Disasters are defined as sudden catastrophic events bringing great damage, loss, or destruction. Most disasters are the result of earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, snowstorms and, less frequently, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, explosions, airplane crashes and nuclear power plant accidents. More recently and unfortunately, disasters can be the results of acts of terrorism. Disasters can be widespread or of relatively limited scope, but they all have one thing in common-they disrupt normal life. The secondary effects of disasters are the dangers they leave in their wake in the form of damaged and unsafe structures. Such damage must be assessed by personnel qualified to evaluate building conditions and vested with the authority to initiate action to protect life and property.
The public, as a whole, is seldom equipped or ready to cope with an emergency and, instead, relies on public agencies to handle emergencies. In cases of fires, riots or other civil disorders, the fire, police, and often the Army or National Guard are called on as the first lines of defense or assistance. In addition, the American Red Cross and medical teams may arrive to ease the suffering. Government aid in the form of personnel, supplies or money may be provided by local emergency management agencies or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These agencies often have varied and well-designed plans for responding to various types of situations. But what about buildings and structures which have been severely damaged by winds, earthquakes, floods or fires? Who should take the initiative for their disposition, and when? This task clearly calls for specialized skills-skills most often found in the building department.
Many, if not most, building departments have developed disaster mitigation plans for their jurisdiction. Some have even had to use them. There is clearly not a generic disaster mitigation plan that could be used by all jurisdictions; plans should be designed to meet the specific needs of a jurisdiction. The type of disasters most likely to occur, jurisdiction size and staffing, local geology, geographic location, number and age of structures, and demographics are just a few of the factors which must be considered by the jurisdiction when developing a disaster mitigation plan. Known widely for its International Building Code® (IBC®), International Residential Code® (IRC®), and related codes, the International Code Council (ICC) has published this guide in the public interest to provide guidelines for building departments to follow in the development or updating of their disaster mitigation plans. 100 pp.
ICC Disaster Mitigation: A Guide for Building Departments
