Agencies coordinate efforts to get Japan info out with special web code

People who want information about the earthquake, tsunami and now, nuclear peril in Japan can find it at agency sites thanks to special suffix.

Several federal agencies are coordinating their efforts to create and label new websites devoted to the Japanese crisis by adopting a common “japan2011” suffix for those sites.

To date, the Energy, Health and Human Services, and State departments as well as the Environmental Protection Agency have created new websites devoted to the Japanese disaster by adding the “japan2011” suffix.

For example, one of the sites is EPA.gov/japan2011, which is a page headlined “Japanese Nuclear Emergency” containing radiation facts and radiation-related Web links.

At Energy.gov/japan2011, there is a recent blog entry with a video presentation by Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczkon along with a senior Energy official.

At State.gov/japan2011, there was information updated on March 17 with advice about concerns for specific U.S. citizens in Japan. The HHS.gov/japan2011 website provides a fact sheet on health care response in Japan as well as links to HHS resources.

Sources said the USA.gov/japan2011 would be operating within days as well. The USA.gov website is the central portal for all federal agencies.

In related news, the U.S. Navy is hosting Japan disaster-related information on at least nine Facebook pages sponsored by several fleet commanders as well as the Chief of Naval operations.

For example, on March 17, the U.S. 7th Fleet Facebook page posted photographs of sailors moving food and water onto a helicopter as part of the Japanese relief effort.