ICT for Disaster Management/Annex:Global and Regional Organizations Working in Disaster Management

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Bangkok

ADPC is a non-profit organization supporting the advancement of safer communities and sustainable development through implementing programmes and projects that reduce the impact of disasters upon countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC was established in 1986 at the recommendation of the UN Disaster Relief Organization – now known as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and is an independent entity governed and guided by a Board of Trustees (21 members representing 15 countries). ADPC develops and implements disaster risk management programmes and projects by providing technical and professional services in formulating national disaster management policies, capacity building of disaster management institutions, programme design for comprehensive disaster risk management, post-disaster assessment, public health and emergency management, land-use planning, disaster-resistant construction, and the planning of immediate relief response and subsequent rehabilitation activities.

Contact details:
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center SM Tower 24th Floor, 979/69 Paholyothin Road Samsen Nai, Phayathai Bangkok 10400,Thailand Tel: +66 2 298 0681 to 92 Fax: +66 2 298 0012 to 13 Email: adpc@adpc.net Website: http://www.adpc.net

Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network

In February 2002, the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre (ADRC) Kobe and UNOCHA, in Kobe, with the assistance of the ASEAN Foundation, brought together more than 30 NGOs from across Asia to discuss the need for a network of NGOs for disaster reduction and response in Asia.
As a result, the Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADRRN) was formed.This loose body of NGOs was consolidated in December 2003, and in June 2004, the structure, content and direction of the ADRRN was clearly formulated and implemented.
The objectives of ADRRN are to:

• Develop an interactive network of NGOs committed to achieving excellence in the field of

disaster reduction and response;

• Raise the relevant concerns of NGOs in the Asia-Pacific region to the larger community of

NGOs globally, through various international forums and platforms;

• Promote best practices and standards in disaster reduction and response; and
• Provide a mechanism for sharing reliable information and facilitating capacity building

among network members and other stakeholders.

Contact details:
Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network Secretariat No 45B Jalan Mamanda 9, Ampang Point 68000 Ampang, Selangor,Malaysia Tel: +60 3 4256 9999, +60 3 4256 5724 Fax: +60 3 4251 8435 Email: feedback@adrrn.net Website: http://www.adrrn.net

Asian Disaster Reduction Centre, Kobe Japan

The United Nations has been promoting the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction throughout the 1990s to reduce damage from natural disasters worldwide through international cooperative initiatives. On the basis of the lessons from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the need to promote multinational disaster reduction cooperation in the Asian region was stressed at the ministerial-level Asian Natural Disaster Reduction Conference held in Kobe City in December 1995,attended by delegates from 28 countries in Asia and other regions. Subsequently, ADRC was established in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, to facilitate exchange of disaster reduction experts from each country and concerned bodies, accumulate and provide disaster reduction information, and carry out research in multinational disaster reduction cooperation as the focus of this initiative.
The symbol of the ADRC, which portrays a man embracing the Earth with his arms extended to reach all corners of the world, represents its commitment to creating a worldwide cooperative information network. The symbol expresses ADRC’s goal of a fully developed unification of information networks and human power.

Contact details:
Asian Disaster Reduction Centre Hitomiraikan 5F, 1-5-2,Wakinohama-kaigan-dori Chuo-ku, Kobe City Hyogo Prefecture, 651-0073 Japan Tel: +81 78 262 5540 Fax: +81 78 262 5546 Email: rep@adrc.or.jp

Australian Tsunami Warning System

The Australian Tsunami Warning System provides tsunami warning services for Australia based on seismic information from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, Japanese Meteorological Agency and Geoscience Australia on earthquakes. Other potential triggers for tsunami are volcanic eruptions, underwater landslides and meteorites.
Currently there is a four-year project (2005–2008) to upgrade this service by enhancing the seismic monitoring network and sea-level monitoring network, in addition to the modelling of seismic events, tsunami propagation and coastal inundation. This is a cooperative project between the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia and Emergency Management

Contact details:

Emergency Management Australia PO Box 1020 Dickson Australian Capital Territory 2602 Australia Tel: +61 (0) 2 6256 4600 Fax: +61 (0) 2 6256 4653 Website: http://www.ema.gov.au/agd/ema/emainternet.nsf/Page/Tsunami_Warning

Duryog Nivaran (South Asian Network for Disaster Risk Reduction)

In 1995, the Duryog Nivaran network was established to fill a void in cross-border dialogue and experience sharing among organizations, governmental or otherwise, working in the world’s most disaster-prone region, South Asia. It promotes an alternate perspective towards disasters, be they natural or man-made. This perspective points out that people affected by disasters are more than mere victims, but rather partners in their future development and well-being. The network’s activities are information sharing, building a concerned media, research and grass-roots community action. It is already involved in disaster management research work in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The key objectives of Duryog Nivaran are:

• Provide an opportunity for national and regional organizations in South Asia to strengthen

their capacity and carry out effective disaster mitigation and development activities by sharing information, learning from each other’s experiences and providing support for each organization’s activities;

• Make the case for an alternative perspective by analysing existing interventions and

demonstrating, through research and action, other approaches that challenge the existing paradigm; and

• Carry out specific activities to influence decision makers in government, donor agencies and

NGOs.

Contact details:
Duryog Nivaran Secretariat c/o RDPI, House# 232/10 Street: 7-C, Sector 2 Airport Employees Cooperative Housing Society Rawalpindi, Pakistan Tel: +92 51 595 6733-4, +92 51 800 1695 Email: info@duryognivaran.org Website: http://www.duryognivaran.org

Global Disaster Information Network

The Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN) is a voluntary, independent, self-sustaining non-profit association with an interest in facilitating the provision of disaster warning and management-related information to its various stakeholders such as governments, international organizations, industry, academia, donor organizations and NGOs. It is committed to assist disaster managers in finding the information they need, particularly when other means have failed, develop unique information-sharing procedures that augment the existing system, promote the development of new disaster information technologies and foster professional development.
GDIN originated in the US in 1997, based on experiences with the G7 and the UN.However, the international community quickly decided at the first GDIN Conference in Washington that it would be an international project that operates in partnership with all sectors and it is not owned by any one entity.Now, it operates as an informal international body with members from all sectors.
GDIN has facilitated the development of fresh GIS products based on remote sensing for Viet Nam, Mozambique and Turkey. It has also developed textual reports on infectious diseases in Afghanistan and a well-regarded paper on anthrax.

Contact details:
Global Disaster Information Network Headquarters 5667 Stone Road, Suite 410 Centreville,VA 20120, USA Tel: +1 202 647 5070 Fax: +1 202 647 4628 Email: gdincommunity@hotmail.com Website: http://www.gdin.org

International Charter for ‘Space and Major Disasters’

Satellite imagery is very expensive and not affordable by most developing nations without their own space programmes. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, space technology data should be readily available for developing nations that do not have or cannot afford their own space programmes.
Following the UNISPACE III conference held in Vienna, Austria in July 1999, the European and French space agencies initiated the idea of an International Charter for ’Space and Major Disasters’. The Canadian Space Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Indian Space Research Organization, Argentine Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the United States Geological Survey have also joined the Charter at later stages.
The International Charter aims at providing a unified system of space data acquisition and delivery to those affected by natural or man-made disasters through Authorized Users. Each member agency has committed resources to support the provisions of the Charter and thus is helping to mitigate the effects of disasters on human life and property.

Contact details:
Website: http://www.disasterscharter.org

Pacific Disaster Center

The mission of the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), established after Hurricane Iniki caused heavy destruction to the Hawaiian island of Kauai, is to provide applied information research and analysis support for the development of more effective policies, institutions, programmes and information products for the disaster management and humanitarian assistance communities of the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Central to achieving these objectives is providing unique and valuable geospatial and disaster-related information through a web-based data system for international, regional, national and local information access and dissemination. Through the use of the PDC web-based information system, disaster managers can develop both situational awareness and appropriate responses before, during and after disaster events.These responses range from the assessment of hazards and risk to managing risk through mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction.
In one of its projects, the PDC has entered into a contract with the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) in Thailand to provide technical assistance to NDWC in order to enhance its disaster management capabilities, systems and practices. Under this contract, PDC and its partners – Lockheed Martin Information Technology, Sun Microsystems and Environmental Systems Research Institute – will provide NDWC with technical solutions, systems integration and human resources training to achieve its strategic objective of establishing a scalable and world-class disaster management and emergency communications facility.
The project, funded through a grant by the US Trade and Development Agency, will help build Thailand’s capacity as part of the US government's broader support for an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system.

Contact details:
Pacific Disaster Center 1305 North Holopono Street Suite 2, Kihei, Hawaii 96753, USA Tel: +1 808 891 0525 Website: http://www.pdc.org/iweb/pdchome.html

Partners in Technology

The objective of Partners in Technology International (PACTEC) is to support any nation’s effort to build communications capacity in case of an emergency. It provides assistance to establish or improve two-way communications where reliable telephone service is unavailable. PACTEC purchases, installs, and maintains HF/VHF radio networks and satellite communications connectivity. PACTEC installs and administers computer networks for email, web-based communications and applications. PACTEC also provides training for local technicians who can then operate and maintain PACTEC communication systems.
PACTEC has already undertaken work in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Mauritania, Morocco and Senegal. PACTEC is in the process of spinning off a new non-profit organization to be called the Disaster Relief and Strategic Telecommunication Infrastructure Company, http://www.drasticom.net.

Contact details:
Partners in Technology P.O. Box 28 Nampa, ID 83653-0028, USA Tel: +1 208 498 0600 Fax: +1 208 498 0601 Email: pactecinfo@pactec.net Website: http://www.pactec.org

ReliefWeb

ReliefWeb is an on-line gateway to information (documents and maps) on humanitarian emergencies and disasters. It provides timely, reliable and relevant information as events unfold, while emphasizing the coverage of ‘forgotten emergencies’ at the same time. ReliefWeb was launched in October 1996 and is administered by UNOCHA.
The ReliefWeb portal has seen steady growth in usage. In 2002, ReliefWeb received 1.5 million hits per week, and in 2004, the site received approximately 1 million hits a day. Shortly after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster of December 2004, it received 3 million hits a day on average. Over 70,000 users subscribe to ReliefWeb’s email services. It operates from three time zones to ensure that its news items are updated around the clock and posts about 150 maps and documents daily from over 2,000 sources.These are then categorized and stored in a searchable database containing a large number of such items dating back to 1981.

Contact details:
ReliefWeb Kobe Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Hitomiraikan 5F, 1-5-2,Wakinohama-kaigan-dori Chuo-ku, Kobe City Hyogo 651-0073, Japan Tel: +81 78 262 5555 Website: http://www.reliefweb.int

Télécoms Sans Frontières

Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) is an NGO specializing in emergency telecommunications. TSF deploys lightweight equipment that can provide voice, Internet, fax, and video connections via its satellite,Wi-Fi,and Global System for Mobile communications equipment.The services are available to everyone, including UN personnel, NGOs, other responders, local government agencies and citizens. The TSF teams will remain in an area for about a month, until more permanent satellite and other communications are established. TSF, however, often stays in regions much longer as part of other humanitarian work it does including training on satellite communications equipment and the strengthening of early warning systems using ICT.

Website: http://www.tsfi.org/tsfispip/index.php

UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

UN/ISDR is the focal point in the UN System to promote links and synergies between, and the coordination of, disaster reduction activities in the socio-economic, humanitarian and development fields, as well as to support policy integration. It serves as an international information clearinghouse on disaster reduction, developing awareness campaigns and producing articles, journals, and other publications and promotional materials related to disaster reduction. The UN/ISDR headquarters is based at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. It conducts outreach programmes through its regional units in Kenya, Panama, Tajikistan and Thailand. Recognizing that natural hazards can threaten anyone, UN/ISDR builds on partnerships and takes a global approach to disaster reduction, seeking to involve individuals and communities towards achieving the goals of reducing the loss of lives, the socio-economic setbacks and the environmental damages caused by natural disasters.

Contact details:
UN/ISDR Palais des Nations CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 917 2529 / 762 / 759 Fax: +41 22 917 0563 Email: isdr@un.org Website: http://www.unisdr.org
UN/ISDR Asia and the Pacific c/o UNESCAP UN Conference Centre Building Rajdamnern Nok Avenue Bangkok 10200,Thailand Tel: +66 2 288 2745 Email: isdr-bkk@un.org Website: http://www.unisdr.org/asia
UN/ISDR Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning Herrmann-Ehlers-Strasse 10 D-53113 Bonn, Germany Tel: +49 228 249 8810 Fax: +49 228 249 8888 Email: isdr-ppew@un.org Website: http://www.unisdr-earlywarning.org