How did PDC come to being?
PDC was established by the U.S. Congress in response to Hurricane Iniki—a
powerful hurricane that devastated the Hawaiian Island of Kauai in 1992.
Today, the Center is a robust and well-respected information management
and analysis center with nodes on the Hawaiian Islands of Maui and Oahu.
What is PDC's overall goal?
PDC's overall goal is to foster disaster management as an integral part
of national to local economic and social development for the creation
of disaster-resilient communities. This strategy is built on the United
Nations approach to loss reduction that acknowledges public awareness and
community partnerships, better assessments of natural hazard risks, and
preventative action priorities as critical components that minimize
identified risks.
Where does PDC operate?
PDC's Area of Interest is the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean regions and beyond.
Hawai'i is PDC's most important customer.
Who are some of PDC's partner organizations?
- Asia Disaster Preparedness Center (APDC)
- Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- Center of Excellence for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (COE)
- Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Hawaii State Civil Defense (HSCD)
- Japan - US Science, Technology and Space Applications Program (JUSTSAP)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC)
- United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS)
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
See complete list of PDC's partner orgnaizations.
Does PDC actually generate tsunami warnings or other warnings bout hazards for the general public?
No, PDC is not a warning-generating organization. However, PDC does work
with partners at the state, national, and regional levels on the issue of
early warning for multiple hazards, including tsunamis.
How does PDC choose what natural disasters or areas to map?
PDC's Area of Interest (AoI) is primary the Asia Pacific and Indian
Ocean regions, but the Center will work beyond this area if required.
Technically, PDC's Geographic Information Systems applications are automated,
and can cover any region. However, the Center predominantly concentrates on
"all-hazards" within its AoI. What PDC covers depends on data availability,
and scale. PDC works with local officials in various jurisdictions and/or
countries to "customize" the processing for smaller-scale hazards.
Where does PDC get its data?
Generally speaking, PDC uses many sources for the baseline data.
For hazard warnings, PDC receives the warnings from the appropriate agency,
such as NOAA, NASA, and USGS. For modeling, PDC uses "accepted" models
(those accepted by the scientific community). Much of these data are processed
here either automatically (e.g., dynamic hazard data), or manually (e.g., hazard
risk data). What data to use for Risk Assessment depends on the scale of
the project itself.
How can I download data from PDC?
We provide access to downloadable data through the
Asia Pacific Natural Hazards Information Network.
From that page, using the instructions provided, you can search for available
datasets and services that meet your needs. If PDC is hosting the dataset,
there will be a link allowing you to start a download. If PDC is not the
actual host of the dataset, there will be information (or a link) directing
you to the source of the dataset you have identified.
