Many organizations around the world work on issues related to coastal hazards. Knowing where to go to find relevant hazard-risk information for your community can be a difficult task.
In response to this problem, the NOAA Pacific Services Center created the Hazard Education and Awareness Tool (HEAT)—an innovative, no-cost tool that brings this information to one location and helps prepare communities for natural disasters.
HEAT merges Google Maps technology with spatial-hazards data to display detailed maps of hazard risks, and provide local information on hazard awareness, in an easy-to-use template format. Simply type an address into the search boxes and find out instantly whether it is located in a hazard-risk zone.
Hawaii is the current pilot site for this interactive, natural-disaster preparedness tool. The Hawaii Tsunami Hazard Information Service was developed using the HEAT template to address tsunami risk throughout the state.
The service allows Hawaii residents and visitors to search an address or island area. The address search returns an interactive tsunami-risk map, along with information on emergency planning, disaster response and preparedness kits, Hawaii's tsunami-warning system, when to evacuate, and more.
The HEAT template is available to any organization—all that is needed is hazard-map data, a basic Web server, and free Web-mapping software.
Moreover, the tool's search functionality can be readily distributed to other local disaster management agencies and integrated within their websites—thereby providing multiple locations where users can access this "one-stop shop" for hazards information.
See how Hawaii is applying the HEAT template—visit www.csc.noaa.gov/psc/tsunami/. To find out more about HEAT and how it can be used in your community, contact Russell.Jackson@noaa.gov.
Grant Opportunity: Ocean and Human Health Initiative
www.csc.noaa.gov/funding/
Deadline: November 15, 2007
Grants Available: 7 to 14 grants or
cooperative agreements
Available funds: $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
Award range: $100,000 to $1,000,000
Eligible applicants: state and local agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations. Funded projects will explore links between human and ocean health in one of two possible areas: early warning systems for human health risk and methods to minimize seafood contamination.
Information Resources: Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasting System
This site provides information about the location, extent, and potential impact of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Gulf of Mexico. Conditions are posted twice a week during the HAB season.
Southeast Coastal Climate
This site provides information for recreational and commercial fisheries and other coastal interests. Data topics include tides, El Niño or La Niña, marina data, and hurricanes. The website was developed by the University of Georgia and Florida State University through a contract with the NOAA Coastal Services Center.
