Date

For registration and program information and additional details on
the conference described below, the First International Global Disaster
Information Network (GDIN) Information Technology Exposition and
Conference, scheduled for 9-11 October 2000, see:
http://www.erim-int.com/CONF/GDIN/announcement.html

First International Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN)
Information Technology Exposition and Conference
Honolulu, HI
9-11 October 2000

PURPOSE
The First International Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN)
Information Technology Exposition and Conference, to be held in
Honolulu, Hawaii on 9-11 October 2000, will explore the needs of
participants in government, business, and nonprofit sectors related to
emergency management information technologies, their development, and
operational use.

Every year natural and human-induced disasters take a tragic and
devastating toll on people, property, trade, and the environment in the
Pacific and around the globe. Timely and accurate information supporting
all phases of preparation, mitigation, response, and recovery is
essential.

Regional disaster networks linked to form a global disaster information
network can use advances in communications, monitoring, and information
technologies to support response to disasters across political and
organizational boundaries. The mission of the GDIN initiative is to
foster the development and effective use of these networks. The Pacific
Disaster Center (PDC) is a key part of this network in the Pacific
region.

FOCUS
This exposition and conference will complement GDIN policy initiatives
and focus on:

  • Data/Information Resources
  • Networking Technologies
  • Strategies in Establishing Operational Networks
  • Existing and Emerging Information Technologies
  • Forums Addressing Operational Activities

CONFERENCE GOALS
This conference will bring together technology developers and service
providers with operational users to:

  • Build the capacity and capability for users to understand and apply
    emerging information technologies

  • Help interested users to establish regional information centers and
    networks

  • Demonstrate the operational use of relevant technologies and methods
    by sharing user experiences

  • Connect information technology/service providers with appropriate
    users within the emergency management community

  • Explore successful methods of establishing organizational and
    institutional affiliations leading to the effective use of information
    resources

CONFERENCE FEATURES
This conference will use a variety of formats to create a comprehensive
understanding of the information needs of emergency managers and the
technologies that address those needs. These include:

  • Daily Keynote Forums that showcase senior-level presenters familiar
    with the emergency management community who will focus each day's
    activities

  • Sessions comprising both presentation and panel discussion on topics
    of interest to mid/senior-level decision makers and managers

  • "Round table" forums that explore in-depth issues related to how
    information resources may be obtained and used, and how organizations
    can effectively integrate these resources to support operational
    activities

  • Extensive expositions of existing and emerging information
    technologies involving government and commercial organizations

  • Workshops that demonstrate information's role in supporting emergency
    and disaster management

PARTICIPANTS
* Distinguished international planning committee of key sector
representatives
* Sponsorship by federal, state, commercial, and international
emergency management organizations
* Emergency managers
* Information technology/resource providers
* Mid-/senior-level representatives of the operational community,
government, NGOs, and industry

International GDIN conferences focusing on establishing policy-level
framework have been held in Washington, D.C. in July 1998 and Mexico
City in May 1999. Future policy conferences have been scheduled for
spring 2000 in Ankara, Turkey and 2001 in Canberra, Australia.
Meanwhile, disaster information networks among U.S. federal, civil,
state, local, and military components, as well as international
governmental and private entities, are already underway through groups
like the Hawaii-based PDC.