MLA Disaster Preparedness CE
Please join us on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 for Disaster Situations in an International Context, a Medical Library Association (MLA) Disaster Information Continuing Education course, proudly hosted at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, IL.
The program will be held from 09:00 am -1:00 pm, is FREE, and is worth 4 MLA CE Contact hours.
Course Description: Natural disasters and other crises are often considered local events. Yet even disasters occurring in other parts of the world can have important repercussions for U.S. communities and agencies, either because they now perceive a shared vulnerability and risk, because a large ethnic population exists in the U.S. that will demand information, or because Americans want to understand how they can help.
This four-hour course for information specialists, librarians and other related professionals looks at the international disaster community, their roles and responsibilities in pre- and post- disaster situations, and the type of information that they may offer or require to respond to real or perceived needs. The course consists of three sections:
Part 1. Who makes up the ‘International community’ in disaster situations?
Part 2. Disaster Response: Global Trends in a Changing Environment
Part 3. What this means for information specialists and consumers in the U.S.
Instructors: John Scott & Patricia Bittner from the Center for Public Service Communications in Arlington Virginia
John Scott
Mr. Scott founded and directs the Center for Public Service Communications (est. 1990) whose mission is to provide guidance and expertise to individuals, communities and public sector organizations in the specialized field of applying telecommunications and information technologies to reduce health disparities, to improve health services to underserved and disenfranchised individuals and communities and to improve the collection and sharing of scientific, technical and community knowledge to reduce human vulnerability to natural hazards.
Mr. Scott has worked for many years on disaster risk reduction programs internationally, with the United Nations, and within the United States. He has been a senior advisor on early warning and disaster health information to institutions, including the NLM. Currently, he is writing a disaster risk reduction handbook for mayors on behalf of the U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and its “Making Cities Resilient” campaign.
Patricia Bittner
Ms. Bittner is a professional manager and specialist in the field of disaster preparedness and risk reduction, with a particular focus on health. She was responsible for the development of a web-based information portal on Health and Disasters for the Pan American Health Organization/WHO, including preparation of original material, technical review and quality control of all material on preparedness, risk reduction and humanitarian relief, and consultation on the structure, design, navigation and use. Ms Bittner has significant experience leading a high-performing team to identify and provide the resources and information needed by countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to improve readiness and reduce the impact of disasters on health. Her team has maximized the impact of strategic partnerships, mobilized resources and engaged in advocacy for disaster preparedness, risk reduction and response.
For registration and information, please contact Rhona Kelley, rkelley@siumed.edu or 217-545-2112, or Lynne Ferrell at ferrell.lynne@mhsil.com or 217-788-3331.
Breakfast snacks will be provided prior to class. Lunch will not be included but menus and directions to Springfield eateries will be available.
