Enhancing community-based disaster preparedness with information technology

A critical component of community-based disaster preparedness (CBDP) is a local resource database of suppliers providing physical, information and human resources for use in disaster response. Maintenance of such a database can become a collaborative responsibility among community-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and public and private community organisations. In addition to mobilising resources, this process raises awareness within the community and aids in assessing local knowledge and resources. This paper presents the results of a pilot study on implementing a community-based resource database through collaboration with local American Red Cross chapters and public and private community organisations. The design of the resource database is described. The resource database is accessible via the internet and offline using laptops and handheld Personal Digital Assistants. The study concludes that CBDP is strengthened through a combination of appropriate information technology and collaborative relationships between NGOs and community-based organisations.     

Collaborative emergency management: better community organising, better public preparedness and response

Community coordination requires communication and planning of precautions to take when faced with a severe threat of disaster. The unique case of the four Florida hurricanes of 2004--Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne--is used here to assess community responses to repeated threats of hurricanes. The paper examines how effectiveness in coordinating community disaster response efforts affects future public preparedness. The findings suggest that pre-season planning, open communication between emergency managers and elected officials, and the use of technology all had a significant impact on community responses. The repeated threat scenario indicates that emergency managers must work vigilantly to keep residents informed of the seriousness of a situation. The study describes how emergency managers in Florida countered public complacency during four hurricanes in six weeks. The strategies identified as useful by public managers in the context of hurricanes are applicable to other natural and man-made disasters.     

The impact of the 2004 tsunami on coastal Thai communities: assessing adaptive capacity

The suddenness and scale of the 26 December 2004 tsunami and the challenges posed to affected communities highlighted the benefits of their members having a capacity to confront and adapt to the consequences of such a disaster. Research into adaptive capacity or resilience has been conducted almost exclusively with Western populations. This paper describes an exploratory study of the potential of a measure of collective efficacy developed for Western populations to predict the capacity of members of a collective society, Thai citizens affected by the 2004 tsunami, to confront effectively the recovery demands associated with this disaster. Following a demonstration that this measure could predict adaptive capacity, the role of religious affiliation, ethnicity and place of residence in sustaining collective efficacy is discussed. The implications of the findings for future research on, and intervention to develop, adaptive capacity among Thai citizens in particular and collectivist societies in general are discussed.     

面向灾害应用的遥感影像融合统一理论体系设计

由于缺乏统一的理论体系指导,目前遥感影像融合研究相对比较混乱。针对像素级融合统一理论框架的思想,指出了遥感影像融合研究的方向和思路,将像素级融合统一理论框架逐步向特征级和决策级推广,着重发展了一套遥感影像融合统一理论体系。在统一体系下,面向灾害监测应用,按照理论研究、方法研究和应用研究的3个层次进行该理论体系的设计。     

洪灾对柳州可持续发展的影响及减灾对策

通过对柳州市洪灾特点的分析,探讨了洪灾对柳州市经济、社会可持续发展的制约作用,提出洪灾的治理必须走可发展的道路,采用工程措施和非工程措施相结合的对策。     

黄河下游历史泥沙灾害的宏观特征及其与流域因素和人类活动的关系（Ⅱ）：—人类活动、历史地震及地形因子的影响

以历史上黄河下游的决溢频率为泥沙灾害的代用指标,研究了人类活动,历史地震及地形因子对黄河下游历史泥沙灾害的影响,研究表最,人类活动是影响黄河下游泥沙灾害的重要因素,历史上人口的增加使下游决溢频率增大,人口低谷与决溢频率的低值时段相应,历史上农牧交错带的南移与下游决溢频率的减小相伴发生。北移则导致决溢频率的增大,历史地震对黄河下游历史泥沙灾害有一定的影响,黄河下游历史泥沙灾害表现出明显的空间分异,这种分异与平原地貌条件的沿程变化有密切的关系。     

长江流域地质—生态环境的演化机制及综合自然灾害区划

地质－生态环境是新一轮国土资源大调查的新概念, 同时也是现代地学研究的一个重要的范畴,在分析地质－生态环境系统及其演变的动力学机制的基础上,本文首先探索了长江流域地质－生态环境的演化机制,结合其自然环境状况,揭示了长江流域自然灾害形成的综合机制及其分布规律;并在此基础上,依托图文信息可视化系统技术手段,采取自上而下和自下而上两种进行综合自然灾害区划,其区划等级体系为3个自然灾害区和9个自然灾害亚区,为合理利用自然资源及防治自然灾害和环境退化提供了基本依据。     

上海地区农业气象灾害监测警示系统的研究

上海地区农业气象灾害监不系统是以实时气象数据为基础,根据农业气象灾害指标进行了评判分析,反映了农业气象灾害,接着,基于Activex的Web/GIS平台展示灾害的分布,并通过Internet网络,提供了多用户服务。     

对地观测技术在重大自然灾害监测与评估中的应用实例分析

对地观测技术可提供大范围、多时相、高分辨率的海量数据,用于自然灾害的监测与评估有其极大的优越性。本文叙述了对地观测技术在洪涝灾害、沙尘天气、森林火灾的监测与评估和地震形变场研究中的应用,并指出对地观测技术是建立数字减灾系统不可或缺的强大信息源。     

城市防震减灾能力评估研究

首先论述了目前国内外关于城市地震灾害风险评估的研究,分析了这些研究取得的成果和存在的不足。然后,提出了城市防震减灾能力的概念,采用人员伤亡,经济损失和震后恢复时间作为衡量城市防震减灾能力强弱的3个最基本的要素。围绕这3个基本要素,列举出影响城市防震减灾能力的6大因素,在此基础上,提出了城市防震减灾能力评价指标体系的具体内容。