Review and Analysis of Requirements for Disaster Management Information Systems - South Pacific Region

Consultancy Report for United Nations - Department of Humanitarian Affairs: South Pacific Programme Office, Suva, Fiji

R.S. Stephenson

Final Report

London - 2 November 1995

Consultancy study under a special service agreement with the Department of Development Support and Management Services, United Nations, New York

Table Of Contents

Introduction And Overview

Main Report:

Section 1 Disaster Information Systems: The South Pacific Context

Section 2 Design Principles For Disaster Management Information Systems

Section 3 The Need For Improved Information Systems For Damage Inventory

Section 4 Improved Relief Supply Management

Section 5 Implementing Disaster Management Information Systems

Section 6 Information Requirements For Regional Mitigation Programmes

Section 7 The Role Of Pilot/Demonstration Studies In Regional Mitigation Programmes

Section 8 Regional Information Strategies For Mitigation

Section 9 Technical Information And Regional Library Systems For Disaster Management

Section 10 Future Prospects For Library And Information Services For Disaster Management

Section 11 Implementing Regional Library And Technical Information Systems For Disaster Management

Section 12 Technical Aspects Of Systems Design For Damage Inventory

Section 13 Introducing Information Management Tools For Disaster Mitigation Studies

Technical Annexes Bibliography

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 3 List of Abbreviations

ADPC Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand

ATC Air Traffic Control

CAD Computer Aided Design

CD-ROM Compact Disk - Read-Only Memory

CDC United States Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CNA Certified Netware Administrator (Novell Inc.)

CRED Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Brussels, Belgium

DHA-SPPO United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs, South Pacific Programme Office, Suva, Fiji

EIS Emergency Information System

EOC Emergency Operations Centre

ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

FEWS Famine Early Warning System

FIDO FidoNet: a point-to-point and store-and-forward email network using the direct dial telephone system

FLIS Fiji Land Information System

GIS Geographic Information System

GUI Graphical User Interface

HTML Hypertext Mark-up Language

IDNDR International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction

IT Information Technology

LEO Low Earth Orbit (Communications Satellite Systems)

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 4 LN:DI Lotus Notes: Document Imaging (Lotus Corporation)

LPG Liquid Petroleum Gas

MMI Modified Mercalli Intensity

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

NHC Natural Hazards Center, Boulder, Colorado, USA

NOAA United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

OAS Organization of American States

OCR Optical Character Recognition

OFDA United States, Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance

PAHO Pan American Health Organization

PIDP Pacific Island Development Programme

PPP Point to Point Protocol

SGML Structured Graphics Mark-up Language

SLIP Serial Line Internet Protocol

SOPAC South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission

SPC South Pacific Commission

SQL Structured Query Language

SUMA Supply Management Project in the Aftermath of Disasters (PAHO)

TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund

UPS Uninterruptable Power Supply

USAID United States Agency for International Development

USGS United States Geological Service

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 5 UUCP Unix to Unix Copy (Protocols)

VHF Very High Frequency

VITA Volunteers in Technical Assistance

WAIS Wide Area Information Server

WHO World Health Organization

WWW World Wide Web

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 6

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

1. Mission Background

This consultancy was carried out by Dr. R.S. Stephenson between June and September 1995. Working closely with the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs South Pacific Programme Office (DHA-SPPO) in Suva, Fiji, fact-finding interviews and analyses were carried out in Fiji, Port Vila in Vanuatu, and the Cook Islands. Discussions were held in each country with national and local government administrative staff, managers from national telecommunications and electricity companies, and with UN and NGO staff. Additional interviews were held at DHA-Geneva. Library reviews and searches were carried out in Geneva, at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, and in the UK. The Terms of Reference for the study are appended.

The author gratefully acknowledges the support and assistance provided by the national authorities in Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Cook Islands. It has been a pleasure to work with senior disaster management staff in these countries. Special thanks are due to Mr. Joseph Chung and all the staff of DHA-SPPO Suva, for their close interest and hospitality, sharing of comprehensive local knowledge, and introductions to a wide range of organizations and individuals; and to Luc Vrolijks of UN-DHA Geneva, for his capable administrative guidance, and thoughtful and incisive inputs over the duration of the project.

2. The South Pacific Disaster Reduction Project: Information Management Aspects

Key objectives of the South Pacific Disaster Reduction Project (SPRDP) are to improve national capacities in the South Pacific region to mitigate, prepare for and respond to natural disasters; to provide technical support materials; and to achieve a sustainable mechanism for regional co-operation.

The project activities are intended to assist Pacific Island countries to implement strategies for disaster reduction, as formulated within the framework of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).

One of the main project components involves Information Management, with SPPO involved directly or indirectly in the following activities:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 7 · Developing and adapting appropriate computer systems for information management. This includes developing and testing databases and reviewing and adapting international disaster management software for the Pacific region

· Providing hardware, installing software and providing training to allow disaster management officials to effectively use the systems. In addition, technical assistance will be provided to countries to help them set up their own databases

· Analysing communication systems in the region to assess their potential for improving co-operation and for linking disaster management offices, and helping to disseminate disaster related information.

· The use of information systems to allow an overview of disaster-related activities in project countries, including those implemented by countries, regional organizations and donors.

· Collecting and disseminating technical information on disaster management to countries, donors, and regional organizations.

A number of steps were taken by DHA-SPPO early on. These included in early 1995 the distribution to national administrations of microcomputers (standard 486 compatible PCs with Windows software) provided as part of the Chinese Government's contribution to the project; and the assignment of an experienced local consultant to configure the donated equipment, to establish network facilities in the DHA-SPPO office and to assist with programming and other requirements.

The present consultancy is intended to augment and provide a framework for these information initiatives. Terms of Reference are appended. The consultancy has focused on a range of components for an information management system that can be applied at the national level and adapted for application at the regional level, within the technical and environmental constraints commonly found in the region. Topics covered include:

· Damage assessment · Resource allocation and tracking for emergency relief · Emergency management information · Reconstruction planning · Disaster mitigation · Baseline data · Access to regional and international knowledge

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 8 This overview summarises the findings, and the main report provides a detailed analysis of the requirements and strategies for implementation. In addition the following products have been developed in the region as part of this project: a prototype damage inventory database (using Microsoft Access v2); a collection of learning materials on database development; a set of checklists and forms; a set of bibliographic databases on disaster management and mitigation; a prototype lessons learned database; a collection of software necessary for Internet connections; and facilities for electronic document exchange.

3. The State of Disaster Information Systems in the South Pacific

Island communities are small by global standards. In consequence, the range of relief and recovery activities which need to be tracked, and the size of the associated datasets, are limited. Many island communities are very isolated, with poor communications and limited logistical resources. In practice therefore, even in large emergencies, the range of initial actions available to island administrations is quite narrow, and the early response is often limited in scale and scope. In many disasters it takes several days to build a picture of damage and needs and even longer to organize effective remedial measures.

These key factors inevitably play an important part in establishing the design constraints of any national information systems for emergency response. But other influences also need to be considered carefully.

Enabling factors

A number of enabling factors are present which improve the chances of building and maintaining effective information systems for disaster planning. Most countries have extensive prior experience with cyclones and flooding in the region. The experience of most countries is broadly similar. Governments know what many of the problems are likely to be, and many senior government officials have already been involved in relief operations and reconstruction at some stage in their careers (although staff turnover at this level is high). Many of the problems and most of the relief requirements are very similar throughout the region.

Second, organizational structures and procedures for disaster management are already in place in almost all the countries. Many have national and departmental emergency plans, some kind of emergency operations centre pre-designated, and key staff appointed. A number of key disaster officials from within the region have received some form of disaster management training. Overall, capable and professional training and technical inputs from DHA-SPPO and other regional organizations such as AIT-ADPC has helped build up a cadre of enthusiastic

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 9 officials and NGO staff with a common outlook, knowledge of international relief issues, and a commitment to staff training and development within their own organizations.

Third, more than in many regions, hazards are well defined, scientifically well understood and limited in the scale and scope of impact. In addition, regional research resources are good, and networking amongst national technical staff, and involvement of specialist outside researchers, is straightforward. There are few security issues or other constraints.

These factors are reinforced by an on-going interest and sustained commitment from several major donors, and by a political environment at the regional level which values careful and considered debate, consensus, and common regional approaches to major challenges. Taken together, this provides a supportive context in which to develop and test common systems.

Restraining factors

Introduction of new systems is compromised by some important weaknesses in disaster planning and management within some of the countries in the region. Although much has been done to establish basic national plans, detailed operational procedures are still rudimentary in many implementing departments. This problem is compounded by limited staff resources, limited exposure to more developed national systems, and lack of training resources for the kind of detailed, long-term input which has proved successful in those few locations where it has been attempted. A particular problem, which is central to the whole success of disaster management initiatives, is the turnover of trained senior officials. Many capable officials have been involved in disaster planning. Unfortunately, most find themselves posted to more senior and even more responsible jobs, just at the point where their disaster management skills and experience are most valuable to their countries and to the region as a whole.

Operational weaknesses are particularly apparent with information technology. Most government institutions involved in disaster management lack modern computer equipment, and this problem is particularly acute at the local level. Much equipment is old, and runs software which is hard for staff to master without substantial training.

Most offices where microcomputers are available do not have emergency power supplies, or adequate arrangements for software security, maintenance of software configurations, or rapid hardware support and repairs. Although

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 10 enthusiastic and interested in skill improvement, most staff have little relevant training at present, and budgets and resources for training are low.

There is a high turnover of staff with information technology skills - competent programmers, analysts and network managers are in high demand from commercial organizations throughout Asia and the Pacific. Generally, any computerised system must deal with interregnum periods when inexperienced technical staff replace trained ones. Systems must be very easy to operate

A more general factor limited system development is the condition of international communications in the region. It is slow and expensive to move electronic data between countries in the region. This situation will gradually improve as developments in satellite communications and optical marine cable technology increase telecommunications capacity substantially. In the meantime, however, countries in the region will continue to be at a disadvantage in terms of access to international debate and discussion on disaster management.

Staff in universities and research centres in the South Pacific are already anticipating substantial advances in distance learning, conferencing, access to global library resources, and a range of other technical opportunities. Large changes will occur within three to five years, but the improvements are likely to be slower than in several other regions and considerable attention and skill will always be needed to leverage the best use of the limited communications links available. Fluency and facility with data communications should be a key skill to nurture within national disaster planning structures, and within supporting groups such as DHA-SPPO, and links with the local research community need to be encouraged at every stage.

Opportunities

Notwithstanding the very real constraints, the opportunities in emergency information systems development are considerable. The key here is the relative homogeneity and stability of the region. Despite national differences, there are many opportunities for shared solutions, and real economies of scale and effort to be gained from facilitating a regional approach to disaster information systems. The chapters in this review describe a wide range of possible initiatives, including common systems for damage assessment and damage inventory; systems for health-related emergency information; systems for resource tracking and scheduling; demonstration projects for mitigation data collection and application; and joint initiatives for improved access to technical information and innovations in disaster management.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 11 It worth stressing that the opportunities extend well beyond disaster preparedness. They include improved arrangements for storing and processing national statistics, more reliable computer systems for everyday administration and more staff trained in information systems analysis and management. They are also likely to include substantial improvements in connectivity with institutions throughout the region and beyond.

Areas of potential concern

There are, inevitably, some areas of concern. Introducing new arrangements for handling information under emergency conditions has risks attached. One important risk is associated with restrictive system design. A narrowly conceived information system can focus decision makers on factors which may not be the key issues they should be addressing. It can also severely restrict improvisation and creative and innovative solutions.

A second risk is associated with over-reliance on technology. Computer systems are notoriously difficult to maintain under emergency conditions. Networked computer systems can often be especially vulnerable. All information technology requires auxiliary power, software support, repair staff, and users who are trained to recognise their limitations.

There are other risks associated with reliance on network connections between organizations, without a concurrent framework for collaboration and information sharing. Even if the physical links exist, information will often not be transferred for political or other internal reasons.

The information itself can be wrong. Statistics can be out-of-date, inaccurate, and imprecise. Baseline data which is not updated in a controlled way is unlikely to gain the confidence of the experienced and astute administrators who hold much of the responsibility for emergency decision-making.

Introducing systems haphazardly has its own risks. There can be a real loss of cohesion if some parts of an administrative system are going down the information technology route, and others are holding back. It may be unclear in a future emergency just what kind of data, in what format, will be crossing the interface between the different parts of the system. A similar problem can sometimes occur if there is a differential pace of introduction within a region. Some countries are likely to move much faster than others in building information systems and getting access to international data communications networks, and may quickly come to view the disaster management task in very different ways.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 12 In the South Pacific region, the most important problems are those associated with the management of new technologies and the reliability of baseline data. The relatively limited equipment requirements and the small amounts of baseline data actually required suggest that both these problems can be addressed successfully. Co-ordination of implementation, and co-operation between departments is a more complex issue, but again one that may be simpler to solve than in many other settings. Problems of regional differences can be effectively dealt with by ensuring that pilot projects are in place in as many areas as possible. Small, but creative and enthusiastic groups of technological "gatekeepers" in each country are entirely capable of exploring new systems, and building collaborative links within the region.

4. Technical Trends and their Impact

The types of system that can be implemented locally depends on the technologies available and the resources in place to make them work. Selection and implementation of information systems is complicated by the rate of introduction of new technologies, the rate at which systems become obsolescent, and the training and technical support requirements needed to keep abreast of the new systems.

Later sections of this report examine technical factors in more detail. Here we simply illustrate some emerging trends in information systems design which may shape the way in which disaster management and disaster research is supplied and managed in many countries. These include:

· Growing options to design work groups around networked computer equipment (and vice versa), and to use new types of software to co-ordinate and monitor activity, schedule and route information within and between work groups.

· Low cost electronic storage of information. The cost of computer memory continues to fall, and the options for keeping very large amounts of information in easily accessible electronic form continue to expand.

· Mobile computing. Not only is it possible to carry around large volumes of information; there are also increasingly effective ways of transmitting images, documents, and other data from remote locations. This is facilitated by an increasingly rich network of mobile telecommunications: cellular telephone, radio data networks, and portable satellite communications.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 13 · Increasing amounts of information are available primarily in an electronic format. With widespread access to the Internet and commercial networks, much information on disaster management is now being made available primarily in digitised form, for reading on computer screens rather than for printing. At the same time, the options for controlling and maintaining particular presentation formats are also improving.

· More effective ways to convert paper documents into digital form. New software makes it easier to scan paper documents into computer systems, to store and transmit images of the documents in a format which most micro-computer users can read, and (probably most important) to index and cross-link documents for rapid retrieval.

· Computer equipment is increasingly configured with multi-media facilities, allowing voice messages and video clips to be routinely stored and transmitted on networks and viewed on inexpensive portable and desktop equipment. The ubiquitous desktop personal computer, now commonly found in most of the larger communities in the Pacific, is likely to be steadily replaced by simpler, cheaper, but more powerful equipment.

· A very gradual trend towards ubiquitous and very inexpensive computing, where information processing equipment becomes increasingly embedded in everyday items (telephones, radio equipment, televisions, cars, presentation equipment, etc.), to the point where the user becomes largely unconscious of their operation. In the longer-term some countries - and not just the richest or most developed - see this as offering a broad range of new options for the design of warning systems and for the delivery of emergency public advice and information.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 14 Internationally, application of information technology in disaster management is still relatively chaotic; there is not yet a standard way of doing things. Practical applications for specific groups like disaster managers are only now emerging. Most of the packages that are available - for example the US commercial software EIS, and the North American SoftRisk package - are designed primarily for urban administrations in the USA and Western Europe. Whilst management support software is available for other parts of the world, it is mostly tailored for particular agencies and specific contexts: for example to support food aid programmes for displaced people, or to track medical supply in the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union. A number of packages are applicable much more widely, such as PAHO's Supply Management (SUMA) package, but support and opportunities for demonstration and exchange are at present more focused on Latin America and the Caribbean. Probably most important, there are relatively few opportunities for designers and users to share experiences in depth.

Notwithstanding the relative fragmentation of this market, computer equipment is gradually being introduced to aid emergency response, mostly on a country-by-country basis. The database packages around which most of the packages are designed are becoming much easier to use, maintain, and modify. Commercial resources for repair and replacement of hardware are now much more widely available. Electronic mail links are becoming ubiquitous and cheap enough to link designers and users, improving advice and technical support, making mutual support amongst operational staff much more practical.

5. National Systems for Disaster Management: Approaches, and Areas for Development

A number of key factors must be present for the successful introduction of information systems for disaster management in the South Pacific area.

The first, and most important is the existence of a comprehensive disaster planning framework and administrative structure, including written plans at all levels, exercises, and adequate support for staff involved in disaster planning. Introducing information technology can sometimes accelerate the development of formal procedures in an organization, but cannot compensate for the lack of them. Nor can it substitute for human ingenuity, flexibility, and leadership skills.

Second, there needs to be an effective system for establishing and maintaining databases, ensuring their integrity and security, and keeping them current.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 15 Third, as soon as a system extends beyond one department, there will need to be protocols and common formats for information transfer, and a robust and reliable communications network to collect information and disseminate decisions.

Fourth, no system can be operated effectively without staff training, including simulation training for the conditions in which the system will be operated.

Fifth, there will need to be some display capability, most likely including displays of geo-referenced information and near real-time photographs

These issues are addressed in more detail in the main report. One important message that emerges is that any implementation in the context of the region will need to be realistic. It will need to take account of environments in which shortages of staff, lack of electrical power at critical periods, deterioration of buildings and equipment, and lack of technical support will be the norm for some years. Any strategy needs to focus on basic improvements and test a range of further developments widely in prototype form before any life-critical areas are addressed. Above all, well-structured management of information is needed as a basis; computers and software are secondary. Actions at the regional level can lead the way and provide support to countries in such a way that successful local prototypes can be replicated and tested on a wider scale.

The analysis in the main report focuses on specific areas for development at the national level.

· Information management in emergency operations centres · Information systems for damage inventory and reconstruction planning · Information systems for relief supply management and control · Support for disaster mitigation projects · Support for preparedness planning and baseline data management

Here we summarise some of the main findings. Detailed systems requirements are analysed in the body of the report, and in the appendices.

Improving information management in EOCs

Reliable protected communications are the key to any disaster management system. At the national level no system can operate effectively without a high availability communications network with backups, a communications network that is inter-operable with those of other organizations, and communications staff

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 16 capable of limiting damage when it occurs and making quick repairs when necessary

In the Longer-term there will gradually be a general upgrading of regional communications, as new, denser, and more robust systems are introduced. This trend can already been in the Cook Islands and Vanuatu, where satellite links and more modern radio equipment provide a more reliable matrix for disaster communications. In Fiji, portable satellite communications are now available for emergency operations. A similar trend in improved radio -communications can be seen in the small but professional defence forces in some of the countries.

In the shorter term, more action is needed to encourage the installation of reliable protected communications at the national EOC level, and to ensure that the equipment that is available is disaster proof. This includes more rapid access to spare generators, fuel, and battery back-up, and staff trained to connect computer equipment safely to auxiliary power supplies. Supplies of fax paper, printer cartridges, spare cables and computer media also need to be secured.

Within the EOCs, primary requirements for information systems are to:

· Provide a baseline inventory of communications resources available to national and local authorities · Report on what communications systems are currently operating and available. · Identify, during operation, the status of provincial and district level EOC functioning · Identify locations of surviving and usable resource stockpiles owned by the government · Report on the condition of government offices/departments · List which government facilities are currently accessible · Provide a full list of location and names of all relevant government departments

The main report provides a comprehensive analysis of the requirements in this area together with a review of strategies for implementation.

Command and control systems cannot tolerate downtime. Lives can depend on the systems continuing to work. EOCs must have reliable backup: generators, surge protectors, power stabilisers. If necessary, laptop equipment can be used to fill gaps and provide some additional backup. Other requirements are detailed in the main report.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 17

Beyond this, the region as a whole needs EOC "models": - locally appropriate designs for EOC organization and management which can be used as a basis for common training and support. This focus on commonality in procedures for post-impact assessment and response management needs to include:

· Assessment forms · Data collected · Common database packages · Common computer languages for system development · Standard designs for EOC equipment, configuration, and layout · Common packages for EOC training

During this project a set of prototype materials has been produced, as a basis for testing and future development. This includes prototype database software for emergency period damage assessment, a corresponding set of forms, and a package of supporting materials for local database developers.

Improved systems for national damage inventory and rehabilitation planning

The report includes a detailed analysis of the activities and information specifically associated with building a "picture" of the scale and scope of physical damage and of the availability of surviving assets. This is a complex task, which takes place at different administrative levels, and across a range of different organizations. The damage inventory task of local and provincial government is largely separate from the parallel task of collating information on the operational condition of essential facilities: airports, air-traffic control, ports, and power supplies to essential services. In the latter sectors the assessments themselves will be largely co-ordinated by the responsible utility companies or authorities, and the results reported to the national EOC. The task for EOC planning is to identify just what information from these sectors is actually required to help co-ordinate the overall response. Key issues to address in any system design are sectoral isolation and the problem of dealing with multiple conflicting reports from different ministries and departments, all mostly unfamiliar with emergency reporting.

Part of this project has involved the development of a prototype database for national, divisional, and district level damage inventory, and further work is continuing locally. An important stage in this process is to test prototypes in future disaster alongside the 'traditional' system. As usable designs evolve from the challenge of a substantial exercise and eventually an actual emergency, training courses can be developed in the design, configuration, and operation of basis

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 18 damage inventory software, and it may prove possible to replicate successful systems in most of the countries of the region.

Improved relief supply management, control and accounting

There are no effective systems currently available for the task of relief supply management in the region. An effective and comprehensive system would have to be capable of the following:

· Reporting on who is receiving what items, when and where · Reporting on what people actually need, when, and where, vs. what they are getting. · Highlighting the relationship between losses and relief assistance: is degree of loss correlated with degree of assistance · Reporting on the distribution of need and assistance, by sectoral · group/demographic group · Displaying or reporting which organizations are giving assistance, and to whom; and where people are going to get help · Reporting on help being provided for special groups; bereaved families; loss of breadwinner; handicapped and injured; old. · Reporting the types of difficulties people are having with the authorities

Governments face a choice about whether to rely on existing systems or bring in ones specifically developed for emergency operations. Most island administrations have accounting and commodity control procedures for the receipt, clearance, and transport of government supplies. A common issue is whether to adapt these well-understood local procedures to assist with managing relief inputs, or whether to introduce specially designed micro-computer software to track and manage what may be a massive influx of relief assistance. A third option is to do both, establishing a boundary between the two systems.

The most widely used software for relief supply tracking in sudden natural disasters is the PAHO SUMA package. Demonstration versions of this software have been installed at DHA-SPPO, and provided to relevant ministry departments in Fiji for testing. This package is currently being upgraded to provide a supply accounting, as well as a basic supply recording function. A review will be necessary once the new PAHO package is available in tested form.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 19 Systems for pledge processing

Organising and routing requests for external material assistance, and so-called "pledge processing" is a core function of the national EOC. Again, at present few formalised procedures are evident, although the senior disaster co-ordinators in each country did have considerable prior experience in this area. Some additional basic database support would be useful. A basic database structure for pledge tracking is being made available as part of this project. Examples of pledge tracking systems used in other countries have been assembled.

Better recording of operational lessons learned

UN-DHA has developed a number of formats for recording lessons learned during the management of large emergencies, in the Pacific region and elsewhere. The lessons are normally included in evaluation reports, in tabular form. In this project, a number of additional methods of presentation have been developed, including a free-text database format which enables staff to retrieve notes on the difficulties experienced, the reasons for the problems, the consequences for operations, and possible future solutions. This is currently being adapted for the Lotus Notes package which will be implemented at DHA-SPPO.

Additional support for reconstruction management

Providing information in support of reconstruction management is a complex and difficult task, which is currently seriously under-researched in the disaster community. Multiple agencies are always involved, and for the countries in the region there is yet no established model for communications and data sharing. No management database is available, and no local studies of what is done elsewhere are being carried out. International research in this area is very fragmented and under-supported. During the project, discussions in the Cook Islands identified a number of possible opportunities for systems development within Public Works departments which would allow better co-ordination of some engineering aspects of reconstruction. These will need to be covered in a separate analysis.

Improving access to information needed for Disaster Mitigation

Active efforts are needed to Improve collection and access to mitigation data. There is a supporting and facilitating role here for DHA-SPPO, working in close collaboration with regional research institutions. Areas for involvement include:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 20 · Developing ways of storing, indexing, sharing and analysing highly specialised research datasets · Conducting regional demonstration projects, including collections of relevant research material · Building a database of datasets in the region which may be useful for mitigation research · Developing common indexing techniques with SOPAC and other regional research groups · Encouraging co-operative efforts in the region to standardise on applications software for GIS applications in mitigation · Encouraging further involvement of regional GIS user groups in formulating standards for collecting and cataloguing geo-referenced data useful for mitigation purposes

The analysis includes reviews of the choice of information management tools, an inventory and analysis of datasets likely to be needed (and the feasibility of obtaining them) and a review of analytical tools needed to handle these datasets.

Some guidelines for managing research in this area are necessary. A set of core requirements is addressed in the study. Of these, three can be highlighted here.

A dominant requirement should be the need to ensure that any research underpinning mitigation gives a clear benefit to the countries concerned: data must be collected and disseminated as products and in formats that is valued in local institutions. It thus behoves researchers and systems developers to choose areas where the results are actually likely to be applied, and to generate products in a format that hard pressed national officials can routinely use.

A second requirement is to ensure that products reach the wider community: the aim where possible must be to develop information products for mitigation which can support successful process of community evaluation and implementation of land use. These include maps and documentation accessible to community representatives and the media.

A third requirement is to support further research at the national level, and as a necessary concomitant to this, joint collaborative research with external groups. Researchers should as far as possible be able to find the data sets they want, when they want. This requires investment in production of data dictionaries, and full bibliographic records for research at study sites, and local archiving of full sets of relevant geological and geotechnical reports for each study site.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 21 Preparedness, including baseline data collection

Development of disaster preparedness programmes depends crucially on the availability of lessons-learned information from previous emergencies. Working in recent emergencies in the region, DHA and SPPO staff have developed simple and effective formats for recording lessons-learned.. A free-text database for storing lessons -learned information has been tested as part of this project, and makes storage and retrieval from large sets quicker and easier. This format will be converted for Lotus Notes, when the full package is implemented at SPPO, Suva.

Effective preparedness also requires a quantitative understanding of the size and demographic characteristics of the populations at risk from particula r hazards, and of the economic assets likely to be affected. Fortunately, for the South Pacific region, societies are of a size where collection and maintenance of detailed baseline data is a practical option.

There is a clear, but often unrecognised difference between the data requirements of national disaster planning officials and well-established regional institutions on the one hand, and of international relief groups and external donor organizations on the other. Experienced local officials and local representatives of international organizations will have daily access to a whole range of national statistics and other rich datasets in their normal work. They will be familiar with the physical layout of local communities, and with their administrative organization and cultural values. They will know many of the local officials and business people personally, and have a good sense of the assets actually available for emergencies, and their location and real capabilities.

Access to baseline data within the South Pacific area is in many ways an issue of connectivity and relationship building. Officials know where useful data can be found, and how reliable and precise it is likely to be. They also know people who can find data for them. Much of their knowledge of the area is simply ingrained; a result of years spent in previous positions in one or another part of a small country. Computer systems and databases can assist considerably in maintaining the core sets of quantitative data that needs to be stored in emergency offices, but robust and reliable communications and connectivity can usually contribute even more. The ability to get rapid access to the right person, to be trusted, and to ask the right questions is a key requirement.

The prototype damage inventory system, developed for this project, includes a number of tables for maintaining essential baseline data on individual small communities. Additionally, a checklist of required national baseline datasets for national emergency offices is included in the main report.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 22

6. Additional Regional Approaches to Information Management

Two areas for development have a broader scope, and are likely to require routine and regular regional co-operation on a regional basis:

· Reinforcement of traditional library services for disaster planning · Support for the electronic storage and exchange of technical information and lessons learned

SPPO has made a valuable contribution to the collection and dissemination of technical information in the region, and there is an excellent case for expansion of its supporting activities in these areas.

Technical information and communications

One of the biggest challenges faced by any emergency institution is how to improve it's staff's knowledge of the existence, quality, and sources of emergency-related technical information. There are a number of key problems:

· How to get the right information to the right person at the right time, in the right mode, at the right cost. · How to keep abreast of, and exploit, new technological developments. · How to link national disaster management institutions with similar problems into a knowledge sharing network.

All organizations involved in disaster management share these problems, but they are particularly acute in specialist sectors such as health, water supply, telecommunications, electricity supply, fire and safety services, and public works and structural engineering.

In addition, internationally, provision of information on and about particular emergencies is currently undergoing significant changes. Increasingly, governments, donors, and the and national publics are learning to anticipate a rich and complex picture soon after a major emergency such as an earthquake occurs. An international emergency organization in regions where a large emergency occurs would now be expected to participate at least to a limited extent in network activity: to monitor Internet postings and issue clarifications and corrections; to clarify priorities and needs, and to help the wider global public interpret the event.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 23 Overall, internal and external communications are gradually becoming cheaper and simpler. Either now, or within one or two years, technical staff of administrations almost anywhere will in principle be in a position to get answers to questions more easily and to communicate with colleagues much more easily. Access to electronic networks will provide a broad range of new opportunities, including the ability of networks of interested technical staff able to communicate routinely on a whole range of specialised topics; "virtuality" in information provision (the capacity to locate and collect information held in several different centres around the world during one access session); and "virtuality" in problem solving and research. It will gradually become much easier for teams of researchers from several ins titutions in several countries to collaborate routinely on common problems. Most institutions involved in research are likely to make their products available electronically, probably for sale using electronic cash. Much free material will also be made available electronically.

DHA-SPPO is already an important provider of information and support on disaster management and research, and is already closely involved with other specialist groups in the region. The level of research collaboration is excellent and maintained with considerable skill by those directly involved.

DHA-SPPO has a substantial facilitating and support role in the provision of disaster preparedness and management information. The following goals can be taken as a starting point for what will eventually become a collaborative exercise between government, regional research groups and technical libraries, and the international disaster community.

· To act as a centre for housing published and unpublished material on disaster management and research, and providing structured access through catalogues and indexes, borrowing and copying, with access increasingly being via electronic routes. · To act as a gateway to other sources of disaster-related information and document supply services, using networks to provide rapid and comprehensive access to information · To provide guidance to users in the availability and exploitation of library and information services and facilities · To encourage and support the acquisition of transferable skills of information retrieval, processing, evaluation and presentation through training programmes in information handling.

A section of the main report reviews in detail the steps DHA-SPPO can take to make its outputs available in digital format, to expand its technical library services, and to develop new types of specialised information packages on themes/subjects

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 24 in disaster ma nagement. The report also includes a framework for monitoring activities in this area. A range of software and materials have been provided in support of these information activities, together with recommendations on training and additional systems development.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 25

Summary of Recommended Actions

Jointly for National Disaster Management Departments and DHA- SPPO

Continue to seek improvements in computer security, auxiliary power and reliable communications: · Establis h a set of written standards and routines for each EOC for data back- up and logging the testing of equipment designated for emergency use, including power generators. · Provide two uninterruptable power supply units (UPS) with power filtering and surge protection in each EOC where such equipment is not yet available, capable of running computer, fax, and radio equipment for up to 30 minutes minimum · Purchase Iomega Zip or Syquest drives as an emergency backup data source, and for distribution of technical materials in digital form · Upgrade anti-virus protection for computers in EOCs: Dr. Solomon's Anti Virus software is suggested, with the commercial version of McAfee Associates virus checker as an alternative. Include protection against macro- based risks (e.g. in Word 6 and Excel) in data files. · Encourage EOC managers to designate additional computers and printers for back-up use · Review possibilities for outsourcing for computer maintenance in emergencies · Continue to explore additional options for regional initiatives for computer maintenance and security in national EOCs.

Establish a firm basis for system design: · Encourage the formation of two joint working groups of national IT staff in each country to focus on future requirements for EOC development: An availability and reliability working group, and an open systems interconnection working group. This is a long-term measure to develop a common culture on protection issues, and to ensure that a common open systems approach to network development for emergencies is encouraged in each country and throughout the region. · Include IT training in career planning for disaster planning staff · Provide self-instructional materials (video and self-teaching books) on MS- Access database maintenance and programming · Encourage wider understanding of basic networking principles - encourage staff to take Novell Certified Netware Administrator (CNA) courses

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 26 · Encourage the development of basic Windows installation, and hardware repair and maintenance courses for EOC staff.

Continue to develop systems to assist with emergency response: · Upgrade donated computer equipment with DX2/DX4 (or faster) processors where necessary and add a minimum of 500 Mb additional hard disk capacity to each machine as soon as resources permit. · Continue country-level inventories of existing sources of baseline data · Continue programming work on the prototype damage inventory database developed as part of this project · Test the emergency information and damage inventory databases during the cyclone season, on an experimental basis, in parallel with existing systems · Encourage national health departments to assemble baseline information for comprehensive epidemiological surveillance · Initiate additional research on information requirements for veterinary emergencies

Information-related initiatives within DHA-SPPO

· Improve Internet access as a matter of urgency. Augment the current Fido- based arrangements with dial-in PPP or SLIP TCP/IP as soon as connections become available. · Review the opportunities for data transmission using packet radio in emergencies, and seek out closer links with local amateur radio communities in the region · Maintain the existing close-contact with Peacesat project staff: encourage additional protection of Peacesat sites against earthquake and cyclone damage · Seek opportunities to gain operational experience with data transmission using Inmarsat mobile terminals · Purchase at least two 28kbps battery powered modems for use with laptop computers, with acoustic coupler attachments

· Purchase a copy of Mapinfo for Windows, and develop a prototype GIS for building vulnerability to earthquakes in Suva · Continue to participate actively in the GIS user group in Suva · Develop a prototype database for graphic objects, and review the options for using digital cameras to collect pictures from study areas. · Maintain contact with local insurance companies to review the methods used to store claims information after disasters

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 27 · Develop a library management plan based on ISO9000 evaluation standards as adapted for special libraries · Install Library bibliographic software ; the recommended package is Reference Manager version 7. A more basic alternative choice is the Papyrus package. · Develop a pilot WWW server installation in SPPO Suva · Purchase and install Acrobat Professional software for exchange of SPPO documents in digital form · Review local opportunities for joint purchase of Adobe Acrobat Capture for document imaging. (Requires fast Pentium processor with 24 Mb memory for efficient use) · Fully implement a local networked version of Lotus Notes at SPPO · Install a database of lessons learned using Lotus Notes, in the format developed by SPPO and incorporated in the prototype free-text database currently installed at SPPO.

Mission Follow-up

A number of specific initiatives are suggested for a direct follow up to this mission:

· Additional development work on the emergency information and damage inventory database · A further review of damage inventory data management options at the local level, particularly in Fiji, and of data transmission requirements and options from the district level onwards. · Additional work on the design of Workshops on damage inventory · Detailed follow-up on epidemiological monitoring database requirements · Additional detailed review of emergency logistics management issues in Fiji and at one other location. · A review of options for implementation of SUMA 2 logistics tracking software (when completed) in the region as a whole, starting with one or two pilot sites · Additional analysis of options for collecting and managing information on damage to commercial facilities · Development of a comprehensive thesaurus for SPPO's lib rary · Research on options for damage prediction modelling

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 28

SECTION 1

DISASTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS: THE SOUTH PACIFIC CONTEXT

Island communities are small by global standards, and the population at risk as a whole is relatively small. In consequence, the range of activities to be tracked, and the size of the datasets are limited. Many island communities are very isolated, with poor communications and limited logistical resources. In practice, the range of actions available to island administrations is very limited, and the response is often restricted in scale and scope. In many disasters it takes a long time to build a picture of damage and needs, and even longer to organize effective remedial measures. It will take considerable investment to improve the picture substantially over the next few years. Nonetheless, radical technical improvements in communications, investments in industry and tourism, and possible climatic change all point to a greater role for real-time disaster management even in the most dispersed island nations in the region.

One starting point for planning is the range of hazards likely to be encountered. This review takes into account the following, but it should be noted here that in most of the countries in the South Pacific region, national emergency committees and their supporting management structures will normally only be convened to cope with the first five of these:

Cyclones - a widespread commonly shared problem Severe flooding - also a widespread, commonly shared problem Earthquake - a severe risk in many countries Volcano - a substantial risk in several countries Tsunami - a widespread, commonly shared problem Industrial incident - LPG; chemical etc. - affecting very few areas Animal or plant disease epidemic - a major risk, commonly shared Port incident: Tanker fire/ship explosion - risk to a few areas Civil unrest - very limited, but potentially severe in a few areas Crowd incident - a few high risk sites Oil spill - a commonly shared problem in many areas Air crash - a low to moderate risk around most urban areas Human epidemic - low to moderate risk, over most of the region

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 29 At whatever level, an emergency management information system has four main functions. It acquires data about the operating environment; it transports the data to decision makers; it fuses data into information to aid decision making; and it provides the communications means to implement decisions (see Buddenberg 1995). Systems for coping with natural hazards, especially including those for which some warning is available, are normally designed to handle the following types of operational task:

· Mobilization monitoring, to determine whether the tasks planned during the mobilization period have actually been carried out. · Damage prediction during the warning period, from the known distribution of assets and characteristics of storm · Tasking resources for initial assessment · Collating and interpreting initial reports of damage and urgent requirements · Mobilising resources to fill gaps in the local response · Collating information on the operational condition of essential facilities: airports, ATC, ports, power. · Co-ordinating a more detailed inventory of damage to government and private assets · Organising and routing requests for external material assistance/Pledge processing · Maintaining an inventory of the location and operational condition of repair equipment and personnel, and operating a brokerage function for repair resources · Forecasting needs for manpower, material, and other assets for immediate recovery · Providing accurate and up-to-date information of national conditions to the business community and the international community · Budgeting planned recovery activity · Monitoring planned recovery activity · Evaluation: assessing the effectiveness of operations at each stage.

Some kind of national emergency operating facility appears to have been designated in most, if not all of the countries in the South Pacific region, and preparations extend to provincial or island level in some countries. In the countries visited EOC provision varied considerably. Designated rooms were in relatively well-protected concrete and steel-frame buildings with a degree of seismic resistance. Radio communications were available in all, but limited to police or ministry VHF equipment in two countries. In the Cook Islands, the EOC was part of a purpose-built communications building run by the telecommunications company, with excellent satellite and radio links. Although buildings were

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 30 relatively hazard proof, equipment was not anchored and little provision was made for protection against flooding or fire. Emergency power supplies were available, but not tested in one of the countries. Uninterruptable power supplies were available for micro-computers in one country, but were sufficient only for thirty minutes operation. A power cut during an EOC visit in one country led to a shut-down of operations.

In all the EOCs, microcomputer equipment was dual use, and computers were in routine clerical use. In two of the countries there were minimal and ineffective virus checks, widespread sharing of software, and no routine control of program configuration. UN-DHA's Suva office was spending considerable time encouraging national offices to introduce more controls, with some success.

The level of computer knowledge in the national EOCs was generally low, although a number of national staff showed considerable interest in upgrading their own skills. Several had completed training courses locally in spreadsheet applications, on their own initiative.

In Vanuatu in particular, internal initiatives, good staff selection, and effective sustained training in emergency response by SPPO staff members, had clearly paid dividends. Staff made extensive use routinely of wall displays, agenda boards, and logs. This was an excellent sign of long-term prospects, but still a long way from an integrated and quality-controlled system using information technology. Staff turnover is a worrying problem in all the countries, with a high risk that experienced and trained officials will be posted to other departments at short notice.

Emergency response requirements in the South Pacific area have some well-defined, and locally specific characteristics. In the most common disasters - cyclones and flooding - warning and limited local evacuation are the primary lifesaving measures. Casualties are generally low. Road clearance and other public works activity dominate the early response period. Much of the activity is, by international standards, on a very small scale, involving the co-ordination of a few dozen, or at most a few hundred separate teams. Pre-impact preparations make a major difference to the outcome, including simple protection actions at a few key facilities (there usually are only a few key facilities). Post-impact allocation of very limited repair and clearance resources such as construction equipment and trucks is important. Considerable damage to utilities appears to occur after disasters, particularly during clearance operation and particularly to phone cables.

Road repair, recovery of ports and fishing facilities, hospital reconstruction, and school repair are usually given high early priority by public works departments.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 31 The increasing number of private schools complicates recovery in the educational sector. Management of the repair of damage to utilities such as telecommunications and electricity supply are usually done by the utility companies themselves, without much government intervention. Similarly, government monitoring of, and involvement in, recovery in the private sector appears to be very limited indeed.

The small size of the affected area, and the relatively small number of facilities affected make central project management for all repair tasks feasible, although inter-ministerial issues seriously complicate central planning for allocation of limited repair resources within the public sector.

In those areas of earthquake risk visited, namely Fiji and Vanuatu, the resources available for earthquake emergency response are rudimentary. In Vanuatu, construction characteristics within the largest town, Port Vila, are likely to limit casualties and damage. However in Suva, any significant earthquake would overwhelm the country, although even the simplest precautions would drastically reduce casualties and speed recovery. Preparations in both operational and information terms are minimal.

Support for housing reconstruction and relief food distribution are key issues in the reconstruction period after cyclones, and are likely to become deeply politicised within a few days or weeks of any large disaster. Information in relation to these issues in particular can never be seen as value neutral, and accurate analysis of requirements in the food and housing sectors will always be hard to manage.

A starting point for further development of emergency information systems is the way in which key pro-active and response tasks are done in the existing system. This obviously varies considerably between countries but some of the common features, and main variations are set out here. Because only some of the countries in the region were visited, more analysis is clearly required to underpin regionally applicable solutions.

Mobilization monitoring is mostly informal, although a good basis for monitoring is present in the form of the individual ministry plans available in Fiji, and the more informal but well-defined procedures established in Vanuatu. Development of a database to record reports of actions completed by utility companies, public works and other government departments would be relatively straightforward.

A problem common to many of the Pacific Island countries is maritime emergency preparedness. All the countries appear to have some provisions for routine coast

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 32 guard activities, such as search and rescue, and some receive support in this area from larger nations in the region. During cyclones an additional burden of search and rescue is sometimes placed on these small countries, often at a time when they are least able to extend to meet it. Generally, this problem tends to be seen locally as an issue for specialised coast guard and maritime rescue units rather than national EOCs, but the communications and co-ordination requirements in this area need to be recognised, and may need additional external support in each country. This is likely to be best achieved with the support of the existing regional maritime safety groupings.

Damage prediction during cyclone warning periods, from the known distribution of assets and characteristics of storm, is technically feasible. It is practised widely in the USA, and application is being extended to other countries, including Japan, and Australia. It is not done in the Pacific, although pilot projects in this area would be worth considering.

Tasking resources for initial assessment is done centrally in Vanuatu, and on a dispersed basis in Fiji and Cook Islands. Further proceduralization is probably unnecessary in Vanuatu or the Cook Islands at present. In Fiji, given the greater complexity of the scheduling task for over flights, assignment of military units, and district-level visits, further work in this area would be useful. Mapping of key resource allocations (such as helicopters) with a project management package which handles units in hours and minutes would be a useful starting point. This could be extended to cover the scheduling of teams involved in damage inventory surveys. It is vital to recognise, however, that some of the unique factors present in South Pacific area are bound to limit applications here, the most notable of which is distance, and the dispersion of population over dozens, sometimes hundreds of islands over tens of thousand of square kilometres. Expansion of reliable and survivable communications, and encouragement of local self-assessment by communities will be a vital long-term strategic requirement for disaster management.

Collating and interpreting initial reports of damage and urgent requirements is reviewed elsewhere in this study. This is largely separate from the parallel task of collating information on the operational condition of essential facilities: airports, air-traffic control, ports, and power supplies to essential services. In these sectors the assessments themselves will be largely co-ordinated by the responsible utility companies or authorities, and the results reported to the national EOC. The task for EOC planning is to identify just what information from these sectors is actually required to help co-ordinate the overall response. At present, none of the EOC operations visited appears to have formal procedures or displays for this task, and they lack relevant software and computer equipment to support recording and

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 33 analysis. Key issues to address in any system design are sectoral isolation and the problem of dealing with multiple conflicting reports from different government departments, all mostly unfamiliar with emergency reporting. The requirements are examined in more detail below.

There are similar opportunities for filling other gaps. One important task is maintaining an inventory of the location and operational condition of repair equipment and personnel, and operating a brokerage function for repair resources. It is influenced by the additional need to forecast the overall requirements for manpower, material, and other assets for immediate recovery, as soon as possible after impact. These tasks in turn strongly affect two others: providing accurate and up -to-date information of national conditions to the business community and the international community; and drawing up budgets for planned recovery activity. At present, these tasks tend to be organized after impact; no established templates were identified. In addition, in the absence of pre-planned routines, two other management tasks - monitoring planned recovery activity, and evaluation - will themselves need to be improvised after the event.

Notwithstanding the relatively limited state of information systems development in national EOCs, a number of factors are present which simplify the emergency information task. The societies are relatively stable and cohesive. Hazards are well-defined, scientifically well-understood and limited in the scale and scope of impact. Communities are mostly small, and the data requirements limited. And operations are, for the most part, on a very human scale. In these conditions, good communications, commonly shared goals (enhanced by emergency training), and community values that emphasise a collaborative approach to problem solving, are as important as information technology "fixes".

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 34

SECTION 2

DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

This short section reviews some guiding design principles for information systems which assist disaster managers during the early phases of an emergency.

At the national level, emergency information systems can be designed to serve the needs of a variety of actors. These include:

· The national policy makers, including the members of the national emergency committee. · The national-level operations management staff, helping them to prioritise, resolve resource conflicts, reassign between sectors, and brief major donor representatives on call. · Major donors, who may be seeking to reinforce, augment, or substitute services in specific sectors · Sectoral managers seeking to negotiate additional resources · Senior staff of established national and international NGOs in -country

Some analysts view the type of decision-making process as crucial in shaping the design of information processing routines, choice of software, and the design of facilities. They make clear distinctions, based on the degrees of interaction among decision-makers, on a spectrum from independent to collaborative. Independent: Decision-makers make independent decisions with little or no interaction with other decision-makers. Communication: Decision-makers make independent decisions while exchanging status information and decision results. Co-ordination: Decision-makers make independent decisions while exchanging status information and decisions results. In addition the rationale behind decisions are also exchanged. There may also be some mutual understanding regarding goals (both shared and independent). Collaboration: Decision-makers make joint decisions with clear mutual understanding regarding goals (both shared and independent).

In the Pacific area, most local observers attach considerable importance to the dominant ethic of collaborative decision-making. There are strong cultural factors in the area with militate in favour of systems which promote a comprehensive joint

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 35 deliberation. Indeed, systems which promote independent decision-making will generally not be accepted readily.

· Reliable protected communications are the key to any disaster management system. At the national level no system can operate effectively without a high availability communications network with backups, a communications network that is interoperable with those of other organizations, and communications staff capable of limiting damage when it occurs and making quick repairs when necessary

Normally, at the core of any national disaster management system is one or more Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs), from which a controller and his representatives direct operations and control resources. At the level of operations in the South Pacific, a national level EOC will normally be managed by a group of the co-ordinating department staff, augmented by resources and staff from other key government departments. The EOC mission in the region is generally straightforward: helping to predict, plan for, and assess the damage resulting from natural hazard impacts. The operations team must be able to translate damage assessments into estimates of immediate response needs, including the extent to which government departments can meet those needs. It must also be able to provide up-to-date information to the national political authorities so that they are able to effectively oversee the national response. On the basis of its damage and needs assessments, the unit must be able to make concrete recommendations regarding the amount, type, and cost of assistance that should be requested, and to direct the national relief effort over the first few days of the disaster.

Internationally, EOCs vary enormously in complexity. In the South Pacific those that are already established are small, with limited resources. Nonetheless, whatever the size or complexity, some basic requirements are common to all EOCs:

· Radio, fax, and telephone communications equipment · A copy of the disaster management plan and EOC procedures · Maps, status boards · A list of EOC personnel and descriptions of their duties · Technical information and data for advising responders · Building security system information · Information and data management capabilities: PCs and database software · Telephone directories · Backup power, communications and lighting · Emergency supplies for operating staff

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 36 An EOC's core role is to gather, process, analyse, display and disseminate planning and operational data and perform other related tasks. Essentially, the whole system supports a threefold process, most succinctly referred to as "Sense - decide - act". More commonly, the basic processes are referred to as: · Picture building · Situation assessment · Mission planning

Picture building during early stages of a natural disaster is usually the most difficult part of the process, especially in those systems where communications and assessment resources are limited. At the level of this analysis, and taking the South Pacific region as a whole, the main common elements of information required are:

· The boundaries of affected area · The status of main transportation routes · The status of communication systems · Operational telephone and data links available for use within the affected area · Telecommunications not within the affected area, that can help with the operational response · Actual and planned actions of telecommunications organizations towards recovery of facilities · Access to the affected area · The status of main operating facilities · Additional emergency public works requirements · Debris clearance for reconnaissance, SAR, and casualty movement · Temp orary construction of emergency access routes · Emergency restoration of critical public services · Emergency demolition/stabilisation · Technical assistance and damage assessment - structural inspection · Support to other responding organizations · Hazard specific information · Weather data affecting operations · The status of critical facilities · The status of aerial reconnaissance activities · The status of key personnel · Resource shortfalls · The overall priority of operations · The status of upcoming activities

Making sense of the situation requires in-built procedures for information handling. Information systems for use in an EOC are different from most other types of management information system. There is usually a higher degree of uncertainty,

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 37 and fuzziness of incoming information. The following observations are of direct relevance to the South Pacific requirements:

· Incoming messages may be both structured and unstructured, but are more often unstructured. Unstructured messages can usually be translated into structured ones by trained staff. Structured messages usually include activity or event descriptions, a spatially referenced location, and information on the team or unit involved. · Decision makers will come to conclusions based on interpretations of existing messages, and guesses about missing data. These conclusions will change over time, and interpretations based on them will also need to be changed. · "Baseline" or background data has to be readily available (see below) to provide a context and check for incoming data. · Some of the important baseline data will need to be regularly updated and modified, possibly in real time as the operation continues. · Decisions have to be made rapidly, with changing, usually incomplete, and "fuzzy" or "noisy" data · Displays have to provide a context for decision making involving intuition and judgement · Updates have to be reflected in displays

Information technology can be used to support decision-making by emergency operations control staff. There are a multiplicity of ways to design decision-support for emergencies, especially where there is a large existing investment in data transmission networks and organizational computer systems. There are a number of existing packaged software solutions for resource management and dispatch in various types of disaster. Network management requirements in sophisticated command and control systems have been reviewed in detail in an excellent study by Buddenberg - one of the few available in the public domain (Buddenberg 1995). Elements of the later analysis of design requirements make reference to that review. There are, however, few corresponding models for situations where the information technology infrastructure and the procedural basis for emergency response is less developed. In principle, nonetheless, any information technology application for EOC support is going to have to meet some or all of the following requirements, set out here in terms of layers:

Layer 1. All decision support systems need a means of communications, to receive incoming data and to transmit the decision maker's orders. Layer 2. Computer systems require an operating system which schedules tasks for the central processing unit, organises and maintains a file system, and controls communications input/output.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 38 Layer 3. The central function of a decision support system is to file data in a database and then extract appropriate views of the database for the user. The layers under the database management system are concerned with feeding data into the database. Those layers over the database management system are tasked with preparing the data and presenting a picture to the decision maker. Layer 4. The Graphical User Interface (GUI) is the means for translating the data into graphics. When creating a tactical picture in the mind of a decision maker, graphics are usually more effective than the written word. This translation is achieved in conjunction with a correlator in a process that fuses, or links, chunks of data in the database to each other. This is the essential process of transforming data into information. Layer 5. Finally, tactical decision aids are those processes that help the decision maker operate on the information and produce decisions. These aids allow operators to visualise 'what if' or they extrapolate existing trends and events into the future. For example, tactical decision aids can suggest resources to dispatch to a certain incident based on knowledge of resources, their capabilities and positions, probabilities of incidents and other factors.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 39

SECTION 3

THE NEED FOR IMPROVED INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR DAMAGE INVENTORY

This section deals with one of the key tasks for disaster management in the South Pacific region: the task of assembling an inventory of damage and surviving capacity. This type of information is vital to help relief managers estimate immediate priorities, to help staff schedule immediate relief, and to provide an initial basis for formulating reconstruction plans.

In practice, damage inventory, risk assessment, needs analysis, and response planning and control all proceed in parallel, and it is neither necessary or possible to draw a formal distinction. However, because damage inventory arrangements are comparatively easy to improve, and because of the high level of interest throughout the region, this section examines the requirements in detail. The reader should keep in mind that this section covers the activities and information specifically associated with building a "picture" of the scale and scope of physical damage and of the availability of surviving assets. In later sections we review ways in which information systems can contribute to the task of estimating risks to populations and key assets, and the design of information systems for response planning and management control of personnel, equipment, and supplies.

Different hazard agents produce widely varying damage profiles, and require markedly different relief responses. This section attempts to generalise as far as possible. Because most previous experiences in the areas reviewed have been with cyclones and flooding, there is inevitably a slant in the analysis towards these types of emergency. Nonetheless, where there are major differences in the approach required, these are pointed out.

This discussion paper should be read in conjunction with the previous PIDP studies of disaster assessment in the Pacific Area (Campbell 1984, Campbell and Chung 1986).

The Range and Scope of Damage Inventory Tasks

Almost all the countries in the region have some experience with damage and needs assessment. A range of assessment-related activities are commonly seen in

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 40 the aftermath of cyclones, and a broadly similar pattern occurs also after floods, and earthquakes in rural areas. The pattern during volcano eruptions is more complex, but again the response has many common elements with other emergencies.

· Over flight by fixed wing aircraft or helicopters. · Immediate visits by officials to affected communities. · Radio reports. · Telephone and fax reports. · Assembly and dispatch of survey teams of more specialist staff, with systematic surveys of communities, and infrastructure. · Reports up the administrative chain by departmental officials at all levels. · Reports by news-media teams. · Asset damage surveys and reporting by staff of public utilities. · Asset damage surveys and reporting by commercial organizations. · Asset damage surveys and reporting by insurance companies.

Whatever the formalised procedure for reporting, the reality in most emergencies is that information travels by a variety of paths from affected areas to places where a record of damage is maintained. Here are just a few examples:

· To a local administrative HQ - district or police office. · Up the normal reporting chain within a particular ministry, through district offices, divisions or provincial offices, to the national ministry offices. · Direct from the field level to a national ministry office, or to the national co-ordinating centre · To the local operational office of a public or privatised utility - telecommunications, or electricity - and hence to the national headquarters. · To a commercial firm's headquarters, inside or outside the country

Damage inventory is inevitably a messy process. News trickles in by different routes, as communications are gradually re-established. Informal reports are mixed with more formal investigations. Accuracy and reliability vary. Reports are made by people who know what they are doing, and by people who don't. New information arrives at the same time as old information, by different routes. Reports are copied, with various degrees of completeness and accuracy, at intermediate stages in transmission and then redistributed informally. In some areas, surveys of damage may be carried out several times by people with different technical skills and operational perspectives, and distributed separately. Reports are queried, altered, and lost, either accidentally, or for political reasons.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 41 Repeated experience in previous emergencies has taught most of the administrations in the region the need to build a procedural framework for data collection, routing, collation and interpretation. Countries differ in the extent to which these procedures are formalised and documented, and in the ways in which responsibilities are allocated.

One difference is the degree of centralization or decentralization of data collection. Some administrations, such as that in Vanuatu, rely substantially on survey teams drawn from the central administration. In the both the initial stages, and during more detailed field-level inspections, a handful of small teams from the national government ministries do much of the information collection, albeit with the assistance of local officials, and are responsible thereafter for much of the detailed planning on how to respond.

By contrast, in some countries (Fiji was the main example reviewed on this mission) damage inventory is more decentralised. Whilst inspections and surveys are organized at all levels of administration, detailed local investigations are the responsibility primarily of District officials. Routing of reports is relatively complex, but as a general pattern reports are collated at each administrative level, summarised, and passed on to the national co-ordinating centre and to individual government departments.

The degree of centralization or decentralization is a function of size, the number of levels of administration, and the overall political context of the country concerned. It is also strongly influenced by distance, communications vulnerability, transport resources and capability, the extent of local preparedness and training, and the confidence national staff place in local officials. Inevitably, some of these factors are mutable, and the relative advantage or desirability of a particular strategy can be expected to change as the underlying factors change. So, for example, as the reliability and survivability of communications have improved in Vanuatu with the introduction of more modern radio equipment in more locations, so the ability to target and focus initial national-level over flights has improved, whilst local staff are themselves able to make detailed reports at an earlier stage. Also, external interventions can also alter the situation. For example, the increasing tendency of regional countries such as Australia and New Zealand to supply aircraft and helicopters for relief and assessment has increased the transport resources potentially available to national officials.

Clearly also, since countries differ so much in size, population, and land area, similarities can be drawn between different levels of administration in different countries. Lessons learned, and systems developed, at national level in a small island nation may be of direct relevance at provincial or district level in a larger

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 42 one. There are, however, limitations here when it comes to solutions involving computer systems and software. Whilst it may be possible to introduce relatively sophisticated methods for data storage and analysis in national ministry offices (and indeed is increasingly routine in some) the equipment and skills needed may simply not be present at lower levels of administration in larger countries. National offices tend to have some familiarity with information technology, and staff capable of maintaining and operating small computers. District offices are very unlikely to have the same advantages. Often, at the level at which computerised information systems would be most useful, there is simply not the capacity to maintain or operate them effectively. It is worth stressing though that in an environment as complex and fast-changing as the South Pacific each local situation really needs reviewing on an individual basis. Educated and motivated local staff can produce surprising results in the most remote and underdeveloped areas, and the wide range of development projects and programmes in the region have resulted in the appearance of small computer systems in many administrative centres.

The Many Facets of Damage Inventory

The general term "Damage Inventory" encompasses a range of activities, involving different organizations, different sectors, and over different time periods. Here we examine the range of activities in more detail. At this stage, it may be helpful in the context of later analysis to keep in mind a broad distinction between community level investigations, assessment of damage affecting wider areas, and specific sectoral assessments.

Damage inventory in critical sectors:

Technical assessments in critical sectors are normally done by staff of the utility companies, or other organizations which manage the systems. Indeed, in most cases, it would be very hard for non-specialists to do this kind of assessment at all. The main focus is on key facilities and equipment; all part of the infrastructure which keep modern communities functioning: Power generators, transformers, and transmission lines Telephone exchanges, lines, microwave equipment, etc. Water treatment facilities Sewage pumping and treatment Public safety services, including Fire services, Police, and Meteorology services

Most island nations are relatively small, and these phrases have a subtly different connotation from their equivalents in urbanized, Western nations. In all but the

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 43 largest countries in the region, these facilities will be very small, managed by a small number of technicians living nearby. There will be, at most, a handful of staff nationally who are technically qualified to assess damage to complex equipment in detail, and to draw up and cost repair plans. In the smaller countries, assessment is a very personalised activity. Although most of the assets which make up these systems are located in more heavily populated and accessible areas, others (such as microwave equipment, radio repeaters) will be at isolated and inaccessible key points. It can take days or weeks to investigate damage thoroughly, although a broad picture can often emerge quickly. For systems such as telecommunications networks, introduction of more modern exchange and monitoring and increasing integration of radio, telephone, and satellite services tend to increase the opportunities for automatic or centralized network reconfiguration. Network controllers will increasingly be able to route around damaged sections.

Each utility system has its own tools and methods for assessment. Some of the privatised utilities may well have better access to transport and communications than national government staff. Each system has relatively well-qualified repair technicians, or can draw directly upon relationships with external suppliers for assistance. Reporting tends to concern the operability and accessibility of assets, rather than details of the damage. Reports will usually be made to national co-ordinating groups.

Community level assessments:

A core activity in national damage assessment is the collation of reports from a large number of lo cal communities. This is manpower intensive, puts a major strain on the resources of local administrations, and requires close attention to the quality and reliability of reporting. Here we give a brief outline. More detail is included in subsequent sections of this analysis.

There are normally several stages of community-level damage inventory. If aircraft or helicopters are available, and (in cyclones) if weather permits, there may be an initial helicopter over flight by national officials to assess the boundaries of the most damaged areas, and the most affected towns or villages. A helicopter may land to pick up casualties, enable staff to make a quick visual assessment and talk to local people, and drop off medical teams. For outer islands, and peripherally affected areas, most reports will be by radio: from the telecommunications office, from police stations, or from boats or amateur operators. These initial reports tend to be extremely patchy, depending of the availability and type of equipment, the damage to antennae, and the ability of local operators to build up an accurate picture of local conditions. Lack of reports from particular areas may trigger an over flight, or a visit by boat.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 44

Later, more detailed reports will trickle in, as radio equipment is restored, as local people are able to move around the affected area, airstrips are cleared and (again for cyclones) as the weather improves.

A period of more thorough investigation develops between two days and two weeks after impact. Teams of officials attempt to make systematic visits to communities, to collect information on damage to structures, equipment, agriculture, and a range of other topics. These teams may be assembled at the national level, or from the local administration, as discussed earlier. There may be repeated visits to more accessible areas by officials with different skills and specialist focus. Equally, some areas get missed for long periods. Inevitably, officials may come under various types of pressure to adjust or slant their reporting, depending on the relief benefits available, and the way distribution of assistance is likely to be carried out. The types of information collected, are discussed in detail in later sections of this review.

Assessment of Area impact

Damage which occurs over a wide area produces very different problems of assessment. This can include damage to forests; inundation of agricultural land; storm surge affected areas; river bank and levee overtopping, and damage to irrigation networks. In the early period, a range of hydrological information may be required for forecasting of relief prospects, particularly concerning water level changes over time along long stretches of waterway.

Forestry damage inventory in particular raises difficult problems. Cyclones in particular have a complex impact on trees, with a combination of defoliation, uprooting, loss of branches, and water logging. This damage considerably reduces anticipated production, and can also have a significant impact on the quality of wood products. Micro climate impacts of cyclone tracks can lead to complex patterns of damage to forest areas, which are hard to characterise in a simple database.

Assessment of damage to large industrial and commercial facilities

In none of the three countries reviewed (Fiji, Vanuatu, Cook Islands) was there evidence in the government administration of systematic procedures for reviewing damage to industrial or commercial facilities. That does not mean that senior government staff and ministers are unaware of this kind of damage; owners may well pass on reports informally. However, assessment is not the direct

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 45 responsibility of government in most countries, and there appears to be no formats or procedures for collecting and recording details of damage.

There are a variety of relatively large commercial and industrial facilities in countries in the region. Many are primary industries contributing substantially to employment and national export earnings. They can cover large areas, and incorporate residential communities of employees. In some cases there is an industrial hazard risk. No damage inventory procedures were identified for this cluster of sectors.

The hotel and tourism sector is also a major employer and income earner in many of the countries, and at any time there can be several thousand tourists in residence. Again, no assessment procedures appeared to be available.

Industrial damage inventory can be complex and is generally seen as the primary responsibility of the companies concerned and their insurers. Governments will be particularly concerned about direct or indirect damage leading to loss or limitation of production in businesses that are critical to the economic well-being of the country as a whole, or in specific localities. These will include major employers, major exporters, and businesses needed to support recovery and reconstruction.

Damage to transportation networks and nodes:

A fourth category related to damage inventory is damage to (mostly road) internal transportation networks, and to transportation nodes - ports and airports. Roads are particularly to damage and blockage in the Pacific region, as a result of cyclones (tree blockage, coastal erosion, flooding, and landslides), and earthquakes (landslide damage in particular). Inspection and clearance is normally the responsibility of the national public works departments, though increasingly, there is a tendency to contract out much of the routine repair work. Information requirements are discussed in more detail below.

Damage to ports and airports can have a catastrophic economic impact. Detailed assessment is normally the responsibility of the respective administrations, and the task is likely to involve a small number of engineering and administrative staff in each case. There is a strong risk analysis component in assessments. Ports usually handle various types of hazardous materials. Airport assessment involves detailed and fine judgements about the operation of navigation and lighting and safety services.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 46 Reviews of existing national damage inventory procedures suggest that only basic narrative details of transport system damage are recorded. No forms or collection procedures were identified.

Damage inventory in the Health sectors:

Damage inventory needs to be distinguished from risk assessment in this sector. Internationally, there is a well-defined methodology for investigation and recording of injury patterns and for regular surveillance of potential health risks such as emerging vector-transmitted diseases after certain types of disaster (Pan American Health Organization 1987; Hlady 1994; Lee 1993, Lillibridge 1993). Staff in Health departments in the countries visited were aware of these approaches, though little had been done to implement similar systems nationally. In the veterinary sector there is acute awareness of the risks of quarantine breakdown for plant and animal diseases which may result from a large disaster. These issues should also be seen in the context of baseline data recording. Health assessment in particular needs good baseline data on pre-impact disease rates and demographic profiles.

Damage inventory has a more specific focus. The prime concern includes recording the status of casualty treatment resources, such as damage to clinics, non-availability of personnel, loss of stocks of medical items and requirements for replenishment, and building an inventory of damage to facilities and equipment involved in on-going health promotion and disease control programmes. A key underlying goal is to determine costs and schedules for restoring normal control and surveillance programmes as quickly as possible.

A more detailed look at Community Level Damage Inventory

This section examines the process of damage data collection at the community level in more detail, and draws out elements common to the countries reviewed. The data content and data structures associated with this activity are set out in the Appendices, and may be read in conjunction with this analysis.

The majority of South Pacific island inhabitants live in rural community, in island or mountain villages hundreds of kilometres apart. Building a picture of damage early after a disaster can be exceptionally difficult. Each country appears to have developed it's own approach to this. Those of Fiji and Vanuatu are illustrative.

Fiji has no specific over flight form or reporting process. The procedure that has emerged is for senior co-ordination staff to make a short over flight by helicopter or aircraft as soon as weather conditions permit. In cyclones this is normally about

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 47 twelve hours after the passage of the central "eye" over an area, although depending on specific local weather conditions it can be longer. The flight profile concentrates on infrastructure damage, access, and the extent of agricultural damage, and may only last one or two hours. If the aircraft lands it may take any casualties found back to base for treatment. Medical staff may be carried on this first flight. Any subsequent flights to individual villages will also attempt to evacuate seriously injured, and to get a first initial picture of homelessness, the condition of evacuation centres, and the immediate availability of food and water. In cyclones, the track may pass over dozens of small island communities, long distances apart, and gathering information from all these is constrained by a shortage of suitable aircraft.

Radio reports from villages tend to come initially from the least affected areas, from the police radio net , or via operators in clinics or utility offices, or from commercial firms. Where an operator from the national co-ordination centre is in contact, information may be recorded on a pre-printed form.. Otherwise a brief narrative report is obtained and will be copied to the national co-ordination centre by whatever route is free.

The telecommunications company has a procedure for continuous "polling" of radio stations in outlying islands, and builds up a list of those where no contact can be made.

District official may attempt to make a quick inspection of nearby communities. However, they are likely to be restricted by access route blockage, and flooding. Usually a district official must first get to a village, and then return to the District or Divisional office to report back by radio.

The credibility of reporting plays some part at this and subsequent stages. There is a tendency, not necessarily pronounced, to downplay reports of housing or other community damage not obtained from a senior official or anothe r source perceived as reliable.

In Vanuatu (for cyclones at least), a broadly similar initial response is organized. Again, where helicopters are available locally, they are tasked to fly over affected areas. More machines appear to be available than in Fiji, and the initial flight profiles appear to involved a greater emphasis on landing and interviews with local officials. Casualties tend to be moved by helicopter. Additional aircraft from Australia are expected to arrive during the day after impact.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 48 Neither country has a specific plan for initial assessment in earthquakes. The cyclone procedure would probably be followed for earthquakes outside the capital.

No similar process was identified in the Cook Islands. There, it appears that telephone and radio are the primary assessment means, with a follow-up by fixed wing aircraft where necessary. In general, the level of infrastructure and housing vulnerability in the Cook Islands is perceived as considerably less than the other countries, because of construction standards and equipment design, reducing the urgency of damage assessment.

A set of data covering both Fiji and Vanuatu initial assessments is included in the Appendices.

Community damage inventory continues with more formal and organized inspections. The following review is based on interviews and file archive reviews with an impressive group of senior officials in Fiji who are engaged in a revision of the current arrangements. Again, the primary emphasis is on cyclones although similar procedures are likely to be followed in flooding or a destructive earthquake in rural areas.

In Fiji, District teams would normally be assembled, with officials from various interested departments, and a schedule of visits to local communities drawn up. The aim (especially in outlying islands visited by sea or air) is to make one visit, and record details of damage to housing, schools, and community buildings, the condition of water supply and other infrastructure, agricultural losses (field and tree crops, and livestock) and food availability, and damage to fishing boats and equipment. The team may inspect individual houses, and draw up a listing of claims for loss on a family basis. In principle, the report then provides the basis for costing of reconstruction in each sector, and for distribution of relief assistance. In practice, subsequent visits, with more detailed investigation and costing may be needed, especially where damage is severe, and where engineering expertise is in short supply.

Assessment of housing damage, and of food availability, requires considerable local knowledge. Inevitably, some communities, and some community leaders tend to inflate the value and scale of damage. Baseline data on population size and housing condition can be useful, but a good knowledge of local politics is more so.

Assessment of agriculture and food supply requires special expertise. This is covered in other DHA-SPPO studies, and can only be briefly noted here.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 49 Agricultural assessment underpins decisions about longer term food supplies, and about relief distribution. Given the need to predict future yields, assessment of the extent of crop damage usually needs to take into account the impact of stress on plant physiology. These stress factors can include water logging, lodging, damage from salt water inundation, and damage to leaves, stems and branches. In addition, other factors affecting future yields can include the stage of growth, and the amount and timing of inputs of fertilizer and pesticides. Fruit trees, in particular, may respond with changes in fruiting pattern which are hard to forecast. Yield will also be influenced by damage to irrigation systems, farm implements and machinery, and loss of storage facilities. Subsequent harvests may be affected by loss of planting materials.

For animals, production of milk, and live -weight may be reduced, and recovery will be influenced by the types of food subsequently supplied, and the restoration of shelter and grazing conditions.

A review of data elements for this subsequent assessment is included in the annexes to this report.

Decentralised systems such as that in Fiji inevitably experience problems with routing of data. District level reporting is to the Division. Data from the District may be embedded in narrative reports, on hand-written data sheets, or on printed forms. From the archive, much appears to be narrative or hand -written. Personnel of Departments and Ministries at Divisional level review the reports from the District level and from other field sources. Over the emergency and immediate recovery period, reports concerning the emergency will be sent to the National Co-ordinating Committee. Copies may also be sent to the respective Permanent Secretaries at national level, with copies to the Divisional Commissioner.

Data may be summarised at the Divisional level, and the summary passed on, or it may reach Government departments and the co-ordinating committee in its original form. In practice there seems to uncertainty within the system as a whole about what forms are available, what forms are used when, what types of report are routed where, and especially how to handle uncompiled field reports which may have been sent directly to national ministries and collated there. The Co-ordinating Committee appears to have spent a considerable amount of time in previous emergencies attempting to deal with duplication and variation, especially in compiled sets of statistics produced at different points. Under emergency conditions, reports can easily be delayed en route, which in turn tends to delay the whole reporting process.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 50 A set of current forms is included in the annexes, together with samples of other report material.

Although outside of an actual relief operation it is only possible to reconstruct part of the data flows, a number of features of previous operations are worth highlighting. What data is not present may be as important as the data that is. For example, as a whole, a record of damage in the commercial and industrial sector is largely unavailable, at least in the archive records. So too is information produced by the insurance sector. Additionally, in previous disasters, no procedures are evident for tracking the allocation of repair and recovery assets. Nor are there records of formal procedures for tracking the changing condition of assets being repaired. We should emphasise that absence of a record does not mean that a task was not done; it is simply an indicator that specific procedures were not available, implemented elsewhere, or not considered essential.

In Vanuatu, a much simpler system was in evidence. Data was collected by small teams from a limited number of Government Departments. Although no established form was used, the actual practice resulted in a relatively structured set of data which was brought back and analysed mostly by the officials responsible for data collection.

In the Cook Islands, no established forms or procedures for damage inventory were documented. However, the small size of the islands, the survival of communications, and the limited number of administrators involved resulted in assessments comparable in scope to the District level in Fiji. Information could be quickly collected, reported as written narrative or telephone notes, and shared quickly within the administration. Officials there believed that the process could be enhanced with some simple additional recording and collating using a central computerised database. Any necessary computerization of data handling in this context would be expected to be relatively straightforward and rapid.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 51

SECTION 4

IMPROVED RELIEF SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

In this short section we examine the requirement for relief supply management, control, and accounting and suggest a number of approaches for introducing improved information systems. There appear to be no systems currently available in the island countries of the region that are specially designed for the task of relief supply management. In general, although a growing number of specialist logistics packages are available to the international relief community, and could be tested locally, their design is not especially applicable to the Pacific region. There are also considerable differences between the island countries in existing government supplies arrangements, which would complicate any test programme. Requirements need further detailed analysis in each country of the region. At present, the PAHO SUMA package (see below, and Appendices) appears to be the most appropriate internationally available system for local pilot testing, and possible implementation.

An effective and comprehensive system needs to be capable of the following:

Relief logistics operations can generally be broken down into several relatively discrete sets of sub-tasks:

· Commodity receipt and clearance at port or airport · Warehousing at port, base, forward warehouse, and terminal store (but not necessarily all these, for any single shipment).

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 52 · Transport management, including vehicle scheduling, fleet management, driver control and fuel management · Commodity control, including commodity scheduling, tracking, and accounting · Terminal distribution management

There are two very different requirements for information support during logistics operations. The first, conceptually straightforward requirement is for tracing and accountability. For any given shipment, it should be possible for those responsible for the operation to answer the following questions:

· What? · How much? · Received where? · From whom? · Moved by what mode? · At what cost? · With what losses? · Released to whom? · Reported to whom?

Tracking and accountability require commodity management and accounting systems. These can either be derived from standard, existing government supplies management systems (as exist in all the Pacific countries visited), or developed as a separate disaster management package. In the latter case, a number of systems are already available for relief commodity accounting (see Annexes). A new specialised disaster supplies management system - SUMA 2 - which appears to meet many of the requirements of countries in the region is currently be developed by the Pan American Health Organization. This latter also meets some of the tracking and scheduling requirements noted below.

A second logistics information requirement is more complex. Decision-makers need information to help with a range of decisions on the allocation and prioritization of resources, on the basis of judgements and conclusions of incoming assessment data:

· Deciding on the credibility to be given to initial survey information. · Assessing the demand -related implications of certain emerging, initially ambiguous events. · Assessing the requirements for vehicles and/or other modes of transport for emergency relief stocks.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 53 · Assessing the requirements for emergency improvements in transport infrastructure · Assessing the requirements for fuel, spares, and vehicle maintenance facilities · Assessing the requirements for storage and trans -shipment · Deciding on operational budgets and ensuring adequate cash flows · Deciding what sort of commodity control and commodity management infrastructure to implement · Specifying the contents of an operations plan · Assigning priorities to particular categories of relief items · Forecasting future food requirements · Forecasting repair and other materials requirements · Deciding on the priority of items for transport · Deciding on scheduling procedures and rules, taking account of constraints on particular routes - weight limits, etc.

These tasks require the matching of damage and needs information with information on the availability, condition, and capability of transport, specialist personnel, supply stocks, and supply routes. Because the environment is dynamic - all these elements change status continually - a combination of real-time tracking, and real-time display of information is essential if trained relief staff are to make full use of the information available to them.

Stockpile Availability Item Unit of issue Item category Storage requirements Location Quantity Local cost

Vehicle or other transport equipment Number Type Capacity Location Owner Condition Current commitment status

Tracking Supply Requests or Allocations Item

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 54 Unit of issue Item category Storage requirements Dispatch Storage Location Quantity Priority Needed by date/time Requester Requested from Dispatched by Consignee Consignee Receipt Location

International pledge details Pledge item details Pledge status

The most widely used software for relief supply tracking in sudden natural disasters is the PAHO SUMA package. Demonstration versions of this software have been installed at DHA-SPPO, and provided to relevant ministry departments in Fiji for testing. As noted earlier, this package is currently being upgraded to provide a supply accounting, as well as a basic supply recording function. A review will be necessary once the new PAHO package is available in tested form.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 55 Systems for pledge processing

Regular logistics reports which may be required

Each country will have a different requirement for logistics reporting. The following listing gives an indication. Detailed analysis will be needed in each case.

· Shipments by commodity (date issued; waybill no; location; commodity; end user; amount; date arrived) · Incoming shipments by Shipment Reference Number · Pipeline reports · Distribution by area/location · Shipments by issuing location · Shipments by receiving location · Shipments by issue date · Shipments by receiving date · Daily received, by Shipment Reference Number · Consolidated stock reports · Stocks by location by donor by Shipment Reference Number by Item Number by commodity · Commodities · Donor; Shipment Reference Number; Item Number; commodity; total amount this period; locations; end-users · Projected run-out (below buffer level) dates, by location by commodity · Expected arrival dates of commodities by Item Number by delivery point location · Previous forecasts of commodity stocks by location against subsequently reported commodity stocks (same date) · Target population by location · Date, waybill, transporter, destination · Losses by location, commodity, amounts · Losses by transporter, listing waybill numbers, dates, amounts, total

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 56 · Not-yet delivered, by Shipment Reference Number by Item Number · Including local purchases · Delayed shipments: waybill, transporter, commodity, amount, location, no of days late · Daily/Weekly report on stock levels and food availability · Daily/Weekly report on trucking capacity available · Regular requirements at each destination · Available cargo at the point of origins · Warnings Shipment below buffer level in next 5 days - location Warehouse full to capacity

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 57

SECTION 5

IMPLEMENTING DISASTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

In this section we examine a possible approach to emergency information systems development within government departments in the South Pacific area. Seven stages are identified, allowing a measured progression from the current very undifferentiated and unintegrated systems to more formalised national systems. On the basis of present conditions, it may take between three and four years to move through all the stages outlined below. Likely innovations in computer design, and training opportunities, make it very likely that real improvements can be achieved by the countries themselves with some help from DHA-SPPO and donors, although the rate of progress is bound to vary across the region.

Most of the stages listed below involve localized exploitation of IT, normally within a single function. The emphasis is on support or replacement of clerical operations. This is easy to implement, can be done at minimal cost, and does not require extensive disturbance to operations.

As the implementation proceeds, there needs to be a gradual shift towards building an IT infrastructure that integrates tasks. The activities are still implemented separately by departments, but procedures are gradually introduced to allow the data maintained in computer systems in one department to be accessed and used by another department. It will usually be necessary to cope with potentially disruptive inter ministerial conflicts, and centralization-decentralization issues.

As emergency information systems become more widely established, there will need eventually to be a widespread rethinking of the most effective way to do tasks, and attempts to substantially change departmental organization to exploit IT. This type of approach can sometimes occur at a relatively early stage in organizational development in administrations introducing disaster management structures for the first time, and in departments taking on a new role. But in general, it is accepted here that implementation that involves radical restructuring will not (and should not) be taken up by Government departments until the benefits are clear and basic systems are in place and functioning well.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 58 Stage 1

This involves a number of essential measures to tighten and stabilize information handling and to build an infrastructure of technical support. Although concerned with hazard management as a whole, the focus at this point will necessarily be on the most common emergencies in a country, usually floods and cyclones

Build in additional survivability and fault tolerance for emergency communications

The basic system design principles for emergency communications are well established. Five key elements should be present: robustness, reliability, redundancy, ease of use, restorability, and integrity.

Points of potential common-cause failures need to be identified. Faults which cause one component to fail should not also cause backup components to fail. Multiple uninteruptable power supply units should be available. If possible, telephone lines should be brought into command centre from two different central exchanges by two different routes, avoiding vulnerability to a central exchange fire or damage to buried cables. In addition, the changeover system from primary to backup mechanisms must be reliable and tested regularly.

Early damage assessment procedures need to be formalised.

This is reviewed in a separate section on early damage inventory. A set of data elements for collection during that period has been provided, together with a set of form templates for using computer databases for clerical support of these tasks.

Establish additional procedures for handling information as it is received

Messages must be characterised by urgency - for example, in terms of flash, priority, routine. Incoming messages should be logged.

EOC staff need to be provided with simple matrices for assessing the value of incoming reports in terms of:

· Importance/certainty: whether the information is important or unimportant; whether they are certain or uncertain of its veracity · The reliability of the source and the accuracy of the information

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 59 · Reliability of source (Completely, usually, fairly, not usually, unreliable, and cannot be judged), · Accuracy of information (Confirmed by other sources, probably true, possibly true, doubtfully true, improbable, and truth cannot be judged)

Establish a set of forms to track whether planned key tasks have been done:

Tasks to track should include the following:

Pre -impact (for cyclones) · Mobilization of assessment teams · Mobilization of public utility staff, with the formation of task groups responsible initially for protecting buildings and other assets, and later for repairing critical damage to telecommunications (particularly the microwave network), electric power supplies for government buildings, hospitals, and other "lifeline" systems, and major urban water systems. · Movement of stocks of repair equipment or substitute items to the periphery of the area of expected damage. · Movement of road clearance equipment (bulldozers, cranes, tree-cutting equipment, and logging trailers) to the periphery of the expected zone of impact. · Mobilization of road tankers, and other equipment for water distribution. · Reinforcing the communications capacity of the Provincial Government offices, including relocation of the new mobile satellite terminals. · Dispatch of military and civilian public works vehicles to assist with boarding- up public buildings, moving hospital patients or other vulnerable and institutionalised people, and supply of food and other equipment to evacuation centres. · Activation of emergency purchase agreements for tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, roofing materials, and tools. · Alerting and mobilising environmental health teams from the Ministry of Health to augment local health personnel · Preparations at the national airport for handling of incoming relief goods · Activating Province and District emergency operations centres. · Closing of schools. · Preparation of reception centres for evacuees and displaced people. · Evacuation of high risk areas. · Broadcast of specific public information on protection measures. · Protection for stocks of parts and spares held by public utilities. · Protection of public records.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 60 · Re-deployment of staff and equipment at utilities, public works organizations, and hospitals. · Provision of alternative power supplies and fuel. · Preparing emergency road clearance and bridging equipment. · Liaison with major public and private employers, providing information for staff, assisting with protection of essential equipment, and prior purchase agreements for critical supplies.

Post Impact:

· Medical treatment centre restoration · Water system recovery · Power system recovery · Sewerage system recovery · Telephone system recovery · Epidemiological monitoring · Shelter materials distribution · Food distribution · Cookin g equipment distribution · Recovery and burial of dead · Population evacuation

Improved EOC displays need to be provided

The types of information to be displayed vary considerably, depending on location and risk factors. Common elements are likely to include the following:

· Maps showing areas of damage · Maps showing status of major transportation links and airports · Maps showing status of communications systems and electric power · Display of specific hazards to population groups · Display showing status of major operating units - location and present capability · Map showing major operations in progress · Location and status of stockpiles under central control · Display of pre designated equipment for emergency use · Display of status and capability of emergency facilities such as hospitals and clinics

Improve Control of documentation

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 61 Most of the EOCs visited have collections of operational documents, including ministerial plans, airport plans, local development plans, and so on. Most are not listed or adequately shelved or catalogued. A number of principles need to be established: · Every document must have a purpose (e.g. Advise, guide, describe a process or requirement). The beginning of the document should define the scope, what it covers and what it does not. · Every document should have an owner: a job holder, not an individual. · Every document should have a method for indicating its currency - when last updated, and when next to be updated. · Every document should be available to those who need to refer to it in day to day operations.

Upgrade EOC infrastructure and security

Power and water supplies for EOC operation, and the physical protection of EOC structures needs to be reviewed throughout the area. In addition, computer system and data security needs detailed attention, most notably in terms of computer-virus protection, data back-up, and hardware redundancy.

There must be suitable provision in the design of the building to protect against the initiation and spread of fire. Fire extinguishers should be available to EOC staff.

There should be some attempt to improve data security procedures. Computers used for emergency operation should be accessible only to those individuals and programs who have a need to access the data on them. Equipment needs to be protected against damage or destruction, whether accidental or deliberate. In the case of the security of data, there needs to be a definition of the access rights (read, update, delete etc.) of all staff to data of varying sensitivity. Up-to-date computer-virus checking software should be provided for all EOC machines.

Build in an evaluation function to provide information for the next emergency

It is vital to record and analyse message traffic in detail when first setting up a disaster assessment system. For example, the length of messages, the volume over various time periods, and the peak loads will need to be reviewed to ensure that channel capacity is adequate. Similarly, it is essential to analyse the types of messages sent. At minimum, five categories of report need to be tracked: unscheduled structured and unstructured situation reports; on-call structured and unstructured situation reports; and scheduled summary status reports

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 62

Stage 2: Introduce computers for baseline and clerical support

Two sets of data management tasks place a large burden of clerical activity on EOC staff: processing and storage of baseline data, and management of damage inventory reports. A listing of common baseline data requirements is appended. In most of the countries of the region, the volume of data in any baseline collection should be easily manageable on a single microcomputer, using a widely understood package such as MS-Access.

Management of damage inventory reports also raises few problems in term of the size or complexity of the database requirements. The requirements for damage inventory are described in the accompanying project section on damage assessment. A prototype damage inventory database has been produced as part of this project. Requirements for running this type of application are a 486 or Pentium PC, 8 Mb or more of RAM, about 10 Mb of free disk space, Windows 3.1 (or 3.11 or Win95), an uninterruptable power supply with power stabiliser and connection to an alternate source of power and recharging, and MS-Access 2.0 or Access95.

It will take time for systems capable of maintaining quality controlled data collections to evolve. Introducing any information technology in this context will require sustained training and equipment support, not only for office computer equipment, but also for the communications which link facilities together. Simplicity is vital, especially at the start. Senior national information systems managers in several countries are wrestling with the problem of implementing both local area networks within individual departments, and wide-area networks linking various government departments and organizations. A strong message from all those consulted is that these projects routinely experience a range of routine problems stemming from the lack of training resources, repair facilities, and qualified network mangers. Although improving gradually, only a few (mostly in the telecommunications organizations themselves) can be relied on in emergencies. In addition, systems that requires real-time, up -to -date baseline data to function at all should also be avoided.

Stage 3 - Expand IT application in specialist sectors

There are two specialist areas where an extension of IT applications is likely to feasible at a relatively early stage: supply tracking/pledge tracking/logistics and

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 63 management of health surveillance information. In each of these cases, tested applications already exist, and it may in some cases be possible to adapt them to meet local requirements.

Stage 3 - Sector 1: Supply tracking, and logistics decision support

The planning process normally involves determining logistics requirements, determining logistics capabilities, comparing the two, identifying key points or shortfalls, and determining methods of eliminating or alleviating the points of contention. This process is then conducted iteratively over time to solve multiple problems. Basic requirements for commodity control and accounting systems have already been outlined.

Implementation at this stage would involve further detailed mapping of supply management arrangements in as many countries of the region as possible, and tests of the forthcoming PAHO SUMA package during exercises in two or more countries. Subsequent actions would need to depend on the results of these tests, but would involve either establishing a standard or modified SUMA training program in each country, or extending the existing government supplies management procedures to cope with the fast-moving and rather chaotic conditions which usually develop at airfields and ports, and to handle relief supply deliveries down to the village level. Additional material relevant to this problem is included in the Annexes.

Stage 3 Sector 2: The Health Sector

Emergency requireme nts in the health sector have been extensively reviewed, in major contributions by WHO and the Pan American Health Organisation Emergencies Team, and in a number of studies by the US Centers for Disease Control (see for example reviews by Noji 1992, 1993). A key requirement is to link relief strategy to real time epidemiological monitoring, to ensure that responses are directed at identified risk factors associated with identified real threats to community health. Equally important, such information collection can ensure that resources are not wasted on apparent rather than real problems. In parallel, specific measures usually need to be taken to ensure that a relatively small number of casualties at severe risk are moved and treated as quickly as possible, and perhaps most important, existing health programmes need to be restored as quickly as possible. Alongside all these measures is a vital task to record the links between disaster agents and their human impact in as much detail as possible, to enable more specific and more targeted mitigation and prevention measures.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 64 Data for assessment of Emergency Medical needs must be based where possible on existing surveillance categories, routinely used by the medical system in the country concerned. For disease surveillance, normally a set of easy-to-recognise symptoms is established for two or more age ranges, based on local health conditions, but usually including:

· Fever without diarrhoea or cough · Fever with diarrhoea · Fever with cough · Measles · Meningitis · Trauma · Dogbite, Etc.

Each reporting unit calculates cases in each category as a percentage of attendance, reporting daily where possible to the nearest specialist surveillance team. Reporting based on symptoms is aimed at detecting problems and to trigger further investigation, thorough diagnosis, and specific appropriate control measures based on reliable diagnosis. Identification and control of problems is initially the responsibility of the reporting unit, where action can usefully be organized. In a larger country, at a national level, sets of compiled figures are used mainly to identify major area wide problems and shape the overall medical response. Surveillance data from reliable sources may also prove useful to moderate the response of over-enthusiastic external donors. In a small island nation, the national EOC may become directly involved in co-ordinating responses to tentatively identified health problems. Access to qualified public health advice will be essential if this is the case. As far as possible, the national EOC should record the incidence rates in each area (active new cases in each period divided by the estimated mid-interval population at risk) and not just the numbers of cases of diagnosed conditions. National EOC staff should in any case be broadly familiar with the issues surrounding symptom-based epidemiological monitoring, and the supporting resources needed to control any (unlikely) outbreaks of common infections.

Injuries from the most common natural hazards appear to be relatively light in most of the Pacific Island countries. Where serious injuries occur in cyclones, effective treatment almost always depends on access to a functioning local health centre. In some areas, where an early helicopter flight is possible, casualties can be evacuated to a main hospital, but this depends on factors such as cloud cover, distance from major administrative centres, and radio communications. As more effective and robust radio equipment is introduced into the region, so the number of requests for evacuation is likely to increase. The initial information collection

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 65 system, designed as part of this project, includes provision for reporting casualties and urgent local medical needs.

Statistics on mortality and morbidity are particularly useful for mitigation planning, particularly any data on the relationship between injury or death, and housing type and location. The key question to be answered is "What is the difference between those who died, or were injured, and those surviving uninjured, both immediately before, during, and immediately after the disaster". A detailed understanding of the factors involved will often indicate a range of cheap and simple mitigation measures, and indicate important safety issues for the warning and reconstruction periods also. The national EOC should therefore either act as a repository, or assign this task to the health ministry. The core information includes injuries and deaths, by age group (number and percent injured and killed, by sex, by time, date, and place). The normal age categories are 0-5; 6-19; 20-39; 40-59; over 60; and Unknown.

Stage 4 Extend computerization for clerical support to the district level.

This stage essentially replicates Stage 2 at the district level. The software, hardware, and training requirements will in all probability be identical. Additional routines will be needed to aggregate files from local EOCs at higher levels, to give provincial and national summaries. Additional work will also be needed if telephone or packet radio communications are used, to ensure secure and reliable transmission of files. Data transmission is not essential at this stage; courier arrangement will often suffice for routine damage inventory reporting.

Stage 5 Introduce urban risk analysis systems at national level

A later section in this study addresses in detail the information requirements for mitigation planning. At a relatively late stage, it should be possible to extend local studies (such as that planned for Suva in Fiji) to other vulnerable areas. Eventually, a common approach to mitigation mapping may be possible for the region as a whole.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 66 Stage 6 Expand and Integrate

This is a key transitional stage. It involves expanding the range of data management at national and provincial level and integrate data flows between the national centre, provincial and district EOCs, and specialist departments.

Real clarity is needed at this stage to distinguish subtly different information requirements for similar types of activities. In particular, risk assessment requires a more targeted, epidemiological approach than the more routine and formalised process of damage inventory, although in practice the two approaches are interdependent.

The following approaches are suggested at this stage. As disaster management systems evolve in each country the relative importance of each of these will inevitably vary, and other issues not addressed here may also arise. Therefore, these suggestions are for illustration only.

Comprehensive monitoring of warning effectiveness and protective measures:

The basic requirement here to determine whether the tasks planned for the warning and mobilization period have actually been carried out. Some of these tasks are relatively straightforward to track. The reporting process and data displays are simple, and can be planned in detail before an emergency:

· Activating Province and District emergency operations centres. · Broadcast of specific public information on protection measures. · Evacuation of high risk areas (usually on a very small scale, involving local movements to schools and other public buildings in most of the small islands) . · Preparing emergency road clearance and bridging equipment. · Preparation of reception centres for evacuees and displaced people (again, usually on a very small scale, except in some of the larger towns). · Re deployment of staff and equipment at utilities, public works organizations, and hospitals. · Assembly of assessment teams · Protection of public records. · Activation of emergency purchase agreements for tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, roofing materials, and tools. · Preparations at the national airport for handling of incoming relief goods (requested or otherwise) from international sources.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 67 Other activities during the warning period are much more difficult to track, particularly warnings and response to warning. The following information is extremely useful:

· Areas where warning have (and have not) been broadcast · Estimates of warning message coverage · Evacuation behaviour - Traffic on major roads moving inland. · Any indication of increased risk from the nature of the sites to which people are evacuating · The estimated Proportion of households who have evacuated

Damage prediction during warning period or immediately post-impact.

A number of systems are being developed in the US and elsewhere to estimate the potential damage levels and populations at risk on the basis of cyclone forecasts. FEMA's Hurricane Damage and At-Risk Populations Estimation Module automatically reads the available Maritime Advisory Messages every 6 hours. Current and forecast hurricane characteristics, including the current and forecast positions of the storm, its maximum wind speed, and the distribution of wind speeds around the storm are part of those messages. Radial profiles of wind speed and dynamic pressure are analysed and calculated for the current and forecast positions. (see United States: FEMA - US/Japan joint meeting report May 16-27, 1995) The relevant program module includes accepted structural response modelling techniques for determining the susceptibility of approximately 20 structure types to the dynamic pressures resulting from hurricane winds. FEMA bases its pre deployment reports and actions on the resulting damage forecasts as well as the identification of sources of required assistance and pre-positioning logistical actions.

Similar approaches are used by FEMA for early estimation of earthquake damage, based on initial reports of magnitude location. The motion of the ground due to an earthquake is calculated using a computer model developed by the USGS. The model computes the ground motion throughout the area affected by an earthquake based on the magnitude and location of the event, and the geology of that area. Ground motion is described in terms of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI). The model input parameters and databases describe the instigating fault rupture and the susceptibility of the local ground to shaking. The specific information required are: latitude and longitude of the center of the fault rupture, strike and depth of the fault rupture, regional attenuation factor, and input from a digital geological database of the affected area. Other ground motion parameters, such as Peak Ground Acceleration and Peak Ground Velocity, are derived from

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 68 the MMI. Low, medium, and high damage levels are assigned according to a specified threshold MMI. The model generates a gridded MMI, Peak Ground Acceleration and Velocity, and damage level data covering the entire area impacted by the earthquake.

Building similar systems for Pacific islands countries is entirely feasible, but can only be realistically achieved on an area by area basis. Establishing a spatial and geographic picture of the area of likely initial impact from incoming reports needs considerable amounts of baseline data and background data.

It may help initially to narrow down the forecasting problem to deal with one or two high risk situations, for example, the problem of identifying which schools should be closed immediately, based on the distance children have to travel and the likelihood of evacuees clustering in a building or a location which is particularly hazardous. A limited, but useful forecast can be derived using maps of particularly vulnerable populations:

· coastal villages · villages on flood plains · villages on steep hillsides and other areas susceptible to landslides. · villages on barrier islands · villages on low-lying river estuaries · urban low-income neighbourhoods

These maps can be overlaid with a map of school locations, and a further layer indicating those schools which are particularly unsuitable for evacuee reception.

More comprehensive and detailed forecasting requires mapping the possible pattern of storm surge, and the possible pattern of riverine and estuary flooding, and overlaying this layer with data on land use, income, and livelihood. Onto this set is mapped the pattern of housing damage, housing loss, and homelessness. Where the data is available, early intimation of possible secondary threats from landslides, secondary flooding, and chemical contamination can also be mapped onto the final layer.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 69 Post impact reporting and display of operational condition of key system components: airports, ATC, ports, power.

This issue is largely addressed in the sections reviewing damage inventory systems. Reports must include a detailed description of damage; the action recommended immediately; the estimated cost to restore operation or service on a temporary basis; the estimated cost to restore full operation; the time to recover a stated level of temporary service; and the priority for recovery.

Establish critical, actionable emergency needs during the immediate post-impact period

This depends greatly on the type of emergency. Generally, the following information will be needed:

· The current state of detailed needs assessment · Locations requiring emergency communications support · The availability and location of search and rescue resources, or other specialised support · Locations where search and rescue is most urgently required. · Populations requiring evacuation · Casualties requiring evacuation · Medical facilities requiring emergency repairs, re-supply or additional personnel · Areas with shortage of clean drinking water (with an estimate of how long this is likely to continue) · Areas with extreme shortages of food (including food types required, expected duration, and logistical requirements)

Decision-making on the issue of emergency needs and response will generally require information systems that can provide answers to the following types of question:

· Show all the reports received from area Y? · Show all villages in area X where flooding has occurred in previous cyclones · Show all communities with predominant at-risk housing type Z · Show communities more than N miles from undamaged hospitals · Show all hospitals requiring evacuation · Show nearest stockpile of A to village B · Show all damaged evacuation sites still occupied · Show all undamaged evacuation sites · Show nearest emergency bridging equipment

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 70 · Prioritise communities by percent of buildings destroyed · Show number of undamaged classrooms in area X · Show status of schools in area X · Show the current status of water supply in town X

Establish the condition of Lifelines and critical facilities/Infrastructure

Lifelines are distinct from buildings in that they usually consist of a network of interdependent components. Due to redundancies, damage to an individual component may or may not affect the operation of the system. A damaged system may still be capable of operating at below capacity. A key concern in evaluating lifelines is how long it will take to restore the system to full functionality. Thus damage estimates include restoration times. The following data needs to be stored for each discrete system element (network section, component, or structure):

· Operative or non-operative · Repairs required to operate · Repair resources required to operate · Current capacity · Capacity when repaired · Bottleneck factors affecting repair or operation

An overall aim at this stage is to assess how areas differ in terms of risk - for example high risks would occur where an urban water system was badly damaged, and remained unrepaired for some time, whilst a substantial population relocation occurred into the area. This risk would be further compounded if local hazardous material leakage was also reported. If possible, a system should be capable of triggering warnings if this kind of conjunction of factors occurs.

Effective information management at this stage, for this kind of task is greatly facilitated by GIS technology. Although this is a substantial data gathering task, some of the larger countries in the region could develop useful basic GIS systems for their most populated areas, to run on desktop PCs using software such as MapInfo. This could be done within a few months for the following emergency functions, once digitised utility data was available:

· Map the power system, damaged elements, and the probable pattern of electricity restoration over time · Map the water system, the areas short of water, and the likely pattern of restoration over time

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 71 · Map road damage and expected restoration over time · Overlay with population density · Map locations of large schools where evacuees are likely to settle · Overlay with flood areas and reported building damage

Reporting and display of the operational condition of government-owned assets

This is a messy process. News trickles in by different routes, as communications are re-established. Informal reports tend to be mixed with reports of more formal and skilled investigations. In some areas, surveys of damage may be carried out several times by people with different levels of technical skills, for example, first a District Officer, and later a structural engineer from a specialist department.

Information systems at the EOC should be able to:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 72

Reporting and display of the location and operational condition of key repair resources

One role for the National EOC in a small island country is to establish a framework for prioritising repairs to critical structures and equipment. If necessary, the EOC can also schedule government owned and contracted repair resources within this framework. The damage inventory database can be used as a baseline for this activity, and combined with a separate database of repair equipment (and associated personnel) location, condition, and commitment status. In principle, a single project management matrix can be established for all the high priority tasks, though in practice this may be very hard to manage and update effectively. A key issue is organizational ownership and disclosure of asset information. Individual departments will generally want to assign their own repair resources to their own assets.

Recording the overall pattern of initial response

There are no effective systems currently available for this task in the region. An effective and comprehensive system would have to be capable of the following:

· Reporting on who is receiving what items, when and where · Reporting on what people actually need, when, and where, vs. what they are getting. · Highlighting the relationship between losses and relief assistance: is degree of loss correlated with degree of assistance · Reporting on the distribution of need and assistance, by sectoral group/demographic group · Displaying or reporting which organizations are giving assistance, and to whom; and where people are going to get help · Reporting on help being provided for special groups; bereaved families; loss of breadwinner; handicapped and injured; old. · Reporting the types of difficulties people are having with the authorities? In what ways is assistance making things harder for people?

Estimating agricultural recovery requirements

Again, no existing systems are currently capable of assembling and displaying a comprehensive assessment of agricultural recovery requirements. The following information would be required, on an district, island, or other administrative area basis:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 73 · Baseline land tenure information, and baseline information on the costs of seeds, pesticides, storage, animal feeds, and fertilizers. · A geographical display of agricultural and stored crop damage (including damage to agricultural equipment and buildings), and livestock losses. Where possible, displays should also encompass longer-term agricultural damage, including areas of extensive and sustained water-logging, toxic element deposition, soil erosion and soil deposit. · A full reporting of damage to storage and processing facilities and distribution systems, and damage to irrigation systems. · Baseline data on the proportion of sampled households growing different types of crop. · For each crop type, the proportion of crop growers with: Little or no damage, and Partial losses. · For each crop type, percentage of those with crop losses who have not replaced crop. · Narrative reports of patterns and practices for crop salvage and marketing after the emergency, including crop condition, the state of marketing facilities, transport facilities, and transport costs. · Baseline data on the proportion of households with animals, by animal type. · The proportion of households with animal losses, by animal type, at minimum categorised as No losses, Partial losses, or Total losses. · The proportion of households with losses who have not replaced stock. · A mapping of the availability of animal feed post-impact.

Damage inventory in other sectors:

Generally, governments in the region only record damage in the private sector in relation to housing and some community owned structures, and fishing vessels. Damage to other private assets, such as industrial structures, hotels, and other commercial establishments is only occasionally recorded.

Damage categories for housing surveys vary, but a common set is as follows: · Roof undamaged; walls undamaged, or slightly or partially damaged · Roof partially damaged; walls undamaged, damaged or partially destroyed · Roof totally destroyed; walls undamaged, slightly or partially damaged · Roof and walls totally destroyed.

A system for recording housing damage needs to extend data collection beyond structural damage inventory. An EOC should be capable of mapping areas of extensive housing loss, including urban multi-family rented housing. A system should also track the costs and availability of rebuilding materials/shelter materials

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 74 from non-relief sources, and maintain narrative reports of the kinds of measures people employ to provide housing for themselves.

Forecasting recovery manpower, material, and asset requirements

The most detailed forecasts of recovery requirements will inevitably be made within specific organizations and departments, for their own assets and systems. Generally, a recovery assessment tends to emerge after the national EOC has close, and the national emergency co-ordinating group has dispersed. Nonetheless, even within the first one or two weeks, a broad outline of the implication of the damage for economic recovery can emerge, especially where it is possible to identify damage in particular groups of sectors where the interactions have critical longer term implications. Such interactions include:

· Harvesting and transport (vehicles, fuel, and spares) · Harvest and storage/preservation, including containers · Planting and transport (vehicles, fuel, and spares) · Planting and seed distribution/availability · Planting and agricultural equipment/diesel fuel/other inputs · Food processing and electric power · Edible oil products and electric power · Edible oil products and supply/production of containers · Food processing and supply/production of sacks and containers · General and special food distribution, and transport (vehicles, fuel, and spares) · Food distribution and road repair · Water supply and production of chlorine · Production of chlorine and electricity supply · Water supply and electric power · Water supply and repair equipment/materials · Epidemic investigation and electric power · Epidemic investigation and production/supply of reagents · Routine, ongoing planned immunisation and supply of electric power or kerosene refrigeration · Routine, ongoing, planned immunisation and supply of diesel or petrol fuels

Prior planning can indicate what facilities and businesses are critical to the economic well-being of particular communities and regions. Similarly, information pre-impact about production and supply bottlenecks and shortages of materials and skilled labour should highlight areas to be reviewed in detail by planners after a disaster. Planners will need to focus immediately on, for example, the current

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 75 condition of large businesses employing large numbers of people and the support that may be needed for recovery.

Additional baseline data is likely to be needed in the following areas: · The extent to which emergency price controls on food, building materials and agricultural items are actually being followed · Price changes on other end products. · Price indexes of selected item groupings. · On-hand inventories for selected items within critical industries. · Employed population according to main job · Wage rates by occupation and area. · Levels of unemployment by skill. · Production rates for selected items.

Changes in work patterns after impact can sometimes be monitored quickly by sample survey, focusing on the percentage of employed people with a main job lost, a secondary job lost, a main job gained, or a secondary job gained.

Organization and transmission of requests for external material assistance/Pledge processing

Pledge processing demands a central requesting and co-ordinating group at the national level, with the authority to collate requests from multiple organizations. The system must screen out inappropriate requests, identify duplicates, maintain listings of providers, maintain a record of the status of each request and the state of implementation of programmes based on pledged funds.

Budgeting planned recovery activity, and monitoring and evaluating the recovery process.

These are largely beyond the scope of this study. They tend to occur outside the disaster management framework, within the national development planning framework. They must, in practice, be part of the overall strategic development planning process, but must take into account the requirements for mitigation and upgraded protection. Data collected during the emergency period can give considerable insight into the risk patterns associated with particular warning processes, public responses, building practices, and government relief strategies.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 76 Stage 7 Extend Integration

We discussed earlier the process of gradually building an IT infrastructure that integrates tasks. Procedures are gradually introduced to allow the data maintained in computer systems in one department to be accessed and used by another department. This starts simply with the routine exchange of digitised data in addition to paper reports. Gradually, those internal ministry local area networks which give access to critical baseline data can be upgraded and protected, and national, provincial, and possibly local EOCs can be connected by telephone data line or digital radio link. Initially, these connections will often not be reliable, and should not be used for life-critical decision-making. With time, however, as experience increases and equipment becomes more dependable, wider integration of clusters of departments and units will certainly become possible, with routine exchange of operational messages and data sets. It should be possible to conduct experiments now with the prototypes developed as part of this project. The main question is how far, and how quickly, can this process be expanded.

A key point to recognise is that much of the work of designing software systems for integrated command and control systems in disaster management has been done. Most jurisdictions in the USA and Western Europe have extensive information systems for incident management. A number of software packages, such as EIS in the USA, and SoftRisk, in Canada, are available for commercial purchase. Demonstration packages have been provided to SPPO and government staff. Contact details and other information is appended to the main report. The key proble m underlying introduction of these kinds of packaged solutions in the South Pacific area rests with the lack of reliable network communications between operating units, and a shortage of funding, skills and resources to maintain and repair communications and computer networks under emergency conditions. Training programmes can improve the situation considerably, but the small numbers of skilled staff and the very high turnover of trained systems staff in the Pacific island countries raises considerable problems for this kind of implementation.

It is not essential, or indeed feasible, to address all these integration problems immediately. However, some relatively early pilot tests of ways to improve emergency communications and data transmission would be possible, and could serve as demonstration projects. Such pilots should initially be for exercise purposes only, and may be better focused on recovery management than on initial emergencies. Probably the best situation to initially test networked systems fo r recovery planning and management would be in one of the larger utility companies, such Fintel, or the Fiji Electricity utility, and within the cluster of agencies involved in GIS development for the Fiji Land Information System. It

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 77 may be necessary to use commercial or UN systems specialists to backstop any government staff involved. Local commercial systems houses are much better resourced than governments.

For emergency operations, the cluster of departments in Vanuatu most involved in emergencies - Police, Public Works, and the Defence force - has the operational staff best trained to appreciate the benefits of a more sophisticated, and integrated system for emergency information exchange. The relationship between SPPO and the authorities in Vanuatu has provided an excellent model. However, support for information technology there is not well-developed there, and it is arguable whether a reliable emergency data communications network could be maintained at the level needed. Possible supporting roles for the private sector are worth exploring more thoroughly in Vanuatu. Elsewhere, very considerable extra training and support would be needed before an interdepartmental networked system could be considered for emergencies. Nonetheless, given time, and the type of steady input of training and support already provided by SPPO and its national government partners, the long-term outlook for much of the region is undoubtedly positive.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 78 SECTION 6

INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR REGIONAL MITIGATION PROGRAMMES

We consider here three types of hazard for illustration: earthquakes, landslides, and flooding.

Earthquake mitigation requires both seismic hazard analysis, and analysis of human vulnerability. In terms of the latter, we are concerned with:

· The impact of future earthquakes on injury, deaths, homelessness · The Impact of future earthquakes on families' ability to recover income and financial stability · The ability of the population at-risk to reduce those risks, by changes in behaviour, inexpensive and simple changes in the local environment, and changes in investment priorities.

Key to much of the analysis is the location, configuration and review of the potential of seismic sources, particularly known active faults. This requires geophysical techniques to determine sources not readily observable at the surface; geotechnical engineering studies to estimate the effect of local soil conditions on ground motion; and structural and mechanical engineering studies for hazard analysis. Most specialists emphasise the importance of expert judgement, recommending the convening of a panel of seismologists/engineers who are in a position to appreciate the quality and limitations of existing local datasets.

The initial stage - seismic hazard analysis - aims to characterize the magnitude, mechanism, and location of scenario earthquakes. This requires specification of:

· The potential earthquake source (e.g. fault Y) · The size of the controlling earthquake (e.g. magnitude 6.5) · The means of determining the hazard (e.g. peak ground acceleration 0.5g at a specified distance)

The second stage involves determining the earthquake effect. Ground motion is usually considered first. Typically, an analyst will look for earthquake/ground motion attenuation relationships to get an estimate of the spatial patterns of ground motion for an earthquake of a given magnitude at different distances. The aim at this stage is to arrive at scenario-like descriptions

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 79 of earthquake hazard of the following type: The earthquake hazard at site X is a peak ground acceleration of 0.5g resulting from the occurrence of a magnitude 6.5 earthquake on Fault Y at a distance of 10k.

The extent of further analysis usually depends on the users of the information. If an engineer only wants peak acceleration estimates there will be little incentive for more detailed analysis. However, there may also be a need for three-dimensional ground motion information (e.g. to design critical facilities), and analysts may be asked for such data as peak ground velocity, peak ground displacement, response spectral ordinates, and Fourier Spectral ordinates. From an engineering perspective, the horizontal component is commonly seen as most important in most settings.

The usual product at this stage is a seismic zoning map, or maps, dividing the area into sub areas indicating progressive levels of expected seismic intensity for different return periods. Maps may show peak ground accelerations and other strong ground motion parameters.

The third stage involves characterizing the natural effects the earthquake sources would have at particular locations, taking account of collateral hazards. The collateral hazards include liquefaction, landslide, flooding, fault rupture, and fire. The area to be investigated needs to be defined, and it is usually assumed that a maximum credible earthquake occurs in the source closest to the site in question. A key local site characteristic will usually be the localised site conditions. Analysts will be concerned with the effect of the uppermost few hundred metres of rock and soil and the surface topography, particularly ridges. Ground shaking at a site is strongly influenced by the type of geologic material underneath that site. For example, deep, loose soils tend to amplify and prolong the shaking. Again, considerable judgement is required to infer the possible outcomes.

Outputs at this stage include maps of intensity of shaking of a nearby magnitude X earthquake, and maps of levels of shaking in different areas that have an equal chance of being exceeded. The distance-based intensities mapped for each scenario earthquake are increased or decreased based on the shaking amplification potential of each geologic material to produce the final intensity map for each scenario. At this stage it should be possible to put all the potential earthquake hazards on a single seismic -stability map. It is also possible at this point to develop maps which give vital information on the likely fate of key facilities. For example, emergency planners can overlay fault ruptures with schools, fire stations, medical facilities, police stations, and water mains.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 80 The fourth stage requires the analyst to relate hazards to structural vulnerability: this requires a detailed review of structural types. A team may want to make a series of engineering analyses of typical local structures - schools, industrial shells, hospital, and highway bridges - and to determine earthquake resistant features and thereafter to develop a structural classification scheme. They will aim to establish ground-shaking vulnerability functions for each structure type, usually adapting these from sets devised for other areas. A common starting point is to use the sets of vulnerability functions developed by the US Applied Technology Council.

In looking at building types, analysts normally estimate building vulnerability based on key elements of the structural classification, notably concrete frames, or masonry, and storey height. They may also look at the horizontal structure type, foundations, and regularity. Some surveys look specifically at base shear characteristics.

For each zone and building type - there should in principle be a spread of damage levels across a range. This is a damage distribution. (Using previous earthquake survey data, this can only be calculated if undamaged buildings are included in any base survey. If existing surveys from prior earthquakes only include damaged buildings (as for example many insurance studies do) analysts normally need to make some assumptions about the numbers of undamaged buildings missing).

The analysis of potential damage to buildings and other structures is complicated by secondary effects: most notably fault rupture, liquefaction, ground failure, and fire. In practice, the relation between amplitude and damage is complex because of the response of surface geological deposits and structures to ground motions. Frequency content is an important factor. There will be considerable deformation and stress on unconsolidated surface deposits if shaking is close to the natural resonant frequency. Particular design features may require further analysis, involving computation of earthquake motion at different levels and locations within a structure, and detailed review of the impact of internal design features, including fire sources, and fire spread characteristics.

It has been assumed here that the so-called maximum credible earthquake will be the main focus of analysis. There are alternative approaches, however, which take into account the way different structures are used, and the community's acceptance of risk. For example, a small earthquake from a different source may be associated with damage to a particular class of structure such as large primary schools, densely populated, low income housing, or a group of factories employing very large numbers of people. A safety focused study would usually pay additional attention to scenarios of this type.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 81

Landslide mitigation has been the subject of a range of studies in the region, mostly focused on corridors bounding main transport routes, hydroelectric schemes, and on more densely populated urban areas. A general assumption in most studies is that the conditions which led to slope instability in the past and the present will apply equally well in the future. Estimation of future instability can therefore reasonably be based on the assessment of conditions that led to slope failure in the past. It is assumed that the main conditions that cause land sliding in an area can be identified, and that once this is done, it is usually possible to estimate the relative significance of individual factors. It is also commonly recognised that climatic change and human intervention variably influence the stability conditions of slopes over time (UK: Royal Academy of Engineering 1995).

It is, however, hard to forecast magnitude, frequency and timing, and often difficult to estimate the relative significance of particular causes. Approaches usually include Geotechnical investigations; direct mapping of the distribution of recognised landslides, and of geomorphology; indirect mapping; and land systems mapping. Indirect mapping covers a range of specialised topics which cannot be covered in any detail here, but which illustrate the range and complexity of data management requirements. They include: · Geological structure · Chronostratiography of rocks · Lithostratigraphy of rocks · Lithostratigraphy of soils · Rockhead contours · Geotechnical properties of soils and rocks · Hydrogeological conditions · Geomorphological processes · Geomorphological history, palaeodeposits, surfaces or residual conditions · Seismic activity · Hydrological conditions · Climate, inc precipitation · Ground morphology, inc slope height, length, and angle · Land use · Vegetation type, cover, root density, and strength

Land systems mapping includes production of landslide hazard maps and landslide risk maps, and definition of areas with predictable combinations of surface forms, soils, vegetation, and surface processes.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 82 Despite the complexity of potential analytical approaches, the main variables of interest are relatively straightforward. They include the slope angle, slope height, slope aspect, bedrock lithology, distance to faults, soil types, soil thickness, ground water height, land use, and presence or absence of construction activity. A number of recent research projects have illustrated the potential for combining GIS technology and expert systems for analysis of landslide risks (Wadge G. 1988, 1993), and detailed the data management requirements involved.

Producing flood hazard maps is heavily dependent on adequate topological base mapping. The hydrologic information required includes river flow-flood frequency relationships, peak flows and return periods. Where previous flooding has occurred, information available may include the depth of water, the duration, the velocity, the rate of rise, frequency of occurrence, seasonality, and duration of critical stages (height above a fixed datum). A common approach is to find the peak discharge and river levels and frequency of occurrence at given river cross sections, and then to obtain the return period - the average interval of time that occurs between flood levels having peak discharges exceeding some prescribed critical value.

The products of flood hazard mapping include:

Geomorphological maps, with features and secondary effects, including possible changes in river course, possibilities of erosion and deposition, and landslides. Maps showing sequential inundation stages: the areal extent of land affected by direct flooding and/or ponded water of tributaries. They usually also include the duration and depth of inundation, direction of current, and draining direction. Overlay maps of data from recent floods can include inundated areas, the direction of flood current, the direction of drainage, the date of beginning of inundation, the period of inundation (days), the depth of inundation, areas of deposition of sediments, and areas where erosion has occurred. Flood classification maps show: areas above highest flood level; areas subject to exceptional flooding and in parts, infrequent shallow flooding; areas of infrequent flooding and in parts seasonal shallow flooding; annual flooding, parts frequently and deeply flooded; and areas frequently very deeply flooded, with parts waterlogged throughout year

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 83

SECTION 7

THE ROLE OF PILOT/DEMONSTRATION STUDIES IN REGIONAL MITIGATION PROGRAMMES

Detailed research projects, carried out jointly with experts and a range of national stakeholders can give number of major benefits. They substantially improve the overall quality of information available in a potentially high risk area. They provide a flexible environment, in which links can develop between operational personnel and tactical decision managers. They can often help to improve communications between different organizations with overlapping interests. They can encourage the formation of multidisciplinary teams from several ministries to consider a problem that would otherwise never be addressed. There can be substantial transfer of methodological expertise. And they can act as a model that can be replicated in other areas in a region.

There are now a number of "models" for studies of national and local vulnerability to natural hazards and of the options for mitigating these hazards. Illustrations are drawn from three of these: a Geohazards study of Quito, Ecuador; a British Council project in Mexico City; and the experience of San Mateo County in California.

A key characteristic of such studies is a focus on areas at high risk, with dense populations, where serious consequences are anticipated, and where something can be done. At present, a project of this type is being proposed for Suva, in Fiji, with the involvement of staff from national ministries, national and regional scientific institutions , and UN-DHA/SPPO. This section examines similar projects elsewhere, and reviews some of the likely information management requirements for studies of this type

Quito, Ecuador

A recent project in Quito, Ecuador, involved institutions from Ecuador, Canada, France, Japan, and the USA. It relied on existing baseline of digitised data from seismology and soil engineering in the region, together with an existing GIS and computerized city database at the Quito Municipality, based on the Orstom GIS, Savane (see the collection of papers in Tucker B. et al (eds) 1994).

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 84 Only the most populated part of the city was studied in detail. The research involved classification of structures by their main lateral force resisting system, location and distribution of different structural types throughout the city, and estimates of the expected behaviour of each structural type under seismic conditions. Fifteen main types of structure. Nine most common subdivided in three categories according to building height. Special structures such as hospitals, schools, and industrial facilities, the sewerage system, water reservoir tanks, transmission towers, oil stations, and the airport, were examined in detail.

The researchers divided the terrain into nineteen zones based on topography, geological characteristics, and soil conditions. They estimated the peak horizontal accelerations for each zone. They also estimated local amplification of ground motions due soil types. Vulnerability functions for building classes were derived from the US ATC13 1995 data sets, modified to local conditions.

The core activity involved the development of maps for the distribution of Modified Mercalli Intensity and establishment of appropriate vulnerability curves. Estimated damage was computed for three hypothetical earthquakes, and the results were reviewed in a rolling series of interviews with city officials, with joint discussions of staff from ministries and public services, and repeated revisions of accounts of the operation of these pub lic services. This was followed by joint writing of scenarios, based on the damage predictions and interviews, covering the hours, days and weeks following a major earthquake. The scenarios included estimates of impact on production capacity, employment, sales and services. Scenario development was followed by a round of meetings to explore and recommend solutions and their implementation.

Mexico City Study

A UK Overseas Development Administration funded study of Mexico City (Davis I. et al, 1989) after the 1985 earthquake focused on one limited area containing a mix of different building uses. A key aspect of this project was the way in which risk was narrowed down to a small number of high occupancy buildings. The researchers began by looking for an area with representative group of buildings with a range of different ages and construction types, and with a variety of rates of occupancy. A detailed photographic survey was made of buildings in pilot study area. The construction type, condition, and type of use of each building was recorded and cross-checked with information from other site visits, and local records. Visual records included oblique photographs of front facades, and a photographic record of streetscapes of each urban block.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 85 Condition surveys were made first from estimates by engineers from the outside, and later by observations by interviewers entering the building. Neighbourhood surveys were made in a few areas, to explore activities in the spaces around the buildings, and frequency of use by vehicles, street markets, and pedestrians.

Detailed building surveys focused on the type of use, levels of maintenance, rates of occupancy, construction type, height (storeys), age, occupancy level (e.g. 1-5, 6-10, etc.), usage (residential, residential and commercial, storage, etc.), and ownership. Interviewers collected demographic profiles of building occupancy (e.g. proportion of children under 5yrs etc., female headed households, etc.) - indicators of potentially high vulnerability, together with data on economic status and nature of employment.

One important conclusion of this study was that collapse of a small number of buildings was likely to produce most of the casualties in a major earthquake. Information about the social and economic profile of people living in them, and their willingness to contribute to reinforcement helped to identify possible long-term investment programmes to reduce the risk.

San Mateo, California

San Mateo has been the site of a comprehensive risk mapping project for over twenty years. The results are documented in detail (see for example Tucker B. et al (eds) 1994; also Carrara 1995 for related studies). Main maps used include: · Slope steepness · Hillside materials · Faults and earthquake epicentres · Shaded relief topographic maps · Land use and land cover · Direction and dip in stratified rocks · Granular sediments in bay mud · Precipitation and run-off · Landslide susceptibility · Predicted seismic shaking intensities · Earthquake damage potential maps · Earthquake triggered landslides · Debris flow probability · Liquefaction susceptibility · Sources of emergency water supply

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 86

SECTION 8

REGIONAL INFORMATION STRATEGIES FOR MITIGATION

The analysis in this chapter is primarily concerned with three information generating activities:

Risk assessment: the probability in any year of specified levels of structural damage, casualties, and economic loss, due to hazard impacts affecting a given area. Loss estimation: in the event of a hazard impact of specified severity and characteristics, the level of structural damage, number and types of casualties, and reconstruction costs that would result. Benefit analysis: estimates of reduction in risk resulting from changes in building design and construction, or changes in other factors affecting population vulnerability.

For reasons of space and time, this analysis focuses primarily on structural mitigation, in the following sectors: · Building regulations · Land -use planning · Transport policy · Water resources · Regional development policy

In principle, mitigation information systems will eventually also be needed for agriculture, forestry, and other natural resource management sectors, and to cover non-structural aspects of mitigation. However, discussions with national officials in three countries in the region (Fiji, Vanuatu, and Cook Islands) identified structural mitigation activities as having the higher priority at the present time. Those same discussions highlighted a key issue to address as to how natural hazard risk information can in practice be used routinely by sectoral planning agencies, and in particular how information management and associated technologies relate to national governments' institutional structures and technical capacity.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 87 Defining Objectives and Outcomes

Although mitigation information systems in the South Pacific region are embryonic, this early stage is useful time to establish some desirable objectives, outcomes and benefits. This task is one primarily for the governments of the region, although UN-DHA/SPPO can do much to shape the process.

Fourth, compatibility of data sets will need to be emphasised. One common problem to avoid is a situation where one group of researchers using Georeferenced data are unable to overlay sets from other groups' research because of incompatible co-ordinate schemes, for example with detailed infrastructure mapping in urban areas.

Fifth, researchers should have ready access to appropriate tools for analysis and maintenance of datasets. These are likely to range from computer programs to model seismic damage to structures to routines for data conversion for data transfer between different manufacturer's GIS programs. Some of these are highlighted at the end of this analysis.

Sixth, groups promoting this kind of work (which includes UN-DHA/SPPO as a key participant) will needs to know what sort of approaches are going on

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 88 elsewhere, in other similar case study projects, both to avoid a waste of time and effort, and to encourage a rich environment for special project teams and visiting researchers.

There are many other aspects of this whole issue of benefits and objectives that can only be touched upon here, and which in any case will continue to be debated and refined within the region itself. However one final point is worth highlighting. There must be a economic focus to research in this area. Analysts should be in a position to investigate the impact of natural hazards on the economy, including studies on effects on inter-industry flows, prices, wages, external investment, and national output. There have been few studies of this type, but a number of initiatives in the Caribbean provide possible starting points (See Barker D. et al 1987). Also, a general principle established in pioneering OAS studies of natural hazard management is worth restating. Where possible, the focus should be on systems which are capable of identifying conflicts between current and proposed development activities and natural hazards: development activities exacerbating hazards, and hazards threatening development activity.

A key issue to address is how natural hazard risk information can be used by sectoral planning agencies, and in particular how it is likely to relate to national governments' institutional structures and technical capacity. The situation is already difficult. Interviews with town planners in Fiji suggest strongly that even where hazard zoning maps exist, concerns that developers will simply clog the approvals process with court litigation seems to act as a major disincentive to the effective use of the current knowledge base. Urban growth in some areas is so fast that it is increasingly hard to control where new settlement will occur, and especially hard to influence communities that are already settled.

A number of future developments, likely to influence the use planners make of data, are already becoming clear. There is a trend towards increasingly integrated large-scale Geographic Information Systems, developed on a national scale, with substantial donor support, and designed to support infrastructure planning, socio - economic planning, and management of natural resources and environmental systems. A large number of data layers is already available in one format or another.

There is increasing recognition of the importance of a consortium approach in allocating and managing responsibility for maintaining these data sets. This has the benefit of avoiding duplication, speeding up development, multiplying the range of end uses, and enabling organizations to share limited resources for technology support and training. As a result, in several countries responsibility for data management has been distributed among planning ministry teams, special project

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 89 groups, public works agencies, utility companies, and university research groups. Active participation in, co-ordination and user groups is becoming an increasingly important task for the groups involved.

What is currently missing in the region is a clear model for these groups of the kinds of mapping and other products needed to support disaster management. With such a model, informal collaboration is likely to fall into place much more easily, and formal groupings may be easier to negotiate. One way of contributing substantially to this process is to develop a cluster of pilot/demonstration studies for mitigation in countries where a critical mass of interest can be generated, drawing on other data sets, and which in turn can act as a model for replication elsewhere in the region

Much additional work will be required before it is clear what minimum data sets need to be established. Different audiences have very different information requirements: town and country planners need land -use maps, whilst disaster managers need maps covering such issues as evacuation route blockage, casualty density, water availability, etc. Audiences with different levels of experience and training need products of very different complexity and graphic design, albeit using the same basic data sets. Simply consider a sample of possible map outputs:

· Seismic intensity distribution maps, based on several scenarios for fault location, and fault length rupture · Area susceptibility to slope failure · Population density maps - different times of day · Maps of lifelines - roads, bridges, power distribution, water supply, sewerage, telephone, and pumps, switchboards, storage, transmission towers, treatment plants · Schematic land use · Building uses · Building occupancy rates · Distribution of buildings of different types · Zones susceptible to liquefaction · Maps of soil conditions · Employment density · Number and distribution of expected casualties · Major high-value structures susceptible to serious/total damage · Location of emergency services · High occupancy structures susceptible to serious/total damage: schools, cinemas, and manufacturing facilities

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 90 Urban vulnerability studies in Fiji

There are currently constraints on the availability of data sets suitable for mitigation analysis in urban areas in Fiji. Crucially, there is a limited amount of seismological data. For example, there appears to be little accelerometer data for many areas in region, including Suva. Data on ground conditions is also somewhat less detailed than other similar study sites in other countries. The prospects for obtaining data are also somewhat constrained. The country currently has no indigenous engineering geologists; the last one migrated after the recent political difficulties.

Nonetheless, much is possible. There is, reportedly, adequate historical data from Suva 1953 for some building types (and building structures in Fiji are of relatively uniform types). It appears possible to focus on zones of comparable risk, and to start such studies using simple indicators, and gradually increase the complexity of analysis over time. This allows time to develop procedures and routines for data management also.

What sort of information would be collected in a comprehensive study of risk in a city such as Suva? Generally, the research team is likely to focus on only small parts of the city at a time, most likely starting in the Bay area. The analysis will most likely focus inter alia on:

· Areas of "severe" damage to high occupancy buildings · Major high-value or high-density structures susceptible to serious/total damage · Damage to facilities used by emergency services · Number and distribution of expected casualties · Areas where access roads are likely to be closed · Areas with a serious liquefaction risk · Areas of landslide risk · Areas where a tsunami would cause flooding

A range of other products has been discussed above, and may be added at any stage. Analysis of utility damage is likely to be difficult, particularly in the absence of existing digitized data sets for the whole area. A recent study of water systems damage in earthquakes in the town of San Luis Obispo, California involved the following:

· Collection of digitised georeferenced data for all network elements, including piping, pumps, and storage facilities · Use of a GIS to relate network element location to faults

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 91 · Storing the length, age, material, and diameter of each of 1462 sections in the GIS database · Modelling damage to predict the number and location of water line breaks, based on different size earthquakes

Although the initial study did not attempt to integrate soil and geologic conditions, such as liquefaction areas, subsequent work is focused on these collateral effects.

In general terms, the main layers likely to be stored in any GIS for this kind of study are as follows. It remains to be seen at this stage how much of this data can be gleaned from existing sources, or collected specifically for this kind of project.

Layers: Primary Bedrock motion Surface geology Bedrock elevation Ground water elevation Surface elevation Fault locations Structure inventory Secondary, derived: Surface motion Liquefaction potential Landslide potential Ground displacement potential Tertiary, derived: Damage distribution Quaternary, derived Loss estimation

The level of detail, and coverage of an urban mitigation study is heavily influenced by the availability of existing digitized data sets. A range of digitized baseline maps (or maps in the process of digitizing) is available from FLIS - the Fiji Land Information System, including valuation maps, utility mapping to 1:5000 scale, census boundaries, topographic mapping, road lengths and names, and planning applications archives and pending files. Coverage at present is somewhat patchy, though the project as a whole has involved a major effort, with much success (see Pullar, D.N 1995). In addition, the Lands Department has aerial photographs of much of the area of interest. A detailed study of utility layouts is in progress in parts of Suva, with the results being digitized. Inevitably, any detailed study is going to require the production of maps for small areas. Studies of compound

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 92 effects, such as rainfall accompanying an earthquake will require more detailed reviews of landslide risk, although a number of existing studies are available.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 93 SECTION 9

TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEMS FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

The analysis in the next three chapters focuses on the supply of technical information and the development of regional library systems for disaster management. Here we review the technical information requirements of national government staff involved in humanitarian relief and assistance operations in the South Pacific region, and the information management requirements to support applied research. We also examine the current range of initiatives which are emerging to meet these requirements. The next chapter examines likely future changes in the ways in which technical information is collected and disseminated. In the third chapter, a synthesis of requirements and future prospects is used to develop recommendations on mission definition, the choice of hardware and software, and selection of performance indicators.

The Need for Technical Information

Timely supply of documents containing "recipes" for action, guidelines for planners, standards, metrics, and records of lessons learned has been a challe nge facing the international community for decades. Although there have been many recent improvements in the methods of recording, classifying, storing, and routing, the supply of appropriate information at the time it is needed continues to cause considerable difficulties in most disaster prone areas. Regional disaster information centres face several major problems:

· How to find out what users actually need. · How to improve knowledge of the existence, quality, and sources of emergency-related information. · How to get the right information to the right person at the right time, in the right mode, at the right cost. · How to encourage users to explore and apply the existing knowledge base. · How to keep abreast of, and exploit, new technological developments. · How to develop the independent information management capacity of national disaster preparedness and response institutions. · How to link national disaster management institutions with similar problems into a knowledge sharing network.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 94 Conditions in the South Pacific area introduce a number of constraints, which make it more difficult to support national institutions, and to introduce new initiatives rapidly. Lack of training and skill in information technology is a problem in most government departments. Many government staff in departments dealing with disaster planning and response are not familiar or comfortable with IT. Equipment can be under-used, poorly configured, and inadequately supported or maintained. It can be very hard indeed to maintain stable computer configurations, or even stable and secure sets of software and documentation. This problem is compounded by the cost of travel for training and support staff from SPPO. Flights within the region are extremely expensive, and visits have to be scheduled carefully. SPPO cannot rely on rapidly scheduled trips to deal with unexpected technical problems in any of the more remote island nations.

Limited telecommunications resources are a third constraint. Telecommunications cannot yet compensate effectively for the limitations of travel. Although phone links are relatively reliable throughout the area, calls are expensive. Data transmission is generally sustainable, but except in a very few cases (see below) speeds beyond 28kbps are limited by cost, and lack of facilities in many countries.

Despite these constraints, small-scale innovations in information technology can be found throughout the region. A number of governments are themselves re- organizing their centralised IT functions to give much more autonomy to individual departments. The South Pacific Commission, UNDP, the French agency Orstom, and the University of the South Pacific are all sites of rapid and creative experimentation in information exchange, software development, and new methods of providing region-wide access to a whole range of scientific and technical information. Furthermore, a number of recent improvements in regional network access, and forthcoming developments in satellite communications, raise a number of exciting new possibilities for emergency information management.

It is useful here to keep in mind a distinction between actual clients (aware of the services provided by SPPO, their likely benefits, and how to access them), and potential clients (either unaware as yet of the SPPO's services, or of the range of benefits available). The client (and potential client) base consists of a mix of people from a wide range of organizations, with a range of operational roles. Categories include: · Government ministry officials responsible for mitigation, relief, and reconstruction planning · NGO (non-governmental organization - staff in, including those of indigenous NGOs, and nationals and international staff of international NGOs

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 95 · United Nations and International agency staff in the region (and outside) · Embassy staff from a range of donor countries · University researchers in the region and beyond.

The experience, education, and outlook of users varies considerably. For example there is a wide range of ages and levels of experience, and a range of educational levels from secondary to doctoral level. Some, especially those working for the larger national bureaucracies, would be classed as strongly adaptive rather than innovative. Many others, from both governments in countries with emerging economies, and from some of the NGOs in less developed areas, would be categorised as highly innovative, and entrepreneurial. The systems in which they operate differ greatly, in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and levels of staff engagement. For some - SPPO is a primary source. For others it is probably very peripheral, though a useful contact point and route for information sharing and exchange.

User Requirements

The concept of user requirements can usefully be clarified to cover differences between what people should have, want, ask for, and then use. The following categorisation can be helpful: · Needs as what an individual ought to have · Wants as what an individual would like to have · Demand as what an individual asks for · Uses as what an individual uses

Informal interviews and group sessions explore variations in requirements, and attitudes to SPPO's existing and proposed services amongst three of the main "client" groups: government officials, NGO staff, and the local research community.

Government officials

The first three items were ranked first by almost all government staff with whom the topic was discussed:

· Information on training programmes and training opportunities · Examples of checklists and investigation guidelines for specific problems · Examples of detailed actual and "model" plans for particular types of operation · System descriptions, for emergency telecommunications, operations centre design and management, and information flows in meteorological and other

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 96 emergencies (river flooding and tropical storms are a major problem for most participants). · Examples of "after action" reports and other reviews of what problems occurred in particular types of emergency, what worked, and what did not. · Reviews and access information for specialist computer software · Supplier and contractor information for specific products · Current awareness information on programmes and publications · Information on scientific research programmes, particularly internationally sponsored projects with likely funding spin -offs and opportunities. · Engineering information - on the behaviour of structures etc.

Fax and courier services are seen as a reliable route for normal delivery. There is strong interest in Internet and packet radio satellite as a delivery mechanism, but few have any practical experience of either. The possibility of using international media satellite links as a back-up route for emergency information delivery was raised independently by several people

Most participants were concerned to build up a library of relevant information in their own countries, before any crisis occurred. Almost all are very unsure about the most appropriate way to operationalise this. Most regarded their organization's information systems as weak, and poorly supported. There was a tendency therefore to see SPPO as a practical alternative, without any consideration as to the costs or practicalities involved.

NGO Staff

The requirements of NGO staff interviewed appeared to overlap with those of the government officials, although the relative priority differ considerably. The relatively few NGO staff interviewed tended to focus on the following:

· Supplier and contractor information for specific products · Information on training programmes and training opportunities · Examples of checklists and investigation guidelines used by other NGOs · Examples of "after action" reports and other reviews of what problems occurred in particular types of emergency, what worked, and what did not.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 97 Researchers:

Researchers placed considerable emphasis on collaborative research projects. Information products beneficial to this audience could include: · Direct access to Library catalogues/indexes · Information on research in progress at other centres · Grant availability and grant application information · Lists of specialists, and specialist institutions · Publications lists · Opportunities to participate in Internet Listserv discussion groups, such as Volcano -L, Tsunami-L, Networks in Emergency Management, and similar lists · Opportunity to request extracts from new publications · Access to Electronic journals, such as the recently announced Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Australian Journal of Emergency Management · Access to electronic text of current newsletters, including Disaster Research · Fast access to Journal contents lists and subscription information · Access to contact addresses of other researchers, including electronic mail addresses · Access to National IDNDR products · Rapid delivery of Conference papers and proceedings · Rapid delivery of other research documents · Details of forthcoming conferences, especially those including lists of papers to be presented.

The Information Supply System

SPPO has to be seen as part of a wider information supply system, maintaining technical literature and other material, and delivering information services to the client group outlined here. This system is now effectively globalized. An interested official or researcher can now make contact with multiple sources of emergency information world -wide, and make individual arrangements for the delivery by mail, or electronic mail, of a wide selection of free or low-cost reports, papers, newsletters and other materials. In addition, the tendency of senior staff to travel widely to conferences and training courses make these contacts increasingly likely. On the other hand, in the Pacific area in particular, these kinds of contacts are more difficult than elsewhere. Travel costs are high, and electronic mail and other methods of electronic data access are currently very underdeveloped for those without special skills or motivation.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 98 The supply system for operationally focused material is made up primarily of relatively small specialist information centres and technical units at a number of institutions world -wide. This system of specialist units is augmented by the much larger web of institutional and academic library system holding comprehensive collections of general scientific and other material.

The holdings of all these institutions include specialist books and journals, manuals, plans and project reports, and a wide selection of other "grey" literature (i.e. unpublished consultant reports, agency field reports, and semi-official government material). Some of the centres store a large amount of confidential and sensitive field material (staff reports, evaluations, correspondence) obtained officially and unofficially from relief agency staff.

The key point to emphasise in relation to this system is the revolution in information access which is now becoming apparent in the Western disaster management community. There has been a plethora of recent initiatives for international network access, electronic document delivery, and other electronic conferencing and journal development. For a variety of reasons these developments have been largely obscured from staff of SPPO and the main disaster information user-groups in the Pacific area For reasons highlighted above, it has been extremely difficult to keep up with these in the Pacific region, and only now are some of the implications being understood. Some of these recent initiatives are highlighted below.

Recent Initiatives

A respected source of mitigation and response information, covering much of the research work in progress in North America and Europe is the Natural Hazards Center (NHC) at the University of Colorado, at Boulder, Co. There are a number of initiatives in progress here, including wide dissemination of an electronic newsletter on disaster research, and a set of Internet World Wide Web pages containing extensive information on conferences, research activity in specific areas, and bibliographic material (http://adder.colorado.edu/~hazctr/Home.html).

The research-focused output of NHC is complemented by several major initiatives for the general public, including those of the US Government's disaster planning agency FEMA (which is producing lists of disaster-relevant information sites world-wide, and a large collection of public information material), and Simon Frazer University in Vancouver, which has provided what is in effect an electronic "switchboard" to the disaster response community's electronic information sources (http://hoshi.cic.sfu.ca/~hazard/). These sources are rapidly being augmented by

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 99 electronic information sites established by other US Government departments (particularly NOAA, US Geological Service, and USAID), and by the UN system of specialist information centres, including DHA in New York and Geneva, UNDP in New York, UNICEF, and the UN Refugee Commission in Geneva. One additional sign of significant change is the emergence of a number of commercial sites aiming to combine rapid provision of information in particular major emergencies with advertising on behalf of specialist companies (http://www.disaster.org/).

During the first period of innovation, the total pool of relevant material available electronically was limited, and cross-referenced by multiple different sites. However, more recently two trends have become apparent. Sites are tending to specialise, the amount and quality of information is beginning to expand rapidly, and the format of the material produced is becoming much more sophisticated. For example, the UNDHA initiative, Relief Web, newly introduced and currently only in prototype form, contains a range of information not hitherto available from other sites, including a growing collection covering emergency telecommunications.

The US group VITA has also become a major archive of Sitreps and information on network connectivity in developing countries. Similarly, a cluster of specialist medical information units which cover emergency health requirements world-wide. These include WHO-Pan American Health Organization in Washington; the International Division of the US Public Health Service's Centers for Disease Control, in Atlanta: Initiatives here include a PAHO gopher, a new specialised PAHO Latin America Network, and extensive use of Acrobat publishing by CDC (which essentially delivers electronic documents on demand with layouts identical to their paper equivalents).

The success of one prototype USAID sponsored information site covering Rwanda and the Horn of Africa, has paved the way for comprehensive sources on information on particular regions, and particular ongoing emergencies. At the same time, "umbrella" groups such as Interaction in the US, and the One World project in the UK have provided electronic fora for development and relief NGOs to share advocacy and fund -raising information with the wider community.

At around the same time, a profusion of research groups has also begun to make examples of their work available electronically. An early example of this was the FEWS project, on famine forecasting, but more recent examples have included flood mapping; GIS applications in volcano hazard analysis; and remote counselling using networked video,

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 100 During the same period, traffic on Listservs (email discussion groups) dealing with specialist aspects of disasters has increased considerably. Previously inactive groups are beginning to generate considerable discussion.

The period of the last year has been notable also in the way new groups have emerged as major players in the electronic disaster research environment, whilst other established groups have, for their own good reasons, not moved into the electronic arena. Both ADPC-AIT and CRED at Louvain have held back from exploiting their extensive collections of literature and other materials in this new electronic environment. By contrast, and as just one example, the new Cambridge University Global Security project has rapidly developed a range of initiatives, including an electronic journal (http://131.111.106.147/jcontents.html). called the Journal of Humanitarian Assistance. Similarly, the University of Plymouth in the UK has emerged as a major source of electronic information on trauma, and on conflict management.

All these initiatives essentially rely on easy and reliable network connectivity, something that is increasingly taken for granted in the USA and Western Europe, but which is far from guaranteed in most other parts of the world. As we shall discuss later, NGO and university staff in many of the less developed parts of the world are beginning to assemble a range of solutions to the network access problem, around local electronic bulletin board services, limited bandwidth UUCP links to universities, co-operative and informal store-and-forward email transmission (including FIDO-based networks in the Pacific and Africa) and the use of specialised packet radio and packet-satellite messaging (for example, Vitasat, and HeathSat).

A key question to be addressed is whether a convergence with the Western world is likely, as advances in telecommunications technology are rapidly globalized, and advances in satellite and cable technology result in cheap additional bandwidth, and as newly commercialised telecom companies seek to exploit new niches in regional markets. Alternatively, will there continue to be a fundamental discontinuity in the way emergency related information is presented in the developed vs. the developing world?

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 101

SECTION 10

FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

One of the key issues affecting information services is the speed of development of new technologies for document storage and delivery, and for information sharing and analysis in complex new ways. In much of the developed world, information is being deinstitutionalised. It is separated from the organizations with which it has been associated and is now interactive; one does not have to go to a research library to read a journal article, nor does one necessarily have to make hard copy from the document itself. Communications networks have made it possible to have individual access to information, independent of the institutional or organizational affiliation. Furthermore, CD-ROM compact disk technology, and other emerging mass-storage solutions, make it possible to archive and retrieve text and images in enormous quantities. The prospect of motivated users maintaining a major working library in their own offices or homes is well within sight.

We must, nonetheless, view these technical advances in relation to the benefits they offer to identifiable users in the region. For the most part, some of the more sophisticated research activity is likely to benefit considerably, as can some aspects of training. But much routine planning and local response will hardly be touched.

There are groups in many parts of the South Pacific area for whom sophisticated research data, or detailed technical manual are of very, very little relevance. Nonetheless, even here new technologies offer a new opportunity to pick and choose from the regional and global pool of documentation and select material which, however simple or specialised, actually does meet user needs. Above all, it may just provide an opportunity to deliver material when the "client" is motivated to make effective use of it: an issue which was demonstrated very clearly on this research mission, and which will be discussed in detail later.

A number of clear general trends are shaping information supply for disaster management and disaster research in Western countries. These include:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 102 · Increased capacity and reduced cost of mass storage devices for information in electronic form. · Increasing amounts of information readily available in electronic form available through public and private networks, including the Internet. · An increasing tendency to design work groups around networked computer equipment (and vice versa), and to use new types of software to co-ordinate, schedule and route information within and between work groups. · An increasing capacity to convert paper documents into digital form. · A gradual shift towards more mobile information processing, facilitated by an increasingly rich network of mobile telecommunications: cellular telephone, radio -based data networks, and portable satellite communications. · A gradual but accelerating shift towards multimedia communications, including video and sound alongside written communications · An emerging gradual trend in some areas to using more widely distributed processing, with inexpensive local machines minimally configured to run application code delivered primarily on networks (the Sun Java model) · A very gradual trend towards ubiquitous computing, where information processing equipment becomes increasingly embedded in everyday items (telephones, radio equipment, televisions, cars, presentation equipment, etc.), to the point where the user becomes largely unconscious of their operation or of the source of the data that is used.

Without spending an inordinate time on technicalities, it is worth highlighting some of the implications of these developments:

A number of advances are projected for CD-ROM memory systems. The current capacity of around 600 Mb is likely to increase to around 6 Gb or more within about two years. This essentially means that if the copyright issue could be addressed effectively almost all of the relevant operational and research documents for any major national disaster institution could be archived on a single three inch diameter disk. Also, at the lower levels of capacity, systems for mastering new CDs are likely to become less expensive (below $1000) and easier to use. The cost of CD-ROM drives is rapidly falling. It should become much easier, and much cheaper, to produce and distribute specialist compilations of documents and other relevant materials on CD-ROM within the Pacific area.

There are rapid improvements also in other mass storage devices. For example, a new format for removable disks is emerging, as a replacement for the 3.5 inch floppy disk. The capacity of these new drives is about 150 Mb capacity. Some versions will also read and write to the original 1.44 Mb 3.5 inch disks. A single twenty dollar disk, written to like a normal floppy disk, should be able to carry

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 103 one hundred or more technical reports or manuals, or training modules, in a format identical to their written form.

For Email there is a slow but steadily increasing tendency towards multimedia email, including pictures and sounds. This puts a much higher demand on available bandwidth. Nonetheless, single reports should be easily transmitted at costs an order of magnitude less than fax.

A trend towards more complex formats for information transmitted over the Internet World Wide Web, including the introduction of HTML3, seamless integration of Adobe Acrobat PDF-file viewers into browser software, and the forthcoming introduction of "Applet" based software such as Hot Java, and Microsoft VBX routines. Of these, packages such as Hot Java are likely to have greatest implications in the longer term, with the ability to deliver a whole range of innovative new services, including richly interactive simulations, and complex GIS based models. It should be stressed that it may be two years or more before sufficient bandwidth is available in even the more developed Pacific countries to exploit these technological advances, but the implications need to be tracked carefully.

Groupware is becoming widespread in most Western countries, although it may be one or two years before it becomes common even in the most sophisticated institutions in the Pacific area. Within DHA Lotus Notes appears to be emerging as the standard groupware package. A brief article on groupware, highlighting some of the implications, is appended. Groupware applications need to be considered integrally with both network information transmission and with document management.

For document imaging, OCR, and electronic document management there are now a whole range of technical developments. Document imaging means taking paper-based documents and converting them into computer-based documents. A document imaging system allows a user to scan in paper documents, view and manipulate the images on a computer screen, and store, forward, and retrieve the documents over a network.

Ideally, imaging reduces the need for paper-based documents, because tasks like indexing, storing, retrieving, routing, viewing and annotating documents all take place over the computer network. Users can send and receive scanned documents through e-mail. Hard copy printouts would only be made for the convenience of the user. Users would be able to access any document in an entire filing system, almost instantly. On a networked system, several people are able to access the same document at the same time, without making multiple copies.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 104

Several major companies, including Lotus, Novell, Microsoft, and Adobe are now supplying free image viewers. Suppliers will then offer enhanced image capture software, and image viewers with advanced annotation features. There are currently several emerging approaches to document image management on networks and on portable computers. Those of Lotus and Adobe are summarised here, although broadly similar types of capability are likely to be introduced by other major suppliers.

Lotus Notes: Document Imaging (LN:DI) is a family of add-on products for integrating image s into Notes applications. The product family includes a Windows client (image capture, display and manipulation), an OS/2 based Storage Server (hierarchical storage management), and an optical character recognition (OCR) server. LN:DI also works with the Lotus Fax Server for both Notes and cc:Mail. LN:DI allows the user to capture, display, print, and store image documents in Lotus Notes databases. Fully integrated with Notes, LN:DI provides advanced document imaging functionality that lets the agency scan in documents and images and incorporate them into its Lotus Notes databases. Lotus will include image viewing capabilities with Lotus Notes 3.4 and ccMail. Users of Notes and ccMail will be able to receive and manage all types of document images with their email. It should be noted that the hardware requirements for LN:DI go beyond SPPO's current capacity: separate image processing servers, an OS/2 based mass storage system (software cost $4995), and a separate OS/2 based Notes server may be required.

Adobe's Acrobat PDF format is becoming a standard for Internet WWW users. Word processor or desktop publishing files can be printed in this format from most common software applications, using a package called Exchange (or a more sophisticated set of software for complex files, called Distiller), and then viewed using a freely available viewer, without the need for the original software used to produce the document. The original layout, colours and fonts are retained.

A separate document imaging package called Adobe Capture converts scanned images of paper documents into PDF format, again retaining the original layout and fonts. Acrobat PDF files can be indexed and searched (see below). A new set of software is available for assembling and indexing collections of documents on CD-ROMs. A separate note on Capture is appended.

The shift towards mobile information processing should in principle have implications for emergency response management, as well as for the way in which teams can do their everyday tasks. There is much experimentation with network management for mobile emergency groups, especially in the US. In practice,

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 105 however, it may be two or three years before the telecommunications networks in most of the Pacific islands are really capable of sustaining these activities, and some time even then before the organizational framework will support reliable integrated data transmission between teams in emergencies. There is, nonetheless, no reason why demonstration projects in this area should not be carried out in the medium term.

Multimedia communications, including video teleconferencing, would certainly be beneficial for SPPO's operations. There are existing experimental remote conferencing facilities in the region, most notably those managed as part of the Peacesat project. So far, little use has been made of them, mainly because the relatively intensive organization needed is hardly less arduous than a series of visits or well-scheduled face-to-face meetings. A number of relatively simple Internet based conferencing arrangements (such as CuSeeMe) may introduce some new opportunities over the next year, as greater bandwidth becomes available in a few parts of the region.

Overall, even in remote areas, provided there is a basic core of reliable power supplies and reliable digital telephone networks, it is reasonable to forecast that information technologies are going to free librarians and information officers from the need to work in particular places. They will be more able to interact directly with people who have information needs, either in person, or using IT. Conversely information technologies will free end-users from visiting particular places to obtain assistance in satisfying their information needs. The combination of cheap and reliable large-scale archive storage, and relatively modern digital telephone exchanges in many of the islands in the region at least set the basic conditions for effective information delivery. The main constraints here will be motivation and, above all, the requirements of copyright.

The Implications

Overall, it seems clear that there will soon be a greatly increased role for "collection access enhancers": people who work within a virtual library system to make material as accessible as possible for a particular user group.

There seems little doubt that within the next two to three years, the role of centralised collecting institutions in this subject area will be radically changed. Where the material is will not matter. What will counts is how it can be classified and packaged for the particular user groups, and how it can be transmitted to the places it is needed most.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 106 Overall, it is also becoming clear that there is an undercurrent of demand world-wide for disaster research material in electronic format. Developments in electronic publishing seem to suggest that this demand is likely to accelerate. With the appearance of Internet hypertext viewers in mainstream operating systems such as Windows 95 and OS/2, and the mainstream emergence of so-called "common-access" viewers for sharing text (such as Adobe Acrobat, and a newly emerging SGML solution), most researchers are likely to have the capability to produce, and also to acquire and read, richly formatted documents delivered via electronic networks. An increasing proportion are also likely to have access to portable CD-ROM equipment over the next one or two years, and many will also have easy access to systems which write CD-ROMs.

In addition, improvements in the capacity of small removable disks makes it much easier to carry large numbers of files with a laptop computer. Many more full-text documents are likely to be moved around, shared, copied, and archived. Most institutions involved in research are likely to make their products available electronically, probably for sale using electronic cash. Much free material will also be made available electronically.

This sounds a rosy picture. The reality for most national-level disaster managers, and other interested government staff may be far more mundane, especially in less-developed island nations. Although most computer equipment in use within that time period will have multimedia help facilities, and despite more intelligent operating systems such as Windows 95, much of it will still end up mis-configured after too much untutored experimentation.

Other local problems will occur. Archive products (including innocuous looking little disk-like devices with awesome data capacity) will be damaged or mislaid. Software will still be subje ct to computer virus damage. Water will continue to drip onto computers from ceilings. Printer cables will still be damaged by small furry animals, and printer drivers lost. Power will still be unavailable in emergencies, and power back-ups too limited for routine emergency operation. Much material will simply not be seen as relevant because the contents cannot be properly explored, or because the language is unfamiliar. Fortunately, some of these types of problems will probably be less frequent as staff become familiar and comfortable with the technology, as equipment becomes more self-diagnosing and self-repairing, and as repair and support facilities become more universally available.

There will, nonetheless, be some major advances, and major implications. Some of these may be inferred best if we consider just one scenario for SPPO's operations in two years time. What might SPPO's environment look like?

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 107

First, it seems very likely that a "groupware" package of some kind will be installed, and in routine operation. This is most likely to be Lotus Notes, but it may also be a similar product from a competitor such as Microsoft or Novell. Depending on the institutional affiliation at that time, the issue of effective replication will continue to be an issue, especially in relation to the large data stores held elsewhere in the UN system, and the still very limited external bandwidth available in Fiji. Much material will be transferred by courier on disk or tape. Staff will be routinely using computers at home, with work loosely integrated by the same groupware software. Mobile computing using cellular telephones, and with the groupware system again the "glue" for the system, may be used by some staff on a routine basis.

The group's office will still contain many paper documents, but integration of the groupware with OCR equipment and document image archives (using some system similar to Lotus Notes Document Imaging - LN:DI) will be a preoccupation for the systems manager. A small part of the library collection may be digitised for use by staff during missions. Printer capabilities in some of the smaller nations may turn out to be a serious problem. There will be an increasing tendency to supply partners with digitised packages, and an increasing tendency for these to be inaccessible in real emergencies.

Large CD-ROM collections of disaster mitigation and response documentation will be available to research groups, with the initiative initially coming from OAS, PAHO, CDC, and UNICEF. Scanning will be routinely used to create document stores easily and quickly on different types of media: hard disk, optical storage, CD-ROM, high capacity floppy (200-400 MB; or possibly more). An important constraint will be cataloguing and document administration.

Collaborating research groups within a few Pacific island countries may be linked on a fairly ubiquitous wide area network, with a limited amount of work done using simple conferencing support tools such as shared electronic notepads. Only a few government offices would be linked to these networks. Video conferencing is unlikely to be routinely available, although some experiments would definitely be in progress. Video training sessions may not be regarded as unusual in UN, SPC, and Forum activities, though they will not be routine.

There could be relatively seamless integration between the groupware systems in place, and a number of local World Wide Web servers, providing a considerable amount of research reports and other documentation from local development institutions in richly formatted electronic form, probably derived either from Acrobat PDF, or SGML. International network access may be routinely possible

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 108 on 128 or 256 K links, which would be widely regarded as insufficient. There will probably be several competing Internet access providers, including the national telephone company. None of these will have facilities sufficiently hardened or supplied with reliable back-up power to operate effectively in a major emergency such as an earthquake or cyclone.

In a few of the islands, "telecottages" will start to emerge, providing public access to data networks. The possible use of these in the aftermath of emergencies will be of growing interest. (For a broader review of SE Asia, see for example http://www.idrc.org.sg/idrc/pan/survey/survey.html)

Low earth orbit telecoms satellites (LEO) may become an additional telecommunications route for emergencies. The group will certainly be considering LEO use in these conditions, and may have one or more sets of handheld or mobile terminals, as will the national emergency co-ordinator's office, but the cost of equipment and of calls will initially be very discouraging for any routine use.

Richer sources of geographic data will certainly be available including network access to GIS products for most of the region.

The provision of information in emergencies is likely to undergo significant changes. Increasingly, network users in developing countries are learning to anticipate a rich and complex picture soon after a major emergency such as an earthquake occurs. An international emergency organization in regions where a large emergency occurs would now be expected to participate at least to a limited extent in network activity: to monitor Internet postings and issue clarifications and corrections; to clarify priorities and needs, and to help the wider public interpret the event.

There are some reflections to make on this picture. It is not a forecast - simply a tool for accommodating to the unexpected. Some things will be as described here. Some will almost certainly not. Some things are relatively certain. For example, a widely quoted heuristic is that networks always grow; networks always become more complex; and networks find applications that double the bandwidth needed every three years. The cost of bandwidth is always perceived as artificially high, and usually is so. New technology products are designed and brought to market based on many considerations in addition to technical feasibility. Many of the innovations here are currently unproven, and require major technological advances, although many would see the above scenario as conservative.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 109 It is probably more important to focus on likely changes in ways of doing everyday activities. There is likely to be a trend towards more sharing and exchange between centres, and towards virtual projects. Information is likely to become more "granulated". Gaps in research will emerge more quickly, and proposals to fill them will be assembled more quickly. Teams are more likely to be internationalised, and to assemble quickly and disperse quickly.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 110

SECTION 11

IMPLEMENTING REGIONAL LIBRARY AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

We examine here the "information science" underpinnings of a regional emergency information system. Clearly, the performance of any disaster management system will be based on an infrastructure of research, analysis, access to information on similar problems and their solutions elsewhere, and exploratio ns of new risks and their implications. An effective library and information service can be seen as keystone of any operational information management system, providing the contextual baseline against which real-time events can be measured.

Despite the advances in information technology explored above, much of the work needed to maintain an effective regional disasters information service is standard, traditional library and information centre activity. In broad terms the work of any information staff will range widely, from reactive reference work, answering specific requests from workers in countries throughout the region (as well as from internal research and training staff) to the more pro-active design and supply of packages of information for particular courses and consultancy projects. The range of different activities is summarised below:

· Acquiring, cataloging, and indexing material for addition to the comprehensive collection on mitigation, disaster planning and operations. · Answering questions submitted by phone, fax, and E-mail, responding with faxed copies of material where necessary. · Producing current awareness lists of available material. · Information searches for researchers/consultants in -house. · Awareness training on access to information for trainees on courses. · Quick reference services for visitors. · Copying and dispatching packages of reading material for regional and national courses. · Development of databases of holdings for supply to other users, to run on their own computer equipment.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 111 Much of this work will undoubtedly continue, whatever the technological advances expected over the next two or three years. This will tend to add tasks rather that supplant them. Future possibilities may include:

· Development of an Internet On-line Public Access Catalogue · Development of full set of Internet WWW page for SPPO. · Development of a locally based electronic journal · Organizing and managing the transfer of library holdings to document image collections

It is important again here to recognise the level at which much of the work will be done. Many of the users are likely to have very basic requirements for information, and some of the most important work will consist of selecting and compiling packages of material which most meet local needs. Some examples are given below. At the same time, there will be a subset of much more sophisticated users from the national and international disaster research communities, who may require comprehensive information on scientific and technical aspects of certain hazards.

Early decisions are obviously mainly concerned with the types of service offered, and their range and scope within the available budgets. Some examples of services which could and should be provided locally include:

· Current awareness services for individual researchers, with regular selective dissemination of information. · Development of area-specific bibliographic databases · Library replication: assembly of mini-libraries of material relevant to particular departments or institutions in particular areas · Training of local disaster management department staff in collection management · Development of digital "packages": building and making available full text digitised collections of relevant research materials, including CD-ROM based packages. · A referral services for specialist enquiries · Courses in how to locate disaster-related material

Other key decisions include:

· Whether to hire a trained information specialist · What software to use for bibliographic purposes · How to connect SPPO to the international computer networks

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 112 · What method to use to deliver documents quickly and easily around the region · What sort of reach-out services · What sort of catalogue to develop: · Whether to develop a locally relevant thesaurus, or adapt one from elsewhere · How much to budget for a collection · What performance measures to specify and how to monitor

A Possible Approach

The following are some suggestions.

An information centre would need a clear set of overall goals. The following four mission goals could be taken as a starting point.

To act as a centre for housing published and unpublished material and providing structured access through catalogues and indexes, borrowing and copying, with access increasingly being via electronic routes. To act as a gateway to other sources of information and document supply services, using networks to provide rapid and comprehensive access to information To provide guidance to users in the availability and exploitation of library and information services and facilities To encourage and support the acquisition of transferable skills of information retrieval, processing, evaluation and presentation through training programmes in information handling.

A list of actions is given below as a series of mini-projects, which may be fundable either as a package, or as individual components.

Task 1. Digital output for SPPO products:

The activity proposed here is intended: · To encourage the publication of future SPPO documents in formats which can be readily and inexpensively adapted to widespread electronic dissemination, now or at a later date. · To ensure that material already produced as part of the SPPO · initiative is retained and stored safely in a usable electronic format.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 113 · To develop cross-referenced collections of selected SPPO materials in machine readable formats which can be easily transported and used under field conditions. · To make publications in electronic format available on request to qualified researchers, where appropriate. · To carry out the initial work needed to establish an externally accessible electronic repository of SPPO material · To co-operatively review new opportunities for providing a full range of materials for access by this specialised community, including documents, multimedia material, and bibliographic databases. · To collect and disseminate relevant information on copyright and copy-protection arrangements. · To identify categories of material which may be inappropriate for widespread dissemination. · To identify and promote formats for dissemination which maintain the best balance between protection of intellectual property, and ease of dissemination, for different categories of material. · To make available selected and cross-referenced SPPO material on established file servers, in formats which can be accessed by users of major information networks.

The task would be of considerable benefit to:

· SPPO staff travelling overseas, for whom the weight of documentation is a major factor in whether it is carried at all. · Institutional libraries in participating countries in the region, · and those elsewhere requesting information via electronic ma il, and wishing to minimise the cost of rapid delivery. · Research groups in the field, requiring multiple copies of materials, but for whom good quality photocopying is not readily available. · National institutions which are beginning to create full-text databases of reports for rapid retrieval.

Actions for Task 1

SPPO should purchase a copy of Adobe Acrobat Exchange (approx $300) or Acrobat Distiller (approx $500), and gain as much experience as possible in translating its own report output into PDF format. This will be of considerable value later when mounting reports at any future WWW site. Staff should also gain experience in translating existing reports into HTML format. A number of commercial packages for this are becoming widely available.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 114 If possible, and where copyright allows, key documents which staff are currently discouraged from carrying because of weight or other inconvenience should be scanned into a portable digital format, probably again PDF. The main requirement here is for a scanner and a method for putting scanned products into a format which can be handled by document image software. The key issue at this point is to develop experience in handling documents in this format and to encourage staff to take a comprehensive package of information with them. It would also be valuable to encourage national officials with computers to explore the new generation of exchange software.

One possibility is to jointly purcha se a copy of Adobe Acrobat Capture with SOPAC and/or another regional institution. The cost is currently high - around $2500. SPPO would also need to upgrade one of the office machines to DX2 or DX4 speed if necessary, and to upgrade the machine's hard disk to at least 1Gb. A reliable flat-bed scanner will also be required eventually by SPPO, although one is currently available in SOPAC. SPPO will also need a portable removable hard drive such as a Iomega Zip or a Syquest, or equivalent for a test - these give capacity for 100-150 scanned reports on a single removable disk.

SPPO should also make a major effort to build expertise in managing Internet WWW servers, so as eventually to be able to install a WWW server for local and then regional dial-in use. It should also explore WAIS indexing. Whether or not this is done physically in-house or using a contractor is less relevant than the need for a good understanding of the methodology and a fast response when the demand develops. Again, SOPAC already has good experience in this area.

Task 2. Expand SPPO's library:

SPPO's document collection has some unique and very useful publications, is well maintained, and has been simply, but carefully catalogued. It is not yet, however, a research or technical- library in the more formal sense. It needs expanding in a range of areas. A number of actions are needed. First, there should be clear agreement on a budget for library development. The amount is less important that the establishment of stable and predictable funding. Second, there needs to be a systematic exercise to explore requirements, order whatever free material meets these requirements as soon as possible, and to budget for and purchase material of relevance.

Use following sources should initially be used to agree on a tranche of publications for order: Natural Hazards Observer - Printed Edition

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 115 The Australian Emergency Management Institute Library Bulletin PAHO Bibliodes (a full set of these should be ordered)

One simple way of building the collection quickly would be to purchase the OAS CD-ROM of disaster literature, which appears to be still in production. For this, a CD ROM reader would be required, an minimal extra cost.

Task 3 Build Small Specialist Collection Sets (paper and digital):

The greatest demand for documentation seems to cover a limited set of topics. Material covering the following issues is particularly in demand:

EOC preparations and routine administration EOC operations Damage inventory Reconstruction co-ordination Schools mitigation Infrastructure protection Schools preparedness

There is a very good case for building specific subject collections together, in paper form, and then converting selected publications (again copyright permitting) into digital format, for example using Adobe Acrobat on Zip or similar removable disk drives

This could be of special benefit to SPPO staff, allowing them more flexibility in setting up quick training, or seizing opportunities to emphasise particular topics during visits. The publications should probably be those at the simple end of the range, relatively short, and in a format easily printed on a local Laserjet or similar machine.

Task 4. Catalogue the library collection using a specialist bibliographic package and thesaurus:

A professional institution's library needs a high quality catalogue, and good controls over purchasing, ordering, and accession. SPPO experimented some time ago with the introduction of bibliographic software to manage its collection. It reviewed the same package used by SPC - software called Pro-Cite for Dos. This was found to be hard to use and maintain. The attempt to maintain compatibility with SPC was an excellent idea. Pro-Cite, however, is one of the

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 116 more difficult library programs for a non-specialist to use. One very user-friendly package is Reference Manager for Windows. The recent version of Endnote for Windows is also well-reviewed. There is a Windows version of Pro-Cite, which is very unstable, but subsequent releases may improve. My preference is for Reference Manager for Windows (approx $450) on the basis of balance between capability and ease of use. However, if compatibility requirements mean following SPC's lead, then the next Windows version of Pro-Cite should be reviewed (demo disks are available) in about two months time. I have a full set of e- conference discussions and papers on library software selection, and can provide these on request. I can also arrange for demonstration disks.

As important as the choice of software is the professional development of a Thesaurus suitable for the regional collection. This is beyond my area of expertise, but it appears that a major gap exists at present with the lack of a commonly shared Thesaurus for disaster management libraries. Each of the four I have seen in the last three months has a different system.

Distribution of bibliographic databases may need a different set of software from that needed for daily maintenance. I have been using Blackwell's Idealist as search engine and viewer for bibliographic records created by more specialist software. SPPO's current library list has been put into Idealist format as an experiment, for the benefit of library users and researchers.

If a catalogue is produced, at some stage it will need to be made network accessible to WWW browsers. One way of doing this at present is using WAIS software. Documents on WAIS have been provided to SPPO.

Task 5. Develop performance indicators and quality system over the long-term:

An effective library and information centre needs good performance measurement. These issues are addressed in more detail in a separate section below.

Task 6. Analyse user groups in more detail:

More understanding is needed of clients' information search processes, in particular, how requests for information are initially formulated. It seems likely that at each stage user information needs and states of mind vary; for example, early on, users may just want a friendly discussion, preferably in their own language. The stages for consideration are:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 117

· Initiation · Selection · Exploration · Formation · Collection · Presentation

We need to know why people don't use SPPO's services, or why those who are users don't find the service useful (may be different). We need as comprehensive an understanding as possible of the information users wanted to know but did not get (whoever they approached to find out). We need information on the most frequently used other sources of information. Also, we need a better understanding of the impact of information on operational judgements. For example, how often does a particular set of information affect judgement related to a, b, c etc.? How often does it make a difference? And above, all, how often does a specific information set contribute to a positive outcome?

The Need For Performance Indicators

However glossy the technology, one key area to emphasise is the management infrastructure within which information services are provided. Management and stakeholders (in this case, particularly donors and national governments) need to know two things, at least:

· How good is the service? · How much good does it do? (Lancaster 1977)

Performance measurement systems need to be related to the goals and objectives of the core organization, the institution which "owns" it, and other influential stakeholders. Congruence is a key issue: the balance and configuration of measurement and monitoring activity should ideally match the pattern of influence and concern in the stakeholder "set".

Performance measurement data is particularly valuable in arguing the case for additional support. Increasingly support for information services has to be argued for in an "evaluation culture". Systems for reliable performance measurement may eventually be a prerequisite for donor funding.

A prima facie case for an information center can usually be made, using the following arguments:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 118

· Cost savings through the use of the service as compared with the costs of obtaining needed information or documents from other sources. · Avoidance of loss of productivity that would result if information sources were not readily available. · Improved decision-making or reduction in the level of personnel required to make decisions. · Avoidance of duplication and waste of research and development effort on projects that have been done before or been proved infeasible by earlier investigators. · Stimulation of invention and productivity by making widely available the literature on current developments in a particular field.

One simple early approach may be to use the following widely used estimation technique. Take a particular information request made by a researcher or trainer; ask that person how much time was saved by having the librarian carry out the task; work out the salary for person for that period; subtract the actual library costs involved in locating the information. The cumulative net figure could be considered a crude return on investment in information services.

Donors are likely to respond to the following information: · "Market" penetration measur es, particularly clientele awareness of the existence of SPPO and the range of services offered · Users' reported perception of value (possibly on rating scales) · Users' reported perception of currency and comprehensiveness (again on rating scales) · Emergency response: whether requested key information was provided at the time needed, in a useful format.

Donations may need to be related to: · Reference transactions per capita · Reference fill rate: number of reference transactions completed in proportion to the total number of transactions (correct answer rate is another variant) · Donors will generally be concerned to achieve synergy: the result of mediating communications between people in the same type of job in different countries. Some measure of horizontal contact rate may be required.

As clients, donors may be particularly influenced by the following criteria: · Access, including cost and language used · Stability and reliability of service · Speed of delivery (this is often perceived as vital) · Comprehensiveness of coverage (this is a concern primarily for researchers)

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 119

Usually, the most penetrating, but most difficult question to answer is whether the worth of the service is more or less than the cost of providing it. Is the expense justified by the benefits?

There is considerable debate about the methodology of evaluating the impact of information centres, and this cannot be examined in detail here. A key position to decide upon is whether information centres are primarily in the document delivery business, and whether to judge them by solely by this criteria. One view is that provision of material alone is the main criteria for assessment:

"...a library can only be evaluated in terms of whether or not it is able to provide the materials sought by users at the time they are needed. What the user subsequently does with these materials is completely outside the librarian's control (and, some users might say, none of the librarian's business)."

However, while such an attitude might be appropriate to less specialist library services, it is questionable whether an information service which is part of a wider training and support operation can be assessed purely in terms of document delivery alone. It is suggested, therefore that a relatively broad set of indicators be explored initially. The following is based on a comprehensive study by Michael Cotta-Schonberg and Maurice Line (1994). Not all items will be appropriate initially, and for some it may prove too difficult to collect and maintain accurate data. Nonetheless, as will be seen later, there are good reasons for making the attempt:

Regional coverage · Proportion of total potential user population who have accessed SPPO's library at any time directly · Proportion of total number of relevant national information centres, or of libraries within the system which have accessed SPPO on behalf of clients Beneficiary participation · Transactions per capita · Distribution of transaction by group · Distribution of number of transactions per individual Beneficiary perception of value · Users' reported perception of value (rating scales) · Users' reported perception of currency and comprehensiveness (rating scales) Reference fill rate · Chances of an enquirer in a particular category obtaining an item for a particular class of request · Timeliness of delivery

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 120 · Time from request to filling Other aspects of resource allocation · Rank owned titles in order of use per cost · Compare with costs of servicing from elsewhere · Total purchase costs of books divided by use = acquisition cost per use, by subject category Other Quality indicators · Users' satisfaction with reference requests: by survey · Optimal hours of opening - in relation to time zones? · Availability in-house: need loan tracking · Accuracy by spot checks of accuracy of shelving/cataloguing · Ease of access: proportion of sought items not found · Perceived quality of in-house use, by sample surveys of users Resource utilization · Proportion of stock unused · Actual items unused · Proportion of requests by visiting and in-house users met from within the library itself Efficiency indicators · For purchases: track and chart order times · Access and supply by date stamping and serial numbering request items as they go in, and as responses are faxed or posted out. Again, this can be charted · Processing time for newly received: log and date stamp arrivals, and cataloguing. · Costs: service costs for activities such as cataloguing etc. and unit costs for each item. Can get unit costs from service costs if the number of items is known. Productivity indicators · Total enquiries handled · Total catalogue entries made · Number of days of sick leave or other absence by staff members

How to control quality of service

Outcomes, funding, and support all tend to improve if a process is documented and consistently followed. The challenge is to build systems to do this without out getting bogged down in management quality babble. A clear statement of policy will be needed from the start. The staff as a whole should be involved in developing this statement, together if possible with any influential users who can be brought into the process. The following could be a starting point:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 121

· Provide access to as wide a range of information resources as possible for both providers and users... · Disseminate information to our users in the format, with the level of detail and within the time frame appropriate to their individual needs · Encourage our users to share their views and expectations of these services and at all times treat their views with courtesy and respect · Demonstrate to our funding agencies that we make the most efficient use of resources in order to provide services which are value for money · Pay attention to the outcome of our services. i.e. focus on providing information which is effective in making a positive difference (to the health of individuals and populations) · Provide the same level of service to users with similar needs as far as possible within our resources

It would be very unrealistic to believe that a formal quality control process could or should be implemented in the short term, and it would be wholly inappropriate to impose detailed bureaucratic procedures on a small, relatively informal unit which is successful for those very reasons. But in the long term, increasingly, a more formal quality- and performance- related focus is likely to be a mandatory donor requirement. It is therefore worth exploring these issues earlier rather than later. It is recommended, therefore, that SPPO's staff begin to consider the design and method of implementation of a quality assurance system for literature and other information acquisition, handling, and supply. A common way of approaching this is to use the ISO9000 standard within a framework specifically developed for information centres. An "off-the-shelf" version of this is one developed by ASLIB (Ellis and Norton, 1993). With the emphasis that this is something to be done slowly and steadily, with minimal bureaucracy and a maximum of informal staff involvement, a practical approach would be as follows:

· Begin developing a simple manual and a set of unit operating procedures and instructions using the ASLIB model as a template. · Formally describe SPPO's existing procedures for document control. · Write a set of procedures for taking details of individual telephone and fax and personal requests for information. · Write a description of procedures for acquisition, and for recording statistics for delays, and costs. · Write a very brief set of guidelines for field staff for documenting the collection of free material in the field: consultant reports, grey literature, procedures, system designs etc. · Write a brief set of guidelines describing the limitations and level of reliability of the external databases (mainly from other small specialist information

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 122 providers) used to supply clients with information (if possible, do this with staff from these suppliers, at the same time as the units internal databases are documented.. · Document procedures for enquiry tracing, and tracking of publications ordering. · Establish norms or benchmarks for acquisition, processing, and delivery. Review the types of errors made in cataloguing to determine whether any particular underlying problems can be dealt with. · Formalise and document responsibility and procedures for database security, including virus checks and back-up. · Develop simple user-managed procedures to log and record problems in locating information, errors identified in databases, and computer and communication difficulties. · Introduce the concept of APR - Action to prevent recurrence. · Document the procedures for handling, storage, production and delivery, and establish clear rules for choice of route and notification of dispatch. · Quality Records: Establish a simple, basic set of service delivery records · Write procedures for regular Internal Reviews · Training: Link these actions to a training plan for unit individuals. Include general training activities to emphasise the importance of: Continual efforts to build up knowledge of clients' needs Reliable equipment and efficient back-up arrangements for staff activities (particularly for emergencies) Monitoring and evaluation of customer experiences, complaints and recommendations for improvement

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 123 SECTION 12

TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF SYSTEMS DESIGN FOR DAMAGE INVENTORY

This section deals with ways in which procedures, documentation, and data processing systems for damage inventory can be made more reliable, more stable, more predictable, and better meet the demands of administrators and donors.

Any attempt to improve a damage inventory sys tem is likely to have a number of desired outcomes. The following list covers some possible goals for improvement. It should be emphasised most of these objectives are applicable to both manual and computerised systems.

· Overall: Improve availability and timeliness of information. · Speed up reporting. · Help improve the accuracy of reports. · Allow more systematic and complete keeping of records · Improved portability of records · Increased accuracy and speed in calculating and printing · Improved ability to access records · Detect and "flag" missing data, duplicates and anomalies · Make baseline data accessible for comparison · Allow for merging of data sets at different levels in the administrative hierarchy. Allow summaries at different levels.. e.g. district, province, national. Also provide an audit trail for tracking how the latest updates are passed up the chain. · If computerised and networked, allow concurrent use of files with "record-locking" to prevent simultaneous updates. · Provide information in a form that donors can act on. · Provide a basis for future statistical analysis: · Ability to aggregate large amounts of data useful for planning and decision-making · Provide linking to recovery costing and to post impact evaluation · Provide an archival function, showing changes to datasets over time · Link to risk analysis: provide data that contributes to analysis of risks at a stage when something can be done about it · Identify damage to repair resources as well as assets · Distinguish immediately needed assets. · Incorporate adequate provision for equipment failure · Incorporate adequate provision for communications failure

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 124

What type of system?

A number of different approaches are possible, and it is important to consider the feasibility of each of these. First, there is the issue of whether to develop a standard systems design for most or all the countries in the region, or whether to tailor the design towards the requirements of one country or a smaller subsets.

Second, there is the question of whether rely on a common systems design for all disaster types, or a design specific to each type.

Both these questions are influenced by the third issue, whether to modify existing procedures and forms to match any new system, or whether to design any system from the start to fit in closely with existing local arrangements.

Fourth, there is the question of whether to rely substantially on computers, or to aim mainly to augment manual processes, or to develop forms and procedures for a manual, paper-document based system.

Fifth if a computer system is used, whether to centralise data storage and computing activity, or whether to develop a system capable of exchanging data in electronic form between computers at different levels in the hierarchy. A subsidiary question here is where to centralise computing activity.

The data analysis in three countries points to the probability that a common set of data elements and a commonly shared data structure is likely to be relatively straightforward for community level data collection, and may also be manageable for most infrastructure elements. It is not clear yet whether commercial elements or health reporting can be handled within the same framework. Differences will probably emerge as other countries are reviewed (for example, in types of housing), but at this stage it seems likely that for community level data sets these relatively minor differences (in housing type descriptions, and clinic organization, for example) can be incorporated within the framework of a common data structure.

Cyclones and flooding appear to share very similar data structures. It is not fully clear yet whether earthquake and volcano emergencies can be addressed within the same systems framework, although exercises using the existing prototype databases may help clarify this.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 125 Existing forms and procedures are unlikely to cause major difficulties in the countries reviewed. In Vanuatu and the Cook Islands, the arrangements are sufficiently informal to incorporate new procedures without much difficulty. In Fiji, the system is presently being revised anyway. One key requirement is for more uniform formats for collecting data.

Reliance on computers does cause considerable concern, thought it appears that the momentum towards computerised damage inventory is hard to resist. A number of continuing problems need to be addressed. Most notable is the operability and reliability of computer equipment. Ways of improving virus protection and backup arrangements need to be given close attention. As recent experiences have shown, there is a widespread tendency in some national administrations to tendency to share software widely, without much appreciation of computer virus risks. There is also a tendency to make emergency-dedicated machines into general office machines. Additionally, equipment operability in emergencies is a problem. There are few available spares. Power systems are unreliable, and UPS back-up arrangements are of limited capacity. In most areas, there are no existing arrangements for maintenance, repair, or technical assistance.

An important additional constraint is the lack of equipment and skills for data processing at the district level. For example there is currently a serious shortage of computer equipment and data processing skills in Divisional and District offices in Fiji. Fortunately, this is unlikely to persist, but operability problems will continue to cause concern.

Computer management problems are compounded by the tendency to reassign experienced staff periodically, with minimal arrangements for hand -over, or new training. Staff turnover is a particular problem with IT-trained staff leaving for the commercial sector. Generally, any computerised system must deal with interregnum periods when inexperienced staff replace trained ones. Systems must be very easy to operate

Discussions with senior IT administrators suggest that networked systems which rely on wide-area connections, telephone services, or links between different ministries are unlikely to work effectively, particularly in emergencies. Real-time systems, which aim to provide up -to-date baseline data should not be emphasised at an early stage.

Finally, some likely future changes in technology or organization should also be factored into the analysis. Three in particular should be highlighted: · More radio communications, and more reliable radio communications

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 126 · A gradual shift to satellite communications replacing VHF for inter-island telephone connections. · New Operating Systems: Windows 96 and Windows 97 - which may be increasingly easy to configure and to use

Changes like these will have an incremental impact rather than a radical one, but in general it should prove easier over time to collect and query information, and to keep software configurations intact.

Data Analysis

It was not possible to do detailed a data analysis on data collected at first hand in an actual emergency in the region. Instead, the data analysis which underpins the prototype databases is based on six main sources:

· Interviews with national and local government officials in Fiji, Vanuatu, and Cook Islands. · A detailed file review of the Ministry of Rural Development file archives covering the response to cyclone Kina. · Analysis of current damage assessment forms and documented procedures in the departments responsible for relief in Fiji, and Vanuatu · Material from earlier PIDP studies, especially those on damage assessment · Material from earlier ESCAP studies of organizational arrangements for damage compilation in the South and Southeast Asia region. · US OFDA documentation, including manuals and technical handbooks.

An initial set of data elements - entities and their attributes - was selected and then reformulated so as to resemble two prototype damage assessment forms, one for the first one or two days post impact, and one for more detailed inventory taking over the next one to three weeks. The contents of these were tested during interview with senior ministry staff who have been involved in co-ordinating relief and recovery operations. These proto type forms are appended, in the state they were first tested in Vanuatu. After various relatively minor additions and modifications, the contents were then distilled into a simple but more formal data model and normalised to give the set of relational tables found in the prototype damage inventory database.

These tables attempt to incorporate common elements found in all the countries reviewed. At the same time, the relational structure is sufficiently simple and straightforward to allow for some local modification without the need for substantial change in the organization of the database itself. It should be stressed

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 127 that the prototype database built from these tables is just that - a prototype. It is intended to encourage discussion about the data to be included, the questions to be asked, and the interface with the user.

Software and Hardware Platforms

Systems already provided by DHA-SPPO to national disaster management offices in the region are Intel 484 based-computers with the Windows 3.11 operating system. The main application package is Microsoft Office Professional, including the Access 2 database.

Discussions with the Director of the Governments national computer centre in Fiji indicate that the majority of PC applications at the user level in Government offices in Fiji will be based on Microsoft operating systems, with Access as a primary database tool for departmental-level applications. Oracle may emerge as the main server-based application for national-level systems, and Oracle si the main server application for the Fiji Land information system.

In Port Vila, Vanuatu the only database software used in offices with an operational disaster management function is currently Access 2.

In the Cook Islands, most of the (small scale) applications at national level for Government equipment appears to be shifting from xBase (used on existing 286 machines) to Microsoft Access.

It seems entirely reasonable to develop any initial prototypes in Microsoft Access 2. This has the advantage that software can be widely dispersed for review, and may be modified and experimented with by any staff who are interested at departmental level. A disadvantage of Access is the relative speed penalty. However, this may be obviated by the emergence of newer generations of machines with faster processors.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 128 Prototype damage inventory software

The prototype system is written using Basic and Macros for Access 2. There are presently two separate packages. The first, a very simple set of forms and reports is designed simply to support the initial capture of early information on damage and needs at the local level in the first hours after impact. The second is designed to illustrate an interface for capturing and reporting damage information collected at District level or Divisional/Provincial level.

The initial aim has been primarily to provide an adjunct and support to existing manual procedures. The approach is very conservative, and allows a relatively simple fall-back to procedures broadly similar to those used now. The packages are intended to fill the role of a central repository to speed up existing clerical operations, provide more accurate tallying of damage, and enable faster, more detailed and better presented reports to donors. With further development they will also provide a basic checking function, comparing some of the data being input to existing baseline information.

The interface is designed to make it very straightforward to add and subtract sectoral coverage, and to permit the addition of a considerable amount of extra detail on damage to structures and equipment in all sectors, down to component level if necessary, without losing the overview provided by the whole package. If necessary, information on equipment damage can include whether it is operative or non-operative, details of the repairs required to operate, the repair resources needed, current capacity, capacity when repaired, and expected bottleneck factors. It should be possible at a later stage to collate data at national level not only from the "standard" community level sectors, such as housing, agriculture, and livestock, but also more technical information from the specialist infrastructure sectors, and the health sector. This is more likely if recovery management in these technical sectors itself computerised, which itself seems fairly likely in the medium term.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 129 SECTION 13

INTRODUCING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR DISASTER MITIGATION STUDIES

The most commonly used information management tool in mitigation studies is now the computer based geographic information system (GIS). This is commonly defined as an information system that is designed to work with data referenced by spatial or geographic co-ordinates. In other words, a GIS is both a database system with specific capabilities for spatially-referenced data, as well as a set of operations for working with the data. (Star and Estes, 1990: see ftp://ftp.census.gov/pub/geo/).

Some basic questions to be asked when preparing to introduce a GIS are as follows: · What geographic extent, what data layers · What maps must be produced · What data must be available from the system · How are the maps and data to be processed · Who will update what data · How will updates be disseminated to users

Many of the key issues to look at are institutional ones. They include the constraints, goals and objectives of final system, staffing requirements, the responsibilities of agencies for data contribution, the arrangements for maintenance (the database requires constant maintenance and management), commitments to provide continuing operational support, and the ownership of any products.

Staffing requirements are potentially a key constraint. Some quite specific skills required, and since a small number of people will have to combine several sets, it may be hard to recruit appropriately experienced people. The main roles in a team include:

Systems administration: Monitoring computer system performance Installation of software, additional hardware Periodic back-ups System security LAN administration

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 130 Drafting: Compiling and integrating cartographic products from different sources, in preparation for digital conversion Programming: E.g. in Map Basic Produces user menus, and specific functions needed by users Assisting in developing new databases Processing GIS products: Combining and manipulating layers to produce specific maps and reports Database administration Organizing geographic features into layers identifying sources of data Developing coding for handling non-graphic data Documenting the contents of the databases Cartography: Designing map displays Developing standard map symbols Establishing standard map series Digitizing: Converting map information into digital form by hand, or by manipulating scanned input. Requires knowledge of mapping and drafting standards and conventions

Data Conversion

The time and effort needed to gather and/or convert map products should not be underestimated. The types of checks needed routinely for existing map series give an indication also of the potential pitfalls of relying on existing data: · Are they accurate · Are they current · Are they stable · Are they clean · Are they tied to a continuous co-ordinate system based on a geodetic references

There are two basic approaches to map conversion to digital form: digitizing, which involves redrawing with an electronic cursor, with the map fixed to a digitizing table; and scanning existing maps through a raster-to-vector optical scanner (this suits maps with little text and dimension data). The former requires very long periods of detailed work, over weeks or months. The latter often involves subsequent correction of multiple artefacts produced by scanner problems, or media damage.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 131

Aerial photographs can be converted to GIS compatible format. After photographs are developed they can be converted to orthophotographs to eliminate the distortion caused by the curvature of the earth and the angle of view. They are then used to digitise the observed features, or are scanned. Cadastral data can be added from legal records and survey notes.

The main actions needed in setting up a library of map data are as follows:

· Determine whether information in a computer format required to drive the GIS already exists and ensure that the new system does not replicate that data nor the effort required to collect it. It is important to recognise, however, that map information in a GIS must be manipulated so that it registers, or fits, with information gathered from other maps. Before the digital data can be analyzed, they may have to undergo other manipulations - projection conversions, for example - that integrate them into a GIS. · Establish and locate all the record drawings required to provide complete coverage of the geographical area being studied. · Classify all the record drawings into different scales and density categories to determine the extent of works which will be required to convert them to digital format · Sample the records and review the number of edge-matching problems which can be expected to require resolution prior to carrying out data capture · Carry out a field verification exercise of a sample of the records to determine the actual accuracy of the sampled batch · Determine the procedures adopted by the organization in carrying out updating and determine whether the records are up to date. · Determine whether duplicate or personal records are held in different locations, and review their updatedness by comparison with the mater records. · Carry out data capture of a number of the records, perhaps using a CAD tool which may not permit the capture of attributes but will provide an accurate estimate of the time of capture of individual records by classification type

Choice of software and hardware

For high end packages, two of the most commonly used packages are Intergraph and ArcInfo. The Fiji Land Information System relies substantially on Intergraph. At the lower end, MapInfo is the main contender for desktop systems, and is used for low-end work in FLIS.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 132

ArcInfo and Intergraph require Windows NT or Unix platforms. They benefit from large disks, large RAM memory and fast processors. MapInfo runs with MS Windows and is generally less demanding of computer facilities, though a fast processor with large disk storage is recommended.

Intergraph is fundamentally a CAD package and the GIS functionality is built on top of this. Intergraph is based on industry standard CAD package (Microstation) which is known by most people with CAD or mapping experience. The Intergraph MGE database structure permits full use of standard SQL databases such Oracle, Informix or Ingres. In Arc, while it is possible to use an Oracle database, an Oracle table cannot be used directly.

Intergraph has 3D functionality with potential in flood hazard assessment etc. It is also widely used for mapping public utilities.. For projects that are more thematic and natural resource information based, then Arc/Info is more often used. ARC is reported to be more sensitive to the quality of topological digitization than MGE.

Generally, it seems unlikely that a project of the proposed Suva type will need the facilities of Intergraph or Arc Info in the first stage, although if it did, the balance of factors (particularly the implementation in FLIS) points to Intergraph as the package of choice. It is, however, recommended that the latest version of MapInfo for Windows be obtained to fill the requirement for a learning/training and initial mapping package for the project.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 133 TECHNICAL ANNEXE TO SECTION 3

Initial Assessment Form - Day 1

Island: Village: Date: Time:

Prepared by: Contact Person: ______Describe any continuing hazard for village or settlement (flood, landslide, other):

Is Emergency Action required now for this hazard (Y/N)? Describe Emergency Action needed now: ______Shelter: Number of Houses destroyed or unusable: Is emergency shelter available (Y/N)? Immediate requirement for shelter materials: Type Quantity ______Condition of water supply: Undamaged and operable: Damaged or inoperable - local repair without assistance: Damaged or inoperable - external assistance needed:

Initial estimate of assistance/repair needed: Estimated time before restored operation (days): Water tanks required (Y/N)? How many tanks? ______Medical: Is Health Centre/Dispensary operable (Y/N)? If damaged - rapid initial estimate of repair requirements: Medical staff present? Dressers: Nurses: Doctors: Additional medical staff required (Y/N)? Medical supplies or equipment required now (Y/N)? (minimum stock 14 days) Is Clinic Radio available (Y/N)? Alternative Radio available (Y/N)?

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 134 Alternative Radio site: Alternative Radio operating frequency:

Number of casualties evacuated: Casualty evacuation still required (Y/N)? Number of casualties still requiring evacuation:

Number of confirmed dead: Support required for identification, notification or disposal (Y/N)?

Access/Transport: Any blockage of access routes? Cause and location of blockage? Is Airstrip operable? Action needed to make airstrip operable: ______Food Availability: Initial estimate of food availability: Can food crops be salvaged (Y/N)? Is sufficient food available for next two weeks (Y/N)?

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 135 DETAILED ASSESSMENT SURVEYS: ITEMS FOR SURVEY FORMS

(Normally for use during Week 1 onwards)

Date Time Division District Village Community:Assessment Team ID: Form Prepared by: Contact person in Village/Settlement

Overall Assessment:

Radio communications (Y/N) Frequencies available: Telephone communications (Y/N)? Primary Contact number

Road access open (Y/N) Sea access normal or reduced? Type of sea access:

Normal water supply operating (Y/N)? If no, source of emergency water supply:

Population: Under 5 years 5-15 years over 15 years

Number of houses completely destroyed: Timber frame Iron/Thatch Bure (Fiji terminology - may vary according to local nomenclature)

Number of houses damaged Timber frame Iron/Thatch Bure

Number of people homeless:

Shelter locations for homeless people: Location Type Number sheltered

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 136

Any NGO activity (Y/N) Name of NGO Activity

Warehousing/Storage available (Y/N) Site Capacity Available (Y/N) Secure(Y/N)

Damage to Buildings, Machinery and Equipment

Damage to Buildings Site Sector Category Type Description Damage Cost to restore: Priority: Actions Recommended Estimated Cost Remarks List item 1. List item 2. etc

Damage to Machinery and Equipment: Site Sector Category Type Description Damage Cost to restore: Priority: Actions Recommended Estimated Cost Remarks List item 1. List item 2. etc

Damage to Roads: Start Location: End Location: Length: Terrain: Damage description: Actions recommended now Estimated Cost to restore access Estimated Cost to restore Remarks List item 1. List item 2 etc

Damage to bridges: Bridge name Location Description of damage Action required Temp Replacement Cost (est) Initial estimate of cost of repair/rebuilding

Damage to Health Facilities: Name of facility Type of facility: Hospital Health Centre Nursing Station Medical/Nursing training school Other Condition of health facility: undamaged, damaged/usable, damaged unusable

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 137 Total number of beds before: Total number of beds now: Power source: Generator/Grid Water source: Emergency/Normal

List medical equipment lost/damaged and not yet replaced: Item Estimated cost List Item 1. List Item 2. etc

Medicines: normal delivery restored (Y/N)? Specific shortages of medicines - Item Quantity

Damage to Education facilities and resources: School Name School type School status Govt/Private Day/Boarding Head teacher's name Total school roll Can school operate Y/N Number of classrooms Classrooms damaged/usable Classrooms destroyed/unusable Classrooms undamaged Water supply available? Electricity supply available? Estimated time to restore: Estimated total value of damage to books, classroom equipment Estimated total value of damage to buildings and school infrastructure For boarding schools with damaged food stores or farm production: Emergency food required Y/N No of days food required:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 138 Damage to Agricultural assets and crops: Estimated stocks in hand Govt Commercial Crop damage: Crop Area planted or Number of plants Area of crop destroyed as percentage of total or Number of plants destroyed as percentage of total Estimated value of loss due to crop destruction now Expected future loss in production due to reduced yield - percent Estimated value of future loss Seed requirements Seed type Amount Fertilizer requirement Fertilizer type Amount

Pesticide requirement Pesticide Amount Land clearing equipment required (Y/N) Item Number required Fuel requirement Fuel type Amount Livestock Livestock type Dead or Missing Remaining

Damage to Fisheries Assets and Resources: Vessels destroyed: Name Type Estimated value Vessels damaged Name Type Est value Estimated value of fishing equipment destroyed:

The above is an interim listing. Following on-going consultations with government departments, additional items may be appended, in the following sectors:

Fruit tree growing Forestry Irrigation River levels/flood plain inundation

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 139

TECHNICAL ANNEXE TO SECTION 4

PAHO SUMA - Supply Management Software

(Background material from PAHO sources)

The Problem: Following disasters, national authorities face serious problems identifying what kind of supplies they have received.

The Suma Project: A systematic approach to the problem which includes: trained personnel, supplies, and software to manage the relief supplies and sorting process during a disaster.

The Suma Team: The SUMA Team sorts incoming supplies using a computer terminal at a predetermined point of arrival. Every team is self-sufficient, and has been trained in operating the software, sorting supplies, using the SUMA labelling system, and the operational aspects of disaster relief (radio communications, generators, etc.).

How The Suma Software Works: The SUMA software has been designed with two components: SUMA TERMINAL and SUMA CENTRAL.

The SUMA TERMINAL level works at the entry points where relief supplies arrive during an emergency, such as the airport, seaport, or border.

The SUMA CENTRAL level is the focal point of supply management following an emergency. SUMA CENTRAL works at the site where the emergency is managed and controlled.

SUMA Technical Requirements

Computer: IBM -compatible; minimum RAM-640 Kb; 5mb free on hard disk.

Printer: SUMA CENTRAL Program works with a 132-column, dot matrix printer. SUMA TERMINAL works with an 80-column, dot matrix printer.

Diskettes:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 140 The program is distributed on 3 and 1/2"diskettes. 5 and 1/4" installation diskettes are available upon request.

SUMA PHASE II (1995)

SUMA Phase II converts the system into a comprehensive relief management system for disaster-stricken countries. It is not limited only to the inventory of relief supplie s, but includes a system for managing stock and warehouses, tracking the distribution of relief supplies and monitoring pledges from donors.

The present SUMA system (Phase I) is limited to the inventory and classification of incoming supplies at the point of entry. The proposed Phase II is to ensure that the system is sustained by establishing a comprehensive and unified relief management system.

Improvements are likely to include added capacity to:

Maintain a system for management of stock and warehouses, both during and immediately after the disaster; Better deliver and track the relief supplies after the point of entry; Monitor pledges from donors against the request made by the affected country.

The need to create an interface with all the different existing software related to supply management, tracking, stock management and the monitoring of pledges has been recognized by disaster managers, as has the importance of increasing the range of professionals involved. Therefore, a new unified system for the management of relief supplies will be developed.

SUMA Project Emergency Preparedness Program PAHO/PED, 525 Twenty-third Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037 Internet: [email protected] Phone: (202) 861-4326 Fax: (202) 775-4578

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 141

TECHNICAL ANNEXE TO SECTION 5

Initial Baseline data for collection as soon as resources are available.

This listing was developed as an illustration by the author and staff of UNDHA-SPPO primarily for the Government of Fiji Dept of Regionl Development EOC. It is potentially applicable to other regional EOCs also.

Population: Full Census data - by tract Registered population total Registered population by age-category and sex Registered Households, total Family size frequencies Occupations: numbers in each category Ethnic origin - number in each category Number of Single Female heads of households (FSH) Number of Single Male heads of households (MSH) Size distribution of FHH families Special need catego ries: frequency Physically handicapped Mentally handicapped Physically and mentally handicapped Numbers and location of tourists Numbers and location of large tourist groups: conferences etc. Sites of high daytime or nightime occupancy Schools Hotels Populations scheduled for evacuation under various contingencies Routine incidence and prevalence statistics - reportable diseases by area and age category Routine Mortality statistics: mortality by area and age group

Broadcasting - Radio stations: Location and capacity of any standby radio-broadcasting equipment Whether equipped with alternative power systems Radio transmitters: Power source Whether equipped with alternative power

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 142 Back-up sources of fuel, generating equipment, spares. TV stations: Location and capacity of any standby TV-broadcasting equipment Whether equipped with alternative power systems TV transmitters: Power source Whether equipped with alternative power Back-up sources of fuel, generating equipment, spares.

Communications: Existing radio networks - government, private Operating frequences Transmission and relay points Current emergency allocation Local and regional suppliers of communications equipment, and communications repair items

Fuel and energy: Fuel stocks - by type and location Stocks and location of aviation fuel Stocks and location of bunker fuel Oil and lubricant stocks Location of major electrical generating stations Location and condition of major transformer equipment Location of electrical system repair stocks Stocks of critical replacement items

Transport: Designated evacuation routes Location and capacity (number and type of vehicles) of major suppliers of road transport vehicles Government Commercial Military Designated reception points Location and characteristics of evacuation routes, including potential hazards and bottlenecks Weight, width, length, height restrictions on road network Routes unsuitable for container transport Availability and condition of aircraft ground starting equipment Availability and condition of aircraft cargo handling equipment

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 143 Local availability and cost of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft Location and capacity of major warehouses, storage rates Government Commercial Details of current emergency allocation of warehouse space Port characteristics: Depth of approach channels, harbour, turning area, wharf areas Port offtake - maximum capacity Port storage capacity - covered plus hardstand Size, capacity, and condition of container handling equipment Crane capacity, plus other handling equipment Berths - number, length, draft along side Freight rates per tonne Refrigerated warehouse space - location, capacity Availability, location and capacity of government coastal and river craft. Other major commercial resources of this type.

Water supply: Main water treatment sites and pumping stations Numbers of people supplied by each major water delivery system For each village/settlement: sources of water supply, and means of storage Location and stock of water treatment chemicals - chlorine etc. Main sewerage treatment sites Major industries supplied by each water delivery system Road tanker availability Stocks of mobile water treatment units - military/commercial

Food supply: National food stocks - by type, by site Commercial food stocks - by type, by site Projected food arrivals - by type, by location Crop data - area planted, expected yield, expected harvest time National stocks of agricultural inputs - by type, by location Stocks of food bags/packaging Location of bakeries Location of rice mills Location of sugar mills

Plant and equipment: Location of heavy lift equipment Location of cutting/hydraulic lifting and other rescue equipment Location of emergency lighting equipment

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 144 Stocks and location of small generators Regional sources of equipment/resources needed for repairs in specific sectors Location and stocks of specialist equipment: booms, detergent for oil spills, etc.

Medical and environmental health: Location and capacity of health facilities Location of hospitals, clinics, MCH centres. Numbers and specialist training of medical personnel Location of public health laboratories Critical drug stocks - by type and location Include ORS/injectables Incidence of low birth weight - by area and group Prevalence of PEM: by age category/location Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency - by age group Measles immunization coverage Other immunization coverage Availability of veterinary pharmaceuticals - stock, location, by type Location of veterinary public health laboratories

Relief materials: Stocks of standard DP supplies - by location Blankets Small tarpaulins Cooking sets Soap Water containers Location and stocks of material used for temporary shelter - plastic sheeting Suppliers and projected future stock levels of tarpaulins and plastic sheeting

Buildings: Identified sites for temporary emergency shelter - adequate site characteristics, water supply and sanitation Accessibility, seasonal use Location and characteristics of sites identified for storing incoming relief goods Distribution of registered enterprises - by type, by district Hazardous installations causing secondary risk

Education: Schools, classrooms, and pupil registration, by district.

Manpower:

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 145 Names, addresses, and phone numbers of key staff and other individuals with emergency role, in all sectors above.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 146

TECHNICAL ANNEXE TO SECTIONS 9/10/11

Adobe Document Imaging Software and Lotus Notes Publishing Utilities

(The author has no involvement or connection of any kind with these corporations. This information is extracted from commercial marketing documents. No endorsements are made, although this software is believed to be appropriate for the uses described in the main report. Price samples are included here for illustration only. Contact relevant software dealers for latest information)

Adobe Acrobat Capture for Windows(R)

Acrobat Capture(TM) software turns everyday business and "legacy" documents into accurate, searchable electronic files that look exactly like the printed page. The program automatically recognizes the different elements of a page, producing an exact electronic copy in the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). As a PDF file, documents can be distributed to anyone using a Macintosh(R), Windows, DOS or UNIX(R) computer.

Acrobat Capture software uses page recognition to precisely preserve the entire page -- including text formatting, fonts and font sizes, and black-and- white or grayscale images. It converts paper documents into a PDF file that's fully searchable and compressed to use fewer network resources. Acrobat Capture can also output formatted text to popular Windows or Macintosh word processing formats for further editing.

Acrobat Capture software provides a streamlined method of page recognition that costs thousands of dollars less than proprietary imaging systems. Imaging systems produce "dual files" of searchable text and static images of the page, whereas Acrobat Capture offers a single compact file that looks exactly like the printed page and is searchable.

Network-Accessible Acrobat Capture software is suited to network use. For processing efficiency, network administrators can set up a workstation server with Acrobat Capture for departmental use. Once converted into PDF files, documents work and look the same regardless of platform --

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 147 Windows System Requirements (minimum configuration):

486-based persona l computer Microsoft(R) Windows 3.1 or later 15 MB of hard disk space 16 MB of RAM 15 MB of swap space Color monitor with VGA or greater resolution 1.44 MB 3.5" floppy disk drive

Input File Formats: TIFF(TM) (including G3, G4 and LZW formats), PCX, BMP Output File Formats Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), ASCII, Rich Text Format (RTF), Microsoft Word for Windows 2.x and 6.0, WordPerfect(R) for Windows 5.x and 6.0, AmiPro(R) for Windows 2.x, Microsoft Word for Macintosh 5.0 and 6.0 and WordPerfect for Macintosh 2.0.

Supported Scanners: Acrobat Capture software supports: TWAIN and ISIS(R) drivers, including: Canon(R) IX-12, IX-30F, IX-3010, IX-4015 Epson(R) ES -300C, ES-600C, ES-800C Fujitsu(R) SP10, SPJr Fujitsu M3096Gm, M3097Gm, M3099 HP ScanJet, Plus, IIc, IIp, IIIP, IIcx Hewlett-Packard AccuPage Technology 2.0 Microtek(R) ScanMaker(R), ScanMaker II Microtek MS-II with Page Detect Ricoh(R) IS-410, IS-510, IS-520, IS-50, IS-60, FS-2 UMAX(R) Scanners Visioneer PaperPort Additiona l scanners are supported through Adobe Photoshop plug-ins.

Acrobat Capture also supports automatic document feeders (ADF), double -sided pages and pages up to 17" by 22".

Suggested Retail Price $2,995 (U.S.) Contacts: 1-206-628-2749 or Adobe Authorized Resellers

Adobe home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.adobe.com/

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 148

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 149 Lotus Internotes Web Publisher

Overview:

The InterNotes Web Publisher enables users to publish Notes information to the World Wide Web (WWW), by translating Notes documents and databases into Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), the format used by standard Web browsers such as NCSA Mosaic and Netscape

The InterNotes Web Publisher is a Notes server application that runs in conjunction with a standard Web (HTTP) server. The InterNotes Web Publisher: »Automatically converts Notes documents and views into a series of HTML documents that live on a Web server. By converting Notes views, the InterNotes Web Publisher provides a navigable structure for the Web site. *Notes doc links become Hypertext links; *Attachments to Notes documents are preserved and can be downloaded from a Web browser; *Notes tables are converted into HTML tables; *Bitmaps in Notes documents are converted into in-line GIF files. »Provides a Notes database that controls translation parameters, e.g. font mapping, selecting views to translate; consolidates logging and report generation; and handles other processes.

Platforms

The InterNotes Web Publisher will initia lly support the Windows NT operating system and will require a Notes server and a standard HTTP server.

Pricing The InterNotes Web Publisher will be available for a suggested retail price of $7,500 U.S.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 150

TECHNICAL ANNEXE TO SECTION 12

Table Elements - Damage Inventory Database

Name Type

Agricultural Inputs AgItemReqNumber Number (Long) ReportNumber Number (Long) AgInputCat Text Item Text Units Text Quantity Number (Double) EstimatedValue Currency Remarks Memo

Boat Damage ReportNumber Number (Long) BoatName Text BoatType Text DamageDescription Text

Bridge Damage BridgeReportNumber Number (Long) BridgeName Text LocationDescription Text District Text Georeference Text DamageDescription Text ActionRequired Text CostRestoreTemp Currency CostRestorePerm Currency Remarks Memo

Crop Losses ReportNumber Number (Long) Crop Type Text Unit Text ExpectedValueNoLoss Currency DamPctTotal Number (Double) LossValueNow Currency YieldLossFuture Number (Double) LossValueFuture Currency

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 151

Health Facility Damage HealthEntryNumber Number (Long) MedCentName Text ReportNumber Number (Long) Type Text Condition Text BedsBefore Number (Double) BedsNow Number (Double) PowerSource Text WaterSource Text MedSupplyNormal Yes/No

Equipment Damage DamageRecordNumber Number (Long) ReportNumber Number (Long) ItemCat Text Site Text SectorCat Text Description Text Damage Text CostRestore Currency Priority Text ActionRec Text EstCost Currency Remarks Text

Livestock Losses ReportNumber Number (Long) LivestockType Text LivestockNumLost Number (Double) LivestockNumRemaining Number (Double) LossValueNow Currency LossValueFuture Currency

Medical Supply Requirements MedSupplyRecordID Number (Long) HealthEntryNumber Number (Long) Item Text Units Text Quantity Text

Village Reports ReportNumber Number (Long) VillageID Number (Long) Time Text

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 152 Date Text TeamID Text PreparedBy Text ReportMethod Text Contact Text RadioWorks Yes/No RTFrequency Text TelephoneWorks Yes/No PrimaryPhoneNumber Text RoadAccess Yes/No SeaAccessStatus Text SeaAccessType Text Water Yes/No EmWaterSource Text Pop0to4 Number (Double) Pop5to14 Number (Double) Pop15plus Number (Double) HouseDesTimber Number (Double) HouseDesIron Number (Double) HouseDesBure Number (Double) HouseDamTimber Number (Double) HouseDamIron Number (Double) HouseDamBure Number (Double) NumHomeless Number (Double) NGOpresent Yes/No WHStorage Yes/No

Road Damage RoadReportNumber Number (Long) RoadStartLocation Text RoadEndLocation Text Length Number (Double) LengthUnits Text TerrainType Text DamageDescription Text CostRestoreTemp Currency ActionsRecommended Text CostRestorePerm Currency Remarks Memo

Education Facilities SchoolName Text ReportNumber Number (Long) SchoolType Text SchoolStatus Text GovtPrivate Text DayBoard Text

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 153 HeadTeacher Text NumberStudents Number (Double) SchoolOperational Yes/No RoomsDestroyed Number (Double) RoomsDamaged Number (Double) RoomsUsable Number (Double) WaterAvailable Yes/No PowerAvailable Yes/No DamagedEquipCostEst Currency DamagedStrucCostEst Currency FoodRequired Yes/No

Storage SiteIDNumber Number (Long) SiteName Text ReportNumber Number (Long) Capacity Text Owner Text Available Yes/No Secure Yes/No Description Memo

Village Baseline VillageID Number (Long) VillageName Text DistrictName Text ProvinceName Text Georeference Text CensusPop0to4 Number (Double) CensusPop5to14 Number (Double) CensusPop15Plus Number (Double) BLSeaAccessType Text BLMainWaterSupply Text

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 154

TECHNICAL ANNEXE TO SECTION 13

EXAMPLES OF SOFTWARE FOR MITIGATION ANALYSIS

This section contains Internet accessible information made available by the University of California, NISEE/Computer Applications Section. Contact this group directly for further details.

EQRISK -- Evaluation of Sites for Earthquake Risk

EQRISK is for the evaluation of earthquake risk at chosen sites. Seismic events are considered as point sources; their occurrence in space is defined by the user. A variety of parameters may be used to quantify ground shaking, such as peak ground acceleration, velocity, displacement, modified Mercalli intensity, spectral velocity, etc. An attenuation function must be specified by the user, and may be in analytical form or in tabular form. Output gives annual risks for chosen values of the parameter values for preselected risk levels. Output is easily obtained for sites on a grid; thus the program is suitable for seismic mapping. Cartesian or longitude and latitude coordinates may be used. The total computed risks for the parameter values specified are output, for each site of interest. The risks from each seismic source may be output by the user. Also, if particular risk levels have been entered, the parameter values associated with these risk levels are calculated and printed. Hardware: MS-DOS-based Hardware Pricing: $100.00/USA; $200.00/Outside USA University of California -- Nisee/Computer Ken Wong; Associate Development Engineer; NISEE/Computer Applications; 404A Davis Hall; University of California; Berkeley, CA 94720 Telephone: 510-642-5113 ------TEMPO--Transportation Emergency Management of Post-Disaster Operations

TEMPO is a decision support tool developed to address the vital transporation needs following a major earthquake. This tool has four main modules: graphical network representation and editing, vehicle routing, traffic diversion, and transit management functio ns. TEMPO is a user-friendly, menu-driven system capable of realtime data processing. The network module is designed to allow updating of street network conditions based on the incoming information. The vehicle routing module allows the determination of the shortest path connecting any pair of nodes in the network. The traffic diversion module provides the needed input for

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 155 development of diversion strategies around link closures and network blockages. The transit management module enables the user to graphically and interactively redesign the predisaster transit network. MS-DOS-based Hardware Pricing: $50.00/USA; $100.00/Outside USA University of California --Nisee/Computer Applications Contact: Ken Wong; Associate Development Engineer; NISEE/Computer Applications; University of California; 404A Davis Hall; Berkeley, CA 94720 Telephone: 510-642-5113 ------University of California --Nisee/Computer Applications 404 A Davis Hall Berkeley, CA 94720 510-642-5113 510-643-5264(Fax) Product Category: Engineering 3DSCAS--A Microcomputer Program for Three Dimensional Static Collapse

3DSCAS was developed from static analysis components of ANSR-1, a general- purpose, nonlinear structural analysis program from the University of California, Berkeley. ADAP-88 is a finite-element analysis program for computing the earthquake response of arch dams including the nonlinear effect of contraction joint opening. ANSR-1--General Purpose Program for Analysis of Nonlinear Structural Response

ANSR is a program for static and dynamic analysis of nonlinear structures.

APOLLO--Analysis of Potential Liquefaction of Soil Layers for One-Dimensional Seepage

This program incorporates a simplified procedure for one-dimensional analysis of generation and dissipation of pore water pressures in a sand deposit due to seismic excitation.

BASSIN--Dynamic Analysis of Bridge/Abutment/Backfill Systems Subjected to Traveling Seismic Waves

The BASSIN methodology computes the three-dimensional dynamic response of an arbitrarily configured, elastic, bridge/abutment/backfill system.

BIAX--A Computer Program for the Analysis of Reinforced Concrete

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 156

BIAX is a general-purpose program to evaluate uniaxial and biaxial strength and deformation characteristics of reinforced concrete (R/C) sections based on the assumption that plane sections remain plane after the application of loading.

CAL-91--Computer Assisted Learning of Structural Analysis The purpose of the CAL language is to bridge the gap between traditional methods of teaching structural analysis and the use of automated structural analysis programs.

CAL80 (SD)--Computer Analysis Language for the Static and Dynamic Analysis of Structural Systems

CAL80 (SD) is a modification of CAL78 which has options ranging from simple matrix manipulation, as an extension of classical structural analysis, to the direct stiffness formulation of structural systems, with extensions to dynamic anlysis in the time or frequency domain.

CALREL--A Computer Program for Structural Reliability Analysis CALREL is a general-purpose structural reliability analysis program designed to work on its own or to operate as a shell program in conjunction with other structural analysis programs.

COMBAT.PC--Comprehensive Building Analysis Tool COMBAT (COMprehensive Building Analysis Tool) was developed primarily for design office applications.

CUMLIQ: Evaluation of Potential for Liquefaction of a Soil Deposit Using Random Vibration Procedures

The purpose of this program is to estimate the potential for seismic liquefaction using known field and laboratory data of soils in combination with genral statistical parameters of earthquakes.

DAMAGE--Assessment of Damageability for Existing Buildings in a Natural Hazards Environment

DAMAGE is a tool for local building and safety officials to independently assess the damageability, or the potential safety, of individual buildings exposed to earthquake, severe wind and tornado forces.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 157 DOT/DETECT--Determination of Temperatures/Determination of Temperatures in Construction

DOT is a finite -element heat transfer analysis program for both linear and nonlinear two-dimensional planar and axisymmetric heat conduction problems. Material nonlinearities such as temperature-dependent conductivity and specific heat are considered as well as nonlinear radiation boundary conditions for the case of structures exposed to a fire environment.

DRAIN2DX--Static and Dynamic Analysis of Inelastic Plane Structures

DRAIN-2DX is an improved version of the DRAIN-2D general-purpose program for static and dynamic analysis of plane structures.

DRTABS (Drain Tabs)--Inelastic Earthquake Response of Three-Dimensional Buildings

This program determines the inelastic dynamic response of three-dimensional buildings of essentially arbitrary configuration due to ground motions.

EACD-3D--A Computer Program for Three-Dimensional Earthquake Analysis of Concrete Dams This program implements an analytical procedure for the three-dimensional earthquake response analysis of concrete dams which includes the effects of dam- water interaction and of alluvium and sediments usually present at the bottom, and possibly at the sides, of reservoirs.

EADAP--Enhanced Arch Dam Analysis Program This enhanced version of the ADAP program accounts for the hydrodynamic effects of the reservoir by calculating an equivalent added-mass matrix.

EAGD-84--Earthquake Analysis of Concrete Gravity Dams This program may be used to evaluate the response of concrete gravity dams to earthquakes, including the effects of dam-water-foundation rock interaction and of materials, such as alluvium and sediments, at the bottom of reservoirs. Outputs from the program include hydrostatic loads; nodal point displacements and element stresses due to static loads; natural vibration frequencies and mode shapes of the dam (if the foundation rock is assumed to be rigid) or of an associated dam-foundation rock system (if dam-foundation rock interaction effects are included); the largest major principal stress and the smallest minor principal stress in each finite element and the times at which they occur.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 158 EQPACK: A Software and Database for Earthquake Engineering Applications

This software package provides the following facilities: Estimation of the Peak Horizontal Ground Acceleration (PHGA) at a site for different soil conditions based on the earthquake magnitude and the epicentral distance; Generation of Median Newmark and Hall response spectra for a given PHGA and damping level; Generation of a Median Seed and Idriss response spectra for a given set of PHGA and soil conditions; A database of acceleration time histories and response spectra for two horizontal and one vertical component of seven commonly used California earthquake records; and Plotting, printing, filing and scaling facilities for representation and manipulation of the data.

EQRISK--Evaluation of Sites for Earthquake Risk EQRISK is for the evaluation of earthquake risk at chosen sites.

ERST--Earthquake Response of Sea-Based Storage Tanks ERST evaluates the elasto-hydrodynamic response of submerged oil storage tanks to earthquake ground motion.

ETABS--Extended Three-Dimensional Analysis of Building Systems ETABS is designed to perform linear structural analysis of frame and shear wall buildings subjected to both static and earthquake loadings.

FIRES -RC2--Fire Response of Structures (Reinforced Concrete Dams) and FIRES -T3 (Thermal Three Dimensional Version)

FIRES -T3 evaluates the temperature distribution history of structures in fire environments.

FLUSH--A Computer Program for Seismic Soil-Structure Interaction Analysis

FLUSH is a further development of the complex response finite-element program LUSH (Lysmer et al, 1974).

GADFLEA: Analysis of Pore Pressure Generation and Dissipation During Cyclic or Earthquake Loading

GADFLEA has been used to analyze a wide range of problems such as the generation and dissipation of pore pressure in horizontally stratified soil deposit subjected to earthquake loading, the use of gravel drains to stabilize potentially liquefiable soil deposits, the generation and dissipation of pore pressure in earth

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 159 and rock-fill dams subjected to earthquake loading and the generation and dissipation of pore pressure in marine deposits subjected to wave action.

IDARC--Inelastic Damage Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Frame (Shear Wall Structures)

IDARC is an analytical tool for macro modeling of reinforced concrete structures.

ISADAB--Inelastic Static and Dynamic Analysis of Bridges ISADAB was developed for the transverse inelastic analysis of reinforced concrete highway bridges.

LASS II and LASS III LASS-II analyzes seismic response and liquefaction of horizontally layered saturated solids.

LUSH2--Complex Response Analysis of Soil-Structure Systems by the Finite - Element Method

The program finds the complete response of a plane finite-element model representing a soil-structure system.

MASH--Nonlinear Analysis of Vertically Propogating Shear Waves in Horizontally Layered Deposits

MASH is designed to solve the dynamic response of horizontal soil layers.

MicroSARB: A Microcomputer Program for Seismic Analysis of Regular Highway Bridges

This program implements procedure one of the Applied Technology Council (ATC-6) seismic design guidelines for straight regular highway bridges. The ATC- 6 procedure one employ the Single Mode Spectral Analysis Medthod (SMSM) for seismic analysis of regular highway bridges.

NEABS--Nonlinear Earthquake Analysis of Bridge Systems NEABS performs nonlinear dynamic analysis of long, multiple span bridge systems.

NONSAP--A Structural Analysis Program for Static/Dynamic Response of Nonlinear Systems

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 160 The NONSAP finite element code is an in-core solver.

NONSPEC --Inelastic Response Spectra for Single -Degree-of-Freedom Systems

NONSPEC is an analytical tool used by designers to give guidance in selecting overall system stiffness and strength in order to limit inelastic deformations to acceptable levels.

ODRESB-3D--Optimum Design of Reinforced Concrete and Steel Building Systems Subjected to 3D Ground Motions and ATC-03 Provisions

The building system to be optimized can consist of any combination of steel columns, beams and braces and reinforced-concrete flexural walls and panels. Each floor is assumed to be rigid in its own plane.

ODSEWS2D-II--Optimum Design of 2-D Steel Structures for Static, Seismic and Wind Forces

The structural system to be optimized can be trusses, unbraced and braced frames.

PC-ANSR--Nonlinear Structural Analysis PC-ANSR is based on the ANSR-1 program originally developed for use on mainframe computers.

PSEQGN--Artificial Generation of Earthquake Accelerograms The program produces digitized records of acceleration, velocity and displacement simulating those of earthquake ground motion.

QUAD-4--Seismic Response of Soil Structures Category: Engineering; Specialized Engineering; Civil QUAD-4 evaluates the seismic response of any soil deposit or earth structure using a variable damping finite element procedure.

RASSUEL--Reliability Analysis of Soil Slopes Under Earthquake Loading

Used to assess the reliability of soil slopes under earthquake loading.

RCCOLA--Reinforced Concrete Column Analysis RCCOLA evalutes the general flexural characteristics of reinforced concrete cross-sections subjected to axial forces and unaxial bending moments.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 161

RCSA: Reinforced Concrete Section Analysis The program utilizes the layer, or filament, approach to discretize a section.

SAP IV--A Structural Analysis Program for Static and Dynamic Response of Linear Systems

SAP IV is a finite element structural analysis program for the static and dynamic response of linear three-dimensional systems.

SEAWAVE--A Model of Tsunami Generation and Propogation SEAWAVE models the tsunami resulting from the instantaneous vertical displacement of the sea floor caused by an earthquake.

SEISAB--Seismic Analysis of Bridges SEISAB was developed for the seismic analysis of bridges.

SHORE-III--Shell of Revolution Finite-Element Program SHORE-III is a finite -element program for the linear static and dynamic analysis of arbitrarily loaded thin to moderately thick elastic shells of revolution.

SIMQKE--Simulation of Earthquake Ground Motions SIMQKE generates statistically independent accelerograms, performs a baseline correlation on the generated motions to ensure zero final group velocity and calculates response spectra.

SLAM-2--A Microcomputer Program for the Analysis of Structural Pounding

SLAM-2 provides engineers with an analytical tool used to evaluate the effect of structural pounding on buildings.

SOLIDSAP--Static Analysis Program for Three-Dimensional Solid Structures

SOLIDSAP is designed to perform static, linear, elastic analyses of three- dimensional structural systems.

SPASM--Seismic Pile Analysis with Support Motion A dynamic analysis for lateral soil-pile behavior has been developed and implemented in a beam-column program.

SPECEQ/UQ: Generatio n of Response Spectra Digitized at Equal/Unequal Time Intervals

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 162

These programs compute response spectra from earthquake accelerograms digitized at equal (SPECEQ) or unequal (SPECUQ) time intervals.

SPECTR: Spectra Response Analysis The program evaluates dynamic response spectra at various periods and presents the results as a log-log plot.

STABL: Analysis of General Slope Stability Problems Category: Engineering; Specialized Engineering; Civil STABL is a computer program for the general solution of slope stability problems by a two-dimensional limiting equilibrium method.

STOCAL-I--Stochastic Computer Analysis Language for the Static and Dynamic Analysis of Structural Systems

STOCAL-I is a matrix interpretive language and a small capacity structural analysis program.

STOCAL-II--Computer-Assisted Learning System for Stochastic Dynamic Analysis of Structures

STOCAL-II is instructional software designed for teaching or self-learning of random vibrations and applied stochastic processes.

SUPER-ETABS--Extended Three-Dimensional Analysis of Building Systems

SUPER-ETABS is an enhancement of ETABS which was designed to perform linear structural analysis of frame and shear wall buildings subjected to both static and earthquake loadings.

TABS80--Three-Dimensional Analysis of Building Systems TABS80 is an enhanced version of TABS, a program for the static and dynamic linear analysis of multistory frame and shear wall buildings.

TEMPO--Transportation Emergency

TEMPO is a decision support tool developed to address the vital transporation needs following a major earthquake.

TOWER--Earthquake Analysis and Response of Intake-Outlet Towers

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 163 This program consists of three programs for the earthquake response analysis of intake-outlet towers.

ULARC--Small Displacements Elasto-Plastic Analysis of Plane Frames

The program computes the node displacements, member forces, support reactions, plastic hinge rotations and rigid -plastic collapse loads for plane frames of arbitrary shape subjected to static joint loads and support settlements.

WAVES --Seismic Response of Horizontally Layered Soil Deposits WAVES is a special-purpose program for computing the dynamic characteristics and seismic response of horizontally layered soil deposits.

WEBTAP--Analysis of Web-Tapered Steel Number Systems WEBTAP is a program for the static, linear elastic analysis of planar framed structures.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 164

ADDITIONAL MAPINFO (TM) INFORMATION

(The author has no involvement or connection of any kind with this corporation. This information is extracted from commercial marketing documents. No endorsements are made, although this software is believed to be appropriate for mitigation applications described in the main report. Price samples are included here for illustration only. Contact relevant software dealers for latest information)

MapInfo WWW Site

A new Internet WWW site for MapInfo users and developers is available. It can be referenced with a WWW browser at:

http://www.io.org/~gosho/mi_site.htm

MapInfo Corp Announcements and press releases are available by anonymous ftp from: ftp.csn.net in the /mapinfo/announce directory.

They can be obtained by email by sending an empty email message to [email protected] A list of files and how to retrieve them will be returned.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 165

Products Description & Price List (sample prices only)

MapInfo Software MapBasic Development Environment Programming language Upgrade Prices from previous MapInfo releases MapInfo SQL DataLink to connect to other SQL servers MapInfo ArcLink V 3.0 Two-way translator for ARC/INFO data Data Developer Kit AG*Link Translator for Atlas GIS data

(Note: all prices are in US dollars)

Windows ...... : $1295.00 Macintosh ...... : $1295.00 Sun ...... : $2495.00 HP ...... : $2495.00

MapBasic Develo pment Environment MapBasic is an optional programming language that allows users to build custom applications to run under MapInfo. MapBasic is a version of BASIC much like Visual Basic, but with the functionality of MapInfo's SQL and mapping features. Users can create custom menus, toolbars, dialog boxes and communicate with other non-MapInfo applications. ------MapBasic for Win/Mac ...... : $795.00 MapBasic for Sun/HP ...... : $1595.00 ------MapInfo & MapBasic Upgrades: Upgrade to MapInfo version 3.0 for Win/Mac ....: $299.00 Upgrade to MapInfo version 3.0 for Sun/HP .....: $399.00 Upgrade from MapInfo for DOS to MapInfo for Windows/Macintosh ...... : $299.00 Upgrade from MapInfo for DOS to MapInfo for Sun/HP ...... : $399.00 Upgrade to MapBasic for Win/Mac ...... : $199.00 Upgrade to MapBasic for Sun/HP ...... : $399.00 ------

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 166 MapInfo SQL DataLink: MapInfo SQL DataLink is a software option that allows users to query and retrieve data form remote database managers such as Oracle v. 7.x and Sybase 10.x. Supports version 2.0 of QElib and Microsoft ODBC 1.0. Windows/Macintosh version ...... : $595.00 Sun/HP version ...... : $1195.00 ------

MapInfo ArcLink V 3.0: MapInfo ArcLink provides two-way translation between ARC/INFO's uncompressed Export format and MapInfo .TAB format. ArcLink (all platforms) ...... : $595.00 ______Data Developer Kit: Windows version ...... : $495.00 ------AG Link: AG Link provides one-way translation of Strategic Mapping's Atlas GIS files (.agf, aif, .dbf) into MapInfo v. 3.0 format. Windows version ...... : $95.00

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995 167 United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs

Consultancy Report. Disaster Information Systems in the South Pacific Region (June-Sept 1995)

R.S. Stephenson

Select Bibliography

The following pages contain a selection of reports and papers referenced in the main study, together with background material for the project. This material relates primarily to the needs of the South Pacific region.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

1. Disaster Information Systems in Post-Disaster Assessment. B: Field the Pacific Survey. PIDP, Honolulu, 1986

Accascina, Gabriel. Carter, Nick; Lohman, Ernst J.A. Internet Services in Fiji: a study "South-Pacific Mitigation Needs commissioned by the University of the Assessment" : Survey Mission Report: South Pacific, funded by the Asia The Republic of Western Samoa Foundation. University of the South during March/April 1990 United Pacific, Suva, Fiji, 19 January 1995. Nations, Office of the Disaster Relief Co-Ordinator, UNDRO. (1990). Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) Chung, Joseph Improving Cyclone Warning "Fiji, land of tropical cyclones and Response and Mitigation, 3rd hurricanes: a case study of Regional Workshop: Report of agricultural rehabilitation". Disasters: Proceedings. Asian Institute of The International Journal of Disaster Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, Studies and Practice, Vol.11 No.1: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, p40-48, 1987 ADPC. Improving Cyclone Warning Response and Mitigation (ICWRM), Davis, Ian No.3, Nadi, Fiji, 1-12 April 1991. 21p. "South-Pacific Mitigation Needs (1991). Assessment" : Survey Mission Reports: The Republic of Solomon Australia: National Disasters Islands from 26-30 April 1990. United Organization Nations, Office of the Disaster Relief SW Pacific Disaster Manager's Co-Ordinator (UNDRO), Geneva Workshop Report, Honiara, Solomon (1990) Islands 11-14, May, 1992 IDNDR Australian Coordination Davis, Ian Committee (National Disasters "South-Pacific Mitigation Needs Organization), Canberra Assessment" : Survey Mission Reports: The Republic of Vanuatu Campbell, John R. from 4-6 May 1990. United Nations, "Dealing with Disaster" : Hurricane Office of the Disaster Relief Response in Fiji Co-Ordinator (UNDRO), Geneva Published/Distributed by East-West (1990) Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, Pacific Island Development Program, PIDP. Fiji Posts and Telecommunications, 209p. (1984). ISBN 0-86638-058-2. Ltd. Standing Instructions: Co-ordination Campbell, John R. and Chung, of Company Activities in Times of Joseph Natural Disaster or Civil Commotion. Post-Disaster Assessment. A: General Organization 0005, Issue 9. Management. PIDP, Honolulu, 1986 Suva, Fiji, August 1992.

Campbell, John R. and Chung, Joseph

168 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Government of Fiji Government of Western Samoa, National Disaster Plan: Fiji Western Samoa Suva, Fiji, Jan '94 Report on Cyclone Damage to Main Coast Roads on Savai'i. Government Government of Fiji: Meteorological of Western Samoa, Western Samoa, Service Public Works Department. 17p. Tropical Cyclone Alerts and Warnings (1990). (32/6) Nadi, Fiji, 28 Oct 1994 Govt of Western Samoa Government of Fiji: Minister for Fijian Preliminary Damage Assessment Affairs and Regional Development Report for Cyclone Val - 6-9 Dec Tropical Cyclone Kina and Severe 1991. Western Samoa National Flooding in Fiji Disaster Council, Govt of Western A Preliminary Report by the Minister Samoa, 1991. for Fijian Affairs and Regional Development DISMAC Task Force, Gupta, Satyendra Suva 1994 "Cyclone Val in Western Samoa Damage Assessment and Government of Fiji: Public Works Recommendations: Mission Report" Department Published/Distributed by ADPC. 34p. Standing Operational Procedures for (1991). Emergencies Suva, Fiji, January 1995 Hamnett, Michael P. and Angela Barzelatto Franco Government of Niue Regional Overview of Disaster A Report on the Survey of Damage Preparedness and Disaster Caused by Tropical Cyclone OFA to Experience in the South Pacific. PIDP, the Agricultural Sector. 23p. (1990). Hawaii, Sept 1992

Government of Niue Kalkaua, Knox and Rector, Ian Preliminary Report on Cyclone OFA. "Case Study Vanuatu: Disaster (1990). Preparedness and Awareness" Disaster Management Training Government of the Cook Islands. Programme, South Pacific Workshop, National Disaster Management Plan Apia, Western Samoa, 29 November - (Revised Edition 1995). Raratonga, 4 December 1993. Workshop Paper : Cook Islands, 1995 No.6. Published/Distributed by United Nations, Disaster Management Government of Vanuatu Training Programme, DMTP. 10p. National Disaster Plan. 1995 edition. (1993). NDMO, Port Vila, Vanuatu,

169 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Lohman, Ernst J.A. Office of the UN Disaster Relief "South-Pacific Mitigation Needs Co-ordinator (UNDRO) Assessment" : Survey Mission Seminar Report: Strengthening Reports: The Kingdom of Tonga from Disaster Management in the South 21-25 April 1990 Pacific. Office of the United Nations Published/Distributed by United Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, UNDRO. Nations, Switzerland, Office of the Suva, Fiji, 26-28 March 1991. (1991). Disaster Relief Co-Ordinator, UNDRO. (1990). Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator (UNDRO) Ministry of Fijian Affairs & Rural Seminar Report: Strengthening Development Disaster Management in the South Disaster Response Management Pacific. Office of the United Nations Seminar, 2 -3 September 1991, Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, UNDRO. Ministry of Fijian Affairs & Rural Suva, Fiji, 26-28 March 1991. (1991). Development, Suva, Fiji, 1992. Office of the United Nations Disaster Ministry of Home Affairs and Provincial Relief Co-ordinator (UNDRO) Government, Honiara, Solomon South -Pacific Mitigation Needs Islands Assessment: Survey Mission Reports: Report of the Technical Advisory The Republic of Fiji during March - Team on Cyclone Nina Damage and May 1990 (Ward, Brian; Lohman, Proposed Rehabilitation Programme. Ernst) Published/Distributed by United Ministry of Home Affairs and Provincial Nations, Switzerland, Office of the Government, Honiara, Solomon Disaster Relief Co-Ordinator, UNDRO. Islands, National Disaster Council, (1990). NDC. Published/Distributed by Ministry of Home Affairs and Provincial Pullar, D. N. Government, Honiara, Solomon "The Fiji Land Information System Islands, National Disaster Council, (FLIS) Programme". New Zealand NDC. 94p. (1993). Surveyor, No.285. March 1995

Ministry of Home Affairs and Provincial Rokovada, Joeli and Vrolijks, Luc Government, Honiara, Solomon Case Study Fiji: Disaster and Islands Development Linkages" Disaster Report on Cyclone Namu. Ministry of Management Training Programme, Home Affairs and Provincial South Pacific Workshop, Apia, Government, Honiara, Solomon Western Samoa, 29 November - 4 Islands, National Disaster Council, December 1993. Workshop Paper : NDC. Published/Distributed by No.8. Published/Distributed by United Ministry of Home Affairs and Provincial Nations, Disaster Management Government, Honiara, Solomon Training Programme, DMTP. 50p. Islands, National Disaster Council, (1993). NDC. 60p. (1986).

170 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Tomblin, John Anonymous "UNDRO's Role in Responding to "How to Use Cellular Phones During a Volcanic Emergencies"UNDRO News. Disaster" Published/Distributed by United Communications News v29n4 pp: 24 Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Apr 1992 Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, UNDRO. (Mar/Apr), pp. 7-10. (1988). Anonymous "In Hurricane's Wake, Army Engineers United States: Federal Emergency Bring Power to Public Facilities". Management Agency (FEMA) Transmission & Distribution v44n11 "Addendum to Hazard Mitigation pp: 32 Oct 1992 Report Hurricane Iniki FEMA-961-DR-HI" FEMA. (1992). Anonymous "Suggestions from the Field to Guide United States: Federal Emergency Planning for the Future". Management Agency. Transmission & Distribution v44n11 Hazard Mitigation Report for Tropical pp: 40-41 Oct 1992 Storms in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Anthes, Gary H In Response to the Dec. 6, 1991 "Fed agency tailors GIS to locate Federal Disaster Declaration for flooded areas" Tropical Storm Zelda, Computerworld v27n31 pp: 20 Aug FEMA-925-DR-MH and for the Feb. 2, 1993 7, 1992 Federal Disaster. Declaration for Tropical Cyclone Axel Auf der Heide, Erik Washington DC 1993 "Disaster Response: Principles of Preparation and Coordination" Ward, Brian Published/Distributed by The C.V. "South-Pacific Mitigation Needs Mosby Company, St. Louis, MI, U.S.A. Assessment" : Survey Mission xvii+363 p. (1989). ISBN Reports: The Republic of Papua New 0-8016-0385-4. Guinea during March 1990 United Nations, Office of the Disaster Relief Australia: National Disasters Co-Ordinator, Geneva (1990). Organization (NDO) "Communications". Australian Emergency Manual Series (1991). 2. Disaster Information Systems: ISBN 0 642 163057. Case Examples and Design Principles Baum, David "IS Proves Critical to Hurricane Anonymous Andrew Relief Effort". InfoWorld "FEMA team builds an emergency v14n41 pp: 68 Oct 12, 1992 network on the fly". InfoWorld v16n12 pp: 62 Mar 21, 1994

171 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Blake, Pat Comfort, Louise "Recovering From: Andrew's Wrath . "Designing an interactive, intelligent, The Cellular Industry Fights Back". spatial information system for Cellular Business v9n13 pp: 16-24 international disaster assistance" Dec 1992 International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 1991 9, Bodson, Dennis; Harris, Eleanor 3, Nov 339-353 "When the Lines Go Down". IEEE Spectrum v29n3 pp: 40-44 Mar Comfort, Louise 1992 "Integrating information technology into international crisis management Booze Allen and Hamilton, Inc. and policy". Enhancing Emergency Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Telecommunications. Management 1993 1, 1, Mar 15-26 Hazard Monthly, volume XI, number 3, March 1991, pages 8-9, 12. Cook, Ronald, and Soltani, Mehrdad ISSN: 0742-6410. Hurricanes of 1992. Proceedings of a Symposium December 1 -3, 1993, Buddenberg, Rex American Society of Civil Engineers, "Computer Networking and C3I New York, 1994. Systems for Emergency Services". http://vislab-www.nps.navy.mil/~budde Dostert, Michele n "FEMA disaster recovery system goes ftp://ftp.nps.navy.mil/pub/sm/budden/I high-tech" S4502/text_wp (Word Perfect Computerworld v27n25 pp: 51 Jun version - Mac) 21, 1993

Cervenka, Dana Dynes, Russell R.; Quarantelli, E.L. "Disaster recovery" Communications "Organizational Communications and v31n5 pp: 28-31 May 1994 Decision Making in Crises" DRC Report Series : No.17. Cervenka, Dana Published/Distributed by Univ. of "Mobile's Role in Disaster Recovery". Delaware, Delaware, Ohio, U.S.A., Communications v29n2 pp: 37-39 Disaster Research Center, DRC. Feb 1992 43p. (1977).

Cole, Frederick M. Economic and Social Commission for USAID/OFDA Disaster Assistance Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Response Team Operational System "Damage Information Compilation Description, USAID/OFDA, Systems in Burma, Maldives, Pakistan Washington D.C., April 1987. and SriLanka." Published/Distributed by United Nations, Bangkok, Thailand, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP. : 31 p 1985.

172 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Economic and Social Commission for Lindstrom, Ann H. Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP. "Hurricane Andrew Sweeps Across "Damage Information Compilation the BellSouth Region". Telephony Systems in the Typhoon Committee v223n9 pp: 7-8 Aug 31, 1992 Region." Published/Distributed by United Llana, Andres Jr Nations, Bangkok, Thailand, "Establishing effective disaster Economic and Social Commission for recovery measures for your Asia and the Pacific. : 154 p telecommunications facilities". (1984). Managing Office Technology v39n2 pp: 53-55 Feb 1994 Hammerton, John L., et al "Hurricanes and Agriculture: Losses McLoughlin, David and Remedial Actions". Disasters: "A Framework for Integrated The International Journal of Disaster Emergency Management" Public Studies and Practice, Vol 8, No 4, Administration Review. 1984. 45pp.165-172. (1 985).

Hollenkamp, Thomas L Mullen, Sam "Preparing for the "Big One". "PCs Provide Fast Access to Transmission & Distribution v46n4 Emergency Procedures and Critical pp: 21-28 Apr 1994 Information". Transmission & Distribution v44n11 pp: 68-78 Oct Johnson, Maryfran 1992 "GIS Helps Clean Up in Andrew's Wake". Computerworld v26n39 pp: Raj, Rishi 49 Sep 28, 1992 Disaster Awareness in Fiji. Ministry of Infrastructure, Public Works Karon, Paul and "FEMA improves disaster relief with Maritime, Hydrology Section, PC LAN/WAN". InfoWorld v16n12 Samabula, Fiji. pp: 62 Mar 21, 1994 Stop Disasters 14/93 IDNDR Secretariat, Geneva Leposky, Rosalie; Leposky, George "Andrew's Fury: How Florida Power Rattien, Stephen & Light Is Putting South Florida Back "The Role of the Media in Hazard Together Again" Mitigation" In: Communication When Transmission & Distribution v44n11 It's Needed Most: How New pp: 10-33 Oct 1992 Technology Could Help in Sudden Disasters. Published/D istributed by Lindstrom, Ann H. The Annenberg Washington "Hurricane Andrew Keeps Carriers Program in Communications Policy Scrambling" Studies, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. Telephony v223n10 pp: 9 -12 Sep pp.48-57. (1990) 7, 1992

173 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Reed, John H., Goerge O. Rogers, United States: Federal Emergency and John H. Sorensen Management Agency (FEMA) Establishing functional requirements "Technology Applications by the for emergency management Federal Emergency Management information systems. Oak Ridge Agency in Response, Recovery, and National Laboratory, Energy Division, Mitigation Operations Following 1991 Natural Disasters" A paper prepared for the 27th Joint Scott, John, C. Freibaum, Jerry. Meeting of the U.S./Japanese Panel Review Of The Effectiveness Of on Wind and Seismic Effects Communications During And Shortly May 16-27, 1995 Tokyo / Osaka, After The Loma Prieta Earthquake. Japan SO Public Service Satellite Federal Emergency Management Consortium, February 1990. NT 19 Agency, Washington DC 20472 pages. 2 appendices. Funded by the American Mobile Satellite United States: Office of US Foreign Corporation. 1990. Disaster Assistance. Disaster Assessment Procedures Stamp, G.L. Manual (Various Editions), "Hurricane Andrew: the importance of Washington D.C., 1986 et seq. coordinated response." US Army Veterinary Corps, Fort Sam Houston, Vermeiren, Jan C. TX 78234-6200. J Am Vet Med Assoc Installation of an Emergency Oct 1 1993, 203 (7) p989-92, ISSN Information System (EIS) in Jamaica: 0003-1488 Some Lessons Learned. Organization of American States: Stephenson, R.S. Department of Regional "Severe Tropical Storms Preparation Development, Natural Hazards and Response: Case Study Text" Project, Working Paper No.3. Published/Distributed by Washington D.C., April 1989 UNDP/UNDRO, Disaster Management Training Programme, DMTP. (1991). Weibel, Robert; Buttenfield, Barbara P. Stephenson, R.S. "Improvement of GIS graphics for "Disaster Assessment. Training analysis and decision-making". Module" International Journal of Geographical Published/Distributed by Information Systems" UNDP/UNDRO, Disaster Management pp 223-245 (1992) Training Programme, DMTP. (1991) Williams, Graham J. United States: Federal Emergency "Templates for Spatial Reasoning in Management Agency (FEMA) Responsive Geographical Information "Guidance for Radio Amateur Civil Systems". International Journal of Emergency Service" Federal Geographical Information Systems, Emergency Management Agency Civil vol 9, No 2., pp 117-131, 1995. Preparedness Guide : No.CPG 1-15. (1991).

174 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Wong, Bo K; Monaco, John A; Anonymous Sellaro, C Louise "Hospitals in Hurricane Andrew's "Disaster recovery planning: Path Struggled to Keep Power and Suggestions to top management and Treat Patients". Transmission & information systems managers" Distribution v44n11 pp: 20-21 Oct Journal of Systems Management 1992 v45n5 pp: 28-33 May 1994 Baxter PJ; Bernstein RS; Buist AS Wong, C Jerry; Burnham, Jeffrey T; "Preventive health measures in Eby, Michael R. volcanic eruptions". "Hurricane Andrew's challenge to Am J Public Health Mar 1986, 76 (3 Florida Power and Light". Suppl) p84-90, ISSN 0090-0036 Transmission & Distribution v45n9 pp: 24-34 Sep 1993 Bernstein RS; Baxter PJ; Buist AS "Introduction to the epidemiological World Meteorological Organization aspects of explosive volcanism." Am J "Human Response to Tropical Public Health Mar 1986, 76 (3 Cyclone Warnings and their Content" Suppl) p3-9, ISSN 0090-0036 : World Meteorological Organization Tropical Cyclone Programme Project Brown ST; Kurtz AW; Turley JP; Gulitz No. 12 Published/Distributed by World E Meteorological Organization, Geneva, "Sheltering and response to Switzerland, WMO. (1989). evacuation during Hurricane Elena." J Emerg Nurs Jan-Feb 1988, 14 (1) World Meteorological Organization p23-6, ISSN 0099-1767 Tropical Cyclone Programme: Human Response to Tropical Cyclone Buist AS; Bernstein RS Warnings & Their Content "Health effects of volcanoes: an Report No. Tropical Cyclone P-11, approach to evaluating the health 1989, effects of an environmental hazard". WMOTD No. 301, Project No. 12 Am J Public Health Mar 1986, 76 (3 Suppl) p1-2, ISSN 0090-0036

3. Specialist Sectors - Logistics Buist AS; Bernstein RS; Johnson LR; and Health Vollmer WM "Evaluation of physical health Alson R;" Alexander D; Leonard RB; effects due to volcanic hazards: Stringer LW human studies." Am J Public Health "Analysis of medical treatment at a Mar 1986, 76 (3 Suppl) p66-75, field hospital following Hurricane ISSN 0090-0036 Andrew, 1992.". Department of Emergency Medicine, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Ann Emerg Med Nov 1993, 22 (11) p1721-8, ISSN 0196-0644

175 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Colin A. Ackehurst; Duncan Beggs Lee LE; Fonseca V; Brett KM; Rob Gordon; John Isherwood; Sanchez J; Mullen RC; Quenemoen Michael B. O'Connell; Graham D. LE; Groseclose SL; Hopkins RS Smith "Active morbidity surveillance after The Local Government Engineer in Hurricane Andrew--Florida, 1992". Disaster Recovery. Australian Division of Field Epidemiology, Counter Disaster College (ACDC) Centers for Disease Control and ISBN 0 642 15287 X Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333. JAMA Aug 4 1993, 270 (5) p591-4, Finau SA ISSN 0098-7484 "Health and nutritional status of Tongan preschool children after Lillibridge SR; Conrad K; Stinson N; Cyclone Isaac". Noji EK N Z Med J Aug 27 1986, 99 (808) "Haitian mass migration: Uniformed p630-2, ISSN 0028-8446 Service medical support, May 1992". Diaster Assessment and Finau SA; Fungalei S; Isama'u O; Epidemiology Section, Centers for Finau S; Moa P Disease Control "Environmental and sanitary and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333. conditions after a cyclone in Tonga". Mil Med Feb 1994, 159 (2) p149-53, Community Health Stud 1986, 10 ISSN 0026-4075 (3) p336-43, ISSN 0314-9021 Lillibridge SR; Noji EK; Burkle FM Jr Henderson AK; Lillibridge SR; Salinas "Disaster assessment: the C; Graves RW; Roth PB; Noji EK emergency health evaluation of a "Disaster medical assistance teams: population affected by a disaster". providing health care to a community Disaster Assessment & Epidemiology struck by Hurricane Iniki". Section, Centers for Disease Control Disaster Assessment and and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. Epidemiology Section, Centers for Ann Emerg Med, Nov 1993, 22 (11) Disease Control and Prevention, p1715-20, ISSN 0196-0644 Atlanta, Georgia. Ann Emerg Med Apr 1994, 23 (4) p726-30, ISSN Malilay JM, Quenemoen LE: 0196-0644 Applying a geographic information system to disaster epidemiologic Hlady WG; Quenemoen LE; research: Hurricane Andrew, Florida, Armenia -Cope RR; Hurt KJ; Malilay J; 1992. In Proceedings of the 1993 Noji EK; Wurm G Conference on Simulation for "Use of a modified cluster sampling Emergency Preparedness and method to perform rapid needs Management. 29 March-1 April 1993, assessment after Hurricane Andrew". Washington, D.C. San Diego: The Epidemiology Program, Florida Society for Computer Simulation, Department of Health and 1993 Rehabilitative Services, Miami. Ann Emerg Med Apr 1994, 23 (4) p719-25, ISSN 0196-0644

176 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Newhall CG; Fruchter JS Sanchez-Carrillo CI "Volcanic activity: a review for health "Morbidity following Mexico City's professionals". Am J Public Health 1985 earthquakes: clinical and Mar 1986, 76 (3 Suppl) p10-24, epidemiologic findings from hospitals ISSN 0090-0036 and emergency units". Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Mexico, Noji EK Distrito Federal. Public Health Rep "Analysis of medical needs during Sep-Oct 1989, 104 (5) p482-8 disasters caused by tropical cyclones: anticipated injury patterns". Seaman J Disaster Assessment and "Disaster epidemiology: or why Epidemiology Section, Centers for most international disaster relief is Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia ineffective". 30341-3724. Save the Children Fund, London, UK. J Trop Med Hyg Dec 1993, 96 (6) Injury Jan 1990, 21 (1) p5-8; p370-6, ISSN 0022-5304 discussion 15-6, ISSN 0020-1383

Noji EK Simeon DT; Grantham-McGregor SM; "Disaster epidemiology: challenges Walker SP; Powell CA for public health action". J Public Effects of a hurricane on growth Health Policy Autumn 1992, 13 (3) and morbidity in children from p332-40, ISSN 0197-5897 low-income families in Kingston, Jamaica. Tropical Metabolism Noji EK: Research Unit, University of The West "Analysis of medical needs in Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica. disasters caused by tropical cyclones: Trans R Soc Trop Me d Hyg Sep-Oct The need for a uniform injury 1993, 87 (5) p526-8, ISSN reporting scheme". J Trop Med & Hyg. 0035-9203 (In Press) Surmieda MR; Lopez JM; Abad-Viola Olsen KB; Fruchter JS G; Miranda ME; Abellanosa IP; "Identification of the physical and Sadang RA; Magboo FP; Zacarias chemical characteristics of volcanic NS; Magpantay RL; White FM; et al hazards". "Surveillance in evacuation camps Am J Public Health Mar 1986, 76 (3 after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, Suppl) p45-52, ISSN 0090-0036 Philippines". Field Epidemiology Training Program, Department of Pan American Health Organization Health, Philippines. MMWR CDC (PAHO) Surveillance Summary Aug 28 1992, Assessing Needs in the Health Sector 41 (4) p9-12, ISSN 0892-3787 after Floods and Hurricanes. Technical Paper 11, Pan American Health Organization, Washington D.C., 1987.

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Surmieda MR; Lopez JM; Abad-Viola World Health Organization G; Miranda ME; Abellanosa IP; Coping with Natural Disaster: The Sadang RA; Magboo FP; Zacarias Role of Local Health Personnel & the NS; Magpantay RL; White FM; et al Community Published by WHO and Surveillance in evacuation camps League of Red Cross Societies, after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, Geneva, 1989, ISBN 92 4 154238 1 Philippines. Field Epidemiology Training Program, Department of Health, Philippines. MMWR CDC 4. Information Systems for Surveillance Summary Aug 28 1992, Disaster Mitigation 41 (4) p9-12, ISSN 0892-3787 Aysan, Yasemin and Ian Davis, Eds United Nations: High Commissioner Disaster & the Small Dwelling, for Refugees. Disaster Management. Centre Oxford Commodity Tracking System: User James & James Science Publishers. Guide. Field Software Development 1992, ISBN 1 873936 07 9 Unit, Information and Communications Systems Section, UNHCR, Geneva. Barker, David (Ed) 1993 et seq. Proceedings of the Meeting of Experts on Hazard Mapping in the United States Public Health Service: Caribbean, 30 Nov - 4 Dec 1987. Centers for Disease Control and Sponsored by UNDRO and the Pan Prevention Caribbean Disaster Preparedness "Deaths associated with Hurricane and Prevention Project. Kingston, Hugo--Puerto Rico". MMWR Oct 6 Jamaica, 1989. 1989, 38 (39) p680-2, ISSN 0149-2195 Bender, Stephen O. "Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in United States Public Health Service: Latin America and the Carribean: Centers for Disease Control and Notes on the Decade of the 1990s" Prevention In: Disasters and the Small Dwelling: "Surveillance of shelters after Perspectives for the UN IDNDR. Hurricane Hugo--Puerto Rico". Aysan, Yasemir (ed.). Davis, Ian MMWR Jan 26 1990, 39 (3) (ed.). Published/Distributed by James p41-2, 47, ISSN 0149-2195 & James Science Publish ers Ltd, London, UK. pp45-57. (1992) United States Public Health Service: Centers for Disease Control and Berke, Philip and Dennis Wenger Prevention Montserrat: Emergency Planning: Morbidity surveillance following the Response & Recovery Related to midwest flood--Missouri, 1993. MMWR Hurricane Hugo, Hazard Reduction Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Oct 22 1993, Recovery Centre Texas, 1991 42 (41) p797-8, ISSN 0149-2195

178 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Building Seismic Safety Council. Davis, Ian, et al. Abatement Of Seismic Hazards To Mitigation of Urban Seismic Risk: Lifelines: Proceedings Of The Actions to reduce the impact of Building Seismic Safety Council earthquakes on highly vulnerable Workshop On Development Of An areas of Mexico City. First Year Action Plan; November 5 -7, 1986, Report (1988-1989). Produced under Denver, Colorado; Volume 3: Papers the Bilateral Technical Agreement On Communication Lifelines. Building between the Governments of Mexico Seismic Safety Council, Washington, and the United Kingdom, funded by DC, 1987. REPORT: FEMA-28. the UK Overseas Development CONTRACT: EMW-C-2207. 103 Administration, London, 1989. pages. Prepared by BSSC for the Federal Emergency Management Eguchi-Ronald -T. Agency. Earthquake hazards Current Practice In Earthquake reduction series 28. 1987. Hazard Mitigation For Utility Lifeline Systems. Earthquake training and Carrara, Alberto, and Guzzetti, Fausto education: a collection of issue (Eds) papers. Federal Emergency Geographic Information Systems in Management Agency, Emmitsburg, Assessing Natural Hazards. Kluwer Maryland, Academic Publishers, Kluwer Paper presented at the Earthquake Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Education Curriculum Workshop at Netherlands, 1995 the National Emergency Training Center, Emmitsburg, MD, June 1984. Carter, W. Nick; Chung, Joseph M.; pages 105-110, 1987. Gupta, Satyendra P. "South Pacific Country Study" In: ESCAP Disaster Mitigation in Asia and the Manual and Guidelines for Pacific. Asian Development Bank. Comprehensive Flood Loss Manila. Philippines, ADB. Prevention and Management. pp.255-308. (1990). (1991). ST/ESCAP/933, ESCAP, Bangkok 1991

Coburn, A.W. ; R.J.S. Spence; A. ESCAP Pomonis Proceedings of the Expert Group Vulnerability & Risk Assessment, Meeting on Improvement of Flood UNDRO/DMPT Training Manual Loss Prevention Systems Based on Cambridge Architectural Research Risk Analysis and Mapping. Ltd. Cambridge, UK ST/ESCAP/633. ESCAP, Thailand, 1991 1988

Everingham, I.B. Tsunami in Fiji, Report No. 2. Mineral Resources Dept, Suva. Fiji, 1987, ISBN: 0250 7234

179 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Everingham, I.B. Gaus, M. P., Shinozuka, M and Kim, Catalogue of Felt Earthquakes: S. Reports in Fiji 1941-1981. Suva, Fiji: "Regional Evaluation of Mineral Resources Dept. Report 64, Transportation Lifelines in New York 1987 ISNN: 0250 72.34 State with the aid of GIS Technology", Lifelines Sessions Proceedings Fantozzi-Mark-W. Monograph, ASCE, 1992. Application Of Reliability Based Design For Earthquake Resistant Gaus, M.P. Communications Structures. "GIS-based Regional Risk Analysis for Structural safety & reliability: Bridges and other Lifeline Facilities", proceedings of ICOSSAR '89, the 5th Kim and M. Shinozuka, Eighth Annual International Conference on New York State Geographic Structural Safety and Reliability; San Information Systems Conference, Francisco, August 7 -11, 1989. (Ang, Rochester, NY, 1992. A.H.S, ed). American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, 1989, volume Gaus, M.P., and Subin Ren, 1, pages 661-668. "Seismic Hazard Identification For ISBN: 0-87262-743-8. Bridges Using Gis Technology", 1989. NCEER Bulletin, volume 8, number 1, January 1994, pages 4-7 Foss, J. W. Earthquake Requirements For Godschalk, David R.; Brower, David J. Telecommunications Equipment. "Mitigation Strategies and Integrated Proceedings of the US -Japan Management" Public Administration Workshop on Seismic Behavior of Review. 45pp.64-71. (1985). Buried Pipelines and Telecommunications Systems: Government of Fiji, Mineral Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Resources Dept December 5-7, 1984. Shinozuka, M, Ground Failure Hazards in Suva (ed). Pages 136-147. 1984. Harbour and Environs. Memoir No. 3 1993. Fiji: Mineral Resources Dept, Frost, J. David, and Chameau, J.A. Suva Geographic Information Systems and their Application in Geotechnical Green, C.H.; Parker, D.J.; Earthquake Engineering. Penning-Rowsell, E.C. Proceedings of a Workshop "Lessons for Hazard Management for sponsored by the National Science United Kingdom Floods" Disaster Foundation. Atlanta, Ga, Jan 29-30, Management. 3(2), pp.63-73. (1990). 1993. American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, 1994. Gupta, Satyendra P. "Lecture Notes on Mitigation Measures" Improving Cyclone Warning Response and Mitigation, Bangkok, Thailand, 5-19 April 1992. Published/Distributed by Thailand, ADPC. 109p. (1992).

180 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Holden, B.J. Office of the United Nations Disaster Coastal damage inspection, 1 Relief Co-ordinator UNDRO. December 1990, after Cyclone Sina, "Mitigating Natural Disasters - 27-28 November 1990. SOPAC Phenomena, Effects and Options: A Technical Report 148: 26 pages. Manual for Policy Makers and 1992 Planners" Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, Geneva, Hollister, D. Asian Urban Disaster Switzerland, UNDRO. viii+164 p. Mitigation Project: Inception Paper. (1991). ISBN 92-1-132019-4. Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Bangkok, June 1995. Organisation of American States: Department of Regional Minetree, J. Lawrence. Development and Environment. Telecommunications Inter-Operability Primer on Natural Hazards In Urban Search And Rescue: Management in Integrated Regional Another Disaster. National Institute for Development Planning, Organisation Urban Search and Rescue, Santa of American States, Washington D.C., Barbara, CA, 1991. NCEER 1991 VF00569. 8 pages, 1991. Organization of American States Miwa, M. "Primer on Natural Hazard Seismic Performance Of Management in Integrated Regional Telecommunication Network System. Development Planning" Organization Earthquake Spectra, Vol 3, No. 2, of American States, Washington DC, May 1987, pages 219-229. 1987 USA, Department of Regional ISSN: 8755-2930. Development and Environment. (1991). ISBN 0-8270-3008-8. Nakayama, Tomoaki. Seismic Simulation Of Organization of American States: Telecommunications Network. Department of Regional Proceedings from the Third Japan-US Development. Workshop on Earthquake Resistant "Course on the Use of Natural Design of Lifeline Facilities and Hazards Information in the Countermeasures for Soil Preparation of Investment Projects." Liquefaction; San Francisco, CA, Organization of American States, December 17-19, 1990. Washington, D.C, U.S.A., 2 vols ORourke-T-D, ed. National Center for 1987 Earthquake Engineering Research, State University of New York at PADCO Inc. Buffalo, NY, February 1991, pages "Final Report: Carribbean Disaster 623-637. AV National Technical Project" PADCO, Inc., Washington, Information Service, Springfield, VA DC, USA. ( 1992). 22161, USA. NTIS price codes: PC A99/MF A01.

181 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Pan American Health Organization Shinozuka, M. ; Iwasaki,T. (Eds) "Disaster Mitigation Guidelines for Proceedings Of The US-Japan Hospitals and Other Health Care Workshop On Seismic Behavior Of Facilities in the Caribbean" Pan Buried Pipelines And American Health Organization, Telecommunications Systems: Emergency Preparedness and Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Disaster Relief Coordination Program. December 5-7, 1984. Supported by 668p. (1992). National Science Foundation, in cooperation with Task Committee F Raj, Rishi Disaster Prevention Methods for "Hydrology: Cyclone Raja - Floods Lifeline Systems under UJNR Panel and Rainfall in Vanua Levu" on Wind and Seismic Effects. 1984. Published/Distributed by Public Works Department, Fiji. ii+23p. (1987). Shinozuka -M. Scientific And Engineering Rearic, D.M. 1990: Survey of Cyclone Information Needs In Abatement Of Ofa damage to the northern coast of Seismic Hazards To Upolu, Western Samoa. SOPAC Telecommunications Systems. Technical Report 104: 37 pages. Abatement of seismic hazards to lifelines: proceedings of the Building Sato, Yuji; Akagi, Hisanobu. Seismic Safety Council Workshop on Aseismic Design Of Development of an Action Plan; Telecommunications Equipment Denver, November 5-7, 1986 - Based On Earthquake Observations volume 3, papers on communications In Buildings. lifelines and special workshop Proceedings of the US -Japan presentations. Building Seismic Safety Workshop on Seismic Behavior of Council, Washington, 1987, pages Buried Pipelines and 25-59. REPORT: FEMA-137. Telecommunications Systems: Prepared by the BSSC for the Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Federal Emergency Management December 5-7, 1984. Shinozuka,M. Agency. Earthquake hazard reduction (ed)., pages 251-261. series 28. 1986. 1984. Shinozuka, M. Isenberg, J. Benaroya, Seong H. Kim, Michael P. Gaus, H. George Lee & K.C. Chang, Telecommunications Lifelines In A "A GIS -Based Regional Risk Seismic Environment. Approach for Bridges Subjected to Proceedings of the Eighth World Earthquakes". Eighth Conference on Conference on Earthquake Computing in Civil Engineering, Engineering, July 21-28, 1984, San American Society of Civil Engineers, Francisco, California, USA: Volume 1992. VII. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1984, pages 517-524. ISBN: 0-13-246364-4.

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Takada, S. Miwa, M. Nakano, M. Tomblin, John Fujihashi, K. "UNDRO's Role in Disaster Mitigation" Earthquake Damage And Damage In: Disaster Mitigation in Asia and the Prediction Method Of Underground Pacific. Asian Development Bank. Telecommunications Conduits. Manila. Philippines; ADB. Recent advances in lifeline pp.338-341. (1991). earthquake engineering: Papers presented at the Third International Tomblin, John; and Chung, Joseph. Conference on Soil Dynamics and Papua New Guinea: Analysis of Earthquake Engineering; Princeton, Lessons Learnt from Rabaul Volcanic June 22-24, 1987. Ariman-T, ed. Eruption. Report on Mission from 17- Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1987, pages 26 February, 1995. 209-223, 1987. Department of Humanitarian Affairs, Geneva, 1995. Tang, A. Two Decades Of Communications Tso, W.K.; Naumoski, N. Systems Seismic Protection Periods And Damping Of Improvements. Telecommunication Equipment In Lifeline Earthquake Engineering: Buildings During Strong Earthquake Proceedings of the Third US Shaking. Conference; Los Angeles, CA, Proceedings of the Fourth US August 22-23, 1991. Michael A National Conference on Earthquake Cassaro, ed. American Society of Civil Engineering; Palm Springs, Engineers, New York, 1991, pages California, May 20-24, 1990, volume 318-336, ISBN: 0-87262-821-3. 3. Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, El Cerrito, CA, Tang, A. et al. 1990, pages 71-80, 1990. ISBN: Research And Development In 0-943198-30-5. Seismic Mitigation Of Telecommunication Systems In Tucker, Brian E. et al (eds) Canada. Issues in Urban Earthquake Risk, Proceedings of the US -Japan Kluwer Academic Publishers, Workshop on Seismic Behavior of Dordrecht, Netherlands, 1994 (ISBN Buried Pipelines and 07923-2914-7) Telecommunications Systems: Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Tiedemann, H. December 5-7, 1984. Shinozuka, M. "Direct, Indirect and Economic Losses (ed). pages 118-134, 1984. of Natural Disasters Risk Analysis and Risk Optimization and the Role of Technical Resources Inc. Insurance" Regional Seminar on "International Workshop on Strengthening Disaster Management Earthquake Injury Epidemiology for in the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, 26-28 Mitigation and Response" Technical March 1991. United Nations Disaster Resources, Inc, Rockville, MD, U.S.A. Relief Co-ordinator's Office, Fiji, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, 10-12 July South Pacific Project Office. 20p. 1989. (1989).

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United Kingdom: Royal Academy of Wadge, G. Engineering. "The potential modelling of gravity Landslides: Hazard Mitigation. flows and slope instabilities" Proceedings of a conference held on International Journal of Geographical November 12th, 1993. Royal Information Systems, pp. 143-152, Academy of Engineering, London, 1988 1995 Wadge, G. et al. United States: Federal Emergency Mapping Natural Hazards with Spatial Management Agency Modelling Systems. In Geographic Reducing Losses in High Risk Flood Information Handling - Research and Hazard Areas: A Guideline for Local Applications. Edited by P.M. Mather. Officials. The Association of State John Wiley and Sons, 1993. Flood-Plain Managers, 1985 Wharton, Stanley. United States: Federal Emergency "Landslide Hazard Assessment Along Management Agency (FEMA) a Major Communication Routeway in "Hazard Mitigation Report for Tropical Trinidad". Disaster Management, Vol Storms in the Republic of the Marshall 6, No.4, pp 219-223, 1994. Island" Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1992. Wrobel, Leo A. Disaster Recovery Planning For United States: Federal Emergency Telecommunications. Management Agency (FEMA) Artech House, Boston, 1990. ISBN: "Hazard Mitigation Report: Hurricane 0-89006-460-1. Iniki" Federal Emergency 115 pages. Artech House Management Agency, USA. v+44p, Telecommunications Library, 1990. 1992. Yap Institute of Natural Science United States: Federal Emergency "Hazard Mitigation Team Report for Management Agency. the Federated States of Micronesia" "Hazard Mitigation Survey Team The Yap Institute of Natural Science, Report: Recommended Projects for Micronesia. 1990. Funding Through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program" Federal Yokel, Felix Y. Emergency Management Agency. Earthquake Resistant Construction Of 39p, 1993. Electrical Transmission And Telecommunication Facilities Serving Vermeiren, Jan C. and Watson, The Federal Government. National Charles C. Institute of Standards and "New Technology for Improved Storm Technology, Center for Building Risk Assessment in the Caribbean", Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, Disaster Management, Vol 6, No.4, February 1990. REPORT: pp 191-196, 1994. FEMA-202. NISTIR-89-4213. Earthquake Hazards Reduction Series 56. 1990.

184 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

5. Library and Technical Cotta-Schonberg, M and Line, M.B. Information Systems "Evaluation of academic libraries: with special reference to the Copenhagen Anderson, Peter S. Business School Library". Journal of "Toward an Integrated Australian Librarianship and Information Disaster-Management Information Science, 26(2) June 1994 System" Policy Research Paper : No.4. Published/Distributed by Centre Creech, H. Organisation of Library for International Research on materials at the Ministry of Lands, Communication and Information Survey and Natural Resources, Technologies, Australia, CIRCIT. 28p. Kingdom of Tonga, Geology Section. (1990). SOPAC Technical Report 128: 1991

Annenberg Washington Program in Creech, H. Strengthening information Communications Policy Studies resources at the Solomon Islands "Communication When It's Needed Ministry of Natural Resources Most: How New Technology Could Geology Division. SOPAC Technical Help in Sudden Disasters" Report 140: 34 pages. 1992 Published/Distributed by The Annenberg Washington Program in Creech, H. Strengthening Information Communications Policy Studies, Services, Solomon Islands, Ministry of Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 129p. Natural Resources, SOPAC Work (1990). Programme Task 90.SI.22a. SOPAC Technical Report 113: 34 pages Australian Counter Disaster College (formerly issued as Preliminary Report (ACDC) 20). 1990 Proceeding - Australian Emergency Service Librarians Workshop Drabenstott, Karen M. "Analytical Sept 8-13, 1991 - Australian Counter Review of the Library of the Future", Disaster College (ACDC), Mt. Council on Library Resources, Macedon Washington, DC February 1993

Bauwens, M. "The role of cybrarians Ellis, Debbie, and Norton, Bob. in the emerging virtual age". FID Implementing BS575/ISO9000 in News Bulletin 44(7/8), 1994 pp Libraries. Aslib: The Association for 131-137. Information Management, London, 1993. Butler, David "Communication to Mitigate Disasters" Hanson, Terry (Ed) Policy Research Paper : No.16. Bibliographic Software And The Published/Distributed by Center for Electronic Library International Research on University of Hertfordshire Press, Communication and Information February 1995. 136 pages. ISBN 0 Technologies, South Melbourne, 900458 51 8. Australia, CIRCIT. vi+38p. (1991).

185 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

HERTIS Information and Research. 6. Communications Systems in the Total Quality Management: the South Pacific Information Business: Key Issues 92. University of Hertfordshire Press, Cate, Fred H. 1993. ISBN 0 900458 Humanitarian Crises, Policy Making, and the Media: Strengthening Hendley, Tony Interaction in the Electronic Age. "New Developments in Workflow Cambridge, MA, December 8 -10, Imaging and Document 1994 Management". Information Management and Technology, Vol Garriott, Gary L. 28, No 4. 1995 Packet Radio In Earth And Space Environments For Relief And Lancaster, F.W. Development. Prepared for Panel on The Measurement and Evaluation of Electronic Bulletin Boards and Library Services. Information Computer Networks: Africa and Resources Press, Washington D.C. African Studies in the Information Age 1977. 34th Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association St. Louis, Lancaster, F.W. Missouri. Volunteers in Technical If You Want to Evaluate Your Library Assistance Library Association, London, 1993 Arlington, VA, November 23-26, 1991

Rooks, Dana. "The Virtual Library: Klensin, John C. and Randy Bush Pitfalls, Promises, and Potential." "Expanding International Email The Public-Access Computer Systems Connectivity--Another Look" Review 4, no. 5 (1993): pp 22-29. ConneXions, Vol 7, No 8, pp 25-29, August, 1993 van Trier, G.M. (1992). "Information 2000: a Dutch view." The Electronic Leary, J. 1993. "Satellite Downlink Library, vol. 10, no. 3, June 1992, pp. Level Variations of GOES-3". MAS 151-154. Technical Report. Wellington, New Zealand. Zhao, D., et al "The Technical Challenge of the Leary, J. 1993. "Provision of Electronic Library". Proceedings of PEACESAT Links Operating at 64 the Conference: Online Information Kbps to 124 Kbps". MAS Technical '93, 7 -9 Dec 1993, London. Report. Wellington, New Zealand.

Luxner, Larry "Caribbean Telecom Council forges regional emergency network", Telephony v224n7 pp: 7, 13 Feb 15, 1993

186 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Okamura, Norman. 1993. "Communications Satellites for the "Preliminary Assessment and Asia-Pacific Region: 1995 Status Conceptual Design for the Use of the Report". Willam Cooperman, Director, GOES-3 to Provide Improvement PEACESAT, National Services in the Pacific". University of Telecommunications and Information Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii. Administration, US Department of Commerce, USA Pacific Telecommunications Council Proceedings (from PTC'95) "Wideband Mobile Service: C- and Convergence: Closing the Gap740 Ku-Band Satellite Transmissions in pages, softcover, available January the Maritime Environment". Paul A. 1995. All papers presented at the Stern, Manager Strategic Planning, Pacific Telecommunications Council's COMSAT World Systems, USA 17th Annual Conference, Honolulu, 22 - 25 January 1995 "Digital Bandwidth on Demand Using Communications Satellites". David R. PTC'95 Session Summaries: Guggenheim, Director, Business Development, Interstate Electronics "Fiber Optic Submarine Cables for Corp, USA the Pacific Region". David R. Dean, Director, Sales and Marketing, STC "The U.S. Pacific Territories and Submarine Systems Limited, United Federal Telecommunications Policies: Kingdom A Blueprint for the Future". Thomas K. Crowe, Esquire, LeBoeuf, Lamb, "Decreasing Costs & Risks While Greene & MacRae, and Robert F. Increasing Reliability of Submarine Kelley, Jr., Owner, Management Cable Installations". Jose M. Andres, Communications Services, USA Vice President and Joseph C. Van Ryzin, President, Makai Ocean "A Review of the Impact and Engineer, Inc., USA Methodology of Low Cost Submarine Cable Installations - A Real "Optical Amplification: the Seed for Alternative to Land-Based Solutions". Expansion of Submarine Cable I.D. Bonnon, General Manager Networks". Paul M. Gabla, Network Technology, BT (Marine) Limited, and System Architecture Team United Kingdom Manager, Alcatel Submarcom, France "Recent Economic Implications for "Global and Regional Network Submarine Systems in the Asia-Pacific Planning for the Asia Pacific". Mool C. Region". Chris J. Lilly, Vice President Singhi, Deputy Director, Global Business Development and Product Network Planning, AT&T Submarine Marketing, and Geoffrey Thornton, Systems, Inc., and Lawrence D. General Manager Business Strategy, Fossett, Distinguished Member of STC Submarine Systems Limited, Technical Staff, AT&T Bell United Kingdom Laboratories, USA

187 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

"Submarine Fiber Optic Systems: The Puliatti, E. "Computer-Mediated Enabler of Global Services TPC-5: A Communications Systems and Case Study". Kathleen A. Kurek, Developing Countries," Development Director and Rajesh Kheny, Deputy Vol. 1, No. 2: pp. 60-65. 1990 Director, AT&T Submarine Systems, Inc., USA Williams, P. & Yaldwyn, J. 1991. "Designing an Inexpensive and "Branched Systems Versus Island Innovative S-Band Earth Station Hopping Systems". Andrej Puc, Network: The Challenge". Director; Michel Belanger, Senior Proceeding: Pacific Scientist; A. El Sakkhary; S. Silvano, Telecommunications Conference. Transmission Specialist; and Daniel Honolulu, Hawaii. Welt, Senior System Engineer, Engineering and R&D, Teleglobe Zimmermann, Hans Cable Systems, Canada Disaster Communications - 3 Years after the Tampere Declaration. "The Evolution of VSATs To Hybrid Published in: DHA News, Nos. 11-12, Platforms". Dave Rehbehn, Senior 1994, p. 7 . Marketing Manager for S.E. Asia, Hughes Network Systems, USA 7. Remote Sensing "The Outlook for Telecommunications Over the Next Ten Years: The Lichy, D. E.; Pepe, D.; Leppert, N. D. Telecom Outlook Report--1994 - LEAP - Landsat Emergency Access 2005, Summary of Major Findings". and Products, An Operational Use of Jagdish N. Sheth, Senior Advisor, Landsat Data for Damage Center for Telecommunications Assessment. International Symposium Management, Charles H. Kellstadt on Remote Sensing of Environment, Professor of Marketing, Emory 18th, Paris, France, October 1-5, University; Massoud M. Saghafi, 1984, Proceedings. Volume 2 Associate Director, Center for (A86-21101 08-43). Ann Arbor, MI, Telecommunications Management, Environmental Research Institute of Professor of Marketing, San Diego Michigan, 1985, p. 835-844. State University; and Robert M. Janowiak, Executive Director, Luscombe B. International Engineering "Applying Remote-Sensing Consortium, USA Technologies to Natural Disaster Risk Management - Implications for "Widening the Chasm or Closing the Developmental Investments". Acta Gap? Converging Information Astronautica, Volume: 29, Issue: Technologies & Pacific Island 10-11, Oct-Nov 93 Microstates". Michael R. Ogden, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Communication, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA

188 ______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

Malingreau, J. P. Wiesnet, Donald R., and Stephen O. "Remote Sensing and Disaster Bender Monitoring - A Review of Applications Large-Scale Hurricane Hazard in Indonesia". Mapping Along The Coastal Plain of International Symposium on Remote Honduras Using Landsat Data Sensing of Environment, 18th, Paris, American Society for Photogrammetry France, October 1-5, 1984. and Remote Sensing and ACSM, Proceedings. Volume 1 (A86-21101 Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD, 08-43). Ann Arbor, MI, Environmental Mar. 29-Apr. 3, 1987, Technical Research Institute of Michigan, 1985, Papers. Volume 1 (A88-21001 p. 283-297. 07-43). Falls Church, VA, American Society for Photogrammetry and Voute, C. Remote Sensing and ACSM, 1987, p. The Needs of Developing Countries 402-411. Research supported by the in The Application of Satellite U.S. Agency for International Technology for Disaster Development. Management. International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, 18th, Paris, France, October 1-5, 1984, Proceedings. Volume 1 (A86-21101 08-43). Ann Arbor, MI, Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, 1985, p. 247-261.

Wadge, G. (Ed). Natural Hazards and Remote Sensing. Proceedings of a UK IDNDR conference held on 8/9 March 1994. Royal Society, and Royal Academy of Engineering. London 1994.

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190

RAS/92/360 - South Pacific Disaster Reduction Programme

Terms of Reference

Title: Consultant on Disaster Management Information Systems

Duty Station: Suva, Fiji (1 month), home base (1 month)

Tasks:

Under the general supervision of UNDDSMS and in close collaboration with the Chief Technical Advisor, the Consultant will establish a disaster management information system for Pacific Island Countries, and in partic ular:

1. Hold consultation with regional organizations, officials of participating countries, and donor agencies.

2. Identify and evaluate the information needs for an effective disaster management for Pacific Island Countries (PICs), including:

· The existence, accessibility and usage of baseline data such as population, agricultural areas (farming systems, crop types, etc.), industrial areas, housing types, etc., providing an exhaustive check list of data and information needs; · The need for simple and comprehensive input formats to be used for collecting and compiling data for a computerised database; · The need for output formats for assessment of damage and needs covering the various sectors, situation reports, accounting and reporting systems for relief; and · Other information needed for effective disaster management.

3. Evaluate information management tools available in the region and internationally, and select those considered appropriate for the Pacific islands, taking into consideration ease of use and operational cost effectiveness.

4. Develop a software framework within which relevant disaster management tools can be placed and further developed.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995

191 5. Outline an information management system, including its architecture, that can be applied at the national level, and an adapted version to be applied at the regional level. For the development of such systems , the Consultant should take into consideration that:

· The hardware is already available with PICs and the information management system must be able to run smoothly on a 486 computer with 8 Mb of RAM and a 300 Mb plus hard disk drive. · There is a strong preference for a Windows environment for uniformity; and · There must be flexibility in word processor - depending on country preference.

6. Develop some of the basic tools such as situation reports, emergency relief checklist, etc.

7. Set up the regional node of the information management system at SPPO in Fiji, including relevant software, so that application of the information management system can start at the regional level at an early stage.

8. Prepare and implement small pilot projects to develop, apply and validate specific disaster management software in a real-life situation. These pilots will be identified in consultation with the project team.

9. Identify training needs and conduct training workshops for effective use of national disaster management information systems.

10. Prepare a proposal for future development of information management systems at the national and regional levels.

11. Submit a report to DDSMS on the above, containing descriptions of the work done, comments, findings, and recommendations.

______UNDHA-South Pacific Programme Office: Review of Regional Information System Requirements R.S. Stephenson Final 2 Nov 1995