An important element of post disaster resiliency is the ability to assess structures in the community for safety. Instinct makes us feel safe in our homes but what if our home has been damaged by an earthquake? How much damage makes our safe place not safe anymore? What about our schools, the library, and other community gathering spots? If a structure isn’t safe how do we make sure that everyone knows that it isn’t safe to enter?
Applied Technology Council (ATC)-20, Post Earthquake Safety Evaluation provides a system of placarding buildings as either safe (green), safe to enter for a specific and short term purpose (yellow) and unsafe (red). These placards are placed on a building after inspection as a guide to how the building should be approached by others.
“A major challenge we face here in Brookings is the isolation of our community from the outside world, as well as the isolation that will occur within our community should a bridge or road fail that links us to our neighborhoods” said Building Official LauraLee Snook.
“It’s important that we develop a list of trained individuals who can mobilize in different areas of the County to provide post disaster inspection. With that goal in mind, I have contacted the office of Oregon Emergency Management to bring a training course to our area; right now it looks like that course will take place sometime in Medford in early August.”
The course to be offered is ATC-20 Post Earthquake Inspection. This course documents procedures and guidelines for evaluating damaged buildings. Seating for the course will be limited and interested parties must have a background in construction, engineering or inspection to be approved for the course. For additional information please contact LauraLee Snook at 541-469-1131.