Papers
Green Parcel Subdivision Map
Created for an Intermediate GIS course, The University of Akron, Spring 2012 semester
The purpose of this map was to create a fictitious subdivision within the city of Green, Ohio. Goals of the project include: subdividing parcels and geocoding addresses.
Download (.pdf) United States Unemployment Rate for December 2011
Created for an Intermediate GIS course, The University of Akron, Spring 2012 semester
This map displays the unemployment rate in the United States for the month of December 2011 using a graduated color scheme.
Ohio Geology
Created for an Intermediate GIS course, The University of Akron, Spring 2012 semester
This map was an exercise in an Intermediate GIS class with the intent to teach students how to georeference and digitize maps. In this exercise, a map displaying the geologic rock formations of Ohio as produced by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was georeferenced and digitized. Some inaccuracies may exist, particularly with respect to the rock formations in the northwest portion of Ohio due to ambiguity in the map produced by the Ohio DNR.
Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Ohio's Ten Largest Counties (2004)
Created for an Intermediate GIS course, The University of Akron, Spring 2012 semester
This map joined a non-spatial table with information about the number of bachelor of arts degrees awarded in Ohio's ten largest counties in 2004 to a table displaying census information about the state of Ohio generally.
Southwest Summit County 100-Year Floodplain Analysis
Created for an Applicaitons in GIS using GPS course, The University of Akron, Fall 2011 semester
This is an analysis of southwestern Summit County, Ohio using the HAZUS-MH software (http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/hazus/). It is a floodplain analysis for multiple cities (Copley, Norton, Barberton, Green, New Franklin) and for the Portage Lakes area. The analysis determines that 78 buildings will be at least moderately damaged in a 100-year flood (including two schools, one of which would be completely destroyed) and that the flood would cost about 103 million dollars in building-related losses. The map includes information about general building damage, essential facility damage, debris generation, and shelter requirements for the given area.
75 views
Seen by:
United States State Capitals
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, University of Akron, Spring 2011 semester
A map that displays state capitals in the United States. Created using ArcGIS 9.3.1.
Replacement Costs of Bridges (Copley Township, Ohio)
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems course, The University of Akron, Spring 2011 semester
The purpose of this map is to display spatial information that shows the cost of replacing bridges in Copley Township, Ohio. Created using ArcGIS 9.3.1.
Aryan Nations: A Case Study of Domestic Terrorism by White Supremacists
Written for an Introduction to Terrorism course, University of Akron, Fall 2010 semester
This paper discusses the hate group known as Aryan Nations. In particular, this paper seeks to examine a variety of aspects of Aryan Nations, including: the influence of the Christian Identity movement on the group, the history of the group and its founder, and the activities of the group that qualify as domestic terrorism. General concepts relevant to the recruiting strategies used by hate groups are also discussed.
Disaster Case Study: The Northridge Earthquake of 1994
Written for a Hazard Processes for Emergency Management course, University of Akron, Fall 2010 semester
This paper consists of an analysis of the characteristics and effects of the Northridge Earthquake of 1994, which struck the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. In particular, this paper examines the pre-incident mitigation measures, damage assessment and response operations, and the implications of the event on future earthquake mitigation and planning efforts in the region.
Collective Behavior in the Oklahoma City Bombing
Written for a Disaster Victims: Casualties and Recovery course, University of Akron, Spring 2010 semester
This paper is an analysis of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. In particular, collective behavior is analyzed by examining the response by emergency responders, evacuation and convergence theory, and the psychological effects/crisis intervention efforts that occurred as a result of the bombing.
Strategies and Implementation of Hazards Mitigation: Analyzing Effectiveness and Integrated Approaches
Written for a Hazard Prevention and Mitigation course, University of Akron, October 2007
Mitigation has received increased emphasis from those within the emergency management community and related disciplines. However, there has been a long-established focus of government on preparedness and response activities instead of mitigation efforts. The increased attention on mitigation compels us to examine, in detail, the strategies employed in its use, the effectiveness of those strategies, and the manner in which the strategies can be integrated into policy, government, and society. A discussion about how the history of emergency management influenced the current, institutionalized trend is presented as the primary basis for difficulties in switching from a single-hazard mitigation approach to an all-hazards approach.
Response to an Anthracite Coal Fire: A Centralia-Based Disaster in Akron
Written for a Hazard Processes course, University of Akron, November 2010
The purpose of this assignment was to write about a disaster occurring in an area where the chosen hazard is unlikely to occur (such as a blizzard in Hawaii or tsunami in Ohio). I used the coal fire that ignited in Centralia, Pennsylvania in 1962 (and still burns today) as a model for a similar disaster occurring in Akron, Ohio.
217 views
Seen by:
Mitigation and Long-Term Recovery Efforts: Wildfire Disasters in California
Written for a Disaster Relief and Recovery course, University of Akron, October 2007
Wildfires are naturally occurring events in the ecosystems of the Western United States. However, wildfires also present a continuous threat to individuals living along the urban-wildland interface in California. For decades, the prominent approach toward managing wildfire hazards in this region emphasized eliminating the threat posed by wildfire through fire suppression activities. The past has taught us that emphasis on suppression rather than mitigation is shortsighted. In this paper, it is argued that mitigation must receive greater emphasis in order to reduce the region’s vulnerability to wildfire incidents in the long-term future. The Oakland Firestorm of 1991 is used as a model of an incident that illustrated the need of public officials and residents to re-focus their priorities when faced with critical decisions about wildfire management.
214 views
Seen by:
Risk and Social Engineering: A Non-Technical Approach to Breaching Security
Published in the International Association of Emergency Managers Bulletin, Vol. 28, No. 5, May 2011
Social engineering is a non-technical approach to gaining unauthorized access to restricted information. Former hacker-turned-computer security consultant Kevin Mitnick is profiled as a leading expert on social engineering attacks.
362 views
Seen by:
Crisis Intervention and De-escalation: A Critical Skill Emergency Managers Need
Published in the International Association of Emergency Managers Bulletin, Vol. 28, No. 3, March 2011
Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) are groups of law enforcement officers with specialized training in dealing with people who have severe mental illnesses.
Integrating Emergency Dispatchers into the Planning Process
Published in the International Association of Emergency Managers Bulletin, Vol. 27, No. 10, October 2010
While dispatchers may not sacrifice their physical safety as first responders do, the work that we do is still pivotal to the successful operation of the public safety agencies we serve. Emergency management professionals can help dispatchers by integrating them more fully into the planning process in a number of ways.
177 views
Seen by: