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Disaster Events and EffectsThe Office of Emergency Services (OES) originally developed the Safety Assessment Program to support local governments following an earthquake. However, earthquakes are not the only events with the potential for damaging buildings, nor are they the only hazard demanding a large number of safety evaluators. ATC-20 procedures cover non-earthquake hazards, including high winds, floods, fires, and explosions. Likewise, the Safety Assessment Program can be activated for non-earthquake hazards.
In many respects, evaluations carried out after earthquakes are more complicated than evaluations after other types of disasters. A major concern after an earthquake is the potential effects of aftershocks. In other disasters, the damage is usually done by the time the event is over. Knowing what to look for when evaluating the safety of a building begins with understanding the type of damage an event can have on the structure. Although some effects are obvious, others are not. On the following pages, we’ll cover some of the effects you might expect to see on structures after these types of disaster events:
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