Dear Partners,

The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is just two weeks away. Are you ready to join the conversation?

If you are unable to come to the Platform but still interested to contribute to the Post-2015 DRR Framework (HFA2) discussion, then we invite you to join the Virtual Global Platform 2013.
Please join the mailing list through Preventionweb: http://www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2013/virtualgp

Please circulate this invitation to join the Virtual GP to your networks, and join the conversation.

Your opinions count!

UNISDR

EMI, an international scientific NGO based in Quezon City is urgently looking for talented and motivated young professional to work as Training Assistant to assist in the technical and administrative tasks of the Training Unit.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in the technical and administrative tasks of the training unit.
• Assist in the implementation and conduct of distance learning courses/training sessions, including marketing of courses.
• Document meetings, workshops, forum and other training activities.
• Assist in the preparation and development of training materials, reports, powerpoint presentations, discussion papers and other documents, including text and/or papers for training, meetings, conferences, workshops, etc.
• Provide regular updates in the EMI website and other online resources.
• Collect, organize, analyze and review pertinent information on disasters and DRM practices, as may be needed in developing Training Modules.
• Assist in the maintenance and updating of the training database.
• Perform data mining, report writing and research.
• Perform other tasks as may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications:

• With at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, Social Sciences or related field. Fresh graduates are encouraged to apply.
• Must have good writing and communication skills.
• Knowledgeable in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and other similar software is desired.
• Interest and/or experience in training and Disaster Risk Management is a plus.
• Must be able to multi-task and meet tight deadlines.
• Must be a good listener and self-motivated, requiring little supervision and is pro-active in communication and exercising judgment.
• Must have the interpersonal skills to relate to people of different backgrounds and cultures.
• Must exercise flexibility and diligence to operate and adapt to a complex work environment with non-conventional reporting structures, involvement of international experts, sponsors and partners, and with participation of professionals and managers from different cultures and perceptions.
• Must understand and adhere to the principle of collective contribution, teamwork and mutual team support, and knowledge and skills sharing.
• Must be eager to learn and participate in an often fast and pressing work environment.

* This is an entry level position. Applicants with background in training and Disaster Risk Management shall also be considered.

DEADLINE OF APPLICATION: May 10, 2013

Interested applicants are invited to send their application via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , indicating qualifications and salary expectations. Please specify the position title in the subject line. Only qualified applicants will be considered and contacted for testing and interview.

Los Angeles has a come up with a strategy to prepare for the Big One: earthquake-proof water pipes made only in Japan.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power recently finished installing a test patch of about 2,000 feet of a special kind of iron piping in the San Fernando Valley.

The piping, made by Japan's Kubota Corp. and designed to withstand ground deformation, has endured 40 years of earthquakes in Japan—including the 9.0-magnitude Tohoku earthquake that struck in 2011, triggering a tsunami and wreaking havoc throughout the country.

Unlike traditional water pipes, these so-called ductile iron pipes are able to withstand quakes because they can bend and flex instead of buckling under pressure. The system is engineered to work like a chain, meaning it doesn't break apart even if its various components are moving.

LADWP supervising engineer Craig Davis learned about the pipes in 2003 and negotiated to import some for the Los Angeles pilot project shortly after the 2011 quake. Mr. Davis said water agencies in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle have contacted him, expressing interest in similar projects. "We're just learning about it—it's really only recently that you could identify this pipe system as earthquake-resistant," said Mr. Davis, who sent his chief work-crew trainer to Japan last year and has two Japanese reps on site supervising the Los Angeles installation.

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