Tag: FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the McEwan and Tunnel Five fires burning in Washington.

Building commissioning helps secure standards that help protect facilities physically and financially.

Much of the discussion in the construction community about how to withstand one-time devastating events as well as repeated lesser events that take a toll on the built environment have been centered around the concept of resilience.

With the Pacific hurricane season starting May 15 and the Atlantic season on June 1, this week the EPA is helping the public prepare and plan for hurricanes.

The nation’s floodplains are expected to grow by 45% by the end of this century: Work to reduce risk from floods by reassessing the conditions around building sites.

As the frequency and severity of natural hazards continue to increase year-over-year, a new FEMA study reaffirms that building codes continue to be the best first line of defense.

The Building Seismic Safety Council's new seismic provisions for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program support strong standards and codes to bolster building resilience.

In Moore, OK, the public school district is building FEMA-grade storm shelters to protect against tornadoes.

The popular National Institute of Building Sciences Building Seismic Safety Council webinar series—which covers some of the latest changes on seismic design and analysis—is now available online.

Loss of main power is always a top concern in extreme weather situations, and the non-profit Powered For Patients urges healthcare facility managers to safeguard their backup power supply systems.

Nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) ® creates online version of FEMA QuakeSmart™ Community Resilience Program for Small Businesses and Organizations.

Nearly 70% of Americans had not participated in a preparedness drill or exercise, aside from a fire drill, at their workplace, school, or home in the past two years, according to a 2012 survey by FEMA.

Report to Congress states current I-Codes are effective in reducing flood-related damage.

The safety campaign reinforces the need for the adoption of modern, model building codes; a strong and efficient system of code compliance; and a well-trained, professional workforce to provide public safety.

Facility managers at companies with no plan or an incomplete plan will see opportunities to design backup systems, secure inventories, and create contingencies to get back to business as soon as possible. Taking into account such considerations as insurance, supply chain, alternate facilities (as your publication is doing), and redundant data systems are all things that should be top-of-mind for facility managers and others charged with disaster recovery/business continuity.

The newly passed Highway Construction and National Flood Insurance Reform Bill (HR 4348) bill orders a study on the impact of codes on flood plain management.

In addition to saving lives and reducing property loss, statewide building codes based on recognized standards can protect the environment from waste caused by rebuilding after a disaster.

The National Institute of Building Sciences is seeking qualified scientific and technical professionals from the public, private, and academic sectors to serve on Scientific Resolution Panels (SRPs).

This September marks the seventh annual National Preparedness Month, and FEMA, the Red Cross, and many local communities are encouraging businesses to assess their respective levels of readiness.

A memorandum of understanding calls for FEMA and ICC to support the maintenance, adoption, outreach, training, and enforcement of disaster-resistant building safety codes to reduce human and economic losses resulting from natural hazards including hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and flooding.