inTERRAgate: New BUHRC project launched
inTERRAgate needs your help!
inTERRAgate (www.interragate.info) is a global online database that provides a framework for uploading natural hazard and risk data at a national level, together with in-country contact details for disaster first-responders. We launched in March 2007, with introductory information on natural hazard threats in ten of the world’s most vulnerable nations (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chile, El Salvador, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Mexico and the Philippines). Like the online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, inTERRAgate is designed to be ‘owned’ by data suppliers and users, who are able to upload information and influence content. Its ultimate success will, therefore, depend upon registered data suppliers from around the world uploading textual and graphical information to supplement initial data and to expand the country portfolio.
Therefore I challenge you all to upload something today, whether it is a link to a natural hazard website that you use, research about a past disaster or details of an upcoming event that you know about. If you are not sure how to upload information, have a look at the help pages at this address www.interragate.info/help or drop us an email at this address so we can improve the process and make the site easier to use.
Basic in-country contact information, targeted at disaster first responders and other appropriate national and international NGOs, is available for some of the aforementioned ten countries, and will be supplemented by inTERRAgate editorial staff in the next few months. To gain access to this content please sign up for an account and then e-mail Tina Hyde at t.hyde@ucl.ac.uk to have this section activated.
In each country, we are looking for volunteer content managers, who can take some responsibility for periodically checking uploaded content and ensuring that the country's entry on the site is reasonably accurate. If you are interested in getting involved with this side of the project please email info@interragate.info to find out more information about becoming an inTERRAgate affiliate. We are keen to bring on board other interested individuals or groups, so feel free to recommend anyone you feel might be interested in being involved in this potentially huge initiative.
inTERRAgate is currently working with Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre, DisasterMan Ltd, and UCL. We are looking for further project sponsors and data sources to provide users with the most extensive information network available in order to make informed decisions. If you believe that you have services or links that may be useful to the inTERRAgate project, please contact myself or Tina Hyde (t.hyde@ucl.ac.uk) – or sign up for an account on the site and submit it there! We are looking for anything and everything natural hazard related, so if you have a favourite selection of links you use to find information then share them with the community and help others.
We look forward to seeing your content soon!
The inTERRAgate Team
Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre
Department of Earth Sciences
Gower Street
UCL
London
WC1E 6BT