**March 24, 2006 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Project
Activity Report**

\(1\) DISASTERS AS A GROWTH BUSINESS:

Bazile, Karen Turni. \"Trees Raise Ruckus at St. Bernard Levee.\" New
Orleans Times-Picayune, March 24, 2006. Accessed at:
<http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-13/114318399187520.xml>

First sentence of article: \"A dispute about oak trees on a St. Bernard
Parish levee involving a politically connected property owner is
threatening to stop a project to elevate levees.\" One would think
Katrina had not happened \-- protecting trees on one\'s property more
important than providing adequate levee protection. But, this type of
obstacle to mitigation and preparedness measures happens on a daily
basis all over the country \-- which is one of the reasons disasters are
destined to remain a growth business.

\(2\) DISCIPLINES, DISASTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT \-- BOOK
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT:

Reviewed and approved 3rd draft of chapter on \"Gerontology and
Emergency

Management: Discovering Pertinent Themes and Functional Elements Within
the Two Disciplines,\" by Kathy Dreyer, Texas Institute for Research and
Education on Aging, Center for Public Service, University of North
Texas. Forwarded to EMI Webmaster for upload to the Project website to
replace previous draft \-- Free College Courses and Books section \--
where it should be accessible soon. Abstract:

\"In this chapter, the confluence of Gerontology and Emergency
Management is considered. Both disciplines have facets that are mutually
complimentary. The chapter illustrates the psychosocial issues,
practical considerations, and the applicability of gerontology within
emergency management, and vice versa. Other elements that provide
insights, such as future collaborations between the two fields of study,
are given consideration, as well as the overlapping features of other
disciplines such as public health, psychology, economics, and social
work. Potential means of expansion of collaboration between the two
disciplines that extends beyond typical natural disasters are also
explored.\"

\(3\) ERIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUFFALO NY \-- EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATE DEGREE:

Barbara Johnson is working with Charles Nagel, Interim Department
Chair/Assistant Professor, Fire Protection Technology/Emergency
Management Programs at Erie Community College, on the drafting of a
description of their recently implemented Associate of Applied Science
Degree in Emergency Management. Amongst the courses offered:

Principles of Emergency Management

Public Safety Critical Incident Management

Developing Volunteer Resources

Resource and Donations Management

Public Information Officer Basics Course

Emergency Response Plan

Emergency Management Leadership

Basic Incident Management

Emergency Response to Terrorism

Disaster Response and Recovery

Mitigation Emergency Management

Intermediate Incident Command System

Emergency Operations Center Management

Terrorism Response Planning

A description of this program will soon be uploaded to The College List
on the Project website. Additional information can be accessed at:
[[http://www.ecc.edu/academics/emergencymanage.asp]{.underline}](http://www.ecc.edu/academics/emergencymanage.asp)

There are now 123 collegiate emergency management programs in-place in
the U.S., and another 123 under investigation or development \--
disasters are not the only thing that\'s a growth business.

\(4\) FEMA:

Hamilton, Bruce. \"FEMA Needs Overhaul, Vitter Says - Military Should Be
First Responders in National Disaster Senator Says.\" New Orleans
Times-Picayune, March 24, 2006. Accessed at:
<http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/114318637887520.xml>

Hudson, Audrey. \"Acting Director Gives FEMA Focus.\" Washington Times,
March 24, 2006. Accessed at:
[[http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060323-114844-4893r.htm]{.underline}](http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060323-114844-4893r.htm)

\(5\) HAZARD, RISK AND VULNERABILITY COURSE TREATMENT:

Reviewed Module 1-0, \"Course Introduction,\" and Module 1-1, \"Why
Should We Be Concerned About Disasters?\" and provided review comments
to developer, Dr. Laurie Pearce, British Columbia.

\(6\) HOMELAND SECURITY:

New York Times (Editorial). \"Secretary of Homeland Insecurity.\" March
24, 2006. Accessed at:
[[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/opinion/24fri1.html?\_r=1&oref=slogin]{.underline}](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/opinion/24fri1.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)

\(7\) KATRINA:

Latamore, G. Berton. \"Emergency Preparedness and Communications:

Lessons Learned From Hurricane Katrina.\" Homeland Defense Journal, Vol.

4, Issue 2, February 2006.

Particularly note the observation: \"One of the major lessons of the
experience was that unity of purpose is more important than unity of
command. Command was divided, but the Guard was able to move thousands
of extra troops into the area by Sept. 10, rescuing 17,000 victims and
delivering millions of liters of water and MRE rations\" (p. 30).

\(8\) PREPAREDNESS:

Lueck, Thomas J. \"City Storm Evacuation Plan Is Unworkable, Report
Says.\" New York Times, March 24, 2006. Accessed at:

[[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/nyregion/24evacuation.html]{.underline}](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/nyregion/24evacuation.html)

Article is about planning for a possible hurricane catastrophe for NYC
\-- \"In a Category 3 hurricane like Katrina, the surge in low-lying
areas, which range from the Rockaways in Queens to the Lower East Side
of Manhattan, could exceed 25 feet, more than double the levels of a
similar storm along the Gulf Coast, the Assembly report said. The
region\'s last Category 3 hurricane was in 1938, the report said, and
experts have calculated that a storm of that magnitude would occur here
about once every 80 years, the report said.\"

\(9\) WAR ON TERROR:

Miles, Donna. \"Report Provides Strategic Vision for Countering WMD.\"

DefenseLINK News, March 24, 2006. Accessed at:
[[http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2006/20060324_4592.html]{.underline}](http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2006/20060324_4592.html)

The article is about the report \"National Military Strategy for
Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction,\" released today \-- and
accessible at: <http://www.defenselink.mil/pdf/NMS-CWMD2006.pdf>

B. Wayne Blanchard, Ph.D., CEM

Higher Education Project Manager

Emergency Management Institute

National Emergency Training Center

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Department of Homeland Security

16825 S. Seton, N-430

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

\(301\) 447-1262, voice

\(301\) 447-1598, fax

wayne.blanchard@dhs.gov

[[http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu]{.underline}](http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu)

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