WDC OVERVIEW

MISSION STATEMENT

The Western Disaster Center (WDC) is an innovative public benefit enterprise that manages and directs a wide range of projects and programs to provide for increased public safety through the enhancement of public and private capabilities related to all aspects of disaster and emergency management; including: mitigation, preparation, response and recovery. This is accomplished through applied research, the application of advanced computer, information and communication technologies, humanitarian projects, education and training and the development and the application of methods for public/private partnering.  The Western Disaster Center implements this vision through funded research grants, innovative partnerships and projects.  This process is managed and directed by the Western Disaster Center, Inc., a California, public benefit, 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

HISTORY

The Western Disaster Center concept evolved from a Silicon Valley community effort to identify parallel use applications for Onizuka Air Force Base, and the adjacent Moffett Federal Complex, Moffett Federal Airfield, NASA Ames Research Center and the NASA Research Park.

Onizuka Air Force Station was designated by the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission to "realign".  The Western Disaster Center concept was conceived by the local community to address the reduction in US Air Force activities at Onizuka associated with the realignment.  In 1997 the Western Disaster Center concept was developed to leverage the unique Defense and Intelligence Community information network resources available at Onizuka as a regional component of the Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN).  GDIN was a Clinton administration concept to globally reduce loss of life and property through the effective utilization of all-source data collection and information resources and evolving computer and communication technologies in the disaster management mission. UPDATE- May 13, 2005:  Onizuka Air Force Station has been recommended for closure by the DoD as part of the 2005 BRAC,

In 1999 the Western Disaster Center, Inc. was incorporated as an independent, California, public-benefit nonprofit corporation.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The activities of the Western Disaster Center are organized into both stand-alone and mutually supporting components. 

Day-to-day activities of the Western Disaster Center are organized into three functional components - the Institute for Disaster Informatics, the Institute for Search and Rescue and HAZUS.org.

Institute for Search and Rescue

The WDC Institute for Search and Rescue is a focused research activity addressing the application of advanced communications, computer and information technologies for search and rescue applications. The Institute for Search and Rescue is working on a wide range of advanced technology projects applicable to the search and rescue mission, including; geospatial information systems (GIS), wireless (including satellite) communications, remote sensing, tracking (GPS) and mobile/wearable computing.

Institute for Disaster Informatics

The WDC Institute for Disaster Informatics is the applied research element of the Western Disaster Center.  The Center for Disaster Informatics manages and directs the Western Disaster Center's broad range of activities related to computers, communications, information, information systems and information technology as applied to all aspects of disaster and emergency management.

HAZUS.org

HAZUS - HAZards US - is a nationally standardized methodology and software program that is built upon models for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, and hurricane winds.  HAZUS was developed and is maintained by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under contract with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).

Since 1998, the Western Disaster Center has operated www.HAZUS.org as a national resource to promote the use and development of HAZUS applications HAZUS.org.  In addition to supporting the growing network of HAZUS User Groups across the country, manages the activities of two active HAZUS User Groups; the San Francisco Bay Area HAZUS User Group (BAHUG) and the Heartland HAZUS User Group (HeartlandHUG).

US-Disaster Information Network

Although today there is no corresponding Federal program, the Western Disaster Center continues to advocate the need to establish a secure, all-hazard, all-source nationwide disaster information network.  This activity is implemented though the WDC US Disaster Information Network (US-DIN) initiative.

The Western Disaster Center continues to promote the US-DIN concept as an industry led, public/private partnership.  The Western Disaster Center believes that with the appropriate government policy support an industry led US-DIN public/private consortium could implement and begin operations of an effective US Disaster Information Network in the matter of a few months time.