The Disaster Center

2011-11-20T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Disaster Center-- Nov. 20, 2011 - 6:01 PM EDT The forecast for the next few days includes severe weather along with heavy rain for the central south and east central parts of the US. Heavy precipitation is forecast for the west northwest, reaching over 8 inches in some areas.
The Disaster Center-- Nov. 18, 2011 - 3:31 PM EDT This holiday season consider volunteering or donating with Disaster Relief Agencies and Nongovernment Organizations.

2011-11-09T09:31:00.001-08:00

The Disaster Center-- Nov. 9, 2011 - 12:47 PM EDT - In less than two hours a nation wide test of the emergency alert system will take place, with the exception of Alaska. Alaska is being exempt due to an ongoing storm affecting the western part of the state estimated to be the worst since 1974. The nationwide test is expected to take place at around 2PM EST and will last 30 seconds.
"At 2:00 pm eastern today all Americans should remember - don't stress, it's just a test," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "Today's test will be an important chance for FEMA, the FCC and our other partners to determine what works well in our current system, what doesn't, and what improvements need to be made as we work to build a modern and fully accessible public alert and warning system."

2011-11-05T07:37:00.001-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Nov. 5, 2011 - 10:28 AM EDT - During the last decade earthquakes killed 780,000 people, making them the worst cause for death by natural disaster, according to a study published in The Lancet. "The reported ratios of death-to-injury vary, but across many studies seems to be about 1-to-3," which makes earthquakes the number one cause of injury by natural disaster..

2011-11-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Nov. 4, 2011 - 10:38 PM EDT - Important information for individuals and businesses in Louisa County of the Commonwealth Of Virginia. The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals by the recent earthquake in Louisa County. Those in the county designated for FEMA individual assistance to affected residents and business owners can begin the disaster application process by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.

2011-11-04T01:40:00.001-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Nov. 4, 2011 - 4:35 AM EDT - Severe weather forecast for eastern Oklahoma, central through south Missouri, and the northwest 2/3 of Arkansas the 8th to the 9th, heavy rain in the western part of the forecast area. Heavy snow fall for central and western Colorado the 5th and the 6th

2011-10-31T17:14:00.001-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Oct. 31, 2011 - 8:07 PM EDT -- First Nationwide Test of Emergency Alert System is set for November 9, 2011 at 2:00 PM EDT. The test is estimated to last three minutes and a half minutes, which makes it longer than the standard warning by three minutes. Once the test is completed, regular programming will resume. Officials are urging the public to take the opportunity to review and update their emergency plans and replenish their emergency supplies. They may also wish to use the test as a chance to test their family's emergency plans.

2011-10-26T19:08:00.001-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Oct. 26, 2011 - 10:03 PM EDT -- Rainfall from Hurricane Rina is expected to have an impact on southern Florida the 29th to the 30th, about 3 inches of rainfall is now forecast.

2011-10-25T18:20:00.001-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Oct. 25, 2011 - 10:12 PM EDT -- Hurricane Rina is expected to become a major hurricane tonight is not now forecast to have a direct impact on Florida, except as a tropical storm or as a source of light rainfall.

2011-10-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Oct. 23, 2011 - 3:23 PM EDT -- CRED, reported today that for the first half of 2011 (PDF): 108 disasters, killed 23,638 people, affected people 43,784,902 worldwide, and caused economic damages of 253,230 million $US. Most of the economic damages (210,000 million $US) and people killed (20,319) were as a result of the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster that affected Japan. In third place for number killed and economic damages was the April storm that affected the US.

2011-10-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Disaster Center-- Oct. 22, 2011 - 11:15 AM EDT 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment Issued
According to the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment released by the National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC), approximately 1.4 million gang members belonging to more than 33,000 gangs were criminally active in the U.S. as of April, 2011.

Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions and up to 90 percent in several others, according to NGIC analysis.
Gangs are increasingly engaging in non-traditional gang-related crime such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, and prostitution. Gangs are also engaging in white-collar crime such as counterfeiting, identity theft, and mortgage fraud.
Gangs are becoming increasingly adaptable and sophisticated, employing new and advanced technology to facilitate criminal activity discreetly, enhance their criminal operations, and connect with other gang members, criminal organizations, and potential recruits nationwide and even worldwide.

It is the policy of many police departments not to talk about gang activity, because that gives the gangs public recognition that they reportedly crave. But how can a threat to public safety be solved without public involvement? Not talking about the problem leaves its solution in the hands of law enforcement alone. With 1.4 million gang members responsible for half the violent crime in the US, law enforcement doesn't seem to be doing a good job of it, without public involvement.

Map -- Number of gang members by US Counties

2006-06-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Disaster Center Blog!
Here we can share disaster mitigation news, ideas, information, theory, as well as reports of on going disasters.
Each of us exists within our own risk/threat universe. While some risk/threats are common to all, others are related to the kinds of persons we are, the places we live, the choices we make, and the societies that are born within. To understand individuals or societies, we must understand how they apprehend the risk/threat universe that they occupy. Understanding the risks/threats that are present to each of us is required if we are going to create sustainable economic and social developments.
The most humbling experience of my life has involved meeting with people who followed the rules, done everything right in their life, as god gave them to power to see the right, who lost all their material possessions in a disaster. Whether it was a young family or an old couple, what has affected me most has been the quality of their character.
At some point humanity is going to develop a science of disaster mitigation. The object of which will be to enable groups and individuals to secure a sound and stable future by providing them assess to the knowledge and tools needed to mitigate the risks and threats to their lives and livelihoods. I hope that in some way blog will help serve that end.
Christopher Effgen