Dear CAN-USA members and friends:
As you know the event unfolding in Haiti after the major earthquake in January 2010 rallied Nepali community in US to raise funds for the victims in Haiti as a community to community help. That noble action also ensued the desire among all of us concerned to join force to attempt to come up with a broad Nepal earthquake disaster relief and preparedness recommendations that could be an exemplary initiative Nepali diaspora have ever taken in line with CAN-USA’s past actions to take up this issue.
This document is the proposed ANMF/ASNEngr/CAN-USA Joint initiative on Earthquake Disaster Relief and Preparedness in Nepal sponsored by the America Nepal Medical Foundation (ANMF), American Society of Nepalese Engineers (ASNEngr), and Computer Association of Nepal USA (CAN-USA). This document has been drafted with constant deliberation during past more than 4 weeks by these three organizations.
The proposed joint initiative by these three technical/professional organizations (ANMF, ANSEngr, and CAN-USA) to research and provide a set of recommendations which can be taken as a blueprint for actions in the ground for pre and post earthquake event in Nepal.
The actual action items resulting from the recommendations of this joint study are likely going to be far reaching and broad in nature and no single organization will likely be able to complete them by itself along. It will require a sustained and deliberate effort by all major non-resident Nepali organizations and national and international government and non-government organizations.
For this reason we are also seeking early support from major social organizations like NRN-NCC of USA and ANA to give us a moral support by signing this document. During early stage we would like to assemble a team of approximately 12 professionals representing these five organizations and other concerned organizations, including some in Nepal.
Sincere thanks to Suresh bhai for first draft of this document, and SumanJyu, AmbikaJyu and RogerJyu of NRN-NCC for providing early support.
Please use this thread to provide your valuable comments on the topic, your ideas and anything else which you think is vital for this study and would help this committee to do their work.
-Bineet
13 Responses to “ANMF/ASNEngr/CAN-USA Joint initiative on Earthquake Disaster Relief and Preparedness in Nepal”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Pukar Malla:
This is again an invaluable piece of collaborative work! My only suggestion is to rename the title since it currently gives the impression that “position paper” is already written.
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Durga Bhurtel:
The position papers is time sensitive and very import for the issue to be addressed. I have fully support for this proposal. If any things need to be added we can do latter on during the process.
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Ram Khanal:
Attn: Suresh dai, as probably you are gathering comments on this. From CAN-USA side, I see several parallel streams collaboratively moving forward.
CAN-USA needs to break down its effort to key areas such as Logistics, Communication, Financials, Transportation, Healthcare and identify/assign individuals with expertise/interest in such areas to contribute ICT expertise to augment the effort from other participating organizations.
One key action item is to identify what tools ICTs can supplement in the areas:
1. Logistics – Strategic Stockpile, Inventory Tracking
2. Financials- Allocations for all possible relief efforts, Spending Planning
3. Communication
a. Alternative communication network that by-passes the densely populated/disaster prone areas
b. Identify Points of Contacts and Communication mechanisms with relief agencies
4. Transportation – Full Mesh layout of possible strategic shelter points, relief camps
5. Alternative International Air Route
a. Understanding with nearby Lucknow Airport and other possible international air routes
b. ground transportation to and from international air routes to disaster are
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Suresh Ojha:
I appreciate your passion and suggestions. As many of you have personally contacted me with specific suggestions like this, I would like to ask you to keep a running journal of ideas and suggestions and date your notes.
For the moment though it is absolutely critical that we have broad participation from responsible organizations from within the diaspora. It is also critical that we have a governing document that guides the functioning of such a collaborative group.
We can all continue to keep a dated journal of implementation details and ideas, however issue number one must be the broad agreement on the governing document.
Everyone who is included in this thread must provide an immediate answer to Bineet Dai on whether the latest document is acceptable to them in order for the collaborative effort to proceed.
Once this document is ratified, we will have plenty of time to dive into the implementation details.
For now, please submit your response on the existing document.
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Simon Dhungana:
I agree. I am going to ask ANA executive board to support it as well. A timely article on WashPost.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/22/AR2010022204828.html?nav=hcmodule
February 24th, 2010 at 4:45 am
“ANMF/ASNEngr/CAN-USA Joint initiative on Earthquake Disaster Relief…
By admin
…disaster relief and preparedness recommendations…
—-
When it comes to our property, what do we expect in case of loss (hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood, fire, etc.)? The disaster itself is news. What happens after the dust settles is the story: the aftermath shock.
Here’s something disaster workers and the public should know. Insurance policyholders, and more importantly disaster survivors, need to be informed of access to equality–basic rights and information. The internet reaches far more people than anyone would have ever imagined, though difficult to gather those willing to pause, to inspect, to further…to think on their own. And yet, much is available gratis! It just takes looking: www.disasterprepared.net/info.html
March 1st, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Article posted for Ananta Risal:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/02/24/world/20100224-quake-map.html
March 23rd, 2010 at 9:18 am
Sent by Dr. Gaury Adhikari of ANMF:
Nepal: The Big one
By Jason Overdorf - GlobalPost
Published: March 22, 2010 06:37 ET
….The climax of the collision between tectonic plates that thrust up the Himalayas, Nepal is criss-crossed by geologic fault lines — some of which have been building up pressure for centuries. Even if it happens 185 miles away, an earthquake that measures 6 or 7 in magnitude on the Richter scale at its epicenter could generate level VIII, IX or even X level shaking on the Mercalli scale in Kathmandu. ……
Read more:
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/asia/100316/earthquake-disaster-Haiti-Chile?page=0,0
April 15th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Sent by Dr. Sunil Sharma President of American Nepal Medical Foundation ANMF
I am in the process of gathering information on our topic of EQ preparedness. One of the most important person in Nepal regarding EQ preparedness is Mr. Amod Dixit- Director of Nepal Society for Earthquake Technology (www.nset.org.np). He really is THE expert on this topic and an highly respected in S. Asia. …..
Another group that I came across is: Disaster Preparedness Network Nepal ( http://www.dpnet.org.np/) (.http://dpnetnepal.tripod.com/) They focus on all types of disasters and are a coalition INGO’s and local charity organizations.
I have included some links for us to review as we go about forming a knowledge base for this topic at this preliminary level and that we can talk intelligently about this topic at the conference. Also there are groups in the US like GeoHazards that we will soon need to tap into.
Look forward to hearing your thoughts.
ss
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Nepal-The-Next-Big-One/articleshow/5731660.cms
http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/publications/v.php?id=2738
http://www.dpnet.org.np/
http://dpnetnepal.tripod.com/
http://www.un.org.np/DisasterPreparedness/index.php
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/3060fbb2b91c86204392d3578ac483dd.htm
http://irp.onlinesolutionsltd.net/resources/projects_by_irp_partner_organizations/160/earthquake_risk_reduction_and_recovery_preparedness__programme_for_nepal
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/countries/nepal/template/index.html
http://www.undp.org.np/energy/projects/drrn/index.php?ProgramID=108
http://www.fao.org/climatechange/56995/en/
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=2401606
http://nepal.wvasiapacific.org/news-reports/peoples-caravan-on-disaster-risk-reduction-in-nepal.html
http://www.earthprint.com/productfocus.php?id=ICIMOD86
http://ndrcnepal.tripod.com/
April 23rd, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Prajesh Shrestha:
As published in Nagariknews.com.np
Heroic effort of 350-strong contingent of Nepal Army on a UN mission caught up during aftermath of Haiti Earthquake - a Nepali Article based on interview with Bhojraj Bhaat!
April 27th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Posting it for Dr. Gaury Adhikary :
Dr. Govinda KC, Selfless Surgeon :
=========================
….. I read about an unusual doctor form Kathmandu who has been actively involved with disaster area extensively. I think we should get him into the loop. ……
=========================
Admin Note: If the above link doesn’t work. Please copy and paste following url address in your browser
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=17836
May 6th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Joint ANMF, ASNEngr and CAN-USA endeavor on earthquake preparedness and disaster relief in Nepal
http://www.can-usa.org/downloads/Earthquake_Initiative/JointInitiative_ANMF_ASNEngr_CANUSA.pdf
May 6th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Papers presented during CAN-USA’s 2008 Development Conference at UC Berkeley
a) Interoperability in City of San Francicso during Emergencies
http://www.can-usa.org/downloads/City_of_San_Francisco.ppt
by City of San Francisco
b) An Assessment of Disaster Telecommunication Networks in Nepal
http://www.can-usa.org/downloads/Disaster_Telecomm_Ojha.ppt by Suresh Ojha
c) Emergency Communication in Disaster
http://www.can-usa.org/downloads/Bay_Area_Red_Cross.pdf
by San Francisco Bay Area Red Cross