effort to archive disaster Web sites. But it might be useful! David Crews: I have a Web site set up for EM use in DFOs at http://www.disasters.org/emgold The Fort Collins recovery had five webmasters that sat in on the daily planning and recovery meetings. Avagene Moore: Caroline, we did a session on that. I will try to locate the transcript for you. Very successful. Peter Picanso: ? Avagene Moore: Also, Christopher is having problems inputting to screen ... Avagene Moore: but he archives disaster info re: earlier topic. Caroline Herzenberg: Good! Hope we can all access the transcript! Avagene Moore: Ray Pena, your question. Ray Pena: The Internet as perhaps the ultimate information source can both help and hinder emergency response. Managing information resources so that decision-makers can make good decisions is our most vital responsibility. Our whole Y2K experience has been both a great experiment and an excellent learning opportunity. We must learn the lessons. This work is a great step forward. Avagene Moore: Georgia, did you want to say something else or ask a question? Don Newsom: Agree! Georgia Sales: Yes.. Georgia Sales: Information and referral programs gather and disseminate information about organizations... Georgia Sales: active in disaster. Many place searchable databases on the Internet. Avagene Moore: Russell, you have another question or comment? Georgia Sales: I&R staff are trained in information gathering and verification, so the information is trustworthy. Russell Coile: Comment for Christopher - State of California now has its disaster info system up... Avagene Moore: (Sorry, Georgia, didn't know you had more coming.) Russell Coile: and running on the Internet as NetRIMS. Only for official users at County and Cities. Avagene Moore: Roger K, you have a question. Roger Kershaw: Is there any experience and use of the net by the emergency services during the emergency response? Don Newsom: Comment... Dennis Atwood: Yes... Avagene Moore: (Anyone else with a question or comment, please input your ?) Don Newsom: We've looked at several resources that look to us like they would be useful (see EIIP's Technology Arena)... Don Newsom: Has anyone in the room used them in an actual emergency? Kevin Farrell: <-- (I have Roger) Avagene Moore: Kevin, do you want to expand? David Crews: Yes, during weather responses. I use NOAA radio and the internet in tandem during active weather conditions. Dennis Atwood: in the domestic Y2K rollover many "sectors" including emergency services, used net based reporting on a near real-time basis...fortunately... Kevin Farrell: Sure Dennis Atwood: there were not serious incidents.... Caroline Herzenberg: Ray mentioned the possibility of internet use hindering emergency response - please elaborate. Valerie Gagnon: ? Avagene Moore: Just a moment, let's finish Dennis' and Kevin's comments, then have Ray expand. Dennis Atwood: I think I finished that piece.. for now...thanks... Avagene Moore: OK, Kevin. Kevin Farrell: During Hurricane Floyd we use extensive 'net resources to keep our people informed and to disseminate information on what we were doing. We also used the net to keep our command notified. Kevin Farrell: Without it, we would have had a difficult time managing our resources. Avagene Moore: All right, Ray, do you wish to make further comments on your statement? Dennis Atwood: ? Ray Pena: Too much info, sometimes the very process of winnowing info can be a problem. This will require real judgment and skill... Ray Pena: that we will have to develop. Avagene Moore: All right. Valerie, you have a question? Valerie Gagnon: Does it have an impact on the media, for example to put some information on the NET can reduce the demands for interviews with emergency managers because the media have a good part of the information they (TV, radio, newspapers..) need? Is there some evaluation that have been made after the experience name before (Hurricane Floyd, ..)? Don Newsom: Hang on... Helen Norris: ? Don Newsom: This is not really my area, but our public information folks tell us... Don Newsom: that reporters will get their story from anywhere they can... Don Newsom: I don't see Internet at all stopping them from going to the scene... Don Newsom: and interviewing the officials there. Avagene Moore: Other comments on Valerie's question? David Crews: Newspaper media put EMA info and FEMA info on their local Web sites all the time at the disasters I have been at. Avagene Moore: Any other first-hand experience? Caroline Herzenberg: An advantage in dealing with the media is that facts can be carefully checked before going up on the internet, and you can postpone answering questions until you have accurate answers. Avagene Moore: Dennis Atwood, you are next. Dennis Atwood: Kevin - in Floyd, was net access password protected? Did you have "public" and "private" areas? How was updating handled and was the info archived for review/study? Kevin Farrell: I had put together a page on our web server to news and weather resources... Kevin Farrell: including resources here at APG (we have our own weather station) Kevin Farrell: that data was gleaned, and fed sit-rep style to our fire stations and up the command chain... Kevin Farrell: via email and via alpha pages via a custom web based paging system we use. Avagene Moore: Helen, please input your question or comment. This will be our final question -- running out of time. Helen Norris: I have been very interested to hear about the future use of wireless, high speed access. We know that with a generator or batteries (if you are so equipped) you can get around power outages, but with land phone lines only we are at a loss. I was very glad to hear Russell Coile comment on areas set aside for official use only. I think that would eliminate a lot of the misinformation and help us communicate quicker with other emergency response personnel. Kevin Farrell: access to our web site is restricted by IP address, so we didn't have a problem with outside interference. Avagene Moore: Comments on Helen's comments, Caroline, Ken, Don or Craig? Helen Norris: What do you think the time line is for wireless? Don Newsom: Hang on... Don Newsom: Craig is frozen, so he's going to dictate to me... Helen Norris: Kevin, could I get your e-mail for future questions? (Or a web address) David Crews: FEMA also uses numerous Intranets to overcome the saturation that can happen on the Intranet. Cell phones can already be used on Computer modems. Don Newsom: Wireless technology is continually improving... Don Newsom: digital wireless is relatively new... Don Newsom: we think digital transmission rates will dramatically improve in the next 1-2 years... Don Newsom: that's all. Avagene Moore: Anyone else have a brief comment? Avagene Moore: If not ... Helen Norris: Will digital wireless be more reliable connection than cellular? Avagene Moore: That is all the time we have for this Virtual Library session. If you did not have a chance to get your question or comment in, please hang around for a few minutes. If one or more of our speakers can do likewise, you can ask your question after we are adjourned. Avagene Moore: (Let's respond to Helen's question after we are adjourned.) Don Newsom: ok Avagene Moore: Carolyn, Ken, Don, and Craig -- thank you so much for being here today and sharing your paper and insight with us. Audience, we are grateful to you as well. Avagene Moore: Before asking our speakers for their closing remarks, I would like to remind you that next week, Wednesday, January 19, 12 Noon Eastern Time, we will have an open discussion in the Virtual Forum. We will discuss "Building Relationships: Horizontally and Vertically --- I am sure most of you have often heard that emergency managers are the only ones who have to work with people and groups horizontally. Most groups are structured with a vertical chain-of- command. Join us next week to talk about Avagene Moore: Any closing remarks from our speakers today? Avagene Moore: Caroline, Ken, Craig, Don -- anything else in closing? Avagene Moore: Thank you so much for being here for such a fine presentation. The EIIP Virtual Library is officially adjourned!