Military Participation in Emergency Humanitarian Assistance

Military forces of the United States and other countries possess training, equipment and capabilities that are suited for work in disaster preparedness and assistance. Information on the use of military units in domestic and foreign disaster-related efforts, particularly by United States forces in the medical area, was obtained by review of the literature and unpublished military reports, and from interviews with people who have been involved with disaster-related activities. The historical reasons for viewing United States forces as resources in disaster situations are identified. Additionally, issues and problems related to disaster preparedness and assistance in general, and more specifically, to the past and future use of military personnel for this mission are examined. The need for a defined military mission for emergency humanitarian assistance and the need for a military organizational structure to support this mission are identified. Once these two critical issues have been properly addressed, the United States military should participate in the establishment of a disaster institute for joint civilian-military disaster planning and training, in both domestic and foreign areas.     

Military Intervention and Humanitarian Action: Trends and Issues

An important trend in military doctrine for so-called 'peace support operations' has been to place them on a spectrum that includes coercion and enforcement. This paper focuses on British writers of doctrine as those responsible for driving the debate forward and forging a consensus among leading military powers. Their discourse is combat oriented, a fact reinforced by a trend towards strategic subcontracting to coalitions of the militarily willing and able. At the same time, there has been a move to institutionalise the involvement of military forces in relief, peace building and development activities. The overall emphasis is on stability and security to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian relief and to establish the conditions for peace-building processes. In the case of Bosnia, this involves conditionality and economic leverage. Although there is a long-established record of peace-keeping forces engaging in goodwill activities (with mixed results), the current trends contain contradictions that seem likely to contribute to the widely perceived erosion of classical humanitarian principles.     

“Severe Destruction Is Inevitable” Interview With Dr.C. Barry Raleigh, Director, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Palisades, N. Y.

<正> Q Dr. Raleigh, what are the chances of a big earthquake striking the United States over the next few years? A A great earthquake, with severe destruction of property and high loss of life, is inevitable in California. The likelihood of such an earthquake—with a magnitude of 8 or more on the seismological scale—is only a few percentage points per year. That doesn't sound very high, but the point is that     

Military humanitarian and disaster governance networks in Southeast Asia: framework and analysis

Behind humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts are governance networks of actors working together to facilitate, coordinate, and deliver joint aid and response initiatives. Militaries are key stakeholders in these networks because of their unique capabilities, particularly in Southeast Asia. This paper explores the role of military governance networks in shaping HADR affairs. It presents a framework for examining military-to-military relational structures in humanitarian and disaster contexts using network theory and social network analysis. It also assesses the nature of military ties and their influence on two capability areas essential to humanitarian activities in the region: (i) the distribution of military assets and equipment used in HADR; and (ii) the coordination of HADR exercises and training. This paper seeks to provide insights into how governance network features and properties affect the capacity of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) militaries to use available resources efficiently and to achieve shared objectives in regional disaster response.     

第三届地震工程国际会议将在南京召开

<正> 由建设部、中国地震局、国家自然科学基金会和美国科学基金会主办,南京工业大学、中国建筑科学研究院和中国地震局工程力学研究所承办的“第三届地震工程国际会议(http://www.3icee.njut.edu.cn)”,将于2004年10月19～20日在南京召开。会议的主要议程是:地震工程、结构抗震与控制、结构健康监测、智能     

The 1934 floods in Tabriz, N. W. Iran

The disastrous floods of July 1934 in Tabriz are examined in the context of the history of floodinginthe city, which is crossed by a dry stream bed liable to sudden Inundation by mountain torrents from the southeast. Few details of past events have survived, suggesting that relatively little significance has been attached to them. Typically, flood dykes were inadequately maintained. This neglect, combined with a radical alteration in urban topography after 1925, when broad straight avenues were constructed through the old heart of the city, led to serious losses from flooding twice in 1929 and again in 1934. Enhanced perception of the flood risk finally found expression in the adoption of large scale engineering measures to mitigate future events, including strengthening protective dykes and widening the river channel through the city. These works have reduced vulnerability to flooding from river overflow. No long-term detrimental Impact of the 1934 flood has been observed. Some of the physical and social parameters that have influenced the vulnerability of Tabrizinthe past continue to be present both there and elsewhere in Iran, and they may be characteristic also of other regions with comparable natural environments or in a similar stage of socio-economic development.     

殷建华教授在意大利都灵荣获国际岩土力学计算方法与进展协会2005年度杰出贡献奖

2005年6月19日至24 日,第11届国际岩土力学计算方法与进展协会国际会议（11th Conference of International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics IACMAG） 在意大利历史名城都灵（Turin）隆重召开,香港理工大学土木与结构工程系殷建华教授荣获“国际岩土力学计算方法与进展协会”（IACMAG） 2005年度地区杰出贡献奖.     

李焯芬教授将于今年10月在中国香港作第三届Lumb讲座

PeterLumb教授是香港岩土工程界的先躯、教育家和奠基人。1998年12月他的去世是岩土工程界的重大损失。为了表扬他的贡献,香港大学土木工程系和香港工程师学会在1999年设立了名为“Lumb讲座”的杰出讲座系列。“Lumb讲座”系列由香港“Lumb讲座委员会”运作。每隔两年,一位国际杰出的岩土工程专家或学者被推选在香港作Lumb讲座。2 0 0 0年5月,加拿大N .R .Morgenstern教授被邀请为首届“Lumb讲座”的讲者,讲座题目为“岩土工程实践”,有5 0 0多人参加。第二届Lumb讲座由日本KenjiIshihara教授于2 0 0 2年10月2 4日在香港举行。KenjiIs…     

Shelter, housing and recovery: a comparison of u.s. Disasters

In this paper we examine the issues associated with the temporary sheltering and housing of victims after natural disasters in the United States. Specific topics addressed include differential access to shelter and housing aid according to social class, ethnicity and related demographic factors; the relationship between post-disaster shelter and housing and long-term recovery; the role of social support networks in the sheltering of victims; and the implications of the research for the provision of shelter and housing aid after disasters.     

英国本费尔德灾害研究中心

英国本费尔德灾害研究中心位于伦敦大学学院内,是欧洲多学科灾害重点研究中心之一。该中心有40多名研究和从业人员,主要任务是推进自然灾害和危险性评估方法的改进,并通过快速应用新的研究和实践结果,降低自然灾难的发生。同时,该机构也承担着将学术领域内重要的自然灾害和危险性研究成果、实践经验和发明推向企业、政府和国际社会的职责,     

Overview of deaths associated with natural events, United States, 1979-2004.

Analysis of the National Center for Health Statistics' Compressed Mortality File showed that between 1979 and 2004, natural events caused 21,491 deaths in the United States. During this 26-year period, there were 10,827 cold-related deaths and 5,279 heat-related deaths. Extreme cold or heat accounted for 75 per cent of the total number of deaths attributed to natural events--more than all of deaths resulting from lightning, storms and foods, and earth movements, such as earthquakes and landslides. Cold-related death rates were highest in the states of Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, and South Dakota, while heat-related deaths were highest in the states of Arizona, Missouri, and Arkansas. These deaths occurred more often among the elderly and black men. Other deaths were attributed to lightning (1,906), storms and foods (2,741), and earth movements (738). Most deaths associated with natural events are preventable and society can take action to decrease the morbidity and mortality connected with them.