IN THE NEWS

IRE and NICAR offer data, stories and tipsheets to help cover the latest

Other resources for covering the news
Katrina Aftermath
This page will continue to be updated as additional resources are located.
Please also see our earlier page on hurricane coverage.

Data from the IRE and NICAR Database Library Information from IRE publications
Stories available from the IRE Resource Center Tipsheets available from the IRE Resource Center
Internet Resources How to contact IRE and NICAR
Stories done since Katrina How to help journalists affected by Katrina
GAO Audit of how Katrina-relief funds were spent ( Feb. 13, 2006)


Databases

Storm events
This is the official U.S. government database of storm events around the country, including hurricanes and floods. Fields in the database include: date and time the storm event began; event type; states and counties hit; latitude and longitude; property and crop damage values; and injuries and fatalities. Covering 1950-2004, the database can be a useful newsroom tool for adding punch to your weather stories. For instance, you will have a resource to determine how the storm ranks against previous ones in your area and beyond. The database can also yield enterprise stories, such as determining the most costly weather events to have hit your area. With the latitudes and longitudes, mapping some of the data is also possible.

SBA disaster loans
The Small Business Administration is a big player in assisting the owners of homes and businesses after a declared disaster. The database includes such information as the individuals' name or company name, the mailing address, a code for the type of disaster that occurred, the date the disaster loan was approved for an SBA guarantee, the amount of the loan, and, for businesses, whether the loan was fully paid or charged off (went bad).

National Inventory of Dams
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams, from 1993-2002, includes information whether the agency classifies a dam as "high hazard," meaning that if a dam fails, people are threatened downstream. It also indicates whether the dam owner has an emergency action plan, in case disaster does occur. The data also includes information dam inspection, ownership and age. See more resources about covering dams.

National Bridge Inventory
This dataset includes structural evaluations and information for bridges throughout the United States. A field that might be of special interest deals with "waterway adequacy," indicating how often water flows over the bridge and describes the resulting traffic delays. The inspection reports also include important criteria necessary for evaluating the condition of bridges as well as specific details relating to the location, age and ownership or each bridge.

Federal assistance
After every disaster, the federal government provides assistance money. In a given fiscal year, that amounts to millions. With this database you will be able to track federal assistance -- grants, loans or insurance -- and see where and how much money the government is obligating to organizations and projects.

The Mortality Multiple Cause-of-Death database contains detailed information found in U.S. standard death certificate records from the United States and its territories. The data includes information on causes of death as well as detailed information about the deceased. Some of these details include the decedent's age, race, sex, marital status at the time of death and much more. Due to privacy reasons, names and dates of birth of the decedents are not included in this database.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System database maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency contains general information on sites across the nation and U.S. territories including location, status, contaminants and actions taken.

The Toxics Release Inventory consists of information about on- and off-site releases of chemicals and other waste management activities reported annually by industries, including federal facilities.

A database of Individual Contract Action Reports created by the Government Services Agency. Search for federal contracts awarded to a particular business: a great place to start when looking at contracts awarded to companies in your area, or work being performed there. This could be relevant as FEMA and other agencies contract with local businesses in clean up and repair.

Federal Audit Clearinghouse Database: The Single Audit database is a great tool for journalists to examine local nonprofits and state or local government agencies that receive substantial assistance from the federal government.

IRS Migration: With the IRS migration data, you can track movement in and out of counties.

To order the data, call the Database Library at 573-884-7711 or download an order form.

Stories from the Resource Center
To order stories from the IRE Resource Center, send e-mail to rescntr@ire.org or call us at 573-882-3364.

Times-Picayune predicted Katrina's disaster
"It's only a matter of time before South Louisiana takes a direct hit from a major hurricane. Billions have been spent to protect us, but we grow more vulnerable every day." That was the synopsis of a 2002 investigation by the Times-Picayune's John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein. From Day Two of the five-day series:
• THE BIG ONE: A major hurricane could decimate the region, but flooding from even a moderate storm could kill thousands. It's just a matter of time.
• EVACUATION: It's the best chance for survival, but it's a bumpy road, and 100,000 will be left to face the fury.
Note: This series is on the Web, but it is also available from the IRE and NICAR Resource Center WITH a four-page questionnaire that details how the reporters did the story.
Additionally, tipsheet #1952 from John McQuaid of the Times-Picayune offers many useful federal sources for reporters, specifically focusing on fishing, invasive species, environmental justice, hurricanes and other natural disasters, and chemicals.

Natural Disaster Aftermath

Story #22626
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Dallas Morning News reported that New Orleans and the surrounding areas faced a high environmental risk. This series of stories covers the effect that Katrina and the resulting floods had on the area. It uncovered risk ranging from oil spills to high mercury levels.
Author: Randy Lee Loftis (2005)

Story #22505
Reporters from The Times-Picayune investigated how the New Orleans levee system, built to protect the city from flooding, failed when Hurricane Katrina hit. The authors found that a large part of the problem with the levees boiled down to human error - mistakes that cost hundreds of lives.
Authors: John McQuaid; Bob Marshall; Gordon Russell; Mark Schliefstein; Sheila Grissett (2005)

Story # 10416
American Prospect describes how spending to rebuild after disasters has exactly the same economic effect as economic stimulus packages meant to jump-start the economy; shows how politicians who decried the latter as pork barrel politics and unworkable later took credit when the former had exactly the same results that they denied would follow; focuses on the L.A. earthquake in 1994 but mentions other disasters as well. (1994)

Story #9202
In this Pulitzer Prize-winning series, The Miami Herald looked at housing construction and how well houses met building codes in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. It is clear that shoddy construction led to the most costly disaster to date in U.S. history.
Author(s): Jeff Leen; Stephen K. Doig; Lisa Getter; Luis Feldstein Soto; Don Finefrock; Patterson Clark; Dan Clifford: Jacquee Petchel (1992)

Story #21319
The Center for Government Studies investigated the role of floodplain development, flood prediction and inter-agency coordination in natural disaster preparedness. They uncover a situation in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where construction of two public schools moved forward regardless of warnings from state emergency managers who cautioned of inadequate evacuation plans in the event of flood-related disasters. They also exposed flaws in the reasoning used by the Army Corps of Engineers to argue that flood risk was minimal.

Story #21380
In this excerpt from the book "Crisis on the Coast," (published by The Philadelphia Inquirer) Gilbert M. Gaul and Anthony R. Wood look at the legacy of risky building along the coast. The ever-expanding definition of federal emergencies and the legacy of risky building along the coast have made disasters into a growing industry. Beach towns and resorts benefit from disasters by using tax-payer relief funds as a form of insurance for their municipal property. These resorts and towns carry very little insurance themselves, because they know that they can rely on federal funds to cover storm damage. The average number of federal disasters has tripled since the 1950s; since then, federal agencies have spent $140 billion. Factors such as loose criteria, lax financial standards and golf course subsidies add to the expense.

Story #21483
This Tampa Tribune investigation was born out of follow-ups to stories about the four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004. The reporters, concerned about how the high number of mobile homes in Tampa Bay held up during the hurricanes, decided to investigate how dangerous they really are. The reporters found that most of the homes were built prior to the established safety standards developed after Hurricane Andrew. The high number of unsafe mobile homes means that the region could suffer catastrophic damage during future hurricanes.
Author(s): Baird Helgeson; Doug Stanley; (2004)

Fuel Issues
Story #15017
The Kansas City Star examined why natural gas prices increased so much in late 1996 and early 1997. The natural gas industry claimed it was the work of the free market - supply and demand. The Star found a widely used index to set the wholesale gas prices overcharged consumers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Authors: Steve Everly; Martin Rosenberg (1998)

Story #16818
In this story, Newsday examined the issue of rising gas prices and oil production from OPEC; the effects and reaction fo the gas prices is garnered from the energy experts as well as the people on the street.
Author(s): Tom Incantalupo; Tami Luhby (2000)

Story #17764
The Wall Street Journal reported that "the movement to regulate gasoline more stringently, begun in the mid 1990s, is colliding head on with a still-strong economy and the arrival of gas-guzzling vehicles that have pushed up demand faster than domestic refining capacity could match…The result: tight supply, not enough extra capacity and prices that the slightest worries can send soaring…Sport-utility vehiciles, picups and minivans make up 43% of the vehicles on the road today, up from 30% in 1990…The problem (of high gas prices) is most severe on the West Coast and in the third of the country where Environmental Protection Agency regulations require the sale of lower-emission gasoline.: Additionally, many of the country's biggest oil companies have gotten out of the refining business.
Author(s): Alexei Barrionuevo (2001)

Story #17023
The Wall Street Journal reports that federal efforts to promote clean air have fed a surge in demand for natural gas, but the shape of the domestic oil and gas industry have sharply curtailed US oil and gas exploration, bringing little new gas into the pipeline. The story reveals that as production lags, gas consumption, fueled by gas-fired power plants and a hot economy, is climing fast. Imports are struggling to fill the gap.
Author(s): Alexei Barrionuevo; John Fialka; Rebecca Smith (2001)

Story #21141
This investigation by The Mobile (Ala.) Register found that while federal, state and industry official shave noted the safety record of liquefied natural gas terminals, a common shipping accident involving a tanker could be catastrophic, according to federal documents and scientific studies. The newspaper began its investigation after ExxonMobil Corp. announced plans to build a $600 million terminal near a residential suburb.
Author(s): Ben Raines; Bill Finch (2003)

Story #21931
KGTV-San Diego uncovered an oil company scandal: Shell Oil Company was planning to close a refinery, even though it was making big profits. The investigation found that, even though Shell Oil claimed the oil field was tapped out, the real motivation for the closure was to fix oil prices.
Author(s): JW August; Thom Jensen; Richard Klein (2004)

Health Issues
Story #12657
Using computer analyses of scientific statistics, government documents and confidential memos, Newsday revealed dangerous health hazards in New York City's fabled water system. The series found that officials had covered up citywide contamination of the water with the E. coli bacteria, which was linked to hundreds of cases of summertime illnesses.

Story #14750
Unfortunately, the grim reality of E. coli infection is not an isolated stain on the reputation of an otherwise hygienic American meat supply. E. coli, along with other meat-borne pathogens like Salmonella Ententidis and campylobacter, both found in poultry, can be traced to our highly productive "factory farms." Genetically "optimized" pigs, cattle, sheep, turkeys and chickens are raised in tightly packed confinement systems — an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
Author: Jim Motavalli, May/June 1998, E Magazine

Search for more stories in IRE's Resource Center.

Tipsheets from the Resource Center
To order tipsheets from the IRE Resource Center, send e-mail to rescntr@ire.org or call us at 573-882-3364.

Recent hurricanes
Tipsheet #2284
The four hurricanes that battered Florida in 2004 made for one of the most remarkable, memorable, and costly hurricane seasons in history. John Maines of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has suggestions and resources for reporters covering emergency situations, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to private companies who provide images of destruction for free.

Tipsheet #2433
This tipsheet describes how IRE Award finalist authors Sally Kestin and Megan O'Matz of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel gathered information for their story "Cashing in on Disaster." They give hints as to what questions to ask and what money to follow when sorting through information after a storm. For those ordering through snail-mail, this tipsheet includes the 55-page story it references.

Covering disasters
Tipsheet #2612
John Maines offers many suggestions for incorporating CAR into fast-paced disaster investigations. For instance, he suggests using mapping to show the extent of damage in certain areas or neighborhoods. Maines also discusses some of the surprises that reporters for the Sun Sentinel faced after Hurricane Wilma, and how in the future journalists can anticipate similar surprises and work around them.

Tipsheet #2613
This tipsheet is a good guide to investigating the government aid that generally follows large natural disasters. Specifically, John Maines discusses his own experience investigating FEMA after Hurricane Katrina. He recommends various websites as a good starting point, and then offers advice for more detailed investigations. For example, Maines suggests comparing the FEMA database of funeral-related expenses to the number of deaths listed by the local medical examiner.

Tipsheet #2649
This tipsheet is comprised of slides from Ron Nixon's power point presentation on covering natural disasters. The slides cover information about SBA disaster loans, federal contracts and other data. Nixon included examples of recent stories that used each type of data.

Tipsheet #586
This handout provides reporters with some of Josh Meyer's experiences with covering disasters, and tips for improving disaster coverage. Also included is a listing of earthquake experts (including phone numbers) and a memo on covering disasters.

Tipsheet #2515
This is a guide published by the Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma to help journalists cover catastrophic events better, and to survive them in better shape. Chapters deal with such subjects as interviewing victims and rescue workers, being among the first responders to a terrorist act, and dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Tipsheet #244
"Covering the Aftermath of a Disaster" makes suggestions for disaster coverage, particularly focusing on preparedness; tips are listed under the following categories: Preparing for disaster-the basics, a place to work, communications, other equipment, transportation, assignments and A final word.

Tipsheet #51
"Covering the Man-Made Disaster: Special Challenges," a two-page tipsheet, looks at covering not just the disaster itself but looking at the accompanying failure of a safety or preparedness system.

Tipsheet #773
Nora Paul of the Poynter Institute provides tips on how to find facts and cultivate sources on the Internet when covering a disaster.

Tipsheet #1232
The News & Observer's Bob Williams lists his top 10 disaster Web sites.

Agencies
Tipsheet #1922
This comprehensive tipsheet covers numerous aspects of the Center for Disease Control. Maryn McKenna of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution discusses a brief history of the organization, what the organization's main role is, and tips on covering it.

Tipsheet #186
"Bibliography of Flood Sources" details the history of and sources used for a story on the failure of the National Flood Insurance Program and the Federal Emergency Management Agency; includes phone numbers for sources in Congress and in FEMA, as well as many non-governmental sources.

Tipsheet #2235
Gil Gaul's tipsheet outlines approaches to analyzing Federal Emergency Management Administration records to show "how the breathless coverage of storms greases the skids for disaster declarations." Tips include tracking how, where and to whom FEMA dollars are allocated following a disaster, whether National Flood Insurance Program premiums are covering expenses, and who are receiving Small Business Administration loans following a disaster.

Environment
Tipsheet #1952
John McQuaid of the Times-Picayune offers many useful federal sources for reporters working on the environmental beat, specifically focusing on fishing, invasive species, environmental justice, hurricanes and other natural disasters, and chemicals.

Tipsheet #1133
This tipsheet is broken down into a selection of environmental issues, with detailed information on how to cover each. It includes story ideas and Internet resources.

Tipsheet #1322
This tipsheet lists some of the best Web sites for data on the environment.

Health
Tipsheet #376
Dates, number of cases, fatalities, contamination sources and locations of E. coli outbreaks/clusters in the United States from 1982 to 1994 are listed. Included is a short introduction explaining why these outbreaks may or may not be reported to the Center for Disease Control.

Charities
Tipsheet #2348
This tipsheet specifically covers how to report on charities after a disaster. It offers tips such as making connections at local charities and checking in with churches. The tipsheet also offers some more general tips advice like what forms to request and resources to use as background information.

Tipsheet #2182
This tipsheet offers various sources that could aid journalists in investigating nonprofit organizations. Laura Lorek of the San Antonio Express News specifically mentions Guidestar, the Better Business Bureau and several other Web sites. The tipsheet includes information about gaining access to the Web sites, as well as what journalists might expect to find at each one. She also explains some of the technical information about nonprofits, such as how they file for taxes.

Tipsheet #2264
Cheryl Phillips of The Seattle Times takes a look at how to best investigate nonprofit organizations, from various documents and researching background information. She also lists experts that may have insight and gives other reporting tips.

Tipsheet #1606
This tipsheet lists the most important documents reporters need to research when covering charities and nonprofits. Those include 990 forms, bond prospectuses, government contracts and audits by watchdog groups.

Tipsheet #1398
Included in this tipsheet is the basics of nonprofit reporting, what's in an IRE 990 form, the difference between a public charity and a foundation, what forms different organizations file, a summary of the new disclosure rules and where to find the state charity offices. Also attached are the different IRS categories of nonprofits, and what kind of registration is required in each state.

Mapping
Tipsheet #1824
Learning to use GIS or mapping software can be intimidating at first. The initial difficulties are worth the effort though, as Jennifer LaFleur explains in this good beginner tipsheet. She offers story examples that used mapping and tips and hints on getting started.)

Tipsheet #2160
In this tipsheet, Matthew Waite of the St. Petersburg Times describes the function and details of a geodatabase - available in ArcGIS 8 or 9. Included are step-by-step instructions for creating a geodatabase.

Tipsheet #1376
Overlaying census with other kinds of data will yield stories, just as mapping software and maps will help reporters to better show trends and illustrate the stories. Included here are helpful Web sites, books, and what kinds of stories are aided by maps.

Infrastructure
Tipsheet #2424
Lee Davidson of the Deseret Morning News breaks this tipsheet into two sections: bridges and dams. For each part, he first suggests possible issues to investigate, and then makes some suggestions on how to proceed. For example, one of his suggestions for dams is an investigation of whether or not local dams have emergency action plans in place. The suggestions on how to proceed include various helpful Web sites, as well as tips on data analysis.

Search for more tipsheets in IRE's Resource Center.

IRE Publications
The Investigative Reporter's Handbook, Brant Houston's Computer-Assisted Reporting book and other helpful publications are available from IRE and NICAR.

Mapping for Stories: A Computer-Assisted Reporting Guide, by Jennifer LaFleur and Andy Lehren, is available from IRE and NICAR. This book is a practical introduction to mapping and can be used alone or as a supplement to other books. It includes story examples in every section, to help show how these skills translate into daily journalism. It breaks down the elements needed to undertake analysis using mapping software. It is structured to help journalists complete better stories.

The May-June 2005 issue of Uplink includes an article by Matthew Waite of the St. Petersburg Times that explains how he tracks hurricanes and their projected paths using GIS software with Microsoft Excel and Access.

See the November-December 2005 issue of The IRE Journal for several articles on hurricane coverage in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

In the March-April 2005 issue of The IRE Journal, Melanie Payne of the News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla., about the collapse of a designated shelter during Hurricane Charley in 2004. The paper's investigation found the collapse resulted from flawed design and materials, and a lack of oversight.

The July-August 2004 issue of The IRE Journal focused on "Investigations off Breaking News." Some relevant highlights from the issue:

  • Paul Edward Parker of The Providence Journal offered ideas on creating and using a database to track the people involved in a tragedy or disaster. He says such a database is "the perfect way to manage the torrent of information that will flow out of any disaster."
  • Using the 2003 shuttle tragedy as an example, John Kelly of Florida Today outlines the benefits of a newsroom disaster-coverage plan. He stresses the importance of planning early, keeping a vision, staying focused on the bigger picture, building a reporting team with diverse styles and skills, and mining and saving public records.
"Numbers in the Newsroom," a beat book written by Sarah Cohen, includes information about hurricanes and tornadoes, including an explanation of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

There are several chapters in the Investigative Reporters Handbook about relevant areas of reporting after a storm passes:
IRE members can search the indexes of The IRE Journal and Uplink. Back issues of The IRE Journal and Uplink may be purchased for $10 each. There is an additional $10 user fee for nonmembers. Check with the Resource Center at 573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org for availability.

Katrina: One Year Later Web Links

Be sure to see additional Web resources on our earlier hurricane page.
Infrastructure
Health
    Medscape's Alert Center, with information geared toward health professionals about emergency health services. Site includes notes and a blog from medical personnel from around the country who have been assisting since Katrina hit.
  • Results of floodwater testing performed by the EPA in New Orleans after Katrina. The agency notes in a press release that "Chemical results indicate that the concentration of lead exceeded drinking water action levels."
  • Information about the Strategic National Stockpile, "large quantities of medicine and medical supplies to protect the American public if there is a public health emergency"

Blogs

Relevant GAO Reports
  • GAO Reports and Testimonies Related to Disaster Preparedness, Response and Reconstruction
  • Disaster Management: Improving the Nation's Response to Catastrophic Disasters, RCED-93-186, July 23, 1993 — The nation's management of disasters was strongly criticized after Hurricane Andrew leveled much of South Florida and Hurricane Iniki devastated the Hawaiian island of Kauai in 1992. Even before these storms, the federal government's response to major disasters like Hurricane Hugo and the Loma Prieta earthquake drew intense criticism. The government's response to Hurricane Andrew, in particular, raised doubts about whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency was capable of responding to such catastrophes and whether it had learned any lessons from Hurricane Hugo and the Loma Prieta earthquake. GAO has testified repeatedly in 1993 on the inadequacy of the federal strategy for responding to disasters. This report summarizes GAO's analyses, conclusions, and recommendations.
  • GAO Work on Disaster Assistance, RCED-94-293R, August 31, 1994 — Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO: (1) summarized its work related to federal disaster assistance; and (2) provided information on federal agencies' responses to its prior recommendations. GAO noted that in response to its recommendations: (1) FEMA has required states to upgrade their responses to catastrophic disasters, assisted local, state, and federal agencies to better prepare and anticipate disasters, improved its cost information collection operations, and revised its historical reimbursement regulations; (2) Congress has proposed legislation that will establish a Commission to coordinate federal agency response to severe droughts, allow federal agencies to better prepare for catastrophic disasters when there is adequate warning, allow the President to appoint an official to oversee federal preparedness for and response to disasters, and improve the management and coordination of the National Flood Insurance, Federal Crop Insurance, and All-Hazard Insurance Programs; (3) Congress has not taken any substantive actions to define FEMA role in providing disaster-related long-term housing or mitigating the dangers workers face in moderate to high risk areas; (4) states have made limited progress in identifying and correcting seismic-related bridge deficiencies; and (5) there have been various efforts to develop a more effective approach to administering agriculture disaster assistance payments.
  • Disaster Assistance: Information on Expenditures and Proposals to Improve Effectiveness and Reduce Future Costs, T-RCED-95-140, March 16, 1995 — Concern has been growing in Congress about the rising costs of federal disaster assistance in recent years. This testimony focuses on (1) ways to enhance the effectiveness of several federal disaster assistance programs, (2) proposals to modify federal disaster assistance policy to potentially lower future federal costs, and (3) the accuracy of financial information in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund.
  • Improved Planning Needed by Corps of Engineers To Resolve Environmental, Technical and Financial Issues on the Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection Project, MASAD-82-39, August 17, 1982 — GAO reviewed the status of the Army Corps of Engineers' Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection Project which is intended to provide hurricane protection to the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area. Because of environmental and other issues, the Project, which was to be completed in 1978, is only half finished. GAO found that the Corps is considering changing its original plan of barrier structures and some low levees to one requiring much higher levees with no barriers, an alternative which is less costly and less detrimental to the environment. However, besides engineering and environmental concerns, there are also other unresolved problems on the project. Because no project plan has been formally adopted, cost estimates are inaccurate and, due to limited funds, current financing has not been ensured by the local sponsors. In addition, costly work at the drainage canals has not been reported to Congress.
Government Photos Other
For more information, contact:
Jeremy Milarsky
Database Library Director
IRE and NICAR
E-mail: jeremy@ire.org
Voice: 573-882-1982
Fax: 573-884-5544 		Beth Kopine
Research Director
IRE Resource Center
E-mail: beth@ire.org
Voice: 573-882-6668
Fax: 573-884-8151