puerto rico briefing national tsunami hazard mitigation program

Puerto Rico BriefingNational Tsunami Hazard

Mitigation Program

November 19, 2008

Washington D. C.

PR Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program Team

• Prof. Christa G. von Hillebrandt-Andrade-PRSN, UPRM• Ms. Barbara Medina, Mitigation Program, PRSEMA• Prof. Aurelio Mercado-Dept. Marine Sciences, UPRM• Dr. Victor Huerfano-PRSN, UPRM• Dr. Walter Diaz-Dept. Social Sciences, UPRM• Dr. Jose Martinez Cruzado-Dept. Civil Engineering, UPRM• Mr. Rafael Mojica-WCM, SJFO, NWS, NOAA• Eng. Carlos Rodriguez-Vernix Corporation• Mrs. Marie Gonzalez-FEMA, Puerto Rico office• Mrs. Jeanette Lopez, PRSN, UPRM• Graduate Student Wildaomaris Gonzalez

PR Component of NTHMP Briefing, Nov. 2008

Puerto RicoFunding (Sept. 2007-Sept. 2008)

• Funding Received– $156,147 – NTHMP– $42,533 – Tsunami Ready– $198,680.00 – TOTAL

• Balance as of Nov. 10, 2008: $36,444

• Extension until Sept. 2009


Puerto RicoAccomplishments

October 2007-October 2008


• Talks at schools, government offices, medical facilities, emergency management authorities: 4,000 people

• Technical and scientific presentations-GSA, SSA, AGU • Traveling Earthquake and Tsunamis exhibit at 5 Malls with

Puerto Rico State Emergency Management Agency with documentary on Tsunamis in Puerto Rico: 50,000 visitors

• TsunamiReady Workshops-Lajas, Carolina-355 participants• Earth Science Open House focusing on Tsunamis 2007 and

2008: 4000 PK-12 students and teachers• Media: 135 radio/TV/written media Interviews


Outreach/Education

• Support as requested IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO), IOCARIBE (IOC Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions), ICG/CARIBE-EWS (Intergovernmental Co-ordination Group for the Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean Sea and Adjacent Regions)

• December 2007-ICG III Prep Meetings, C. von Hillebrandt and A. Mercado elected WG1 and 2 Chairs, respectively

• March 2008, ICG III Meeting, B. Medina, C. von Hillebrandt and A. Mercado

• August 2008, Y. Soto participation in ICG Meeting on Tsunami Preparedness


• Development, reproduction and distribution of education and outreach materials– Spanish Tsunami Brochure– Tsunami Children's Booklet– PR Tsunami DVD– Pens, Pencils, Stickers

• Prepare and distribute a bilingual (English/Spanish) brochure for tourists and visitors. – Available in tourist racks throughout the island


• Support of NTHMP meetings– NTHMP Annual meeting in Hawaii– NTHMP CC meeting in Portland– NTHMP Strategic Planning Committee,

Palmer– Tsunami Ready Workshop, Portland

• PR Tsunami Technical Review Committee– Meeting held in Sept. 2008


Mapping and Modeling

• Select and perform runs using the TIME, with which the 2003 PR Tsunami inundation maps were prepared, and MOST (used for SIFT) for critical sites in Puerto Rico.– A. Mercado and V. Huerfano Participation in

NTHMP Mapping and Modeling workshop– In progress, graduate student has been hired.


Tsunami Notification Infrastructure• Participating and performing communications

tests of the Warning Centers– PRSN, PRSEMA participate in WCATWC monthly

tests

• Evaluate the feasibility and/or effectiveness of using cellular phone services, reverse 911 and 211 and NOAA Weather Radio. – Work in progress. NOAA Weather radios have

been distributed to schools– Work in progress


• Establish and test protocol for the first AHAB radio to be installed in Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. – AHAB purchased with 50-

50 FEMA and Municipal government of Mayagüez funds

– Protocol established– December 2008 a

community wide drill was held


TsunamiReady Activities• Three new communities,

Carolina, Lajas and Dorado– Bilingual Tsunami Evacaution Maps– Vulnerability profiles– Emergency Response Plans– Workshops and community

presentations

• Pending– Rincon– Tsunami Ready Recognition of

these four communities and Anasco.


• Test the strength of fiberglass signs in the laboratories of Civil Engineering, UPRM and prepare a report.– Done. Final report in progress.

• Install fiberglass signs and track the installation of to see if they are also affected by vandalism as is the case with the aluminum signs.– Pending.


• Writing and submitting an article on the Puerto Rico tsunami program to a professional journal. – In progress

• Maintaining and updating the Tsunami section of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network website (http://redsismica.uprm.edu)


http://redsismica.uprm.edu/

Synergistic Activities• NSF TSUNAMOS Project. Tsunami modeling in the U.

Oregon wave basin and outreach focusing on ports authorities

• NSF, Sea Grant, UPRM Puerto Rico Disaster Decision Support tool with Tsunami Module

• FEMA for Kids project, hands on workshop with 4th grade children, 1 of 7 stations on tsunamis

• NOAA support for strengthening the operations of the PRSN and the Caribbean Tsunami Warning System

• NOAA TsunamiReady-develop questionnaire on tsunami preparedness (done)

• PRSEMA support for the PRSN to operate 24 x 7 and strengthen outreach and education program


Challenges• Overextended local emergency management

personnel-hurricanes, flooding, terrorism, day to day emergencies/situations

• Lack of 24 x 7 reception and dissemination capabilities in communities

• Elections and substantial change of government in Puerto Rico at the state and local level

• Economic situation of Puerto Rico and the US


Puerto RicoFY 09 Funding Request

Task (Activity) Name NTHMP Performance Metric(s) (from Strategic Plan) Supported

Amount of Requested

Funds

Task 1. Participate in, promote and support regional and national NTHMP meetings and activities

Successful execution of NTHMP tsunami mapping, modeling, mitigation and education efforts.

90% of action items from Sub-Committee meetings will be completed within one year of being assigned.

$25,000

Task 2. Regenerate tsunami inundation maps for Puerto Rico (2009-2012)

Tsunami Inundation Maps that support informed decision making in tsunami threatened communities

NTHMP maps will meet established guidelines by 2012

$50,000




Amount of Requested

Funds

Task 3. Development and distribution of GIS based bilingual Spanish/English evacuation maps for Aguada, Isabela and Cabo Rojo

100% of tsunami evacuation maps posted to NTHMP web-based repository by 2012.

Assess the number of tsunami threatened communities through a scientific validation process, requiring tsunami evacuation maps.

$45,000

Task 4. Strengthen tsunami education in K-12 , including establishing inventory of educational resources, including text books.

Explore the feasibility of integrating tsunamis more into K-12 education.

Integrate tsunami information into K-12 education through at least one state pilot project by 2011.

Education toolkits and curricula for educators electronically accessible by 2009.

$70,000




Amount of Requested

Funds

Task 5. Train a corps of emergency managers in using and strengthening the Disaster Decision Support Tool developed for PR.

Develop decision support tools for the emergency responders to better visualize and plan for potential tsunami impacts.

$20,000

Task 6. Facilitate Tsunami Education, Preparedness and Outreach events.

Facilitate educational events.

Drive annual tsunami table-top exercise to ensure response plans to tsunamis are integrated and effective by 2010.

$20,000

Task 7. Development, reproduction and distribution of tsunami educational materials, including PR media toolkit.

Develop and distribute tsunami education products for the tourist community.

Develop a Puerto Rico tsunami media toolkit

$60,000




Amount of Requested

Funds

Task 8. Conduct an island wide survey of tsunami preparedness

Conduct evaluation to determine the effectiveness of tsunami education products and programs.

$110,000

Task 9. Establish inventory of tsunami-threatened critical facilities and communities and their emergency response and hazard mitigation plans.

By 2012, increase percentage of the tsunami threatened critical facilities and communities which include tsunamis in their emergency response plan.

Asses the number of tsunami threatened communities by 2012.

Inventory each NTHMP state and federal partner mitigation activities.

$10,000

Task 10. Establish 3 more TsunamiReady communities. Workshops, vulnerability profiles, signage, tsunami drills.

Increase the number of recognized TsunamiReady communities from 57 in 2008 to 105 by FY 2013

$80,000


Puerto Rico FY 09 Funding RequestTask (Activity) Name NTHMP Performance Metric(s) (from

Strategic Plan) SupportedAmount of Requested

Funds

Task 11. Participate in monthly communication tests of the Tsunami Warning Centers and in an end to end communication tests.

Increase percentage of response from primary recipients to the monthly TWC communication tests.

Conduct and end to end communications test of the US Tsunami Warning System.

$10,000

Task 12. Maintain and improve local tsunami warning and reception capabilities. 3 AHAB systems, NOAA weather radios, or alternate mechanisms and establish and test protocol.

Develop a needs inventory of local warning dissemination capabilities.

Develop a needs inventory of local warning reception capabilities.

$300,000

Task 13. Support tsunami preparedness for the 2010 Central American Games in Mayaguez and Western PR (35,000 visitors expected)

A culture of tsunami preparedness and responseEffective and reliable warning dissemination to threatened citizens and visitors

$50,000

Total $850,000

Thank you


puerto rico briefing national tsunami hazard mitigation program

Documents

pr tsunami inundation

puerto rico officemrs

puerto ricofunding

icg meeting

hawaiinthmp cc meeting

tsunamis exhibit

adjacent regions

aurelio mercado