Tsunami Warning System Effectiveness



An Annotated Bibliography by Amelia Servi



23 September 2005

Anderson, William A. "Disaster Warning and Communication Processes in Two Communities." Journal of Communication (pre-1986) 19.2 (1969): 92. <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=608398701&Fmt=7&clientId=65345&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.
This article compares and contrasts the responses in Crescent City, California and in Hilo, Hawaii to a tsunami which occured on Marc27, 1964. Anderson focuses on the specific responsibilities of local officials and on the importance of clear and speedy information. For means of warning, he discusses door-to-door visits, publc sirens, police force supervision of evacuation, and use of local radio stations. He also addresses the problem of false alarms and the need for the public to be accustomed to hearing emergency information on the radio.

Canada National Report for the Eighteenth Session of the International Coordination Group for the Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific (ITSU-XVIII).  Cartagena, Colombia, October 8-11, 2001. 9/20/2005.
This report is a thorough outline of canada's tsunami warning system. It addresses telephone modems and satellite links as modes of communication. It also provides plans for the numbers and duties of emergency personnel.

Carlberg, Ken, et al. Preferential Emergency Communications : From Telecommunications to the Internet. Boston: Kluwer Acedemic Publishers, 2003.
This book focuses on communication methods used between emergency personnel. It touches on the issues surrounding that area including security and ways to give preferance to emergency communications.

Communication when it's Needed most: How New Technology could Hel in Sudden Disasters. Washington D.C.: The Annenberg Washington Program in Communications Policy Studies of Northwestern University, 1989.
This report is a compilation of articles on how to use communication to decrease the loss of lives from sudden natural disasters. The report lists four goals for improvements on the current situation. These include forging a closer bond between emergency responders and the mass media, creating an international center for disasters so that people from around the world can learn from the disasters that have occured elsewhere and using remote-imaging satellite systems to map worldwide disaster areas and plan for disaster prevention.

Crawford, George L., et al. "Local Tsunami Warning in the Pacific Coastal United States." Natural Hazards Volume 35, Number 1 (May 2005): 111 - 119.
The authors discuss various emergency warning systems including sirens, telephones playing pre-recorded messages, weather radio, commercial radio, commercial television, cable. The article emphasizes the need for redundancy of warnings.

Crawford, George L. "NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) – A Coastal Solution to Tsunami Alert and Notification." Natural Hazards Volume 35, Number 1 (May 2005): 163 - 171.
Crawford focuses on NOAA Weather Radio as an emergency warning system, providing a chart showing the route of a warning message through various agencies. He also suggests some outdoor warning systems including bright blue strobe lights and 360 degree speakers. He suggests wind, solar and commercial power for these devices.

Tsunami Inundation Preparedness in Coastal Communities " U.S. National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program Review and International Tsunami Symposium.  ITS 2001 Proceedings, NTHMP Review Session, Paper R-18. Seattle, Washington, 7-10 August 2001. 9/20/2005.
This article discusses NOAA radio being the primary emergency warning system in the United States. It also emphasizes other warning systems including signs and public service announcements.

Designing for Tsunami: Seven Principles for Planning and Designing for Tsunami Hazards. National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program NOAA, USGS, FEMA, NSF, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. 9/19/2005.
This article provides a comprehensive strategy for tsunamis response in the Western United States. The article outlines the warning system used on the West coast. This system utilizes commercial radio, commercial television, NOAA Weather radio system, and US Coast Guard transmissions.

Gorriti, Gustavo. "Living Dangerously: Issues of Peruvian Press Freedom." Journal of International Affairs 47.1 (1993): 223,29 pages.
This article outlines the recent history of Peru's press up until 1993. It describes periods of free press and periods of governement controlled press. This source may help us determine the plausability of using various media to communicate disasters to the population.

"Government of the Federated States of Micronesia." . September 16, 20059/21/2005 <http://www.fsmgov.org/>.
This is Micronesia's official government page. On it is information on the US's role in disaster relief in FSM (see http://www.fsmgov.org/press/pr071304.htm), past tsunami alerts (http://www.fsmgov.org/press/pr110400.htm) and emergency operation training (http://www.fsmgov.org/press/pr081605.htm). This site does not have very much specific information on emergency procedures but it has some contact information and the names of the agencies responsible for emergency management.

"Guide for the Selection of Communication Equipment for Emergency First Responders." (2002) . 9/21/2005.  Publisher: U.S. Dept of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice.
This is a guide meant to help emergency aid providers choose appropriate communication equipment.  The guide deals in depth with radio systems, differentiating between the many options.

Hedebro, Goran. Communication and Social Change in Developing Nations: A Critical View. 1st ed. Ames, Iowa: The Iowa State University Press, 1982.
This book discusses the role of communication systems in developing countries. It talks about improving living conditions by improving communication abilities in areas wher cmmunication abilities are lacking.

International Disaster Communications: Harnessing the Power of Communications to Avert Disasters and Save LIves. Ed. Fred H. Cate. Washington, D.C.: The Annenberg Washington Program in Communications Policy Studies of Northwestern University, 1994.
This is a compilation of articles. dealing with emergency communication systems. One article addresses ways to build a stronger relationship between the media and disatster mitigation agencies. Another article goes through disasters step by steps and points out ways that communication is needed along the way.

Jonientz-Trisler, C., et al. "Planning for Tsunami-Resilient Communities." Natural Hazards Volume 35.Number 1 (May 2005): 121 - 139.
This article suggests longterm measures that increase the effectiveness of emercency warning systems. These include the production and distribution of evacuation signs, educational videos, indundation maps and evacuation route brochures. The article targets its analysis to the western United States.

Kulikovi, Evgueni A., Alexander B. Rabinovich, and Richard E. Thomson. "Estimation of Tsunami Risk for the Coasts of Peru and Northern Chile." Natural Hazards Volume 35, Number 2 (June 2005): 185 - 209.
This article outlines the history of tsunamis in Peru and makes predictions the future frequency and sizes of tsunamis hitting Peru.

Mileti, Dennis S., and John H. Sorensen. Communication of Emergency Public Warnings: A Social Science Perspective and State-of-the Art Assessment., August 1990. http://emc.ornl.gov/EMCWeb/EMC/PDF/CommunicationFinal.pdf. 9/20/2005.  Prepared for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, D.C. Prepared by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak ridge, Tennessee 37831-6285
This report outlines warning procedures for all types of emergencies. It includes a discussion of the current warning systems used in the US, the structure of a good warning system, and guidelines for building new warning systems

Outdoor Warning Systems Guide. Vol. FEMA CPG 1-17. Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1980. 9/19/2005.
This report outlines the major outdoor alert mechanisms. These include sirens, loudspeakers, horns and whistles. The report rates warning methods by the sound levels produced. It also includes specific advice for setting up an outdoor warning system that utilizes sound.

Perry, W. Ronald. "Incentives for Evacuation in Natural Disaster." American Planning Association.Journal of the American Planning Association 45.4 (1979): 440. <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1908193&Fmt=7&clientId=65345&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.
Perry suggests incentives that will encourage a population to evacuate an area. These include providing safe destinations, plausible routes, and advance information of the above mentioned. Perry also discusses the need for warning confirmation centers so that citizens can verify a warning for themselves.

"Portal Del Estado Peruano." . 9/21/2005 <http://www.peru.gob.pe/>.
This is Peru's official government webpage. It includes information on the National Institute of Radio and Television (http://www.peru.gob.pe/gobierno/det_institucion.asp?cod_institucion=10010), and the Department of the Interior (http://www.peru.gob.pe/gobierno/det_institucion.asp?cod_institucion=132). The only problem is that it is in Spanish.

Ramirez, F. Jorge, and P. Carlos Perez. "The Local Tsunami Alert System ('SLAT'): A Computational Tool for the Integral Management of a Tsunami Emergency " Natural Hazards Volume 31, Number 1 (January 2004): pp 129 - 142.
This article describes the "Local Tsunami Alert System" (SLAT). SLAT uses information about earthquakes to predict the magnitude, direction, speed and point of contact of the tsunamis that may be produced. It then takes or recommends actions based on the predictions. SLAT was designed for the pacific coast of South America and is prepared in Spanish.

United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The Save Lives Act of 2004: [Electronic Resource] Report of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on S. 2820.9/21/2005.
This is a bill proposed by the United States Congress proposing to provide public safety providers with up to date wireless emergency communication devices. It also proposes reserving some television stations for emergency messages. According to the bill, television stations would have to do more public service announcements. The bill also investigates the economic implications of the proposed changes.


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