National Academies Press: OpenBook

Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information (1999)

Chapter: Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
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Appendix B Federal Disaster Information Centers*

Advanced System Center (ASC), USGS: A facility in Reston, Virginia, that provides special facilities for member agencies of the Civil Applications Committee (CAC) to integrated classified data into unclassified programs.

Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), DOI/USGS, UAF/GI, ADGGS: Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska. Monitors and studies Alaska's hazardous volcanoes to predict and record volcanic activity and to implement public safety measures. URL: http://www.avo.alaska.edu

Aviation Weather Center (AWC): Kansas City, Missouri. Enhances aviation safety by issuing warnings, forecasts, and analyses of hazardous weather to aircraft in flight and to the aviation community. The center also forecasts weather conditions affecting domestic and international aviation interests out to two days. The AWC is one of nine centers within the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). URL: http://www.awckc.noaa.gov

Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO), DOI/USGS: Vancouver, Washington. Provides accurate and timely information pertinent to the assessment, warning, and mitigation of natural hazards (volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides, and debris flows) and performs research into the effects of geologic or hydrologic processes on the landscape (e.g., volcanic gases on the atmosphere, increased sediment transport on streams). URL: http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov

Center for Integration of Natural Disaster Information (CINDI): A research facility operated by the USGS to develop better ways to integrate and disseminate disaster data and information. Many other agencies with

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×

natural disaster responsibilities contribute data and expertise to this effort. URL:http://cindi.usgs.gov/events/index/html

Climate Prediction Center (CPC): Washington, D.C. Maintains a continuous watch on short-term climate fluctuations to diagnose and predict them. Assists agencies both inside and outside the federal government in coping with climate-related problems such as food supply, energy allocation, and water resources. The CPC is one of nine centers within the NCEP. URL: http://nic.fb4.noaa.gov

Cold Region Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), DOD/USACE: Hanover, New Hampshire. Provides research on solving technical problems that develop in cold regions, especially those related to construction, transport, and military operations. CRREL provides this information to defense services, civilian agencies of the federal government, and to state agencies, municipalities, and private industry. URL: http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil

Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center (EDC), DOI/USGS: Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Handles data collection and distribution of images from satellites and aircraft. The EDC holds the three decades of land-surface phenomena information within the National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive. The EDC also acts as the Distributed Active Archive Center, or DAAC, for land processes on behalf of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. URL: http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/eros-home.html

Emergency Operations Center (EOC), DOD/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: EOCs provide command and control for emergency operations, which include advance measures, flood response, and post-flood recovery as well as activities to save lives and protect improved property. Additionally, FEMA is supported during disaster response under Public Law 93-288, including the Federal Response Plan. EOCs support the Commanding General U.S. Forces Command and commanders outside CONUS for mobilization, deployment, and sustainment of U.S. forces during contingencies.

Environmental Modeling Center (EMC): Camp Springs, Maryland. Improves numerical weather, marine, and climate predictions at the NCEP through research in data assimilation and modeling. The EMC develops, improves, and monitors data assimilation systems and models of the atmosphere, ocean, and coupled system using advanced methods developed in-

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×

ternally as well as cooperatively with scientists from universities, NOAA laboratories and other government agencies, and the international scientific community. The EMC is one of nine centers within the NCEP. URL: http://nic.fb4.noaa.gov:8000

FEMA National Mapping and Analysis Center and Regional Offices, FEMA: Washington, D.C. Maintains baseline disaster management data and develops integrated products distributed to regional offices, which further assimilate local information for emergency management purposes. URL: http://www.fema.gov/msc

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), DOI/USGS: Hawaii National Park, Hawaii. Monitors and studies Hawaii's hazardous volcanoes to predict and record eruptive activity and to implement public safety measures. URL: http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov

Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC): Camp Springs, Maryland. Provides basic hydrometeorological analysis and forecasts for National Weather Service field offices and the entire meteorological community. HPC meteorologists are experts in quantitative precipitation forecasting and numerical model interpretation. Products provided by the HPC include surface analyses, outlooks for heavy rain and snow, and weather forecasts through 5 days. The HPC is one of nine centers within the NCEP. URL: http://www.ncep.noaa.gov/HPC

Mapping Applications Center (MAC), DOI/USGS: Reston, Virginia. Serves as the U.S. government's leading civilian organization devoted to developing maps and geospatial data based on high altitude photographs, earth orbiting satellite images, and other technologically advanced and unconventional sources. URL: http://www-nMDusgs.gov/mac

Marine Prediction Center (MPC): Issues marine warnings and guidance in text and graphical format for maritime users. Quality controls marine observations globally from ship, buoy, and automated marine observations for gross errors prior to being assimilated into computer model guidance. The MPC is one of nine centers within the NCEP. URL: http://www.ncep.noaa.gov/MPC

Mid-Continent Mapping Center (MCMC), DOI/USGS: Rolla, Missouri. Operates as a major field production facility in the National Mapping Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. Produces paper and digital maps.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×

An Earth Science Information Center (ESIC), where walk-in and phone orders for USGS products are processed, is also part of the mapping center. URL: http://pluto.er.usgs.gov/xindex.html

National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), DOC/ NOAA/NWS: Washington, D.C. Provides worldwide weather forecast guidance products. This agency is the starting point for all weather forecasts. It is the parent center for Tropical Prediction Center (TPC) and National Hurricane Center (NHC). URL: http://www.ncep.noaa.gov

National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), DOC/NOAA: Asheville, North Carolina. Supports programs involving remotely sensed and in situ information on meteorology and climate. NCDC operates World Data Center-A (WDC-A) for Meteorology under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences, with the responsibility of gathering data on global climate and weather. URL: http://demo1.eis.noaa.govnesdis/nesdis_ncdc.html

National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), DOI/USGS: Golden, Colorado. Determines earthquake locations following occurrence, alerts appropriate entities, archives earthquake information, and performs active research to improve earthquake detection. URL: http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov

National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Prediction Center (TPC), DOC/NOAA/NWS: Miami, Florida. NHC and its parent center, TPC, maintain a continuous watch on tropical cyclones over the Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Eastern Pacific (from May 15 through November 30); they prepare and distribute hurricane watches and warnings, as well as marine and military advisories; conduct research to evaluate and improve hurricane forecasting techniques; and are involved in public awareness programs. The TPC is one of nine centers within the NCEP. URL: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) Disaster Support Center: Washington, D.C. Provides products derived from classified assets to U.S. government agencies. URL: http://www.nima.mil

National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), DOI (BLM, FWS, NPS, BIA, OAS), USDA (USFS), DOC (NOAA/NWS): Boise, Idaho. Serves as primary U.S. logistical support center for wildfire suppression; also serves as

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×

a focal point for wildfire information and technology. URL: http://www.nifc.gov

National Response Center (NRC), DOT/USCG: Washington, D.C. Serves as the sole national point of contact for reporting all oil, chemical, radiological, biological, and etiological discharges into the environment anywhere in the United States and its territories; sends alerts to appropriate entities; and serves as the communications and operations center for the National Response Team (NRT). URL: http://www.dot.gov/dotinfo/uscg/hq/nrc

National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), DOC/NOAA/NWS: Norman, Oklahoma. Enhances national capabilities to provide accurate and timely forecasts and warnings of hazardous weather events (e.g., blizzards, ice storms, flash floods, tornadoes, lightning) through research into weather processes, research in forecasting and warning techniques, and development of operational applications and transfer of technology. URL: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov

National Storm Prediction Center (SPC): Norman, Oklahoma. SPC monitors hourly and forecasts severe and non-severe thunder-storms, tornadoes, winter storms, extreme winds, heavy rain, and other hazardous weather phenomena across the continental United States. Its parent agency is the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (DOC/NOAA/NWS). URL: http//www.nssl.noaa.gov/~spc

National Weather Service (NWS), DOC/NOAA: Silver Spring, Maryland. Serves to protect the life and property of U.S. citizens from natural disasters by issuing warnings and forecasts for hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, winter and summer storms, and all manner of severe or extreme weather. URL: http://www.noaa.gov/nws/nws.html

Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), DOD: Kihei, Maui, Hawaii. The PDC is a federal center designed to provide world-class information support to federal, state, and local disaster managers in mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery for disasters within the Pacific region. The PDC is being developed under the auspices of the DoD with the goal of transitioning the operation to an appropriate federal civil agency at the full operational capability milestone. URL: http://www.pdc.org

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), DOC/NOAA/NWS: Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. Serves as operational center of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWS), providing Pacific basin tsunami watches, warnings, and information/education services to the disaster preparedness community and the general public.

Rocky Mountain Mapping Center, DOI/USGS: Denver, Colorado. Produces and develops map products and conducts research, concentrating activities in western United States. Facility is responsible for distributing more than 100,000 map-related products of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other federal agencies. URL: http://avsrvr-1.cr.usgs.gov

Volcano Systems Center (VSC), University of Washington and USGS: Seattle, Washington. Formed to integrate research across disciplines to understand the role of volcanic systems in geological evolution. URL: http://www.vsc.washington.edu

West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC), DOC/NOAA/NWS: Palmer, Alaska. Serves as the Tsunami Warning Center for Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California; provides timely tsunami warnings, watches, advisories, and information/education services to the disaster preparedness community and the general public. URL: http://www.alaska.net/~at+wc

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×
Page 52
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×
Page 53
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×
Page 54
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×
Page 55
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×
Page 56
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Federal Disaster Information Centers." National Research Council. 1999. Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6363.
×
Page 57
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Losses of life and property from natural disasters in the United States-and throughout the world-have been enormous and the potential for substantially greater future losses looms. It is clearly in the public interest to reduce these impacts and to encourage the development of communities that are resilient to disasters. This goal can be achieved through wise and sustained efforts involving mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Implementing such efforts, particularly in the face of limited resources and competing priorities, requires accurate information that is presented in a timely and appropriate manner to facilitate informed decisions. Substantial information already exists that could be used to this end, but there are numerous obstacles to accessing this information, and methods for integrating information from a variety of sources for decision-making are presently inadequate. Implementation of an improved national or international network for making better information available in a more timely manner could substantially improve the situation.

As noted in the Preface, a federal transition team is considering the issues and needs associated with implementing a global or national disaster information network as described in the report by the Disaster Information Task Force (1997). This National Research Council report was commissioned by the transition team to provide advice on how a disaster information network could best make information available to improve decision making, with the ultimate goal of reducing losses from natural disasters. The report is intended to provide the basis for a better appreciation of which types of data and information should be generated in an information program and how this information could best be disseminated to decision makers.

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