From forest fires in the West, to floods in the Midwest, to hurricanes in the Gulf States, each season reminds us of how destructive the forces of nature can be. Clearly the loss of human life is the most catastrophic result of natural disasters, but the emotional and economic costs of such events can be nearly as devastating. In terms of the loss of biomedical research data and equipment, the lives of research animals, and advances in learning that may have taken years to develop, it is no exaggeration to say that natural disasters have a potential impact on human lives long after the events themselves. It is for this reason that the NIH considers it a top priority that biomedical facilities are prepared for and are quickly able to recover from natural disasters when they occur.
With this goal in mind, the NIH Office of Extramural Research has created a new Web site to assist the biomedical community in its disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. Beyond providing information to investigators and their institutions on NIH’s response to major events as they unfold, the site details prior NIH responses to natural disasters and emergencies affecting the biomedical community. It also provides related resources, such as links to similar Web sites from other federal agencies.
Assistance to the biomedical community during natural disasters is handled on a case-by-case basis in a manner appropriate to the circumstances and in coordination with other federal agencies. In each case, issues specific to the scale of the disaster will be considered. These might include whether a federal disaster is declared; the severity of damage inflicted; the length of time an institution may be required to close or that is required for recovery; the impact on investigators, human research subjects, and research animals; and the overall impact on the community. Details regarding specific responses to natural disasters will be announced as appropriate on the new Web site and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts.
Our two-pronged goal in providing this new resource is first, to promote awareness of disaster and emergency preparedness among the biomedical research community and second, to put in place administrative flexibilities that allow grantees to focus on the restoration of productive research following a natural disaster. It is our hope that although natural disasters may be inevitable, the setbacks they present to medical research perhaps need not be.
– Norka Ruiz Bravo, Ph.D.
OER Director and NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research
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