Editorial:  Role of the Natural Hazards and Disaster Field in the Aftermath of September 11

Estimating Watershed Level Flood Damage in the Red River Valley of the North
Steven D. Shultz and Michael E. Kjelland

Abstract: Flood damage estimates for two sub-watersheds of the Red River Valley were found to be deficient in terms of availability, accuracy, and geographic detail. Data manipulation strategies were used to improve the quality of flood damage estimates in the two watersheds between 1989 and 1998. Extrapolating previous agricultural flood damage estimates for specific years based on hydrologic data increased such estimates by 340% in the Maple Watershed, North Dakota and by 200% in the Wild Rice Watershed, Minnesota.  Conversely, identifying the township location of nonagricultural flood damage payments by FEMA along with a simple population based adjustment of other county level nonagricultural damage in each watershed, reduced nonagricultural flood damage estimates by 80% in the Maple Watershed and by 27% in the Wild Rice Watershed. It is recommended that disaster relief agencies increase the geographical specificity of their damage payment data. Until then, the data manipulation procedures of this present study have the potential to improve the temporal and spatial accuracy of watershed level flood damage estimates.

Emerging Hurricane Evacuation Issues: Hurricane Floyd and South Carolina
Kirstin Dow and Susan L. Cutter

Abstract: A survey of coastal South Carolina residents addressed the role of household decisions in amplifying demand on transportation infrastructure during 1999’s Hurricane Floyd evacuation. The evacuation rate averaged 65% (64.2%) in coastal evacuation areas.  Three major findings reveal that traffic problems are becoming a major consideration in whether people evacuate. How they evacuate is emerging as an issue for evacuation traffic planning. First, about 25% of households took two or more cars. Nearly 50% of evacuees left in one 6-h period. Major traffic pressure developed on the Interstate system, particularly Interstate-26. Second, while the majority of respondents carried road maps, only 51% of that group used them to determine their route. Many decided to stay on the Interstate despite the congestion. Finally, the majority of South Carolinian residents traveled distances greater than necessary for safe sheltering and more than in past hurricanes. Transportation issues will become more important in coastal evacuations as traffic problems impinge on peoples’ ability to get out of harm’s way and ultimately influence their decisions to evacuate.

Disaster Management System for Southwestern Indiana
Nasim Uddin, P.E., and Dennis Engi

Abstract: The Southwest Indiana Disaster Resistant Community Corporation (SWIDRCC!) and Sandia National Laboratories formed a partnership in 1999 with the intent of developing and deploying a system that will significantly lessen the loss of human life and lower the cost of disaster recovery in a five-county region. Although this region currently has a response system in place that appears adequate to meet the challenges posed by a disaster, the partnership is considering substantial improvements that could significantly lessen the cost of disasters. As a result of the SWIDRCC-Sandia partnership, a policy portfolio for the SWIDRCC has been developed and a significant technology development activity has been structured using the virtual issue process (VIP). VIP is a strategic planning tool developed by Sandia to provide concise information from a community or group that can be used to resolve complex issues and problems. The disaster management system that was defined as the result of the VIP will integrate sensor technologies, modeling and simulation tools, telemetry systems, and computing platforms, in addition to non-automated elements including increased community education and involvement.  The system is expected to provide information (pre-event, during event, and in event recovery) to community leaders that will significantly enhance the ability of the community to manage disaster response. The value of the system will be manifest in both reducing the loss of human life and staying the economic well-being of the community.  It is expected that the system will serve as a prototype for other communities throughout the country. To aid in system definition during the process, two dynamic simulation models were also developed:  the policy portfolio analysis tool and the infrastructure modeling tool.