A global review of disaster reduction initiatives - Welcome to the ...

Building understanding: development of knowledge and information sharing4The Centre has become a regarded regional institutionthrough its gathering, processing and disseminationof high-quality information, as well as a focalpoint for training and knowledge engineering relatedto bibliographic information technologies. A primaryaspect of all its activities is the building ofadditional institutional capacities for the bettermanagement and wider dissemination of disasterinformation, or the management of national or localdisaster information centres. While its efforts contributeto the institutionalization of a regional disasterinformation system, CRID also promotes the concept of decentralization and disaster informationexchange so that institutions and users can access materials more easily. In order to fulfil these functionsCRID provides the following information services:• Assists a wide variety of institutional and individual users to search and find disaster and health-relatedinformation available through physical or electronic media;• Electronic access to an extensive collection of documents and other source materials;• Publication and distribution of information products such as bulletins, bibliographies, and othermaterials for both public and technical use;• Development and delivery of training for disaster management information centres, in such areas asthe use of databases, controlled vocabulary for disaster-related information, use of the Internet, etc.;• Design, production and distribution of training materials;• Collaboration with other institutions interested in disaster information management;• Management of information management projects;• Organization of information stands, participation in specific events, etc.odically. Furthermore, CRID produces specializedbibliographies on specific disaster related issues. Sofar 30 issues of this Bibliodes series have been publishedand distributed to several thousand users inboth print and electronic versions. Other informationproducts developed by CRID include a varietyof training modules on information managementand the digitization of documents, made availableonline or on CD-ROM. The Centre also providesinformation management project administrationservices and provides technical advice to sisterorganizations on the development of web sites andother information products. Currently with fundingfrom ISDR, PAHO/WHO and the UnitedStates National Library of Medicine, CRID isimplementing a project aimed at creating betterinformation management capacities in El Salvador,Honduras and Nicaragua.CEPREDENACMore specific to the disaster reduction activities ofindividual countries in Central America, theCEPREDENAC web site (www.cepredenac.org)contains continuously updatedinformation on plans, programmes andprojects in the region. The web site containsdisaster statistics and analysis for theregion, as well as links to the web sites ofeach of the national disaster organizationsin Central America and many other riskand disaster management organizationsactive in the region. As the regional coordinationcentre for disaster prevention,CEPREDENAC has an importantresponsibility in encouraging economic andsocial planners working at national, regionaland international levels to incorporate allinformation available in project design.This necessarily includes information abouthazards and risks and how they may affectcost-benefit analyses of development andinfrastructure projects, leading to possibledesign modifications that can bolsterdurable investments.In 1999, CEPREDENAC produced adetailed inventory of available hazard, riskand vulnerability maps and related informationas a first step in making them availableto decision makers regionally and163