Notes from other agencies

American College of Emergency Physicians/The Emergency Medicine Foundation

The Florida Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Medicine Foundation are cosponsoring the Ninth Annual Clinical Conference on Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (Clincon '83). The Conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from July 8-10, 1983, and will cover prehospital trauma care, field team performance evaluation, head trauma, airway management, and pediatric trauma. Special postgraduate courses on vehicle extrication techniques and medical-legal and financial aspects of emergency care will also be offered.

For more information, write: Clincon '83, 600 Courtland Street, Suite 420, Orlando, Florida, 32804, U.S.A.

Bureau for Overseas Medical Service

The Bureau for Overseas Medical Service, London, acts as a clearinghouse and coordinating agency for health workers in the developing countries. According to a recent announcement, the Bureau has opened a register for health professionals experienced in refugee care and relief operations. In addition to the health worker clearinghouse service, the Bureau plans to sponsor seminars on refugee and displaced persons care. For further information, contact Dr. C.J. Burns-Cox, Bureau for Overseas Medical Service, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London. WC1 7HT, England.

Interagency meeting on health needs assessment

PAHO called an interagency consultation meeting in late April to discuss the development of a methodology, standardized focus and training programs to prepare health personnel in the Americas for rapid assessment of needs after natural disasters. Agencies who will collaborate on the project include UNICEF, the League of Red Cross Societies, CARICOM, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the WHO Collaborating Center for Disaster Epidemiology (Brussels). Preliminary work in the development of impact assessment indicators has been done by the government of Jamaica, with the support of the Pan Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Project, the U.S. Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance, and the PAHO Front Line Response Team. The agencies agreed that the assessment of impact on life-line services and utilities should be considered a part of the overall assessment of health needs. The Canadian International Development Agency has provided funds for the PAHO project.

PCDPPP Shelter Survey

The Pan Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Project centered in St. John's Antigua, will carry out a survey of designated shelters in four Caribbean nations. The survey aims to evaluate the adequacy of evacuation shelters and make recommendations for upgrading them. The survey will be carried out by the UNDRO Preparedness Adviser assigned to the Project and will include an evaluation of sanitation and environmental health facilities, with the cooperation of PAHO.

Pacific Islands Development Program

The Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange between East and West, a national educational institute based in Hawaii, U.S.A., recently created the Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP). Established as a research unit, the PIDP will initiate a program in disaster preparedness research and training with the purpose of increasing disaster planning and management capabilities in the Pacific Islands. In cooperation with UNDRO, WHO, and other agencies, PIDP will develop materials for and conduct workshops in preparedness and planning for natural disasters, including public health considerations. For further information regarding training materials development and bibliographic information, write East-West Center, Pacific Islands Development Program, 1777 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96848, USA.

Relief International: Register of Engineers

Relief International of Ontario, Canada, has announced the creation of a new organization designed to supply international organizations working in disaster relief with engineers and nurses on immediate notice for short term assignments as volunteers. Registrants include people in the Caribbean and Latin America. For further information, write: Stephen Bailey, President, Relief International, Box 3299, Station "D", Ottawa, Ontario, KIP 6H8, Canada.