Natural Hazard Observer Nov 2005

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Focus on Katrina: See Inside NATURAL HAZARDS_ -1- Ver Volume XXX'Number 2�' - � November 2005- - Grad Challenges_ �for Disaster Reduction _ - — an invited comment Each year in-the United States, natural - and technological disasters are responsible _ - for the loss of - hundreds of lives and° dollar losses that average,more than $50 billion.' _ I WONDER IF As the costs continue to rise-, we must move from response and recovery to proactively KATRINA_ AND RITA identifying hazards that pose threats and _ ARE- IN HERE? - taking action to reduce the potential impacts. In the past year `alone, the United States - experienced a,multitude of disasters, includ- - ing winter storms, wildfires, floods, torna- V 00 does; landslides, and, most recently, Hurri- canes Dennis, Katrina, and Rita. While the •'United- State was not directly affected, the \ earthquake and- tsunami iri the Indian Ocean last December claimed over 240,000 lives across 12 countries _and_ injured, displaced, - - - or otherwise - impacted millions, providing--a \V _ sobering reminder of the importance of strengthening our nation's ,disaster,.. resil- ience. _ _1 Acknowledging the critical need to en- hance community resilience to disasters,_ -thereby minimizing - damage -and disruption, the- interagency Subcommittee on Disaster O Reduction, part of the" president's National 00 Science and. Technology Council, collabo- rated with scientists around the world to p develop a ten -yeah strategy for disaster, re- duction through lscience and technology. The - recently published -Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction establishes, - a framework_ i3atU °�- , CSCC = _ for future federal government investment in science and technology for the purposes of - enhancing resilience and reducing vulner Developing and improving observation tools is essential to ability to natural and technological hazards. provide pertinent, comprehensive, and timely information Each grand challenge is introduced below along with - for planning and-response. the key research requirements and major technology in= - vestments necessary for its success.- - Key research requirements: - • Develop improved sensing capabilities , and deploy .ex- Grand Challenge #1- Provide hazard and disaster in- panded, modern, and integrated; data collection systems formation where and when it is needed.- To identify and that provide real -time data for use in _modeling hazard= anticipate the hazards_ that threaten communities, va mecha ous conditions, consequence forecasting, and warnings . msni for real- time data collection -and interpretation must • Develop protocols for -sea_ rchable, all - hazards Internet- be readily available to and usable by scientists, emergency - _ - managers, first responders, citizens- and policy makers. J