Avagene Moore: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Forum! Our discussion today focuses on the status and plans for the upcoming World Congress on Disaster Reduction. Avagene Moore: I will be your moderator for the session today folks ... Avagene Moore: For any newcomers, when you see a blue link, you can click on it and it will load in your browser window. After you are done viewing, bring your chat window back to the top. Avagene Moore: After the first link, the browser window may not come to the top automatically, so you will need to bring it forward. Avagene Moore: We will start with formal remarks by our guest speaker and follow with a Q&A session for your questions and comments. Right before we begin the Q&A portion we will review the procedure. Avagene Moore: Please do NOT send direct messages to the speaker or moderator as it makes it difficult for us to follow the discussion. Avagene Moore: Background information for this session may be found at http://www.emforum.org/vforum/010124.htm ... Avagene Moore: After our session today, please take the time to review our speaker's bio and other information referenced there. Avagene Moore: It is indeed a pleasure to introduce our special guest, Dr. Walter Hays. Avagene Moore: Dr. Hays is an engineering seismologist and serves as Senior Program Manager for Sustainable Built Environment in the Technical and International Programs Division of the American Society of Civil Engineers, located in ASCE's World Headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Avagene Moore: Dr. Hays is leading a global effort to convene a major upcoming event, the World Congress on Disaster Reduction. As he will explain, this is envisioned as a recurring global forum having activities that focus the goals and objectives of communities around the world on achieving a sustainable built environment and improving disaster technical assistance. Avagene Moore: Please help me welcome Dr. Walter Hays as he shares with us the plans and vision for the effort now underway. I now turn the floor to you, Walt. Walter Hays: The concept of the World Congress on Disaster Reduction was born on June 24, 1999. Walter Hays: The World Congress on Disaster Reduction is more than a meeting. It is a mechanism to build upon the accomplishments of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). Walter Hays: It will also build upon the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Project Impact, and the Public Private Partnership 2000. Walter Hays: In addition, it will build upon new initiatives such as the World Bank's ProVention Consortium and the United Nations' International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. Walter Hays: The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has provided leadership for The World Congress on Disaster Reduction since July 22, 1999. Plans for a Pre-World Congress Summit Meeting on 18-22 August 2001 and a World Congress Meeting in 2002 are now being implemented. Amy: Slide 1 Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/congress/slide01.htm Walter Hays: The goal of the World Congress on Disaster Reduction is to provide global leadership and professional education for the construction of buildings and infrastructure that are resilient to the disaster agents generated in natural and environmental hazards. Walter Hays: The natural hazards include earthquakes, severe windstorms, floods, volcanic eruptions, landslides, wildfires, tsunamis, and droughts. Environmental hazards includes those triggered by natural and technological events, which have the potential for releasing toxic materials into the air, water, and soil. Walter Hays: The Pre-Congress Summit Meeting is a one-time event involving 150 of the world's experts in disaster reduction. It will be held at ASCE's World Headquarters, Reston, Virginia, on August 18-22, 2001. Walter Hays: The goal of the Pre-World Congress Summit Meeting is to generate ideas for a series of regional forums and projects and to develop the final program for the World Congress Meeting in 2002. Walter Hays: The World Congress Meeting is a recurring event every 5 years, beginning in 2002, which focuses on disaster reduction. It will involve at least 1,000 of the world's experts (i.e., the Alliance of 1,000 for the World Congress) and many more via the Internet. Walter Hays: ASCE will promote the implementation of five strategies of The World Congress on Disaster Reduction as a mechanism to promote sustainable development throughout the world. Amy: slide 2 Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/congress/slide02.htm Walter Hays: These strategies are: Walter Hays: Creation of the Alliance of 1,000, a diverse group of professionals representing public and private sector organizations throughout the world, started in February 2000. Walter Hays: Members of the Alliance of 1,000 are "Watchmen" and "Watchwomen" for their country and organization. They are already working together to improve the capacity for sustainability and disaster technical assistance. Walter Hays: They have the knowledge and personal influence to contribute to ongoing activities that ultimately will make communities and people throughout the world more resilient to natural and environmental disasters. Walter Hays: 2. Creation of the Global Blueprints for Change. Walter Hays: The Global Blueprints for Change are a coordinated set of 30 monographs encompassing three themes and thirty topics on all aspects of disaster reduction in the framework of sustainability of the built environment to natural and environmental hazards. Each one is tailored for specific regions of the world's seven geographic regions. Walter Hays: The first of two editions of the Global Blueprints for change will be published in August 2001; the second edition in 2002. They will be updated at five-year intervals thereafter, or in accordance with need dictated by the nature and location of future disasters. Walter Hays: 3. Development of information and human resource databases Walter Hays: Information and human resource databases will be developed in conjunction with the creation of then Alliance of 1,000 and the Global blueprints for Change. Walter Hays: 4. Creation of regional forums and Projects Walter Hays: Regional forums and projects will be conducted annually beginning in 2001-2002. Local organizations in a region, working together, will host the forums, with support from counterparts in other geographic regions. Walter Hays: The forums and projects will extend the dialogue on critical issues identified in the Global 'Blueprints for Change and expand the networking. Walter Hays: The regional forums and projects are part of the long- term process that will ultimately lead to regional Centers of Excellence on /Sustainable Development. Walter Hays: 5. Creation of Regional Centers of Excellence on Sustainable Development Walter Hays: These Centers are the institutional mechanisms for implementing and institutionalizing the vision of the World Congress on Disaster Reduction as a global rallying point for sustainable development and disaster technical assistance. Walter Hays: The Global Blueprints for Change are a "seedbed" for strategies on how to develop human, technical, and political capacity on local, regional, and global scales. The strategies are needed for three contexts. They are: 1) living with natural and environmental hazards, 2) building to withstand the disaster agents of natural and environmental hazards, and 3) learning from and sharing knowledge gained from natural and environmental hazards. Amy: slide 3. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/congress/slide03.htm Walter Hays: When created, the Regional Centers of Excellence on Sustainable Development will provide leadership on a variety of topics. The full range of topics encompasses technical, economic, social, and political solutions to reduce physical, social, enterprise, and environmental vulnerabilities in communities throughout the world. Amy: slide 4 Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/congress/slide04.htm Walter Hays: I will answer questions now. Avagene Moore: Thank you for the overview, Walt. I am sure everyone here will be monitoring the progress of the World Congress. On behalf of the EIIP, Amy and I are pleased to be part of the number who are working with you on this effort. Avagene Moore: And now for the protocol for the Q&A portion of our session. Avagene Moore: Audience, please enter a question mark (?) to indicate you wish to be recognized, go ahead and compose your comment or question, but wait for recognition before hitting the enter key or clicking on Send. Avagene Moore: With your cooperation, we will have an orderly, meaningful exchange. We now invite your questions/comments. Avagene Moore: Please input your ? to the screen. Amy Sebring: ? Bill Gross: ? Avagene Moore: Amy, whenever you are ready, please. Amy Sebring: Is ISDR (the successor arrangement to IDNDR) participating in the World Congress planning? Is the World Bank's ProVention initiative participating? Cam King: ? Avagene Moore: ? Bill Gross: What about the sociological impacts of this. Consider for example Brasilia, the planned city with no slums. Which grew slums from folks moving there to work on the construction, or just be near the seat of government. How will this take into account human behavior? Elaine Sudanowicz: ? Roger Kershaw: ? Walter Hays: ISDR is the United Nations' follow up to the IDNDR.... Walter Hays: ISDR focuses on all disasters... Walter Hays: ISDR and all other programs including the world congress will focus on social, technical, administrative... Walter Hays: political, legal, and economic solutions... Walter Hays: The principle is that the STAPLE factors must be integrated to solve the problem of disaster resilience. Avagene Moore: Bill, will you please re-enter your question now, sir? Bill Gross: What about the sociological impact of all this, especially in the lesser developed world? Consider Brasilia, the city build from the ground up with no slums. Slums grew almost immediately. How will we account for human nature in planning for disasters. (It's even a problem in coastal areas in the US. :) ) Walter Hays: The sociological problems are the toughest to solve... Walter Hays: especially the eradication of poverty... ray pena: ? Walter Hays: Many do not yet have the STAPLE capacity... Walter Hays: That is what the Blueprints for Change are about... Avagene Moore: Walt, what do you mean by STAPLE? Can you clarify before we go on to the next question? Avagene Moore: Just a moment, folks. Our speaker has timed out - will be right back. Amy Sebring: While we are waiting, you can take a look at the Congress Website at ... Amy Sebring: http://www.asce.org/conferences/disaster2002/ Amy Sebring: I expect that if you are particularly interested in contributing to one of the … Amy Sebring: thirty Blueprint topics, they would welcome your participation. Avagene Moore: Personally, I like the concept and vision for the World Congress. Look forward to participating. Amy Sebring: Contact information is found at http://www.asce.org/conferences/disaster2002/contacts.html Walter Hays: I'm back. Avagene Moore: Walt, did you see my question re: STAPLE? Please clarify. Walter Hays: STAPLE is the acronym for social, technical, administrative, political, and economic factors in every community. Avagene Moore: Thanks, Walt. Makes sense. Cam, your question please. Cam King: Walter - could you provide a little more information about the "Centres" you are proposing. Have locations been chosen? Are you open for suggestions? If so to whom should they be addressed, etc. Manitoba has a major Institute for Sustainable Development and might be interested. Walter Hays: Centres do not exist today. They will be existing institutions ... Walter Hays: that have expertise and interest in at least 1 of the 30 topics .... Amy Sebring: starting with the Aug. 18 summit meetings and the forums… Amy Sebring: that will be the venue to express interest from existing institutions. Avagene Moore: Walt, you mentioned doing some of your work via the Internet in relation to the World Congress. How do you plan to use the Net to tie people into the process? Amy Sebring: Linked Websites will provide the means to network effectively. Avagene Moore: Elaine, you are next. Elaine Sudanowicz: I have read the CIA 2015 Report that aired on Nightline last week. I am very concerned about the world's natural resources and development as it relates to lack of water distribution and greater use by more developed countries. Will there be a special forum addressing these issues for Blueprint for Change? Drought and water development issues is a 21st century problem that demands attention now to mitigate future human disasters and war. Walter Hays: Water has not been fully developed yet ... Walter Hays: but EPA is coming aboard in about 2 weeks ... Walter Hays: and it will be fully developed. It is on the agenda. Avagene Moore: Roger K, your question, please. Roger Kershaw: Will one of the goals of your organization be to establish standardized building/fire codes, and inspection processes, internationally? I ask because even in the states, there are so many different ones used. How can designers come up with solutions, when there are so many different rules to follow? Walter Hays: The ISO (International Standards Organization) standards is one of the way to develop consensus ... Walter Hays: one of the blueprints will deal with this topic… Walter Hays: It's called the "Next Generation of Codes and Standards." Avagene Moore: Ray, you are next. ray pena: My question (about STAPLE) has been addressed. Avagene Moore: Do we have one last question folks? Ilan Kelman: ? Isabel McCurdy: ? Avagene Moore: Ilan, please, when you are ready. Ilan Kelman: It worries me that STAPLE does not include Environment. Could we perhaps incorporate it? Also, your initial remarks mentioned "construction of buildings and infrastructure" but the concept seems to go far beyond that. Why was construction given such prominence? Walter Hays: The E in STAPLE really includes education and environment ... Walter Hays: and ecology and other aspects .... Walter Hays: Living with disasters is the prominent theme ... Walter Hays: which has the most blueprints ... Walter Hays: construction is in the "Building to Withstand" theme ... Amy Sebring: which has the second most number of topics. Avagene Moore: Last question is yours, Isabel. Elaine Sudanowicz: It appears it may all relate back to water use and development. Isabel McCurdy: How does one participate? Membership required? Walter Hays: Please go to the Website .... Walter Hays: no membership is required .... nita archer: selling & buying water rights - big business nowadays ... Walter Hays: participation is welcomed and encouraged. See the Contact page. Avagene Moore: Thank you so much for being with us today, Walt. Please stand by a moment while we take care of some announcements. Elaine Sudanowicz: I recommend reading the CIA 2015 Report. It is on the web. Avagene Moore: Amy, thanks for graciously helping with Walt's responses via the phone. Amy Sebring: Avagene, one more thing from Walter ... Avagene Moore: Sorry, please go ahead. Amy Sebring: he was recently featured on Robert Schuler's Hour of Power ... Amy Sebring: talking about the World Congress... Amy Sebring: and it will be broadcast this Sunday. Check you local listings. Avagene Moore: Great. Thanks. Justin Walker: El Salvador and the ongoing Galapagos emergency clearly illustrate once again that the world cannot respond effectively within 24 hours to any major emergency or disaster. Having researched in detail the international responses to every major disaster since Dec. 1988 I know this to be the case. Could we have your thoughts please on what sort of international response mechanisms and protocols should be in place especially as OCHA, INSARAG and other international agencies repeatedly fail. [Per Dr. Hays, response aspects will also be addressed.] Avagene Moore: A text transcript of today's session will be posted later this afternoon --- you can access from the Transcripts link on our homepage. A reformatted transcript in both html and in Word will be available by Friday or Monday for download. Avagene Moore: If you are not currently subscribed to get our program announcements, and would like to, please go to http://www.speccomm.com:81/guest/RemoteListSummary/EIIP Avagene Moore: Amy, will you please tell us about next week's session and our Pledgers? Amy Sebring: Thank you Ava. First, we have a new Honor Roll member that fulfilled 12 months of pledges during December. Drum roll please ....... Amy Sebring: Roger Kershaw! Way to go Roger! //bell //bell Amy Sebring: For the complete list of Honor Roll members so far, and more information about pledging, please see http://www.emforum.org/eiip/pledge.htm nita archer: congrats roger Amy Sebring: Next week is a Tech Arena session on the Responder Assets Management System -- RAMS for short. Our guest will be Scott McKenney with the RAMS Project Office, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Isabel McCurdy: //rose roger Amy Sebring: "RAMS provides integrated planning, training, logistics, and operations support for police, fire, medical, and other emergency management responders." Roger Kershaw: Thank you Avagene and Amy for a year of enjoyable education. Amy Sebring: An earlier version was used for last year's Super Bowl event, and previously for the Olympics in Atlanta. The final version is due to be completed during June this year, however, an early RAMS tool is being offered commercially just this month. Please join us next week for a preview. Amy Sebring: Back to you Ava. Avagene Moore: Thanks, Amy. We also have a new Partner who formally joined the EIIP this week. We welcome Valencia Community College of Florida. Mr. Randy D. Olson, Program Director for Fire Science, is the EIIP Point of Contact there. Avagene Moore: If interested in becoming an official Partner, please see http://www.emforum.org/partners/criteria.htm . Avagene Moore: Thanks to all our participants today. We will adjourn the session for now. Please help us thank Dr. Hays for his presentation.