Section 9 
Risk Reduction and Management Plan
Preparing and adopting a comprehensive, 
multi-year plan to guide risk 
reduction and management efforts is 
essential to long-term progress. A risk 
reduction and management plan will 
serve to keep the work needed in the 
public eye for the long-term and 
provide a means for measuring progress 
and maintaining focus. It should be 
built on the policy guidance developed 
through strategic planning and serve as 
a detailed, programmatic guide for 
what needs to be done and who should 
do it. 
The strategic planning process 
should produce a long-term mission 
statement and ,goals, a strategy for 
reaching those goals, and an initial 
prioritized set of concrete objectives 
and action items. The mission and 
goals will presumably not be changed 
often after they are formulated and 
approved. Much of the board's 
subsequent effort will carry out the 
strategy, revise it as necessary, 
implementing the initial action items, 
and develop new action items and 
priorities as experience warrants. The 
data collection and workshop phases 
provide information and perceptions 
regarding strengths, weaknesses, 
opportunities and obstacles for 
earthquake safety. The results are 
summarized, reviewed by workshop 
attendees, and then refined and 
adopted by the board. These materials, 
and the action items will serve as the 
foundation for writing and adopting a 
detailed programmatic plan-an 
earthquake risk reduction and 
management plan. 
This plan should seek to describe 
and implement action items to meet 
the goals and objectives in a way that is 
consistent with the strategy adopted by 
the board. It should be detailed and 
specific and may require gathering 
more data and involve persons and 
organizations that did not participate 
in the data collection or workshop 
deliberations. This chapter will describe 
the plan's contents, format, creation, 
and monitoring. 
Contents 
The earthquake risk reduction and 
management plan should be comprehensive. 
It should seek progress in a 
number of topical and geographic 
areas. For example, action items can 
call on geologists to identify hazards, 
for agencies to retrofit certain 
vulnerable buildings, and for 
emergency response agencies to 
improve and exercise response plans. 
The plan should include both risk 
reduction and risk management 
activities. For example, an owner may 
choose to strengthen a building to 
lessen the expected life loss (risk 
reduction) and purchase insurance and 
write a plan for business resumption to 
manage the remaining risk. The plan 
also should provide sequencing by 
calling certain action items to go before 
others. It may emphasize public 
awareness in one area and geologic 
mapping in another. A comprehensive 
plan will provide the "big picture so 
that numerous organizations can act 
both independent of and in 
coordination with each other when 
pursuing efforts with their own 
resources. 
A comprehensive plan is necessary 
because earthquakes differ from other 
hazards in a number of significant 
ways. Earthquake damage may be 
widespread, but also extremely 
variable. While many dozens of 
jurisdictions will be affected, each 
jurisdiction will have pockets of severe 
damage intermingled with areas 
without notable damage. Earthquakes 
affect the ability of a community to 
respond by damaging lifelines, 
infrastructure, and communications 
systems. 
Ground shaking triggers secondary 
natural hazards such as landslides, 
liquefaction and tsunamis and can 
damage structures whose failure can 
cause flooding or the release of 
hazardous materials. Emergency 
response planning and training are 
especially important because of the 
sudden and unpredictable nature of 
earthquakes as well as the potentially 
large number of damage incidents over 
a wide area and the disruption to 
normal communication. Carrying out a 
comprehensive plan will benefit 
communities in a variety of other ways 
in addition to improving its ability to 
withstand earthquakes. Emergency 
responders will be better prepared for 
incidents that are more frequent and 
isolated, and facilities will be better 
built and resist wind and geologic 
hazards as well as earthquakes. 
Format 
Developing the details for implementing 
the plan is essential to making 
progress. The plan can be built around 
individual action items or tasks. An 
action item is a self-contained activity 
or set of activities that is aimed at 
dealing with one seismic issue. They 
are essentially the same as the action 
items developed through strategic 
planning, but done in more detail. 
Each action item should state an 
objective, describe the problem and the 
expected outcome, identify the 
responsible parties, the amount and 
source of funding, the interim 
products, and a schedule for 
completion. 
Action items should recommend 
activities both for the government and 
private-sector organizations to focus on 
during the specified period. Experience 
has proven that it is most effective to 
include the following components: 
o Description of the issue-Each action 
item should explain the seismic safety 
issue that justifies use of a 
government's or private-sector 
institution's resources. 
* Statement of the objective-The action 
item should include an objective that 
explains what is to be accomplished, 
sets a date it should be completed, and 
identifies the agency responsible. 
* Milestones-Each action item should 
include a timeline for achievable steps 
to help measure progress. Where the 
problems addressed require extensive 
additional study, the initial estimates 
of time may be only best guesses. 
* Resources needed-The action item 
should include cost estimates. For 
some tasks, the estimates may be only
best guesses because the problems to 
be addressed by the task will require 
extensive study. In others, the 
resources needed will have been 
identified and in some cases be within 
the responsible agency's budget. 
* Responsible entities-Each action item 
must identify not only the lead agency 
responsible for the overall objective
but also the participating agencies and 
organizations. The lead agency 
generally is responsible for 
coordinating the activities of the other 
agencies and organizations. In some 
instances the board may be the lead 
agency. Each action item should also 
designate an accountable individual 
who is ultimately responsible for the 
organization's participation and for 
the successful completion of the 
milestones. 
* Status-Each action item should state 
the status of its compliance with its 
implementation schedule or 
milestones that have been established 
for it. 
* References-The action item should 
provide references to any statutes, 
reports, or other materials that may be 
relevant to the issue. 
Figure 9-1 is an example of an action 
item taken from an existing board's 
earthquake risk reduction and 
management plan. 
Figure 9-1-Sample action Item from a programmatic plan 
Action tem 
Clarify Hazard Mitigation Liability issues 
Governmental actions dictating strengthening and mitigation of seismic hazards, as well as innovative methods of maintaining the structural integrity and functionality of buildings during and immediately after an earthquake, raise legitimate concerns of tort liability in both the public and private sectors. 
Buildings constructed to out-of-date standards pose the greatest life-safety risk in an earthquake. Local governments have the authority and the responsibility to protect their populations from hazardous buildings. Design professionals have the capability to design and construct buildings that maintain their structural integrity during and immediately after an earthquake. Proper building practices, retrofitting existing buildings posing a high likelihood of collapse during seismic events, and innovative structural designs and components in new buildings will significantly reduce earthquake -related casualties. 
The tort liability issue of whether one has met the legal standard of due care to a foreseeable plaintiff has inhibited innovation by those involved in the retrofitting of potentially hazardous buildings, as well as the development of seismically resistant new buildings. Local governments and design professionals need a clearly defined legal benchmark to use when their professional judgment calls for deviation from existing building codes in their efforts to mitigate seismic hazards. 
Objective 
By December 1993, the Seismic Safety Commission clarifies tort liability issues affecting the mitigation of seismic hazards, including employing innovative methods to maintain integrity and functionality of buildings during an earthquake and to what extent they may be avoided, mitigated, or imposed on either local governments or design or construction professionals. Milestones 1. By December 1992, the Seismic Safety Commission convenes a workshop to clarify to what extent tort liability may be avoided, 
mitigated, or imposed on either local 
governments or design professionals for 
strengthening and mitigating seismic hazards 
and the use of innovative methods of 
maintaining the structural integrity and 
functionality of buildings during and 
immediately after an earthquake. 
2. By September 1993, the Seismic Safety 
Commission provides the legislature, the 
governor, and local governments a report on 
the issue, inciuding suggestions on how local 
governments and de sign professionals may 
exercise their creativity and judgment 
without undue apprehension of incurring a 
large tort liability judgment. 
3. By January l994, the Seismic Safety 
Commission after consultation with local 
jurisdictions, the governor, the legislature, as 
well as supporting and concerned 
organizations and agencies, submits proposed 
legislation, if needed, to clarify the tort 
liability concerns of local governments and 
design professionals. 
Resources Needed 
State: The Seismic Safety Commission will 
conduct the workshops, research, and 
legislative advocacy with existing staff and 
fiscal resources. 
Responsible Agencies 
Seismic Safety Commission (Tim Cronin, 
Staff Counsel) 
State Bar of California (Larry Walsh, Director 
of Real Property Section) 
California Trial Lawyers' Association (Nancy
Peverini, Associate Legislative Counsel) 
Association of Bay Area Governments (Ken 
Moy, Attorney) 
County Supervisors Association of California 
(Fred Keeley, Santa Cruz County Supervisor) 
League of California Cities 
Structural Engineers Association of California 
California Council/American Institute of 
Architecture (Aimee Hall, Legislative 
Assistant) 
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
(Frank E. McClure, Structural Engineer) 
Status 
To be started. 
Organization 
Organizing action items by related 
topics will make the plan easier to 
understand and monitor. The 
following categories are suggested: 
* Existing vulnerable facilities-Action 
items that encourage reducing 
vulnerability in existing facilities and 
lifelines might consist of establishing 
seismic evaluation and retrofit 
standards for buildings, improving the 
seismic safety of public schools, 
publicly owned buildings, essential 
services buildings, and hospitals, as 
well as improving the performance of 
transportation and utility systems. 
* New facilities-Action items that 
encourage reducing vulnerability in 
new facilities and lifelines can include 
improving seismic standards for new 
construction, mapping geologic
hazards, and establishing seismic 
design review policies. 
* Emergency management-Action items 
that encourage improvements in 
emergency management include 
improvements in emergency planning, 
communications equipment, training, 
mutual aid, emergency medical care, 
and shelter for earthquake victims. 
* Disaster recovery-Action items that 
expedite the recovery process include 
providing post-event housing, estimating 
economic and governmental effects, 
and implementing recovery 
guidelines. 
* Research, public information, education, 
and legal support-Action items include 
implementing a research plan, providing 
legal analysis of issues, conducting 
public information campaigns, and 
developing an information resources 
center. Earthquake-related research, 
public information, and education can 
help achieve the risk reduction and 
management action items in all the 
other categories. 
Administration 
A plan should lay out an administrative 
and management framework, including: 
* Implementing actions-Describe actions 
the board will take to monitor, 
promote, and carryout the plan. 
* Annual work plan-Describe and 
summarize the milestones to be met 
during each calendar year. 
* Legislation-Describe legislation 
needed to enact parts of the plan. 
* Funding-Funding for some of the 
action items may come from the 
Federal Emergency Management 
Agency or another funding authority 
that uses a comprehensive coordinated 
agreement or similar agreement. The 
action item format should provide the 
information (task descriptions, 
deliverables, schedule, cost) needed to 
complete these agreements. 
Planning Process 
A seismic risk reduction and 
management plan will necessarily 
involve dozens of agencies-
governmental, private sector, and 
volunteer. The public sector and local 
government ultimately have the 
principal responsibility for earthquake 
safety. Because success will depend on 
their support and active participation, 
all sectors should be considered 
important contributors. The process 
used by other boards can help.1 
An "open" planning process 
involving all stakeholders is strongly 
recommended. The process should seek 
the following: 
* Outside views on action items. Success 
of the plan will depend on organizations 
and information not available 
in the workshop. 
* A consensus about what needs to be 
done by whom and the priorities. 
* A commitment from responsible 
entities to implement each action item 
for which they are responsible. 
Starting with the guidance from 
strategic planning, the planning process 
should be methodical yet flexible 
1 L. T. Tobin, F. Turner, J. F. Goodfellow, 
and B. L. Stoner, "California at Risk: 
Where Do We Go from Here?," Earthquake 
Spectra, Vol. 8, No 1, 1992, p. 19. 
and open in its involvement of parties 
interested in the outcome. Public involvement 
should be both informal 
and formal. Ample time must be provided 
for interested individuals and organizations 
to review draft materials. 
Ample notice must be given before 
meetings and hearings. An open process 
will allow time to publicize actions, 
items so that elected officials, community 
leaders, professional organizations, 
and the media will understand what is 
needed and the priorities. 
The planning effort should aim to 
build a support and commitment by 
creating interest and understanding 
and a sense of ownership among the 
persons who will carry it out. Care 
should be taken to ensure that the plan 
does not even appear to be dictated 
from a higher legal or intellectual 
authority. It is more important to get a 
commitment from the persons who 
can make a difference in earthquake 
risk than it is to make the plan a state-
of-the art document. 
Care should be taken to develop a 
mailing list of the stakeholders identified 
during the strategic planning process. 
Other professional organizations, 
government organizations, and private-
sector agencies should be called to 
identify persons to represent their interests 
and report back. Draft plan materials 
should be provided these persons 
for review and comment. 
Workshops and open meetings 
can be held to air differences to 
facilitate interdisciplinary discussion, 
and to explore technical details and 
relationships in depth. 
Setting Priorities 
Even though strategic planning will 
have identified priorities, the board will 
have to revisit the issue once the 
detailed action items have been 
developed. Once a draft plan has taken 
shape, use the board's judgment and 
perspective to set priorities. Six criteria 
can be applied: 
* Lives saved-The potential for saving 
lives and preventing injuries. 
* Damage reduction-The potential for 
reducing property damage and 
economic losses. 
* Socioeconomic continuity-The potential
for reducing social and economic 
disruption. 
* Opportunity-The ease with, which the 
activity can be implemented and the 
degree to which it complements other 
activities (the opportunity to build and 
leverage resources of others through
relatively small investments). 
* Cost-The probable cost of the 
activity. 
Take the time to review each action 
item to be certain it meets a 
common-sense test." Decision makers 
and the public should see it as being 
sensible, practical, and feasible. 
Moreover, unless the board has the 
wherewithal to do an action item, it 
should not be selected as a priority. 
Approval 
Before the plan is adopted, a formal 
public hearing should be held to be 
certain that organizations participate in 
an official capacity. The hearing 
process also fosters the official 
commitment of the organizations with 
the resources or legal authority to carry 
out the plan. Even though hearings are 
an opportunity to hear from those who 
disagree or who have new ideas, it is 
not a substitute for a careful open, 
review process. 
Promoting the Plan 
The board should commit itself to its 
plan by submitting it to the governor, 
legislature, and other organizations. 
Making the plan widely available will 
increase support and recognition for it, 
as well as for the board and the 
individual action items. 
Many people and agencies must 
cooperate to make earthquake safety a 
reality. Concerted efforts and oversight 
by the board can promote long-term 
progress toward improved seismic 
safety. The board can use reports, hearings, workshops, etc., to focus attention on government and the private-sector implementation measures that are needed. The board can sponsor legislation at the national, state, and local levels. It can provide testimony to legislative committees and city councils The board can invite leaders of various organizations to meet with it-or send representatives to meet with them. A plan that assigns responsibility for specific tasks to agencies and recommends organizations will allow the board to coordinate and orchestrate the activities of the participants. 
Monitoring Progress 
A seismic risk reduction and management plan should include a mechanism for monitoring, measuring and evaluating its effectiveness in meeting its objectives. The foundation for measuring progress is in each action on item and its milestones. Only detailed milestones with reasonably achievable dates can be reviewed. A multi-year plan should be reviewed and revised yearly to allow for mid-course corrections. Timetables should be set as gauges for evaluating progress and opportunities for improvement, regardless of whether schedules or 
deadlines are met. 
The board can use periodic public
hearings to assess progress. The
meeting format will serve to reward
those who are on or ahead of schedule 
and encourage those who are behind.
Anticipation of a hearing will serve to
encourage progress, even if it is at the 
last minute. A periodic review can also
ensure that items will not be forgotten
and that those that have fallen behind
will be revised. A hearing format can 
also create media interest. Since
external accountability is important,
the plan should include an annual 
report to the legislature and governor.
Even if the plan is successfully 
implemented, events beyond the
board's control will create reasons for 
revision. Periodic strategic planning, 
described in the previous section, and
the results of the monitoring will 
identify new action items and revisions 
needed to items. A comprehensive, 
multi-year plan, prepared openly with 
the full involvement of affected 
organizations and individuals will be a
major asset in helping a state address 
seismic safety. The plan should be a 
living document that is promoted, 
monitored, and revised continually. 

Appendix A 
Model Executive Order 
Executive Order 
No. 
Establishing_ _ Seim ic 
Safety Advisory Board 
WHEREAS, many different agencies at various levels of government have substantial responsibilities in the fields of earthquake emergency response and recovery planning and seismic safety; and 
WHEREAS, there is a pressing need to provide a consistent policy framework and a means for coordinating on a continuing basis the earthquake-related programs of agencies at all governmental levels and their relationships with elements of the private sector involved in practices 
important to seismic safety; and 
WHEREAS, this need is not being addressed by any continuing state government organization; and 
WHEREAS, through conceited efforts of broad scope, coordinated by a Seismic Safety Advisory Board, long-term progress should be made toward higher levels of seismic safety; and W
HEREAS, earthquakes have caused and can cause in the future enormous loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and social disruption, and with respect to future earthquakes, that loss, injury, destruction, and disruption can be reduced substantially by developing and implementing earthquake hazards reduction measures; and 
WHEREAS, while the major responsibility for dealing with 
earthquakes before and after they 
happen is firmly fixed with local 
government, state government also has 
fundamental responsibilities to take all 
reasonable measures to reduce the 
seismic hazard to which the citizens of 
are exposed; and 
WHEREAS, the state should assume 
-a leadership role by influencing the 
direction of existing and future 
national earthquake hazard reduction 
programs. and should serve as a model 
for local hazard reduction measures; 
and 
WHEREAS, earthquake hazard 
reduction measures often benefit many 
state programs and bring about 
improvements in buildings, dams, 
transportation facilities, 
communications, fire safety, toxic 
materials handling, and emergency 
response preparations; 
NOW THEREFORE, I, [NAME], 
Governor of the State of by 
virtue of the powers and authority
vested in me by the statutes and
Constitution of the State of 
,do hereby issue this order 
to become effective immediately: 
I. Establishment of a 
Seismic Safety Advisory Board to 
provide policy, guidance, and 
direction for the implementation
of a comprehensive earthquake 
risk reduction and management
program consistent with state 
organization responsibilities. 
a. There is established a Seismic Safety Advisory Board, herein referred to as the "board" 
b. The purpose of the Board is to coordinate, inform, advise and make recommendations. 
c. The advisory Board shall consist of 15 members appointed by the Governor. The Seismic Safety Advisory Board shall elect annually from its membership its own chairman and vice chairman and may replace them with other advisory board members by majority vote. 
d. Advisory Board members shall be residents of the State of [name]. 
e. The membership of the Seismic Safety Advisory Board shall be appointed by the Governor from lists of nominees submitted by professional organizations and associations as listed below: 
(1) Four members appointed from established organizations in the fields of architecture and planning, fire protection, public 
utilities, and electrical engineering and mechanical engineering; 
(2) Four members appointed from established organizations in the fields of structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, engineering geology, and seismology; 
(3) Four members appointed from nominees submitted by the League of Cities and the County Supervisors Association; 
(4) Three members appointed from established organizations in the fields of insurance, social service, and emergency services; 
II. Duties and responsibilities of the 
Seismic Safety 
Advisory Board. 
a. The Board, in the discharge of its 
responsibilities, may do any of the 
following:
(1) Accept grants, contributions, 
and appropriations from 
public agencies, private 
foundations, or individuals. 
(2) Appoint committees from its 
membership, appoint 
advisory committees from 
interested public and private
groups, and appoint ex officio 
members who shall not be 
entitled to vote, to advise 
the Board. 
(3) Contract for or employ any 
professional services and 
research required by the 
Board or required for the 
performance of necessary 
work and services which, in 
the Board's opinion, cannot
satisfactorily be performed
by its officers and employees
or by other federal, state, or 
local governmental agencies.
b. The Board is responsible for all of 
the following in connection with 
earthquake risk management: 
(1) Setting goals and priorities in 
the public-and private-
sectors. 
(2) Requesting appropriate state 
agencies to devise criteria to 
promote earthquake and 
disaster safety. 
(3) Recommending program 
changes to state agencies,
local agencies, and the 
private sector where such 
changes would improve 
earthquake hazards and 
reduction. 
(4) Reviewing emergency 
response, recovery and 
reconstruction efforts after 
damaging earthquakes. 
(5) Gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information. 
(6) Encouraging research. 
(7) Helping to coordinate the earthquake safety activities of government at all levels. 8) Establishing and maintaining necessary working relationships with any boards, advisory boards, departments, and agencies, or other public or private organizations. 
c. To implement the foregoing responsibilities, the Board may do any of the following: 
(1) Review state budgets and review grant proposals, other than those grant proposals submitted by institutions of post secondary education to the federal government, for earthquake related activities Appendix A 
Model Executive Order 
Executive Order 
No.-
Establishing_ _ Seim ic 
Safety Advisory Board 
earthquakes before and after they 
WHEREAS, many different agencies happen is firmly fixed with local 
at various levels of government have government, state government also has 
substantial responsibilities in the fields fundamental responsibilities to take all 
of earthquake emergency response and reasonable measures to reduce the 
recovery planning and seismic safety; seismic hazard to which the citizens of 
and are exposed; and 
WHEREAS, there is a pressing need WHEREAS, the state should assume 
to provide a consistent policy -aleadership role by influencing the 
framework and a means for direction of existing and future 
coordinating on a continuing basis the national earthquake hazard reduction 
earthquake-related programs of programs. and should serve as a model 
agencies at all governmental levels and for local hazard reduction measures; 
their relationships with elements of the and 
private sector involved in practices 
important to seismic safety; and WHEREAS, earthquake hazard 
reduction measures often benefit many 
WHEREAS, this need is not being state programs and bring about 
addressed by any continuing state improvements in buildings, dams, 
government organization; and transportation facilities, 
communications, fire safety, toxic 
WHEREAS, through conceited materials handling, and emergency 
efforts of broad scope, coordinated by a response preparations; 
Seismic Safety Advisory Board, long-
term progress should be made toward NOW THEREFORE, I, [NAME3, 
higher levels of seismic safety; and Governor of the State of by 
virtue of the powers and authority
WHEREAS, earthquakes have vested in me by the statutes and
caused and can cause in the future 
enormous loss of life, injury, Constitution of the State of 
destruction of property, and economic ,do hereby issue this order 
and social disruption, and with respect to become effective immediately: 
to future earthquakes, that loss, injury, 
I. Establishment of a 
destruction, and disruption can be Seismic Safety Advisory Board to 
reduced substantially by developing provide policy, guidance, and 
and implementing earthquake hazards direction for the implementation
reduction measures; and of a comprehensive earthquake 
risk reduction and management
WHEREAS, while the major program consistent with state 
responsibility for dealing with organization responsibilities. 
A-l 

a. There is established a II. Duties and responsibilities of the 
Seismic Safety Seismic Safety 
Advisory Board, herein referred to Advisory Board. 
as the "board" a. The Board, in the discharge of its 
b. The purpose of the Board is to responsibilities, may do any of the 
coordinate, inform, advise and following:
make recommendations. (1) Accept grants, contributions, 
c. The advisory Board shall consist and appropriations from 
of 15 members appointed by the public agencies, private 
Governor. The Seismic Safety foundations, or individuals. 
Advisory Board shall elect (2) Appoint committees from its 
annually from its membership its membership, appoint 
own chairman and vice chairman advisory committees from 
and may replace them with other interested public and private
advisory board members by groups, and appoint ex officio 
majority vote. members who shall not be 
d. Advisory Board members shall be entitled to vote, to advise 
residents of the State of [name]. the Board. 
e. The membership of the Seismic (3) Contract for or employ any 
Safety Advisory Board shall be professional services and 
appointed by the Governor from research required by the 
lists of nominees submitted by Board or required for the 
professional organizations and performance of necessary 
associations as listed below: work and services which, in 
the Board's opinion, cannot
(1) Four members appointed satisfactorily be performed
from established organi-by its officers and employees
zations in the fields of or by other federal, state, or 
architecture and planning, local governmental agencies.
fire protection, public 
utilities, and electrical b. The Board is responsible for all of 
engineering and mechanical the following in connection with 
engineering; earthquake risk management: 
(2) Four members appointed (1) Setting goals and priorities in 
from established the public-and private-
organizations in the fields of sectors. 
structural engineering, (2) Requesting appropriate state 
geotechnical engineering, agencies to devise criteria to 
engineering geology, and promote earthquake and 
seismology; disaster safety. 
(3) Four members appointed (3) Recommending program 
from nominees submitted by changes to state agencies,
the League of Cities and the local agencies, and the 
County Supervisors private sector where such 
Association; changes would improve 
(4) Three members appointed earthquake hazards and 
from established organi-reduction. 
zations in the fields of (4) Reviewing emergency 
insurance, social service, and response, recovery and 
emergency services; reconstruction efforts after 
damaging earthquakes. 
and to advise the Governor 
and Legislature thereon. 
(2) Review legislative proposals} 
related to earthquake safety 
to advise the Governor and 
Legislature concerning the 
proposals, and to propose 
needed legislation. 
(3) Recommend the addition, 
deletion, or changing of 
state agency standards when, 
in the Board's view, the 
existing situation creates 
undue hazards or when new 
developments would 
promote earthquake hazard 
mitigation, and conduct 
public hearings as deemed
necessary on the subjects.
(4) Recommend and sponsor 
legislation creating a state-
level Seismic Safety Advisory 
Board as a permanent and
autonomous entity of state 
government. 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand 
and have caused the Great Seal of the State of 
to be affixed this day of 
,19 
Governor of the State of 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 

Appendix B 
Model Enabling Legislation
 1000. Legislative Declaration 
 1002. Seismic safety advisory 
board; creation; report
 1003. Members; appointment; chairman; vice chairman; quorum; public interest
 1004. Appointments to advisory board
 1005. Term of office
 1006. Per diem; expenses
 1007. Powers and Duties
 1008. Executive director; employees
 1009. Earthquake hazard reduction responsibilities
 1010. Establishment and objectives of the [Name] Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program
 1011. Implementation of earthquake h
azard mitigation program
 1012. Consultation with other agencies and groups
 1013. Short Title
 1000. Legislative Declaration 
The Legislature finds and declares as follows: 
First, many different agencies at various levels of government have substantial responsibilities in the fields of earthquake preparedness and seismic safety. Second, there is a pressing need to provide a consistent policy framework and a means for coordinating on a continuing basis the earthquake-related programs of agencies at all governmental levels and their relationships with elements of the private sector involved in practices important to seismic safety. This need is not being addressed by any 
continuing state government 
organization. 
Third, through concerted efforts of
broad scope, coordinated by a Seismic 
Safety Advisory Board, long-term 
progress should be made toward higher 
levels of seismic safety. 
Fourth, earthquakes have caused 
and can cause in the future enormous loss. 
of life, injury, destruction of
property, and economic and social 
disruption. With respect to future 
earthquakes, that loss, injury, 
destruction, and disruption can be
reduced substantially by developing
and implementing earthquake hazards 
reduction measures, including, but not 
limited to, the following: 
(1) Improving design and 
construction methods and 
practices. 
(2) Rehabilitating vulnerable 
buildings. 
(3) Coordinating emergency 
planning for response by the 
government and private 
sectors. 
(4), Implementing land use and 
redevelopment planning. 
(5) Developing public 
information and education
programs. 
(6) Improving emergency 
response capabilities and 
emergency management 
systems. 
(7) Developing long-term social 
and economic recovery
strategies.
(8) Upgrading the strong motion 
instrumentation system. 
(9) Improving basic research of 
physical and social earthquake 
phenomena. 
Fifth, while the major responsibility 
for dealing with earthquakes before 
and after they happen is firmly fixed 
with local government, state 
government also has fundamental 
responsibilities to take all reasonable 
measures to reduce the seismic risk to 
which the citizens of [name of state] 
are exposed. The state should assume a 
leadership role by influencing the 
direction of existing and future 
national earthquake risk reduction 
programs and should serve as a model 
for local risk reduction measures. 
Sixth, earthquake risk reduction 
measures often benefit many state 
programs and bring about 
improvements in buildings, dams, 
transportation facilities, 
communications, fire safety, toxic 
materials handling, and emergency 
response preparations. 
Seventh, it is not the purpose of 
this chapter to transfer to the advisory 
board the authorities and 
responsibilities now vested by law in 
state and local agencies. 
 1002. Seismic safety advisory 
board; creation; report 
There is created in the state 
government a Seismic Safety Advisory 
Board which shall report annually to 
the Governor and to the Legislature on 
its findings, progress, and 
recommendations relating to 
earthquake risk reduction. 
 1003. Members; 
appointment; chairman; vice 
chairman; quorum; public 
interest 
(a) The advisory board shall consist 
of 15 members appointed by the 
Governor and confirmed by the 
Senate, one member appointed b' 
the Senate President pro tempore 
and one member appointed by 
the Speaker of the Assembly. The 
Seismic Safety Advisory Board 
shall elect annually from its 
membership its own chairman 
and vice chairman and may 
replace them with other advisory 
boarders by majority vote. 
Advisory Board members shall be 
residents of the State of [name]. 
[NOTE: As used herein, "Senate" means 
the upper legislative house and 
"Assembly," the lower.] 
(b) A quorum shall consist of nine 
members if there are no vacancies, 
or else a majority of the members 
of the advisory board at the time. 
(c) The Legislature declares that the 
individuals appointed to the 
advisory board are intended to 
represent the professions of 
architecture, planning, fire 
protection, public utilities, 
electrical engineering, mechanical 
engineering, structural 
engineering, geotechnical 
engineering, engineering geology, 
seismology, local government, 
insurance, social services, 
emergency services, and the State 
Legislature and that such 
representation best serves the 
public interest. 
 1004. Appointments to 
advisory board 
The membership of the Seismic Safety 
Advisory Board shall be appointed by 
the Governor and confirmed by the 
Senate from lists of nominees 
submitted by organizations as listed 
below: 
(a) Four members appointed from 
established organizations in the 
fields of architecture and 
planning, fire protection, public 
utilities, and electrical engineering 
and mechanical engineering; 
(b) Four members appointed from 
established organizations in the 
fields of structural engineering, 
geotechnical engineering, 
engineering geology, and 
seismology; 
(c) Four members appointed from 
nominees submitted by an 
association representing the cities 
of [name of state] and an 
association representing the 
county supervisors of [name of' 
state] (OPTION: at least one of 
which shall be a member of the 
public at large); 
(d) Three members. appointed from 
established organizations in the 
fields of insurance, social service, 
and emergency services; 
(e) One member shall be appointed 
from the Senate by the Senate 
President pro tempore, and one 
member shall be appointed from 
the Assembly by the Speaker of 
the Assembly. Each of the 
members appointed pursuant to 
this subdivision may designate an 
alternate who shall be counted 
toward a quorum, who may vote, 
and who may receive the 
expenses specified in Section 
1006. 
 1005. Term of office 
The term of office for each member of 
the Seismic Safety Advisory Board shall 
be four years and each shall hold office 
until the appointment and 
qualification of his or her successor, 
except that of the initial advisory 
boarders, the Governor shall appoint 
seven whose terms will expire two 
years after appointment and seven 
members plus the chairman whose 
terms shall expire four years after 
appointment. All initial appointments 
shall be made by [date]. Any vacancies 
shall be immediately filled by the 
appointing power for the unexpired 
portion of the term in which they 
occur. 
 1006. Per diem; expenses 
The members of the Seismic Safety 
Advisory Board shall serve without 
compensation but shall be paid per 
diem expenses of one hundred dollars 
($100) for each day's attendance at a 
meeting of the advisory board, plus 
actual necessary travel expenses as 
determined by the 
 1007. Powers and Duties 
The advisory board, in the discharge of 
its responsibilities, may do any of the 
following: 
(a) Accept grants, contributions, and 
appropriations from public 
agencies, private foundations, or 
individuals. 
(b) Appoint committees from its 
membership, appoint advisory 
committees from interested public 
and private groups, and appoint 
ex officio members who shall not 
be entitled to vote, to advise the 
advisory board. 
c Contract for or employ, any 
professional services and research 
required by the advisory board or 
required for the performance of 
necessary work and services 
which, in the advisory board's 
opinion, cannot satisfactorily be 
performed by its officers and 
employees or by other federal, 
state, or local governmental 
agencies. 
(d) Enter into agreements to act 
cooperatively with private 
nonprofit scientific, educational, 
or professional associations or 
foundations engaged in 
promoting seismic safety in 
[State's name], including activities 
under the [State's name] 
Earthquake Risk Reduction 
Program as provided in Section 
1010 of this Act. These 
associations of foundations may 
furnish materials for sale, and the 
advisory board may provide 
personnel services and office 
space therefore. Subject to rules. 
and regulations adopted by the 
advisory board, all moneys 
received from the sale of 
publications or other materials 
provided by an association or 
foundation, shall be returned to 
the association or foundation for 
use in furthering seismic safety 
programs. 
(e) Do any and all other things 
necessary to carry out the 
purposes of this chapter. 
 1008. Executive director; 
employees 
The advisory board shall appoint an 
executive director who shall be 
responsible for managing the affairs of 
the advisory board, subject to the 
direction and policies of the advisory 
board. 
The executive director shall appoint
such employees as may be necessary to 
carry out the functions of the advisory
board. 
 1009. Earthquake risk 
reduction responsibilities 
The advisory board is responsible for all 
of the following in connection with 
earthquake risk mitigation: 
(a) Setting goals and priorities in the 
public and private sectors. 
(b) Requesting appropriate state 
agencies to devise criteria to 
promote earthquake and disaster 
safety. 
(c) Recommending program changes 
to state agencies, local agencies,
and the private sector where such 
changes would lessen earthquake 
risk and improve risk 
management. 
(d) Reviewing the recovery and 
reconstruction efforts after 
damaging earthquakes. 
(e) Gathering, analyzing, and 
disseminating information. 
(f) Encouraging research. 
(g) Sponsoring training to help 
improve the competence of 
specialized enforcement and other 
technical personnel. 
(h) Helping to coordinate the 
earthquake safety activities of 
government at all levels. 
(i) Establishing and maintaining 
necessary working relationships 
with any boards, advisory boards, 
departments, and agencies, or 
other public or private 
organizations. 
 1010. Establishment and 
objectives of the [State's name]
Earthquake Risk Reduction 
and Management Program 
(a) There is hereby established a 
coordinated program pursuant to 
which the state shall implement 
new and expanded activities to 
significantly reduce the 
earthquake threat to its citizens. 
This program, to be known as the 
[State's name] Earthquake Risk 
Reduction and Management 
Program, shall be prepared and 
administered by the Seismic 
Safety Advisory Board. 
(b) The program set forth in 
subdivisions (a) shall .specify 
priorities, funding sources and 
amounts, schedules, and other 
resources needed to significantly 
reduce earthquake risk, etc. 
statewide by January 1, [year]. The 
achievement of this goal shall be 
undertaken by establishing 
objectives within the following 
categories: 
(1) Risk Reduction. The reduction of 
the earthquake risk to acceptable
levels through significant 
reduction in the number of 
vulnerable buildings, avoiding the 
creation of new or greater seismic 
risks, and the promotion and 
expansion of scientific and 
engineering studies to help 
achieve these goals. 
(2) Emergency Response. Develop 
plans, agreements and protocols, 
to deal with special issues, such as 
earthquake prediction, hazardous 
materials, critical facilities, and 
disaster response and mutual aid 
plans for all major population 
centers; establish public 
education, training, and 
information; and develop plans to 
increase the coordination and 
integration of federal, state and 
local resources, enhance the 
state's capability to respond to a 
major earthquake disaster. 
Improve the state's emergency 
response capability by 
strengthening the statewide 
communication system, creating a 
state emergency coordination 
center or centers, and automating 
emergency management data; and 
training respondents. 
(3) Recovery. Develop systems to 
manage earthquake recovery, and 
minimize unemployment, 
business failures, tax base erosion, 
and associated monetary and 
financial losses critical to the 
restoration of [State's name] 
economy and public services. 
(c) The state's existing seismic 
safety activities are currently 
administered by over [insert 
number] separate agencies. 
Responsibility for administering 
these activities shall remain 
with these agencies. These 
existing activities shall continue 
and their efforts shall be 
incorporated into the 
coordinated program 
established under subdivision 
(a). 
(d) The program shall consist of a 
series of five-year plans and 
each five-year plan shall be 
revised by the [State's name] 
Seismic Safety Advisory Board 
annually and submitted to the 
Governor and the Legislature. 
Each revision shall include a 
finding on the state's progress 
toward the goal stated in 
subdivision (b). 
(e) The immediate steps to be 
undertaken by the Board shall 
include the performance of 
existing activities provided the 
budget prepared by the 
Governor for the [date] fiscal 
year and the Budget Act of 
[date] and the preparation of 
the first five-year program. 
(f) The first five-year plan 
document shall be completed 
by [date], and shall include 
specific measures and funding 
needed for adequate progress 
towards the state's earthquake 
safety goals by January 1, [date]. 
This plan and subsequent plans 
shall cover a five-year 
implementation period and 
shall recommend any necessary 
statutory changes for program 
implementation. 
 1011. Implementation of 
earthquake risk mitigation 
program 
To implement the foregoing 
responsibilities, the advisory board may 
do any of the following: 
(a) Review state budgets and review 
grant proposals, other than those 
grant proposals submitted by 
institutions of postsecondary 
education to the federal 
government, for earthquake 
related activities and to advise the 
Governor and Legislature thereon. 
(b) Review legislative proposals, 
related to earthquake safety to 
advise the Governor and 
Legislature concerning the 
proposals, and to propose needed 
legislation. 
(c) Recommend the addition, 
deletion, or changing of state 
agency standards when, in the 
advisory board's view, the existing 
situation creates undue hazards or 
when new developments would 
promote earthquake risk 
mitigation, and conduct public 
hearings as deemed necessary on 
the subjects. 
(d) In the conduct of any hearing, 
investigation, inquiry, or study 
which is ordered or undertaken in 
any part of the state, administer 
oaths and issue subpoenas for the 
attendance of witnesses and the 
production of papers, records, 
reports, books, maps, accounts, 
documents, and testimony. 
 1012. Consultation with 
other agencies and groups 
The board shall prepare the [State's 
name] Earthquake Risk Reduction and 
Management Program, in consultation 
with the [list appropriate agencies 
responsible for emergency services, 
geology, emergency medical services, 
the state's universities and other 
appropriate institutions of higher 
learning, the National Guard], other 
appropriate state and local agencies, 
the private sector, volunteer groups, 
and the Legislature. 
The board may hold public hearings 
or joint hearings with other groups and 
conduct other activities as necessary for 
the development of the program. 
 1013. Short Title 
This act shall be known and cited as 
the Seismic Safety Advisory Board Act. 

Appendix C 
Example of Interstate Compact 
Interstate Earthquake Compact of 
[Yea-The Legislature of the State of 
[Name] hereby ratifies a compact on 
behalf of the state of [Name] with any 
other state legally joining therein in 
the form substantially as follows: 
Article I. Purpose 
The purpose of this compact is to 
develop plans and advise on 
earthquake risk reduction and 
management programs) emergency 
response measures, and earthquake 
recovery plans of member states, and 
facilitate mutual aid in the member 
states, and establish a central repository 
of standardized information, including 
resources in the multi-state area that 
might be needed in a major 
earthquake. The full, immediate, and 
effective utilization of the resources of 
the respective states, including such 
resources as may be available from the 
United States government or any other 
source, is necessary to provide needed 
short-term earthquake disaster 
assistance to states requesting aid. 
These resources shall be incorporated 
into a plan or plans of mutual aid to be 
developed among the appropriate 
agencies of states that are parties to this 
compact. These agencies shall develop 
and follow procedures designed to 
assure the maintenance of resource 
inventories and the exchange of 
information about earthquake risk 
reduction disaster response and 
recovery. It is the policy of the party 
states to carry out this compact in a 
spirit of cooperation to provide the 
most effective earthquake risk 
reduction and management program. 
Article II. Intrastate Planning 
Each party state shall have the duty to 
formulate earthquake risk reduction and 
response and recovery plans and programs 
within such state. There shall be frequent 
consultation between the representatives of 
such states and within the United States 
government and the free exchange of relief 
plans and information, including 
inventories of any material and equipment 
available for response to earthquake 
emergencies. To this end, each state will 
maintain standardized data which will 
establish a comprehensive listing of all 
resources within the (number)-state region 
that might be needed to formulate plans 
during an earthquake disaster. The 
inventory will be shared equitably among 
the party states in the event of an 
earthquake or other emergency, 
recognizing each state's primary 
responsibility to assist and protect its 
residents. Each party state shall also share 
any available information on earthquake 
forecasts and reports of seismic activity. 
Article III. Responsibilities Of 
States 
Whenever the governor of a party state 
requests aid from the governor of another 
party state pursuant to this compact in 
coping with an earthquake emergency, the 
requested state shall make available all 
possible aid to the requesting state 
consonant with the maintenance of 
protection for its residents and the policies 
stated in Article . 
Article IV. Reciprocity 
Whenever the officers or employees of any 
party state are rendering aid in another 
state pursuant to the request of another 
party state under this compact, those 
officers or employees shall, while under the 
direction of the authorities of the state to 
which they are rendering aid, have the 
same powers, duties, rights privileges, and 
immunities as comparable officers and 
employees of the state to which they are 
rendering aid. Any person holding a 
license, certificate or other permit issued by 
any state, demonstrating the meeting of 
qualifications for professional, mechanical, 
or other skills may render aid involving 
such skill in any party state to meet an 
earthquake emergency, and the state in 
which aid is rendered shall give due 
recognition of such license, certificate, or 
other permit as if issued in the state in 
which aid is rendered. 
Article V. Immunity 
No party state or its officers, employees or 
other persons, certified by party states 
pursuant to agreed upon criteria and 
procedures for certification, rendering aid 
in another state pursuant to this compact 
shall be liable on account of any act or 
omission in good faith on their part while 
so engaged, or on account of maintenance 
or use of any equipment or supplies in 
connection therewith. 
Article VI. Supplementary 
Agreements 
Nothing in this agreement precludes any 
state from entering into supplementary 
agreements with another state or states for 
the undertaking of mutual aid and 
exchange of information in the event of an 
earthquake emergency. These 
supplementary agreements may 
comprehend, but are not limited to, 
provisions for evacuation and reception of 
injured and other persons and the 
exchange of medical, fire, police, public 
utility reconnaissance, welfare, 
transportation and communications 
personnel, equipment and supplies. 
Article VII. Compensation 
Each party state shall provide 
compensation and death benefits to its 
injured officers, employees or other persons 
certified by party states, pursuant to agreed 
upon criteria and procedures for 
certification and the representatives of 
deceased officers, employees and other 
certified persons in case officers, employees 
or certified persons sustain injuries or death 
while rendering aid in another state 
pursuant to this compact, in the same 
manner and on the same terms as if the 
Injury or death were sustained within the 
state by or in which the officer, employee 
or certified person was regularly employed. 
Article VIII. Reimbursement 
Any party state rendering aid in another 
state pursuant to this compact shall be 
reimbursed by the party state receiving 
such aid for any loss or damage to, or 
expense incurred in the operation of any 
equipment answering a request for aid, and 
for the cost of all materials, transportation, 
wages, salaries and maintenance of officers, 
employees and equipment incurred in 
connection with such request, including 
amounts paid under Article VII, provided 
that nothing herein contained shall 
prevent any assisting party state from 
assuming such loss, damage, expense or 
other cost or from loaning such equipment 
or from donating such services to the 
receiving party state without charge or cost. 
Any two (2) or more party states may enter 
into supplementary agreements 
establishing a different allocation of costs 
as among those states. The United States 
government may relieve the party state 
receiving aid from any liability and 
reimburse the party state rendering aid for 
loss, damage or expense incurred within 
the terms of this article. 
Article IX. Evacuation Plans 
Plans for the orderly evacuation and 
reception of the civilian population as the 
result of an earthquake emergency shall be 
worked out from time to time between 
representatives of the party states. Such 
plans shall include the manner of 
transporting such evacuees, the number of 
evacuees to be received in different areas, 
the manner in which food, clothing, 
housing, and medical care will be provided, 
the registration of the evacuees, the 
providing of facilities for the notification of 
relatives or friends and the forwarding of 
such evacuees to other areas or the 
bringing in of additional materials, 
supplies, and all other relevant factors. The 
plans must provide that the party state 
receiving evacuees shall be reimbursed 
generally for the out-of-pocket expenses 
incurred in receiving and caring for the 
evacuees, for the expenditures and 
transportation, food, clothing, medicines 
and medical care and like items. These 
expenditures shall be reimbursed by the 
party state of which the evacuees are 
residents or by the United States 
government under plans approved by it. 
The party state of which the evacuees are 
residents shall assume the responsibility for 
the ultimate support or repatriation of such 
evacuees. 
Article X. Availability 
Any state of the United States shall be 
eligible to become party to this compact. As 
to any eligible party state, this compact 
shall become effective when its legislature 
shall have enacted it into law, provided, 
that it shall not become initially effective 
until enacted into law by two (2) party 
states. 
Article XI. Withdrawal 
Any party state may withdraw from this 
compact by enacting a statute repealing the 
same, but no such withdrawal shall become 
effective until ninety (90) days after the 
governor of the withdrawing state shall 
have sent formal notice in writing to the 
governor of each other party state 
informing the governors of the action of 
the legislature in repealing the compact 
and declaring an intention to withdraw. A 
withdrawing state shall be liable for any 
obligations which it may have incurred on 
account of its party status up to the 
effective date of withdrawal, except that if 
the withdrawing state has specifically 
undertaken or committed itself to any 
performance of an obligation extending 
beyond the effective date of withdrawal it 
shall remain liable to the extent of such 
obligation. 
Article XII. Severability 
This compact is to be construed to 
effectuate the purposes stated in Article. If 
any provision of this compact is declared 
unconstitutional or the applicability 
thereof to any person or circumstances is 
held invalid, the constitutionality of the 
remainder of this compact and the 
applicability thereof to other persons and 
circumstances is not to be affected by it. 
(This interstate compact is modeled 
upon the one ratified by the State of 
Tennessee in connection with its 
membership in the Central United 
States Earthquake Consortium.) 

Appendix D 
Example of Articles of Incorporation 
Articles of Incorporation 
of 
[Name of Board] 
We, the undersigned natural persons of 
age of twenty-one years or more, acting 
as incorporators of a corporation, adopt 
the following Articles of Incorporation 
for such corporation pursuant to the 
State of [state of incorporation]: 
1. The name of the Corporation is 
"[Name of Board]." 
2. The period of duration is perpetual. 
3. (a) (1) The corporation is 
organized and shall be operated 
exclusively for charitable, scientific, 
or education purposes including for 
such purposes the making of 
distribution to organizations, 
formed and operated exclusively for 
public charitable purposed and 
qualifying for exemption from 
taxation under Section 501 (c), (3) of 
the Internal Revenue Code. 
(Hereinafter cited as "I.R.C." 
Reference herein to the I.R.C. also 
refers to the corresponding 
provisions of any future United 
States I.R.C. Law). 
(2) The corporation shall 
promote and support adequate 
earthquake risk reduction and 
management in the United States and 
the states of [enumerate]; shall 
formulate and improve the 
administration of earthquake affairs 
through the Departments and agencies 
of their respective state and federal 
government of the United States. 
(3) The corporation shall 
promote earthquake risk reduction and 
management and shall address the risk 
reduction, emergency response and 
recovery planning, public education, 
and other related matters. For the 
purpose of these Articles of 
Incorporation and this corporation, 
earthquake risk management is hereby 
defined to mean protection from 
physical destruction or damage 
whether such damage or destruction 
shall be man-made or the result of the 
elements or geologic hazards, and the 
rendition of aid and assistance to 
people, organizations and other entities 
required as a result of such physical 
destruction or damages. 
In furtherance of, and not in 
limitation of the general powers 
conferred by the laws of the State of 
[state of incorporation], and the objects 
and purposes herein set forth, it is 
expressly provided that this 
corporation shall also have the 
following powers, viz.: 
Acting through its Board of 
Directors, its Chairperson and other 
officers, subject to the powers and 
restrictions of the Articles of 
Incorporation and its Bylaws, to do all 
such acts as are necessary or 
convenient to the attainment of the 
objects and purposes herein set forth, 
and to the same extent and as fully as 
any natural person might or could do. 
To purchase, lease, hold, sell, 
mortgage, or otherwise acquire or 
dispose of real or personal property, to 
enter into, make perform or carry out 
contracts of every kind with any 
person, firm) corporation or 
association; to do any acts necessary or 
expedient for carrying on any and all 
of the activities and pursuing any and 
all of the objects and purposes set forth 
in the Articles of Incorporation and not 
forbidden by the laws of the State of 
To have offices and promote and 
carry on its objects and purposes 
within or without the State of [state of 
incorporation] in other states of the 
United States. 
In general, to have all powers 
conferred upon a corporation by the 
laws of the State of [state of 
incorporation], except as herein 
prohibited, or forbidden by the Bylaws 
of this corporation. 
(b) The Corporation shall be a 
non-profit corporation and none of its 
assets shall ever be returned or inure to 
the benefit of the members or officers 
or directors thereof, or other private 
persons, but shall be used exclusively 
for the aims and purposes of the 
corporation. In the event of the 
dissolution of the corporation the 
Board of Directors shall, after paying or 
making provision for the payment of 
all of the liabilities of the corporation, 
dispose of all of the assets of the 
corporation exclusively for the 
purposes of the corporation in such 
manner or to such organization or 
organizations organized exclusively for 
religious charitable, scientific, literary 
or educational purposes as shall at the 
time qualify as an exempt organization 
under Section 501 (c) (3) I.R.C. as the 
Board of Directors shall determine. Any 
of the assets not so disposed of, shall be 
disposed by the court having 
jurisdiction over such matters, 
exclusively for such purposes or to such 
organizations as such court 
shall determine which are organized 
and operated exclusively for such 
purposes. 
(c) (1) No part of the net 
earnings of the corporation shall inure 
to the benefit or be distributed to the 
benefit of the members or officers or 
directors thereof or other private 
persons except that the corporation 
shall be authorized and empowered to 
pay reasonable compensation for 
services rendered and to make payment 
and distribution in furtherance to this 
purpose. 
(2) No substantial part of the 
activities of the corporation shall be 
the carrying on of propaganda or 
otherwise attempting to influence 
legislation and the corporation shall 
not participate in or intervene in 
(including the publishing or 
distribution of statements) any political 
campaign on behalf of any candidate 
for public office. Notwithstanding any 
other provisions of these Articles, the 
corporation shall not carry on any 
other activities not permitted to be 
carried on (1) by a corporation exempt 
from Federal Income Tax under Section 
501 (c) (3) of the I.R.C. or (2) a 
corporation contributions to which are 
deductible under Section 170 of the 
I.R.C 
4. The corporation may have officers 
and authorized agents and promote 
and carry out its purposes and 
objects within and without the 
State of [state of incorporation]. 
5. The corporation shall not have any 
stockholders. The corporation shall 
be made up of the membership of 
the coalition. Each member of the 
coalition shall be a member of the 
Board of Directors and the right to 
one (1) vote. 
(a) Membership shall be open 
and available to the state of the 
coalition and the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency as provided by a 3 
A of the Bylaws. 
(b) SPECIAL PROVISIONS. (1) 
Neither an amendment to the Articles 
of Incorporation or the adoption of a 
plan for the dissolution of the 
corporation may be undertaken 
without the two-thirds (2/3) approval 
of the membership. (2) The majority of 
the membership shall have the sole 
authority to adopt or amend the 
Bylaws provided no adopted Bylaws 
nor any amendment thereto shall be 
made which is inconsistent with these 
Articles of Incorporation or any 
provision of the State of [state of 
incorporation]. 
6. The term of the members of the 
Board of Directors shall be governed 
and set out by the Bylaws, which 
shall be consistent with the 
requirements as declared in Article 
Five above. 
7. The regulation of the internal 
affairs of the corporation shall be as 
set out in the Bylaws. Provision for 
distribution or final liquidation 
shall be as declared in Article Three 
above. 
8. The address, including street and 
number, of the initial registered 
office is [address] and the name of 
its initial registered agent at such 
address is [address]. 
9. The number of Directors 
constituting the initial Board of 
Directors is and the name and 
address including street and 
number of the persons who are to 
serve as the initial directors until 
the first annual meeting or until 
their successors be appointed and 
qualified are: [enumerate] 

Appendix E 
Example of Corporate Bylaws 
Bylaws of the 
[name of multi-state seismic safety advisory board] 
Preamble 
The [name of multi-state seismic safety advisory board] shall manage and coordinate multi-state and interstate earthquake risk reduction activities in those states vulnerable to a major earthquake in the [geographic area/jurisdiction]. [Name of multi-state seismic safety advisory board] shall actively work with government and the private sector to facilitate effective efforts to reduce and manage earthquake risks. 
Name of Corporation 
1. This private not-for-profit corporation shall be known as the [name of multi-state seismic safety advisory board]. Seal 
2. The corporate seal of the [name of multi-state seismic safety advisory board] shall have inscribed thereon the name of the corporation, the year of its creation, and the words "Incorporated, State of [name of state of incorporation]." 
Members 
3. Membership to this corporation shall consist of Regular and Associate members, defined as follows: 
a. The Regular Members of the 
[name of multi-state seismic safety 
advisory board] shall be the states of 
[names of member states], and Regular membership in the [name of multi-state seismic safety advisory 
board] shall be available to states for 
which corresponding prorated funds 
have been added to the annual [name 
of multi-state seismic safety advisory 
board] funding. The amount of the 
-annual prorated funds will be 
calculated by dividing the annual 
base [name of multi-state seismic 
safety advisory board] funding 
provided by FEMA by [appropriate 
number of states]. 
b. Associate membership in the 
[name of multi-state seismic safety
advisory board] shall be open to other 
states and institutions manifesting an 
interest in the purposes and 
objectives of the corporation. 
c. The membership of the 
corporation may be expanded. 
d. No membership certificates of 
the corporation shall be required. 
e. The administrative head of any
prospective state entity or private
institution desiring to be considered
for membership shall apply in writing
to the Board of Directors specifying 
the type of membership requested. 
The board shall vote on admission of 
any new organization to the [name of 
multi-state seismic safety advisory
board] at the next regular meeting
and provide notice of the decision to
the requesting entity. 
Place of Business 
4. The principal administrative office 
of the corporation shall be at 
[appropriate address]. The corporation 
may have other offices in such other 
places as the Board of Directors shall 
designate from time to time. 
5. The purpose of [name of multi-
state seismic safety advisory board] 
shall be as set forth in its Articles of 
Incorporation as filed in the State of 
[name of state of incorporation]. 
Voting 
6. a. A majority of the state 
representatives of the Board of 
Directors shall constitute a quorum for 
the transaction of business at any 
meeting of the Board, provided that if 
less than a majority of the directors is 
present at said meeting a majority of 
the state representatives adjourn the 
meeting to another time without 
further notice. 
b. Board members may vote at 
meetings, either in person or by 
proxy. Such proxy may be extended 
to any person designated by the 
board member being represented. 
Such proxy will extend to the proxy 
party full authority, rights and 
privileges as specified by these bylaws 
for board members to the extent 
specified by the authorizing 
document. All proxy votes must be in 
writing and filed with the secretary-
treasurer, or the Executive Director. 
c. Each board member shall have 
one vote. 
d. Neither an amendment to the 
Articles of Incorporation, nor the 
adoption of a plan for the dissolution 
of the corporation may be 
undertaken without the approval of 
two-thirds (2/3) of the state 
representatives of the board of 
directors. 
Board of Directors 
7. a. The Board of Directors shall 
consist of states possessing regular 
membership in the [name of multi-
state seismic safety advisory board]. 
b. Sovereign state governments of 
the corporation shall have 
representation on the board of 
directors through the director of the 
appropriate state emergency 
management agency, or the 
equivalent agency. 
c. In furtherance of, and not in 
limitation of, the general powers 
usually vested in the board of 
directors by virtue of their office, the 
powers expressly given by the laws of 
the State of [name of state of 
incorporation], the terms of the 
charter of this corporation, and 
elsewhere in these bylaws, the 
following specific powers are hereby 
conferred upon the Board of 
Directors: 
(i) To take action as necessary to 
attain the goals and objectives of the 
[name of multi-state seismic safety 
advisory board]. 
(ii) To exclusively develop all policies 
and authorize all business 
transactions. 
(iii) To maintain all policies and 
procedures established by the Board 
of Directors as an official record of 
Board activity in a policy and 
procedure manual which will be 
available for review during regular 
office hours at the principal 
administrative office of the 
corporation. 
(iv) To pay, at its discretion, for any 
property or rights acquired by or 
services rendered to this corporation, 
either wholly or in part, in money,
stocks, bonds, debentures, or other 
securities. 
(v) To create, make and issue 
mortgage, bonds, deeds of trust, trust 
agreements, and negotiable or 
transferable instruments and 
securities secured by mortgage or 
otherwise, and to do every act and 
thing necessary to effectuate the 
same. 
(vi) To appoint, remove of suspend 
[name of multi-state seismic safety 
advisory board] staff or agents 
permanently or temporarily, 
determining their duties and 
responsibilities) to set their salaries 
and to require security bonds as 
needed. 
(vii) To confer by resolution upon the 
Executive Director the power to make 
recommendations to the board 
concerning; the appointment, 
removal or suspension of subordinate 
officers or agents; the designation of 
their duties and responsibilities; and 
the establishment of their salaries. 
(viii) To determine and approve a 
party who shall have the authority on 
behalf of the corporation to sign bills, 
notes, receipts, acceptances, 
endorsements, checks, releases, 
contracts and documents. 
(ix) To delegate any of the powers of 
the board, in the course of the 
business of the corporation, to any 
standing or special committee or to 
any officer or agent of the 
corporation, and to appoint any 
person or persons to be agents of the 
corporation with such powers 
(including the power to sub-delegate) 
and upon such terms as it sees fit. 
(x) To take action as necessary and 
reasonable to prohibit the board, any 
member or employee, acting in their 
official capacity from authorizing or 
permitting any business transaction 
which creates a conflict of interest or 
the appearance of impropriety by 
allowing any one person or business 
enterprise to exert improper influence 
over the board. 
(xi) To establish the authority to 
accept services, gifts, grants or loans 
whenever the federal government or 
any agency or officer thereof or 
whenever any person, firm or 
corporation shall offer to this 
corporation services, equipment, 
supplies, materials, or funds by way 
of gift or grant, for purposes of 
facilitating and fulfilling the goals 
and objectives of the corporation. 
(xii) To take action as necessary and 
feasible to ensure that all gifts, grants. 
loans: gratuities, discounts, favors: 
hospitality or services authorized by 
the board do not create a conflict of 
interest or the appearance of 
impropriety for the board of any 
member thereof. 
(xiii) To ensure that, not more than 
50 percent of any federally provided 
[name of multi-state seismic safety 
advisory board] funds be reserved for 
[name of multi-state seismic safety 
advisory board, and that not more 
than 50 percent of said funds be 
utilized for indirect operations, the 
balance be reserved for funding such 
multi-state projects (MSP) as the 
Board may identify. 
Officers of the Corporation 
8. a. The officers of the corporation 
shall be the following: 
(i)The chairman, the vice-chairman, 
the secretary-treasurer, and the 
executive director. 
(ii) The chairman, the vice-chairman, 
the secretary-treasurer shall be elected 
by the Board of Directors. 
(iii) The elected officials shall serve 
for one (1) year; commencing with 
the first day of January following the 
annual meeting: at which they were 
elected; or until their successors are 
elected and duly qualified. An officer 
is ineligible to hold more than on e 
elected position. 
(iv) The executive director shall be 
appointed by the Board of Directors. 
b. The chairman shall preside at all 
[name of multi-state seismic safety 
advisory board] Board of Directors 
meetings and provide general 
supervision and direction to all 
officers and Board of Directors of the 
corporation. 
c. The vice-chairman shall perform 
the duties of the chairman in the 
event of disability or absence from 
the latter office. 
d. The secretary-treasurer shall attend d
all sessions of the Board of Director 
and all meetings of members, and a act 
as clerk thereof, and record all votes 
and minutes; shall give, or cause to 
be given, notices of all meetings of 
the members and of the Board of 
Directors; shall perform such other 
duties as may be prescribed by the 
chairman; and, shall be sworn to the 
faithful discharge of their accurate 
accounts of receipts and 
disbursements in books belonging to 
the corporation and to the credit of 
the corporation; shall disburse fund 
of the corporation as may be ordered 
by the Board of Directors, taking 
proper vouchers thereof, and render 
to the chairman and Board members 
at the regular meetings of the board 
or whenever required, an accounting
of all the transactions; and at the 
expense of the corporation, shall be 
furnished such bonds as the Board )f
Directors may require. 
e. The executive director, the senior 
[name of multi-state seismic safety
advisory board] staff member, shall 
have general and active management 
of the business of the corporation; 
shall execute bonds, mortgages, all 
contracts requiring a seal, and affix 
the corporation seal thereto in 
accordance with the authorization 
from the Board of Directors. 
(i) The executive director of (name of 
multi-state seismic safety advisory
board] shall be appointed by the Boar d 
of Directors and sit in an advisory
capacity only as an ex officio member 
to the board. 
(ii) The property of the corporations
hall be managed by the executive 
director under the express direction 
and supervision of the Board of 
Directors. 
(iii) The executive director shall have 
the authority to purchase or otherwise 
acquire for the corporation any 
property, rights or privileges that have 
been specifically authorized to be
acquired by the Board of Directors. 
(iv) The executive director may be 
granted the authority to develop and 
appoint advisory committees to meet 
and fulfill the goals and objectives of 
the [name of multi-state seismic safety
advisory board]. 
(v) The executive director shall submit 
a report of the operations of the 
corporation for the preceding fiscal 
year, January 1 to December 31, to the 
board at its first regular meeting 
thereafter. 
(vi) The executive director shall be an 
advisory member of all standing 
committees. 
(vii) The executive director shall make 
all necessary arrangements for the 
holding of meetings and shall have 
authority to make such reasonable 
expenditures for this purpose that are 
within the limits of funds available in 
the treasury of the corporation. 
(viii) The executive director shall 
maintain all vital documents, including
but not limited to all work products, 
fiscal records, administrative 
documents, contractual and 
developmental programs at the 
principal office. 
(ix) The executive director, under the 
supervision of the secretary-treasurer, 
shall maintain accurate accounts of 
receipts and disbursements in books 
belonging to the corporation, and to 
the credit of the corporation in such 
depositories as may be designated the, 
Board of Directors. 
(x) The executive director, under the 
supervision of the secretary-treasurer, 
shall disburse the funds of the 
corporation as may be authorized by
the Board of Directors, taking proper 
vouchers thereof, and present to the 
Board of Directors at the regular 
meetings, or whenever required, an 
accounting of all transactions. 
(xi) The executive director shall be 
furnished such bonds as the Board of 
Directors may require. 
(xii) The executive director shall make 
recommendations to the board, for 
their final action, in respect to hiring, 
firing, salaries of staff members, and 
any other personnel action as may be 
designated by the Board. 
Standing Committees 
9. a. It is the intention of the board 
to establish standing committees to 
provide oversight and direction to the 
corporation as may be required. 
b. The chairman with the approval of 
the board shall make appointments to 
such standing committees from the 
total membership, as may be deemed 
necessary for the proper operation and 
supervision of the corporation. 
Meetings 
10. a. Regular meetings of the Board 
of Directors shall be held at such time 
and place as may be determined by the 
board. Notice of the time and place of 
such meetings must be given to the 
members by the secretary-treasurer, or 
the office of the executive director, in 
writing, at least thirty (30) days prior to 
the date thereof. 
b. All proposals and/or contracts 
requiring action by the board of 
Directors to expend moneys shall 
require notice of such activity and 
copies of said proposals and/or 
contracts be delivered to Board 
members in writing at least 15 days 
prior to the date of a scheduled 
meeting. 
c. An annual meeting of the board of 
directors shall be conducted during 
the fourth quarter of each year. 
Notice of such meetings shall be 
transmitted to the members in the 
same manner as provided in these 
bylaws for notice of amending the 
bylaws, the annual meeting shall be 
considered as a regular meeting. 
d. Special meetings of the board of 
Directors of the corporation may be 
called by the chairman, or by three 
state representatives for such purpose 
or purposes as they deem advisable. 
Notice of such a called meeting shall 
be transmitted to the members in the 
same manner as provided in these 
bylaws for notice of the regular 
meetings of the board except that the 
notice shall state the purpose or 
purposes for which the meeting is 
called. 
e. All meetings of the board members 
shall be conducted in accordance 
with Robert's Rules of Order. 
Tenure of Office 
11. In the event a vacancy occurs in 
the office of Chairman, vice-chairman, 
or secretary-treasurer the vacancy for 
the unexpired term shall be filled by 
majority vote of the Board of Directors 
within thirty (30) days of the vacancy. 
No officer shall be subject to removal, 
except for cause, not shall their term of 
office be reduced during their tenure. 
Compensation 
12. a. The board shall not receive any 
stated salaries. By resolution of the 
Board of Directors, a fixed sum and 
expenses, if any, may be allowed for 
attendance at any regular or special 
meetings of the board. However, 
nothing herein contained shall 
preclude any director from serving the 
corporation in any other capacity and 
receiving compensation. 
b. The Board of Directors shall adopt 
a policy in respect to benefits and 
leave which will apply to the entire 
[name of multi-state seismic safety 
advisory board] staff. 
Resignations 
13. A board member, as defined in 
Article 3, may resign their office at any 
time, provided such resignation is 
made in writing to the Board of 
Directors. Such resignation shall be 
effective upon deposit in the United 
States mail. 
Inspection and Audit of Books 
and Accounts 
14. a. The books, accounts, and 
records of the corporation shall be 
open to inspection by any member of 
the Board of Directors during regular 
office hours of the corporation. The 
original or a duplicate membership 
registry shall at all times be kept at the 
office of the corporation. 
b. The books, accounts, records and 
substantive operations of the 
corporation shall be audited by an 
independent accounting organization
after the close of each fiscal year, and 
the report shall be provided to the 
Board of Directors at their first regular
meeting following the conclusion of 
said audit. 
Notice and Waiver of Notice 
15. Whenever, under the provisions 
of these bylaws, notice is required to be 
given to any directors, officers, or 
members, it shall not be construed to 
be limited to personal notice, but such 
notice may be given by teletype, 
telecopier or in writing by depositing 
the same in the post office or letter box 
in a prepaid, sealed wrapper, addressed 
to such Director, officer or member at 
their address as the same appears on 
the books of the corporation, and the 
time when the same shall be mailed or 
dispatched by teletype or telecopier 
shall be deemed to be the time of the 
giving of such notice. Whenever any
notice is required to be given under the 
provisions of these bylaws, a waiver 
thereof in writing, signed by the party 
or parties entitled to said notice, 
whether before or after the time stated 
herein, shall be deemed equivalent 
thereto. 
16. A two-thirds majority vote of the 
Board of Directors shall be required to 
adopt or amend the bylaws provided 
notice of such proposed amendment 
has been given to each member at least 
thirty (30) days prior to a regular 
meeting at which the amendment is to 
be considered, providing that the 
proposed amendment is not 
inconsistent with the Articles of 
Incorporation. 

Appendix F 
Model Staff Duty Descriptions 
Because of the multidisciplinary nature 
of a seismic safety advisory board's 
work, it will require the assistance of 
skilled professionals in a number of 
areas of expertise. If the board's fiscal 
and organizational means are limited, 
it may be necessary to rely on the 
technical and professional resources of 
other public-sector or private-sector 
agencies. However, the board can 
expect at some point to require 
assistance for the following 
professional and technical functions. 
They can be performed by full-time 
staffers, who may perform more than just 
one of these functions, or by 
professionals employed by outside 
agencies or entities who serve the 
board as a collateral function of their 
primary employment. 
Legal Counsel 
In addition to dealing with technical 
disciplines like engineering, 
seismology, and geology, the board will 
occasionally need legal advice. 
For example, recent Supreme Court 
decisions expanded the economic 
rights of property owners impacted by 
regulatory action. When mandating 
seismic risk reduction measures for 
private property, State and local 
governments will need to craft risk 
reduction strategies that do not 
compromise the Constitutional 
principle of due process or violate the 
prohibition against taking of property 
without compensation. The board 
should ensure that seismic risk 
reduction policies and procedures are 
based on sound judgment and due 
process, intended to protect both the 
public safety and the economic fights 
of property owners. 
Although design professionals have 
the capability to design and construct 
buildings that resist earthquakes, the 
tort liability issue has inhibited 
innovation in the retrofitting of 
vulnerable buildings and the 
development of seismically resistant 
new buildings. Proper building 
practices, retrofitting collapse-hazard 
buildings and innovative structural 
designs and components in -new 
buildings, reduce earthquake-related 
casualties. The board may need to 
develop a clearly defined tort liability 
benchmark to give local governments 
and design professionals when their 
professional judgment calls for 
deviation from existing building codes. 
Such concerns may require the 
advice of a legal counsel, to study 
questions of regulatory due process and 
state and private-sector liability and to 
recommend changes to promote 
earthquake risk management. 
Moreover, legal counsel can provide 
the board with legal advice on 
contracts and interagency agreements, 
including contracts for grant funds, 
program-related services, 
administrative service contracts, and 
interagency agreements. In addition to 
advising the board and its staff, a legal 
counsel familiar with seismic safety 
issues also may be valuable in 
legislative matters, e.g., bill tracking 
and analysis, drafting amendments, 
consulting with board committees and 
other interested parties, making 
presentations, reviewing position 
letters. 
Engineering Geologist 
Earth scientists have long recognized 
the importance of their disciplines in 
identifying and avoiding or reducing 
earthquake hazards. Ample evidence 
correlating surface geology with 
earthquake damage has demonstrated 
that earth science must be better 
reflected in government policies aimed 
at reducing the effects of earthquakes 
on buildings, bridges, roads, and 
pipelines. To carry out its 
responsibilities relating to the earth 
sciences, the board may need an 
experienced engineering geologist with 
sound judgment and recognized 
credibility, who can independently 
interact with professional peers, 
management-level employees of state 
agencies, legislators and their staffs, 
and local government officials. In 
addition, an articulate engineering 
geologist may prove invaluable in 
explaining the intricacies of 
earthquake-related hazards to the press, 
the public, and policymakers. 
An engineering geologist can 
provide the board with a focus on 'real 
time" geological processes, their effects 
on buildings already built or to be 
built, geological concerns regarding 
lifelines (gas and water pipelines, 
electrical distribution systems), 
transportation systems, and similar 
issues involving the interaction of 
manmade facilities and the terrain they 
rest on. Good geological advice may be 
particularly important in energy-
producing regions where oil and gas 
exploration, development, and 
extraction may be significant issues. 
The Engineering Geologist would also 
be able to advise the board on seismic 
safety policy in the disciplines of 
geophysics, seismology, geology, and 
engineering geology, as well on policies 
relating to electric, water, and gas 
supply systems. Moreover, an 
engineering geologist may prove quite 
valuable in making policy 
recommendations to mitigate 
earthquake-caused landslide, ground 
failure, liquefaction, dam failure, and 
tsunami hazards, and on ways of 
incorporating these policies into local 
and-use planning, subdivision control, 
and building regulations. 
An engineering geologist, can also 
serve as the board's liaison with the 
Legislature and organizations such as 
the US Geological Survey and the 
National Science Foundation's Division 
of Earth Sciences on earth science 
issues, as well as working with local 
and state government geologists to 
improve understanding of seismic 
hazards in local government planning 
and regulation of development. 
Moreover, such help may prove 
invaluable in evaluating earthquake 
predictions for governmental leaders, 
the news media, and the public, 
helping separate scientifically based 
forecasts from those that are not. 
Structural Engineer/Architect 
A structural engineer, or architect with 
structural knowledge, can help with 
design-related matters, such as 
earthquake-related architectural and 
engineering programs, and building 
codes and standards affecting historical 
buildings, common structures and 
buildings, as well as schools, 
emergency service facilities, and 
hospitals. 
Such services may be particularly 
useful in preparing, analyzing and 
recommending legislation related to 
building stock vulnerability, 
earthquake engineering, structural 
design and architecture, as well as 
working with building codes and 
building officials. Design information, 
perspectives and judgments on staff 
work having earthquake design 
components, retrofit and damage repair
would aid in report preparation and 
policy recommendations. A structural 
engineer or architect could also provide 
staff liaison between the board and 
professional organizations representing 
engineering, architecture and other 
related disciplines, and 
local, state, and federal agencies, as 
well as the Legislature. 
The structural engineer or architect 
should be certified by the appropriate 
licensing board, and have adequate 
practical experience in earthquake-
related engineering, including dynamic 
analysis of structures, earthquake 
damage assessment, seismic hazard 
mitigation and post-quake repair,
building codes and standards, research, 
government review and permit
procedures. He or she should also have 
participated in organizations such as 
the Earthquake Engineering Research 
Institute (EERI), and the American 
Institute of Architects (AIA) and be 
knowledgeable of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) and the National Science 
Foundation (NSF). 
Legislative Liaison 
The board will probably consider 
legislation related to earthquake risk 
reduction, building codes, the 
geotechnical sciences, the engineering 
and design professions, planning, local 
government, emergency response and 
post-earthquake recovery. It may prove 
worthwhile to use a specialist for 
legislative tasks. 
These tasks typically include 
collecting information and securing 
expert testimony, as well as bill 
tracking and analysis, drafting 
amendments, testifying at legislative 
committee hearings, consulting with 
board's committees and other 
interested parties, and making 
presentations. The Legislative Liaison 
could draft letters for the board to send 
to the Governor and the Legislature 
supporting or opposing legislation, as 
well as formulating recommendations 
on pending legislation. 
The legislative liaison should have 
experience in planning, program 
evaluation, or policy analysis, and be 
able to deal with complex 
governmental problems. He or she 
should be able to effectively consult 
with and advise administrators or other 
interested parties on earthquake-related 
issues, gain and maintain the 
confidence and cooperation of those 
contacted, and effectively advocate the 
board's position on p ending legislation 
before legislative and other 
committees. 
Emergency Response Specialist 
A major catastrophic earthquake will 
impose heavy demands on emergency 
responders, probably exceeding 
capabilities and resources. 
Consequently, the board should focus 
some of its attention on ways to 
strengthen emergency response. This 
may require a specialist who would be 
responsible for emergency response 
planning. A comprehensive, multi-
hazard, emergency management 
system should coordinate the response 
elements of local, state, and federal 
governments with volunteer and 
private sector resources. The board can 
help formulate improvements in 
statewide emergency response 
capabilities and organization and 
recommendations to commit time and 
resources on training and testing plans 
for future emergencies. The failure to 
make such investments could leave 
states and local communities 
vulnerable. 
Recovery Specialist 
Financial issues critical to the 
restoration of an earthquake-damaged 
area's economy and public services may 
have to be addressed. The board may 
need the advice of a recovery specialist 
regarding recovery programs, priorities, 
legal processes, financing, insurance, 
and disaster aid. Through advanced 
planning, the board can better 
understand the need for outside 
resources and aid during the recovery 
phase, and determine beforehand what 
must be done to get assistance. After a 
disaster, pressure mounts to rebuild 
immediately, without adequately 
thinking through the long-term 
implications and consequences. The 
services of a recovery specialist may 
facilitate advance recovery planning 
and help ensure a more thoughtful, 
methodical, and production recovery 
process 
Public Information Officer 
The board may require a public 
information officer to write, edit, and 
prepare information and material for 
dissemination through all major media 
and devise a public information 
campaign. Typically the officer will also 
prepare replies to difficult and 
complicated correspondence, and act as 
spokesperson for the agency with 
public groups, news media, and 
individuals inquiring about board 
activities. This may also include 
arranging the participation of board 
members or staff personnel as speakers 
before public groups, or on radio and 
television newscasts or other programs. 
Research Writer/Editor 
The board may need a research
writer/editor to manage the publica-
tions program (if any). These responsi-
bilities may entail publishing a variety 
of documents-legislatively mandated 
and other reports, brochures, transcripts, 
guidebooks, and more-that re-
quire professional expertise to write, 
edit, and produce. A research 
writer/editor can assist the board by
preparing such reports and presenta-
tions, summarizing research findings
and their applicability to seismic risk 
reduction and management. Moreover, 
this staff member may also prove nec-
essary to develop and disseminate in-
formation on seismic safety to various 
audiences such as professional associa-
tions, as well as preparing press releases 
and responding to media inquiries. 
Planner/Program Analyst 
The board may very likely decide to es-
tablish a risk reduction and manage-
ment program, that sets forth priorities,
funding sources and amounts, project 
schedules, and risk reduction activities 
needed to significantly reduce earth-
quake risk. Implementing the specific 
risk reduction activities of such a program 
may require a planner or program 
analyst to promote, monitor, and inte-
grate the ongoing earthquake risk re-
duction, emergency response, and dis-
aster recovery projects comprising such 
a program, as well as the accomplish-
ment of numerous specific program
milestones. 
The program manager would 
advocate an ambitious agenda 
requiring the cooperative and active 
participation of diverse organizations 
and agencies. Progress on a number of 
activities will require action by both 
the governor and the legislature to 
establish policy assigning new 
responsibilities, granting new 
authority, and appropriating additional 
fiscal resources. The program manager 
could participate in and monitor the 
process of implementing of such a 
program. Such a person can function as 
a facilitator to integrate activities,
coordinate individual actions, and
assist the primarily responsible agencies
in every possible way. 
Administrative Manager 
If the board's staff becomes large
enough, or if it administers numerous 
contracts, it may benefit from an 
administrative manager responsible for 
its administrative functions. An 
administrative manager's duties might
also include the more difficult work in 
the areas of personnel, budgeting, 
contract administration, and managing
the computer network, including
determining its need for new 
equipment, software, and staff 
computer training. 
It bears emphasis that such a 
position may most likely only be 
warranted for boards with large staffs and 
significant programmatic responsibilities,
such as those that may confront a state 
with recurrent, periodic seismic activity 
or a consortium of states requiring
integration of multi-state seismic safety 
activities over a broad geographic area. 
Staff Analyst 
As its programmatic responsibilities 
increase, the board may benefit from 
employing a staff analyst to assist in 
preparation of its annual budget and 
budget change proposals, and monitor 
its expenditures, prepare monthly
budget forecasts and payrolls, and 
recommend expenditure alternatives to 
assure that the advisory board remains 
within its budget. 
This staff member would also be an 
excellent choice to oversee the rental or 
leasing of office space, purchase of all 
goods and administrative services, and 
development of guidelines for routine 
purchasing activities to ensure 
compliance with appropriate 
purchasing procedures. He or she could 
also assist in drawing up contracts and 
interagency agreements, including 
contracts for program-related services, 
and oversee the day-to-day 
management of administrative service 
contracts and interagency agreements. 
Moreover a staff analyst can advise the 
board on costs and applications of 
employee benefits, and coordinates the 
board's records management program. 

Appendix G 
Model Workshop Design 
[Insert brief background statement 
explaining why the workshop is being 
convened] 
Purpose of Workshop 
[Insert a statement of workshop's 
purpose and expectations.] 
Strategic Planning Process 
To assist board members develop a 
consensus on it mission, goals, and 
priorities, and provide a frame work for 
a new multi-year earthquake risk 
reduction and management plan, 
strategic planning approach is adopted. 
The approach includes three phases. 
Phase I. Information 
Collection 
The objective of this phase is to obtain 
a current and comprehensive 
perspective on the board's mission and 
performance. This perspective is 
derived from one-on-one in-depth 
interviews with representatives of the 
constituency that are conducted by a 
trained professional. The result of this 
phase is the accumulation of issues, 
raised by those who are interviewed, 
that provide an assessment of the 
perceived strengths, weaknesses, 
opportunities, and obstacles associated 
with seismic safety efforts. The issues 
are grouped into dominant themes and 
presented to the workshop participants. 
Phase II. Evaluation and 
Integration 
After the issues raised during the data 
collection phase are presented and 
discussed, they will be categorized into 
actionable programs, i.e., actions that 
can be taken to address the needs 
identified by the issue(s). The outcome 
of this exercise should be a list of 
actionable programs or "action items" 
(there should be at least 15 of these) 
that the board may want to pursue in 
the next five years. Participants will 
break-up into small groups of no more 
than 5-7 people to develop the action 
items. The groups will be asked to 
address the following aspects for each 
action item: 
1. Assumptions: The basic premises for 
proposing the program; 
2. Objectives: The proposed outcome 
of program; 
3. Implementation Steps: The required 
research on foundations needed, a 
basic implementation strategy, and 
an evaluation mechanism. 
Each group will be assigned 2-3 
action items to develop. It will take 
each group 2-3 hours for each one. 
Once all of the action items have 
been developed, the workshop 
participants will prioritize the 
actionable programs according to such 
criteria as feasibility, projected 
resources listed in Chapter 9. 
The last exercise of this phase will 
be the formulation of the board's 
mission statement and goals. The 
mission statement should reflect the 
objectives given to the programs the 
project will attempt to implement in 
the next five years. 
Phase III. Strategic Policies 
The results of the workshop will be 
summarized and circulated for review 
before the board acts to adopt. It will 
contain a set of policies that can be 
used to draft of a comprehensive risk 
reduction and management plan. 
MODEL AGENDA FOR WORKSHOP 
Development of Multi-Year Risk Management Program 
[Location] 
[Date] 
I Agenda 
[Day 1: Date] 
1:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m. Workshop Registration 
[Room Name] 
2:00 p.m. -2:15 p.m. Workshop Opening 
[Room Name] 
* Welcome and Introductions 
[Name of Presenter] 
2:15 p.m. -2:30 p.m. * Review workshop Objectives, 
Logistics and Agenda 
[Name of Presenter] 
2:30 p.m. -3:30 p.m. Panel Presentation 
* Ten Year Retrospective 
[Name of Presenter] 
* Earthquake Risk 
[Name of Presenter 
* Goals and Objectives: Met/Unmet 
[Name of Presenter] 
3:30 p.m. -4:00 p.m. BREAK 
4:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m. Panel Presentation: 
* Mandated Programs and Future Funding 
[Name of Presenter] 
5:00 p.m. -5:30 p.m. Review Strategic Planning Process 
[Strategic Planner] 
6:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. DINNER 
7:30 p.m. -9:00 p.m. Present and Discuss Results of Information 
Collection Phase 
[Room Name] 
[Strategic Planner] 
Categorize Results into Actionable Programs 
Board and Staff 
[Day 2 Date] 
7:30 a.m. -8:30 a.m. 
8:45 a.m. -9:15 a.m. 
9:15 a.m. -11:00 a.m. 
11:00 a.m. -11:10, a.m. 
11:10, a.m. -12:00 p.m. 
12:00, p.m. 
1:30 p.m. -
2:30 p.m. -
4:00 p.m. -
4:30 p.m. -
6:30 p.m. -
7:30 p.m. 
1:00 p.m. 
2:30 p.m. 
4:00 p.m. 
4:30 p.m. 
6:30 p.m. 
7:30 p.m. 
BREAKFAST BUFFET 
[Room Name] 
Review Process for Development of 
Action Programs 
[Room Name] 
[Strategic Planner] 
Formation of Break-out 
Groups Room assignments For 
Break-out groups 
Board and Staff 
Break-out Groups 
Deliberations: First Session 
[Room Name] 
Transition to Meeting Room 
Reports Prom First Session 
Break-out groups 
[Room Name] 
LUNCH 
[Room Name] 
continuation of First Session 
Reports 
[Room Name] 
Break-out Groups Deliberations: Second Session 
[Room Name] 
BREAK 
[Room Name] 
Reports from Second Session Break-out groups 
[Room Name] 
Reception -Informal Discussions 
[Room Name] 
BARBECUE DINNER 
[Room Name] 
[Day Three, Date] 
7:30 a.m. -8:30 a.m. BREAKFAST BUFFET 
[Room Name] 
9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m. Prioritizing of Action Programs 
[Room Name] 
[Strategic Planner] 
10:00 a.m. -10:15 a.m. BREAK 
10:15 a.m. -11:30 a.m. Formulate Mission Statement 
11:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Room Check-out 
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m. LUNCH 
[Room Name] 
1:30 p.m. -2:00 p.m. Presentation of Priorities List 
 [Room Name] 
2:00 p.m. -2:30 p.m. Workshop Wrap-up and Next Steps 

Appendix H
Workshop Roster
A workshop was held January 25-26, 
1993, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to assess 
and suggest amendments to be 
incorporated into the final draft of this 
manual. The Seismic Safety 
Commission gratefully acknowledges 
all those who assisted in this endeavor. 
Arizona 
Reginald A. Yates 
Earthquake Program Manager 
Arizona Department of 
Emergency and Military Affairs 
Division of Emergency Services 
5636 E. Mc-Dowell Rd 
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Phone: (602) 231-6238
Fax: (602) 231-6231
Arkansas 
Jack DuBose 
Deputy Director 
Arkansas Office of Emergency 
Services 
PO Box 758
Conway, AR 72032-0758
(501) 329-5601
Fax: (501) 327-8047
Dan Cicirello 
Earthquake Preparedness 
Supervisor 
Arkansas Office of Emergency 
Services 
PO Box 758
Conway, AR 72032-0758
(501) 329-5601
Fax: (501) 327-8047
California 
Timothy C. Cronin 
Staff Counsel/Project Manager 
California Seismic Safety 
Commission 
1900 K St., Ste. 100
Sacramento, CA 95814
Appendix H 
Workshop Roster
(916) 327-1737
Fax: (916)1 322-9476
Teri DeVrlend 
Staff Services Analyst 
California Seismic Safety 
Commission 
19001 K St., Ste. 100
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 323-4211
Fax: (916) 322-9476
Paula Schulz 
Earthquake Program Manager 
California Office of Emergency 
Services 
101 8th St.' Ste. 152
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 540-2713
Fax: (510) 540-3581
Cheryl Tateishi 
Earthquake Program Manager 
California Office of Emergency 
Services 
1110 East Green St., Ste. 300
Pasadena, CA 91106
(818) 304-8383
Fax: (818) 304-8398
L. Thomas, Tobin 
Executive Director 
California Seismic Safety 
Commission 
1900 K St., Ste. 100
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 322-4917
Fax: (916) 322-9476
Central United States 
Earthquake Consortium 
(CUSEC) 
Harvey Ryland 
Executive Director 
Central United States 
Earthquake Consortium 
2630 E. Holmes Rd. 
Memphis, TN 38118 
(901) 345-0932 
Fax: (901) 345-0998 
FEMA 
Donna Dannels 
Emergency Management Officer 
Federal Emergency Management 
Agency 
Office of Earthquakes and 
Natural Hazards 
Federal Center Plaza 
500 C St., SW 
Washington, DC 20472 
(202) 646-3662 
Fax: (202) 646-3104 
Idaho 
Stephen Weiser 
Earthquake Program Manager 
Bureau of Disaster Services 
650 West State St. 
Boise, ID 83720 
(208) 334-3460 
Fax: (208) 334-2322 
Illinois 
Robert B. Olshansky 
Assistant Professor 
University of Illinois 
at Urbana-Champaign 
Department of Urban and 
Regional Planning 
907 1/2 West Nevada St. 
Urbana, IL 61801 
(217) 333-3890 
Fax: (217) 244-1717 
Nevada 
James Goodfellow 
Earthquake Program Manager 
Division of Emergency 
Management 
Capitol Complex 
2525 South Carson St 
Carson City, NV 89710 
(702) 687-4240 
Fax: (702) 687-6788 
New England States 
Earthquake Consortium 
Louis H. Klotz 
Executive Director 
New England States Earthquake 
Consortium 
501 Islington St. 
Portsmouth, NH 03801 
(603) 430-9876 
Fax: (603) 430-9875 
New York 
John Gibb 
Earthquake Program Supervisor 
State Emergency Management 
Office 
Public Security Building 
No. 22 State Campus 
Albany, NY 12226-5000 
(518) 457-9960 
Fax: (518) 457-9930 
Oregon 
David S. Mayer 
State Earthquake Program 
Coordinator 
Metropolitan Service District 
2000 SW First Ave. 
Portland, OR 97201-5398 
(503) 221-1646 
Fax: (503) 273-5585 
South Carolina 
Bob Clithero 
Earthquake Program Manager 
Emergency Preparedness 
Division 
1429 Senate St. 
Columbia, SC 29201 
(803) 734-8020 
Fax: (803) 734-8062 
Fax: (801) 581-7065
Utah 
Fred May 
Natural Hazards Program 
Manager 
Utah Comprehensive 
Emergency Management 
State Office Building, Rm. 1110
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801) 538-3758
Fax: (801) 538-3770
Bob Carey 
Earthquake Program Manager 
Utah Comprehensive 
Emergency Management 
State Office Building, Rm. 1110
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801) 538-3400
Fax: (801) 538-3770
Caryn Johnson 
Natural Hazards, Intern 
Utah Comprehensive 
Emergency Management 
State Office Building, Rm. 1110
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801) 538-3400
Fax: (801) 538-3770
Utah Earthquake Advisory 
Board 
Walter J. Arabasz 
Director 
University of Utah Seismograph 
Stations 
705 W. C. Browning Bldg. 
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
(801) 581-6274
David Curtis 
Past President 
Structural Engineers Association 
of Utah 
Curtis Engineering 
366 South 500 East 
Salt Lake City, UT 84102
(801) 531-1173
Fax: (801)328-2060 
James Golden 
Assistant Chief Structural 
Engineer 
Structures Division 
Department of Transportation 
4501 South 2700 West 
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
(801) 965-4191
Fax: (801) 965-4338
Steven M. Klass 
Deputy State Planning 
Coordinator 
Governor's Office of Planning 
and Budget 
116 State Capitol 
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801) 538-1556
Fax: (801) 538-1547
T. Leslie Youd 
Professor 
Department of Civil Engineering 
Brigham Young University 
3 70 Clyde Bldg.
Provo, UT 84602
(801) 378-2811
Fax: (801) 378-4449


Appendix I 
Existing Seismic Safety Advisory Boards 
Arizona 
Arizona Council for Earthquake Safety 
Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs 
Division of Emergency Services 
5636 E. McDowell Rd. 
Phoenix, AZ 85008 
Phone: (602) 231-6238 
Fax: (602) 231-6231 
Arkansas 
Arkansas Earthquake Advisory Council 
Arkansas Office of Emergency Services 
P.O. Box 758 
Conway, AR 72032-0758 
(501) 329-5601 
Fax: (501) 327-8047 
California 
Seismic Safety Commission 
1900 K St. Ste. 100 
Sacramento, CA 95814 
(916) 322-4917 
Fax: (916) 322-9476 
Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) 
Central United States Earthquake Consortium 
2630 E. Holmes Rd. 
Memphis, TN 38118 
(901) 345-0932 
Fax: (901) 345-0998 
Hawaii 
Hawaii State Earthquake Advisory Board 
Office of the Director of Civil Defense 
3949 Diamond Head Road 
Honolulu, HA 96816-4495 
(808) 734-2161 
Fax: (808) 737-4150 
Illinois 
Illinois Earthquake Advisory Board 
Illinois Emergency Services & Disaster Agency 
110 East Adams St. 
Springfield, IL 62706 
(217) 782-4448 
Indiana 
Indiana Seismic Safety Advisory Board
Indiana State Emergency Management 
Agency 
IN GOVT CTR S/302 W. Washington St. 
E208 
Indianapolis, IN 46204 
(317) 232-3986 
FAX (317) 232-3895 
Kentucky 
Governor's Earthquake Hazards & Safety
Technical Advisory Panel 
Kentucky Division of Div. of Disaster & 
Emergency Services 
EOC Building, Boone Center 
Frankfort, KE 40506 
(502) 564-8611 
Mississippi 
Mississippi Seismic Advisory Panel 
Mississippi Emergency Management 
Agency 
P.O. Box 4501, Fondren Station 
Jackson, MS 39216 
(601) 352-9100 
Missouri 
Missouri Earthquake Hazard Mitigation 
Panel 
Missouri Emergency Management Agency 
P.O. Box 116 
Jefferson City, MO 65102 
(314) 751-9779 
FAX (314) 634-7966 
Nevada 
-Nevada Seismic Safety Council 
Division of Emergency Management 
Capitol Complex 
2525 South Carson St. 
Carson City, NV 89710 
(702) 687-4240 
Fax: (702) 687-6788 
New England States Earthquake 
Consortium (NESEC) 
New England States Earthquake 
Consortium 
501 Islington St 
Portsmouth, NH 03801 
(603) 430-9876 
Fax: (603) 430-9875 
Oregon 
Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory 
Committee 
595 Cottage St., NE 
Salem, OR 97310 
(503) 378-2903 
Fax: (503) 588-1378 
Puerto Rico 
Comision de Seguridad Contra 
Terremotos 
Pda. 3 1/2 Ave. Munoz Rivera 
Pta. de Tierra Apartado Correo 5887 
San Juan, PR 00906 
(809) 722-8784 
Fax: (809) 725-0350 
South Carolina 
South Carolina Seismic Safety Consortium 
Dept. of Civil Engineering
The Citadel 
Charleston, SC 29401 
(803) 797-4208 
Southeastern United States Seismic 
Safety Consortium 
Southeastern United States Seismic Safety
Consortium 
Dept. of Civil Engineering 
The Citadel 
Charleston, SC 29401 
(803) 797-4208 
Tennessee 
Tennessee Seismic Safety Advisory Panel 
Tennessee Emergency Management
Agency 
Tennessee EOC 
3041 Sidco Dr. 
Nashville, TN 37204-1502 
(615) 252-3311 
Utah 
Utah Earthquake Advisory Board 
University of Utah Seismograph Stations 
705 W. C. Browning Bldg. 
Salt Lake City, UT 84112 
(801) 581-6274 
Fax: (801) 581-7065 
Washington 
Washington State Seismic Safety Advisory 
Committee 
Washington State Dept. of Natural 
Resources 
Geology & Earth Resources Division 
P.O. Box 47007 
Olympia, WA 98504-7007 
(206) 902-1000 
Fax: (206) 902-1785 

Appendix J
Lexicon of Terms
End user-Persons and organizations 
who are responsible for implementing 
risk reduction activities; those who receive 
and use the results of the professional 
work products of practicing 
engineers and geotechnical scientists, 
researchers, etc., including school 
teachers, emergency response and 
building officials, insurance and construction 
companies, homeowners, and 
the general public. 
Hazard-An act or phenomenon that 
has the potential to produce harm or 
other undesirable consequences to 
some person or thing. 
Hazardous structure-A structure or 
edifice whose condition creates an 
imminent danger of physical injury, 
harm, or damage to some person or 
thing within or nearby it. 
Nonstructural hazard-A condition or 
phenomenon in an edifice or structure, 
such as non-load-bearing architectural 
elements and mechanical and electrical 
components of the building system, 
that is unrelated to its construction or 
structure that has the potential to 
produce harm or other undesirable 
consequences to some person or thing 
within or nearby it. 
Risk-The probability that the potential 
harm or undesirable consequences of a 
hazard will be realized; the convolution 
of the hazard and the vulnerability. 
Risk management-The evaluation of 
alternative risk control actions, 
Appendix J 
Lexicon of Terms 
selection among them (including doing 
nothing and their implementation. 
Includes predicting damaging events 
and their effects, and reducing the 
vulnerability of facilities, improving 
emergency response and recovery, etc. 
Seismic safety-The condition of being 
reasonably free or secure from 
earthquake-related danger, harm, 
injury, or economic loss. 
Stakeholders-Individuals, agencies, and 
entities, in both the private and the 
public sectors, with earthquake-related 
responsibilities who have significant 
influence on seismic risk management 
efforts. 
Structural hazard-A structural 
condition or phenomenon, such as 
parts of a building that bear vertical 
gravity loads or lateral seismic forces, or 
both, in an edifice or structure that has 
the potential to produce harm or other 
undesirable consequences to some 
person or thing within or nearby it. 
User-Persons and organizations who 
are responsible for formulating risk 
reduction activities; those who use and 
communicate their knowledge in their 
professional work products including 
government policy makers, practicing 
engineers and geotechnical scientists, 
researchers, etc. 
Vulnerability-Susceptibility to physical 
injury, harm, damage, damage, or 
economic loss. 

Appendix K 
California Seismic Safety Commission
The California Seismic Safety Commission, under contract to the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, developed this document. The commission's 
staff counsel, Timothy Cronin was project director. As stated in the 
acknowledgments, many others contributed to the shaping of the work. 
Wilfred D. Iwan 
Chairman 
Mechanical Engineering 
Senator Alfred E. Alquist 
(Chris Lindstrom) 
State Senate 
Hal Bernson 
Local Government 
Bruce A. Bolt 
Seismology 
Lloyd S. Cluff 
Utilities 
Assemblyman 
Dominic L. Cortese 
(Tom White) 
State Assembly 
LeRoy Crandall 
Soils Engineering 
Morgan Davis 
Insurance 
Paul F. Fratessa 
Structural Engineer 
Robert E. McCarthy 
Local Government 
Gary L. McGavin 
Architecture & Planning 
James F. McMullen 
Fire Services 
Commission Staff
L. Thomas Tobin 
Executive Director 
Timothy G. Cronin, Esq. 
Staff Counsel/Project Manager 
Karen Cogan 
Rita Darden 
Word Processing 
Teri DeVriend
Kathy Goodell 
Minda Gosslin 
Ed Hensley
Richard McCarthy
Fred Turner