Workshop Announcement
School Earthquake and Tsunami Safety in APEC Economies, Reducing Risks and Improving Preparedness.
GeoHazards International is the project contractor for this workshop, which is sponsored by the United States, Chinese Taipei, Peru, Australia and New Zealand. The United States Department of State and the United States Geological serve as the project overseers. The National Science & Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCRM) of Chinese Taipei is providing local support and sponsoring the field trip, banquets and other activities. The workshop will be held from October 17 to 19 in Chinese Taipei. Interested parties are encouraged to respond to info@geohaz.org.
Background
Natural hazards—earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic activity—struck APEC economies frequently during the last decade with devastating effects on children and schools. School buildings and school children are uniquely vulnerable to the consequences of these events. The damage from earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic activity has disrupted education and diminished educational opportunities desperately needed by future generations and for economic growth. However, recent events also demonstrated that comprehensive policies consistently carried out over time can significantly reduce damage and consequences in future events. Collaboration between APEC economies, discussing existing programs and lessons learned during hazard events will help economies improve their own programs.
In support of reducing the risk from natural hazards in all APEC economies, the United States, Chinese Taipei, Australia, New Zealand and Peru are sponsoring a collaborative project, School Earthquake and Tsunami Safety in APEC Economies, Reducing Risks and Improving Preparedness. APEC's Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG) will hold a workshop on October 17 to 19, 2011 in Chinese Taipei to further collaboration, discussion of lessons learned and concerns. This important workshop will provide member economies an opportunity to discuss the risk to schools from natural hazards and learn from each other about measures to reduce the risk.
Workshop Scope
The three-day workshop will explore recent disaster experiences, issues affecting safety in schools and policies to improve school safety and resilience. A resolution will be considered that would identify region wide school safety norms.
- Day 1 will set the scene by providing basic information on the safety of schools during natural hazard events. It will include expert reports on natural hazards in the APEC economies, school building vulnerability and case studies from recent events;
- Day 2 features a field trip to Tai-chung, the central area of Taiwan, which was struck by the September 21, 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, to visit the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan at the site of the badly damaged Kwangfu Junior High School. Besides visiting the museum, the field trip will visit schools that were rebuilt after the earthquake. During the trip representatives and of the economies and topical experts will discuss ways to reduce and manage risk form natural hazards.
- Day 3 will include discussions on existing policies in APEC economies and policies relevant to all APEC economies. Workshop participants will consider adopting by consensus a workshop resolution summarizing APEC-wide norms. A draft agenda is attached.
Partners
This project is sponsored by the United States, Chinese Taipei, Peru, Australia and New Zealand. The United States Department of State and the United States Geological serve as the project overseers. The National Science & Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCRM) of Chinese Taipei is providing local support and sponsoring the field trip, banquets and other activities. GeoHazards International, a non profit entity that works to improve safety from natural hazards in vulnerable communities is the project contractor.
Project Overseers
Dr. Fernando Echavarria, U.S. Department of State and Dr. Jack Medlin, U.S. Geological Survey are the project overseers. Questions about the nomination process for participants, the workshop agenda and the project can be directed to Mr. L. Thomas Tobin (lttobin@aol.com), Senior Advisor, GeoHazards International.
Improving the Earthquake and Tsunami Safety of Children in APEC Economies' Schools
| Date 2011 | Time | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday October 16 |
Delegates arrival in Taipei | Academia Sinica Guest House, Taipei | |
| Monday October 17 |
Day One Inaugural Session | ||
| 7:30AM | Breakfast | Academia Sinica Academic Activities Center | |
| 8:00 | |||
| 8:30 | Opening Session Remarks by representative of co sponsors Peru New Zealand Australia Chinese Taipei United States Introductions, announcements and logistics |
GHI representative | |
| 9:00 | Expert reports on natural hazards in the APEC region Earthquakes Tsunamis Volcanoes |
GHI seismologist | |
| 10:00 | Expert reports on school building vulnerability | GHI structural engineer | |
| 10:15 | Discussion | ||
| 10:30 | Coffee/Tea Break | ||
| 10:45 | Expert case study report on school safety public policy | GHI policy specialist | |
| 11:15 | Discussion | ||
| 12:00PM | Lunch Break | ||
| 1:30 | Earthquake consequences to schools from the 2010 Maule earthquake and tsunami | Representative of Chile (to be invited) |
|
| 2:00 | Earthquake consequences to schools from the Christchurch and Darfield earthquakes | Representative of New Zealand (to be invited) |
|
| 2:30 | Earthquake consequences to schools from the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunamis | Representative of Japan (to be invited) |
|
| 3:00 | Coffee/Tea Break | ||
| 3:15 | School performance in the 2008 Great Wenchuan earthquake and post earthquake retrofit program | Representative of China (to be invited) |
|
| 3:45 | School performance in the 2004 and 2010 earthquakes and tsunamis in Sumatra, and the volcanic eruptions and earthquakes near Yogyakarta | Representative of Indonesia (to be invited) |
|
| 4:15 | School performance in the 2004 tsunami in Thailand | Representative of Thailand (to be invited) |
|
| 4:45 | OECD School Safety Policy Framework | Representative of OECD (to be invited) |
|
| 5:30 | Adjourn Day One | ||
| 6:00 | Reception and Banquet NCDR Host |
||
| Tuesday October 18 |
Field Trip to the Earthquake Museum of Taiwan and School Reconstruction Projects | ||
| 8:30AM | Travel to Tai-chung via High Speed Train | Tai-chung | |
| 10:00 | Visit the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan | Image Gallery to experience the consequences of the Chi-Chi Earthquake | |
| 10:30 | Visit the Chelongpu Fault Gallery | ||
| 12:00PM | Visit the Earthquake Engineering Education hall, collapsed school building and school campus | ||
| 1:00 | Lunch, Discussion and Demonstration | ||
| 3:00 | Visit schools rebuilt after the 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake, and Tao-Mi Eco-Village and Paper Dome | ||
| 6:00 | Banquet NCDR host |
PuLi Restaurant Tai-chung |
|
| 8:00PM | Return to Taipei via High Speed Train | ||
| 9:00PM | Academica Sinica Guest House | ||
| Wednesday October 19 |
Day 3 Discussion and Closing Session | ||
| 8:30AM | Resume Workshop, announcements and logistics | Academia Sinica Academic Activities Center | |
| 8:45 | Corporate sponsored school safety programs in Peru and India | GHI Expert | |
| 9:15 | Summary of responses to questionnaires | ||
| 9:45 | Group Photograph | ||
| 10:00 | Coffee/Tea Break | ||
| 10:15 | Case studies on school safety programs Policy Discussions among participants and experts |
Representatives of various economies | |
| 12:00PM | Lunch Break | ||
| 1:30 | Discussion and adoption by consensus of a resolution | ||
| 3:00 | Coffee/Tea Break | ||
| 3:15 | Discussion of a resolution by workshop participants on school safety during natural hazard events | ||
| 5:00 | Closing Remarks and summary | ||
| 5:30 | Adjourn Workshop | ||
| 6:00 | Banquet | ||
| Thursday October 20 |
|||
| Morning | Departure of delegates | ||
