The 1976 outbreak of Hog Cholera in New Jersey: An application of geology to a biological emergency

Hog cholera is a highly contagious virus disease of swine. Since 1962, a Hog Cholera Eradication Program has replaced vaccination as the control mechanism in the U.S. Because the cholera agent requires a live host to thrive, quarantine and herd depopulation are ordered at every U.S. outbreak. The results have been positive and dramatic.The presence of hog cholera was confirmed in Gloucester County, New Jersey, on February 26, 1976. A cooperative State-Federal task force was mobilized to contain and eliminate the infection. Burial would be the disposal technique. For the first time a geologist was requested to augment outbreak control, with responsibility to pinpoint safe burial sites for thousands of animals. USDA emergency policy and procedures limited the options of the assisting geologist, but basic geologic judgments sufficed during appraisals of burial sites. Ultimately, 10 sites were needed and used; other locations proposed during the course of the outbreak were judged hydrogeologically unsuitable and were therefore rejected. Each excavation was sited to minimize potential impact on local aquifers, chiefly by maintaining maximum separation from the water table and by prudent siting within the hydrogeology of the outbreak area.From the first positive confirmation to the end of the active outbreak, a period of four weeks, 15,741 swine totaling over 1 million kg were destroyed and buried. The resulting indemnity was just under $3 million. Because of effective cooperative action during the New Jersey incident, geologic appraisal during large U.S. livestock depopulations now promises to become standard procedure.     

Risk management in the Federal Republic of Germany

Spectacular industrial accidents, such as the ones in Bhopal, Mexico City, and Basle, have in recent times made the risks associated with the modern chemicals industry unmistakably evident. It has been seen that effective emergency plans for the people living in the vicinity of a hazardous installation become particularly important. The situation of hazardous installations in the Federal Republic of Germany is reviewed and the three-stage safety system, which is established within the German Regulation on Major Industrial Accidents (Störfallverordnung), is described. The evaluation of the current practice shows a couple of problems, especially connected with off-site safety precautions. The disaster control teams are often ill-equipped and inadequately trained. There is a need for further establishment of detailed and specific emergency plans, especially in rural areas. It is expected that the updating of the Regulation on Major Industrial Accidents, which is at present being undertaken in the Federal Republic of Germany and the compilation of instructions for the competent authorities will contribute to better emergency plans for the protection of areas in the vicinity of hazardous industrial installations.     

Problems in local emergency management

Local governments (county and city) take the most active role in responding to natural and manmade disasters, yet very little is understood about the role of the emergency manager-the administrator who organizes and coordinates the emergency response of a community. This article describes the more common organizational niches that emergency managers are placed into, and it examines some of the political, institutional, and budgetary constraints that hinder the emergency manager's operations. Finally, it suggests strategies for solving these problems and identifies areas for further research.     

城市地下构筑物中放射性氡的危害和防范

在概述氡及其子体危害的基础上,对现有的空气中氡浓度测量方法进行了比较,并对研制的主动式活性炭采样测氡系统进行了介绍,最后给出了在南京市人防工程内空气中氡浓度的测量结果,对氡致内照射剂量进行了估算.     

Where to Go? Strategic Modelling of Access to Emergency Shelters in Mozambique

This paper, through spatial-analysis techniques, examines the accessibility of emergency shelters for vulnerable populations, and outlines the benefits of an extended and permanently established shelter network in central Mozambique. The raster-based modelling approach considers data on land cover, locations of accommodation centres in 2000, settlements and infrastructure. The shelter analysis is a two-step process determining access for vulnerable communities first, followed by a suitability analysis for additional emergency shelter sites. The results indicate the need for both retrofitting existing infrastructure (schools, health posts) to function as shelters during an emergency, and constructing new facilities - at best multi-purpose facilities that can serve as social infrastructure and shelter. Besides assessing the current situation in terms of availability and accessibility of emergency shelters, this paper provides an example of evaluating the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance without conventional mechanisms like food tonnage and number of beneficiaries.     

碳基高价银分子晶体电池处理铬污染源水试验研究

以扬州第四水厂的沉淀后出水作为原水,模拟突发铬污染,通过投加碳基高价银分子晶体电池进行应急处理的实验研究。实验结果表明：碳基高价银分子晶体电池对铬的吸附在30min内能达到88.2％的吸附容量;碳基高价银分子晶体电池对铬的吸附符合Langmuir吸附模式;溶液pH值大于5时,吸附几乎为0;对进水质量浓度小于0．75mg／L的铬污染水样,接触时间5min以内便能使出水中铬的质量浓度降到生活饮用水标准的限值0．05mg／L。     

应急监测空气和废气中醋酸乙烯

醋酸乙烯作为重要的有机化工原料在扬州多家化工企业使用,在此针对醋酸乙烯的理化性质,采用便携式采样器采集气体样品,参考了EPA．625方法中采样罐采样热脱附气相色谱-质谱法进行分析,但是热脱附装置和采样罐价格昂贵．质谱分析时间较长．操作要求高．不便于常规监测分析,现采用活性炭吸附气相色谱分析醋酸乙烯。通过实验总结出一套采样时间短分析速度快．灵敏度高的快速分析方法．为环境监测工作中醋酸乙烯应急监测提供分析参考。     

《破坏性地震应急条例》修订若干问题研究

随着经济社会和防震减灾事业的发展,特别是《突发事件应对法》的发布实施和《防震减灾法》的修订,曾经为加强和规范地震应急管理,推进防震减灾事业全面发展,发挥了重要的制度保障作用的《破坏性地震应急条例》,在实施过程中出现了一些明显不适应的地方,对条例进行修订已迫在眉睫。本文阐述了条例修订的基本原则和意义,并就应急机构、应急预...     

浅论突发性大气污染事故的应急监测

本文探讨了突发性大气污染事故状态下进行快速、科学、规范、有效的应急环境监测的作用、工作程序、监测方法,以防止目前应急监测中措手不及、手忙脚乱、无章可循的工作弊病,具有一定的现实意义。     

LPG充装站紧急切断阀失效模式分析

紧急切断阀作为LPG充装站的重要安全附件之一,当遇到突发情况时,可远程控制紧急切断阀迅速关闭,避免事故的进一步蔓延。若LPG充装站紧急切断阀安装位置不合理,或缺乏定期检验检查与维护保养,均可能导致紧急切断失效。通过对LPG充装站紧急切断阀的工作原理及安装位置,常见失效模式分析及预防,定期检验检查及维护保养注意事项进行详细研究,为LPG充装站对紧急切断阀进行年度检查及维护保养和相关检验单位进行定期检验提供参考。