The Institute of Disaster Studies, a joint effort by the UNC system and North Carolina Community College system, will reach out to the public officials and citizens of the state by studying all aspects of natural and man-made disasters including preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery.
UNC-system Vice President for Research Russ Lea, chairman of the institute's planning committee, said the large number of disasters in the state warranted the committee.
"Our state is second in the U.S. in disasters due to its position on the coast," Lea said. "The state thought it was appropriate for us to start an institute."
Lea pointed out that a strong relationship exists between natural and technical disasters.
"If an earthquake toppled the trade towers, there would really be no difference in the outcome -- you still have a toppled building," he said.
Although the impact of terrorism has yet to produce considerable consequences for the state, officials agree that preparation is particularly essential given the heavy concentration of military forces in the eastern portion of the state.
Lea said the decision to start the institute and to include technological disasters or terrorist attacks in the institute's goals was made in June, long before the attacks of Sept. 11.
In a recent UNC Board of Governor's meeting held after the Sept. 11 attacks, UNC-system President Molly Broad made first mention of the institute.
"In (the attacks') wake, concerns have been raised about biological or chemical attacks," Broad said in the meeting, adding that the UNC system offered a wide range of scientific skills to respond to such attacks.
