The increasing number of extreme events such as heat waves and wildfires has revealed a critical gap in systemic data collection. In response, the National Science Foundation, with supplemental funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has launched the Public Health Extreme Events Research (PHEER) network to serve as the coordinating platform for the public health disaster research community of practice. PHEER is comprised of public health experts from universities in four U.S. states, including Nicole Errett of…
Center updates
Help Create a Region 10 Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Center
The University of Washington Center for Disaster Resilient Communities (CDRC) was selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Readiness and Responses’ Office of Applied Research to lead the development of a regional public health emergency preparedness and response (PHEPR) center work plan that will help prepare the Northwest for disasters and emergencies. This Region 10 PHEPR Center will serve Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and its 271 Tribal Nations. To inform the development of the Region…
Constructing mass timber buildings to withstand Seattle-area earthquakes
A team of University of Washington researchers recently tested whether a 10-story, timber constructed building could survive a simulated Seattle-area earthquake. The Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation, is a collaborative effort between university researchers and engineering firms. The exercise, which was the world’s tallest building to be tested on a shake table, is intended to pave the way for more widespread use of mass timber — layers of wood…
Building cross-border collaborations with the University of British Columbia
The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) runs from Northern California to Vancouver, Canada, and has the potential to unleash a magnitude 9 earthquake and an accompanying tsunami that would devastate the Pacific Northwest. To address the health ramifications of this and other regional catastrophes, affected communities must develop resilience with the support of collaborative and innovative research that spans state and international borders. In September 2023, representatives of the University of Washington Center for Disaster Resilient Communities (CDRC) traveled to Vancouver,…
Center for Disaster Resilient Communities launches with support from the Population Health Initiative
New center will help communities prepare for and respond to disasters, with expertise from 100+ UW researchers in disaster science, public health, engineering, medicine, data science, nursing, public policy and environmental science SEATTLE (September 6, 2023) — The University of Washington today launched its new Center for Disaster Resilient Communities (CDRC), bringing together some of the world’s top experts to inform and strengthen how communities prepare for and respond to disasters. The Center unites the UW’s expertise in disaster science…
New study identifies climate hazards as Duwamish Valley’s greatest concern
A recent survey of Seattle residents living in South Park and Georgetown found that more residents listed environmental hazards as a top concern than any other problem facing the area. This study – a collaboration between University of Washington researchers, Duwamish River Community Coalition, City of Seattle, Public Health–Seattle & King County and Washington Department of Health – built on the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response approach used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to…