Appendix H:
Sample Press Releases
188




      Appendix H
      Sample Press Releases

                                                 Many times with news coverage,
      The Role of News Coverage and
                                              the timing is everything. In dealing
      How To Get It
                                              with earthquake risk, probably the
      Material in this appendix is in-
                                              single best time to get the news
      tended to aid in efforts to promote
                                              media's attention is immediately
      awareness of earthquake risk and
                                              after a major earthquake. The more
      the adoption of the latest building
                                              serious the quake or the closer to
      codes. In the effort to educate the
                                              your area, the better your opportu-
      public and public officials, the news
                                              nity for getting attention. A minor
      media can play an important part -
                                              quake, actually felt by the residents
      maybe even a leading part. To use
                                              in your area, also can be an opportu-
      the media effectively, however, you
                                              nity.
      must be ready to seek out the media,
                                                 Editors and news directors often
      then be prepared if and when they
      begin to pay attention.                 are looking for the "local angle" on
                                              current news. If you can tell them
         Do not expect reporters, editors,
                                              why, after a major quake somewhere
      and news directors to find the story
                                              in the world, it is important to be
      for themselves. Expect that you will
                                              concerned about earthquakes locally,
      have to "sell" them on why it is
                                              you are almost assured of coverage.
      important to the community and
                                              Since this opportunity is so impor-
      their readers. At the same time, be
                                              tant, and since an earthquake gives
      careful not to hype something far
                                              no warning, it is important to
      beyond its importance; reporters
                                              always be ready. You should have
      and editors often will see through
                                              most of a news release already
      that. Be ready to back up your
                                              written, containing all the relevant
      claims with facts and expertise.
                                              local information, with only the first
         Many times people dealing with       few sentences left to write when the
      the news media for the first time do    major event occurs. Those first
      not take into account how easily        sentences will be the "hook," used
                                              to relate how your information is
      information can be miscommuni-
                                              relevant to the current news and to
      cated or misunderstood. In your
                                              area residents.
      news releases or interviews, take
      extra care to be sure your major
                                                 Among other opportunities for
      points are clear. Try to get the
                                              getting attention, some of which are
      essential message and facts on
                                              anticipated in the attached materi-
      paper, either in a news release or in
                                              als:
      a fact sheet you give to the reporter
      when meeting for an interview.          * The launching of a statewide or
                                                regional effort to promote aware-
         In interviews, don't be afraid to
                                                ness of earthquake risk and
      repeat your major points and to
                                                adoption of the latest building
      check and double-check that the
                                                codes.
      reporter has understood the facts.
      This is especially important in         * The anniversary of the
                                                Northridge (Los Angeles) and
      talking about earthquakes, where
      information about fault zones,            Kobe, Japan, earthquakes. They
                                                occurred on the same day, Jan. 17,
      degree of risk (be careful using
                                                in 1994 and 1995, respectively.
      percentages), and the severity of
      quakes can be easily misconstrued.
Sample Press Releases                                                                                                      I B9




    When building codes or building       * Make the information relevant to
e
                                                                                    Wer-i".
    code enforcement becomes a              the newspaper's readers or the
    topic of serious discussion in city     station's audience. Answer the          Sample Press Release:
    council or other public meetings.       question: "Why should they
                                                                                    * Raise community awareness in
                                            care?" The more relevant the
 When emergency preparedness                                                         the wake of a seismic event
                                            concern, the more editors and              elsewhere
  becomes an issue, -even if result-
                                            news directors wvill pay attention
  ing from other kinds of events,                                                   * Describe the local communitys
                                            and cover it.
  such as tornadoes or hurricanes.                                                    ow~n risks and safety deficits
                                          * Make your case at the top of the        * Provide background on similar
                                            release, and in the first sentence if
Sample Press Releases                                                                 quake events and damage
                                            possible. Give the editor or news
This appendix contains: (a) a sample
                                            *directora reason to pay attention      Universal Press Release 1:
release based on a fictional earth-
                                            before going into details.              * Raise community awareness in
quake, (b) two versions of a "univer-
                                                                                      the wake of a seismic event
sal" release, designed to raise           * Be prepared to move quickly.
                                                                                      elsewhere
community awareness and/or                  Everyone is paying more atten-
announce plans for a campaign to            tion immediately after an evtent -      * Describe the local conmuunity's
adopt seismic codes; and (c) a              such as a small earthquake locally        own risks and safety deficits
sample letter to the editor. Various        or a large one somewhere else.           Present solution in terms of
sections of the releases can be             But this opportunity to educate           seismic codes
assembled according to your specific        will fade very quidcdy. Be ready        * Detail actions planned to adopt
situation and local circumstances.          with a plan for what you can do           seismic codes
This kit has been prepared with the         when an earthquake occurs, and
following assumptions:                      then be ready to move quicldy.          Universal Press Release 2:
                                            Do you have your local facts and
* Users of the kit may or may not                                                   e Raise community awareness of
                                            risk assessment in hand? Have
    have experience in putting                                                        seismic risks and safety deficits
                                            you identified someone who can
    together press releases or dealing                                              e Present solution in terms of
                                            speak knowledgeably to the
     vith the media generally. The kit                                                seismic codes
                                            media? The opportunity will fade
    was assembled assuming the user
                                            within a couple of days, if not
    would be starting from scratch                                                   Letter to Local Editor or News
                                            within hours.
                                                                                     Director:
    U
    Users may need maximum
                                          * Keep your points simple, and            * Raise community awareness of
    flexibility and guidance in
                                            stick to them.                             seismic risks and safety deficits
    assembling a news release for
                                                                                    e Present solution in terms of
    various situations. Thus,; e have
                                                                                       seismic codes
    supplied several versions and
                                          A final note: To be effective with the
    made frequent use of brackets,                                                  * Key points and background
                                          news media, it is important to vie;;
    signifyig where information                                                        information on related costs
                                          your communication with reporters,
    must be supplied to fit the                                                        and importance of seismic
                                          editors, and news directors as an
                                                                                       codes
    specific location or situation.
                                          opportunity and not as a distraction
* It is impossible to anticipate every    or something to just get through. It
    possible event or situation wvhich    can be easy to fall into the latter,
    might bring with it the opportu-      thereby wasting a valuable opportu-
    nity to publicize local or regional   nity to reach the public that may not
    earthquake risks. The user            come again.
    ultimately will use this kit as a
    guide.


In contacting the local media,
through a press release or other
means, the following advice should
be kept in mind:
190                                                                                                           Appendix H




Sample Press Release


Emergency Service Disaster Agency
555 E. Main St.
Richter, IL
987-654-3210
Mailed x/x/x

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RICHTER - They're still assessing the cost in Salt Lake City resulting from last Friday's devastating earthquake.
The latest death toll stands at 250, and the current estimate of damage to buildings and infrastructure is between $1
billion and $2 billion.
It could have been much worse, however, and the city's experience holds a lesson for Richter, says Bill Bright,
executive director of the local Emergency Services Disaster Agency.
Salt Lake City at least was anticipating a quake, and so had changed its building codes and taken other prepared-
ness measures in recent years. Friday's magnitude 7.1 quake could have killed thousands if those actions had not
been taken, he said.
Richter is not even aware of the earthquake risk it faces, and is not prepared, said Bright, who will hold an informa-
tional meeting about local earthquake risk and preparedness at 7 p.m. next Thursday, April 27, in the Richter Public
Library, 514 E. Main.
Richter lies near an active fault zone and so can expect an earthquake, possibly as severe as the one that struck Salt
Lake City, Bright said. Seismologists estimate there is a 25 percent chance that a severe quake - magnitude 6.5 or
greater - will affect the southern Illinois region within the next 50 years.
The death toll from that quake will largely be determined by the quality of the buildings in the quake zone - and
therefore by the quality of the building codes and enforcement that dictated how those buildings were constructed,
Bright said.
A magnitude 7.2 quake in 1995 struck the center of Kobe, Japan, with severe shaking that caused even some well-
designed buildings to collapse. But the greatest damage was to older buildings, built before the modern Japanese
seismic building code. More than 5,000 people were killed, most of them in older homes built shortly after World
War II, with little or no attention to seismic resistance.
Two California quakes of similar strength of recent years, Loma Prieta (San Francisco) and Northridge (Los Ange-
les), by contrast produced 62 and 57 deaths respectively. Those California communities were prepared for an
earthquake, Bright said, having been building for more than 30 years according to building codes that can prevent
or minimize seismic damage.
Since 1992, the three model building codes used in the United States have included practical and low-cost construc-
tion guidelines that can prevent or minimize seismic damage in new construction, Bright said. The cost of using
them is minimal, they vary with the level of risk in each community, and already are being used for all federal
government projects and for state-owned buildings in 37 states.
Richter, however, has yet to adopt one of these codes. It also lacks a fully-staffed building safety department that
could enforce them. Unless actions are taken to change the situation, Richter may suffer the consequences, Bright
said.
                                                                                                                     19 1
Sample Press Releases




"Universal" Press Release I
[agency or gov't office]
[address]
[city, state, zip]
[phone]
Mailed x/x/x


FOR INvMEDLATE RELEASE
[CITY, State from which you're sending the release] - The earthquake [two, three, four, etc.] days ago xwas n [Japan,
California, Armenia, etc.], but it could have been here. [County/communityl also sits near an active fault zone - a
fault zone that could produce a quake at any time.
When a quake occurs, property and lives could be lost needlessly - because buildings were constructed without the
benefit of the latest building code, says [local government or agency official].
To prepare for that eventuality, and reduce the potential for damage and loss of life, [state government office or
agency] today launched a statewide campaign to raise awareness of the risk and educate local communities on what
they can do to deal with it The chief aim of the campaign, said [name], will be to inform local governments and
residents of the benefits of adopting and enforcing the latest version of one of the three model building codes used
in the United States.
Since 1992, each of the m odel codes has included practical and low-cost construction guidelines that can prevent or
minimize seismic damage, he/she said. By adopting and enforcing the latest code for new construction, communi-
ties can begin to protect themselves against potential quake damage. Too few are doing that, he/she said.
[Might want to say something here about specific campaign plans.]
Among the issues to be addressed in the campaign: [Agenda for meeting]




"Universal" Press Release 2
[agency or gov't office]
[addressl
[city, state, zip]
[phone]
Mailed x/x/x

FOR IMIEDIATE RELEASE
[CITY, State from which you're sending the release] - Buildings may collapse and lives may be lost when an
earthquake rumbles through [county/community] sometime in the future. The damage doesn't have to happen.
[County/community] is in an earthquake zone, but it doesn't have the latest building code. That lays the ground-
work for potential and unnecessary tragedy, says local government or agency official].
Wehen a quake occurs, property and lives could be lost needlessly - because buildings were constructed without the
benefit of the latest building code, says [local government or agency official].
Since l192, the three model building codes used in the United States have included practical and low-cost constru c-
tion guidelines that can prevent or minimize seismic damage in nei construction, [official] said. The cost of using
them is minimal, they vary with the level of risk in each community, and already are being used for all federal
government projects and for state-own-ned buildings in 37 states.
 [City], however, has yet to adopt one of these codes. It also lacks a fully-staffed building safety department that
 could enforce them. Unless actions are taken to change the situation, [City] rmay suffer the consequences, [official]
 said.
                                                                                                               Appendix H
192




Sample Letter To The Editor
Dear Editor/News Director
[County/ community] is in an earthquake zone, with a [number] percent chance of experiencing a damaging
earthquake within the next [number] years. But are its buildings being constructed with that in mind? Has the
local government adopted the latest building code, which includes practical and low-cost construction guidelines
that can prevent or minimize seismic damage? And are local residents aware of the potential damage and loss of
life that could be prevented if buildings are constructed using the latest code?
A magnitude 6.7 quake in Armenia in 1988 killed approximately 25,000. In part this was caused by poor building
construction and an insufficient seismic building code. The same thing could happen here.
Two California quakes of similar strength of recent years, Loma Prieta (San Francisco) and Northridge (Los Ange-
les), by contrast produced 62 and 57 deaths respectively. Those California communities were prepared for an
earthquake, having been building for more than 30 years according to building codes that can prevent or minimize
seismic damage.
I'm writing to ask that you consider asking these questions in your community as the basis for a possible story
Since 1992, all three of the model building codes used in the United States have included seismic design provisions,
but your local government [has not updated its code], [has never implemented a building code], or [is neglecting
enforcement].
Since the threat of an earthquake often is thought of as something only in the distant future, local officials may
underestimate voter support for taking actions that might reduce the potential for quake damage, or may be
resisting it out of an unwarranted fear of the costs to developers or business. Voters may not be voicing support for
taking action because they haven't been made aware of the importance of acting now.
Below are some key points related to earthquake mitigation and building codes. For further information, contact
[the state office of...... at .


* Why the building code is important. In the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan, older (pre-1971) buildings were
  more than six times more likely to be severely damaged than buildings constructed according to the latest seismic
  code. A 1988 earthquake in Armenia killed 25,000 people. But severe quakes near San Francisco in 1989 and near
  Los Angeles in 1994 killed only 62 and 57 respectively. The difference in the death toll resulted largely from the
  quality of buildings and codes in each area.
* Cost. The cost of using the seismic guidelines in the latest codes is minimal. They add an average of 2.1 percent
  to total building costs across all types of construction, and only 0.7 percent for low-rise residential, according to
  the Building Seismic Safety Council, a nonprofit organization of engineering and construction groups.
* Level of need. Seismic codes take into account the level of risk in each community. If a community's risk is low,
  the code reflects that. Having a seismic code doesn't mean you build to San Francisco standards.
 Who is using seismic building codes. They already are required for federal government construction projects,
  for state-owned buildings in 37 states, and are being more widely used by all levels of government. The three
  model codes, on which most local building codes are based, now include seismic codes. More communities are
  using them, making those communities safer.
* Insurance cost. The insurance industry is implementing a system of building-code enforcement ratings, which
  include the new seismic requirements, much like those used to rate local fire protection. Communities that do
  not incorporate seismic codes for new construction may be rated as having a higher risk, thus bringing higher
  insurance costs to residents.
                                        Appendix 1:
                                        Sample Brochures




        /                                                                                                                                    N
                                                                                                                                              N
    /               7               7
                                                                                                                                                 K
                                                                       N
                /               /
                                                                                                N                        N
                            I

/                       /


    /
                                                           \,                                               N

                                                                                                                                                                     I
                                                                                            I

                                                                                                                /                            /
                                                                           I               //                                                t




                                                                   /                                                                     /
                                                                                                            j
                                                               /                                                                     /
                                                                                   /                                                                         I
                                                                                                        /
                                                                               /                                                 /
                                                           /
                                                                                                    /
                                                                    V                           /                        /
                                                                                           /                                                         I
                                                                   N
                                                                                                                                                 I
                                                                                       /
        N

                                                                                                                                     y/
                                                                                                        /
                                                                                                                                                                 /
                                                                                                                             /
                                                                                                                                                         /
                                                                                                                    /
                                                                                                                                                     /
                                                                                                                                         /
            N
                    N
                        N                                                                                           7,
194




       Appendix 1:
       Sample Brochures

      Brochures are an inexpensive way to     * Enforce Seismic Code Provisions
      deliver your message to a large           for Earthquake Safety: A Guide
      number of people. Materials in this       for Architects & Engineers
      appendix are set up so that you can
                                              * Enforce Seismic Code Provisions
      photocopy the pages (front and
                                                for Earthquake Safety: A Guide
      back) and fold them for ready-made
                                                for Local Officials
      brochures.
                                                 Use the brochures to generate
         The brbchures are intended for (a)
                                              interest in improving local seismic
      architects and engineers, and others
                                              code provisions. They can also
      involved in the construction indus-
                                              serve as handouts for workshop
      try and (b) local officials and deci-
                                              presentations.
      sion-makers. Four areas are cov-
      ered:
      * Design & Build for Earthquake
        Safety: A Guide for Architects &
        Engineers
      * Design & Build for Earthquake
        Safety: A Guide for Local Officials
Seismic Protection: Considerations                     Seismic Building Codes Are Affordable                       FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTAGENCY   FEMA 3i3 /january 1998

for Local Officials                                    Seismic codes add relatively little to the cost of a
K Seismic codes will not hurt business. Seismic        new building; and as experience with seismic
  building codes do not drive business from            design and construction grows, this increment
  communities. In the words of one building            will shrink. A 1985 federal study found that
  official, "I've never heard of an industry not       seismic codes increase total building costs by 2.1
                                                                                                                   Design and Build for
  coming to town because of seismic require-           percent on average. A 1992 study by the National
  ments." Also, without the code protection,           Association of Home Builders found that builders
                                                                                                                   Earthquake Safety
  even minor seismic events can force busi-            can construct houses providing for life safety in
  nesses to relocate or temporarily shut down.         earthquakes for an additional 1 percent or less of
                                                       the purchase price. This is a small price to pay for
fr Seismic codes are becoming the national
                                                       the proven level of protection provided.
  norm. The federal government has set an
                                                                                                                                             A Guide for Local
  example with Executive Order 12699, January
                                                       How To Learn More About Seismic                                                                Officials
  1990, which mandates a wide variety of
                                                       Building Design
  seismic design standards. Seismic codes are
  becoming more prevalent at all levels of             As seismic design practice rapidly spreads
  government, which means two things: (a) you          throughout the country, it is becoming easier and
  will not be at an economic disadvantage for          easier to access educational programs and
  attracting new business and (b) if everyone          materials. The model building code organiza-
  else does it and you do not, you invite liability.   tions now offer materials and seminars on their
  Furthermore, to be eligible for most forms of        seismic design requirements. These seminars are
  federal financial assistance for new buildings,      sponsored periodically in most states, often by
  your community should adopt one of the               the state emergency management agency.
  model codes with seismic provisions.                 Contact the three model code organizations for
                                                       more information.
0 Adopting seismic provisions is easy. Call
  up a model code organization, buy the code,
                                                       Model Code Organizations
  develop a fee structure (to pay for administra-
  tion), and contract with the county or another       Building Officials and Code Administrators International,
  nearby agency for initial staffing,.                    Inc. (BOCA)
                                                          4051 West Flossmoor Road
0- Seismic provisions are good for the commu-             Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795
  nity. With a seismic code you will know that            Tel: 708-799-2300; fax: 708-799-4981;
                                                          http://www~bocai.org
  the community is on its way to seismic safety.
  The code will reduce long-term liability costs.
                                                       International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)
  A good code may ultimately improve the                   5360 South Workman Mill Road
  community's insurance rating.                            Whittier, CA 90601-2298
                                                           Tel: 562-699-0541; fax: 562-6998031
0 All communities need a seismic code regard-              http://www.icbo.org
  less of risk. Seismic codes supplied by the
  building code organizations account for your         Southern Building Code Congress international, Inc.
  community's level of seismic risk. If your risk        (SBCCI)
                                                          900 Montclair Road
  is low, the code will reflect that.
                                                          Birmingham, AL 35213-1206
- Citizens support seismic codes. Studies in              Tel: 205-591-1853; fax: 205-592-7001;
                                                          http://www.sbcci.org
  California and the central United States have                                                                             N,

  shown that most citizens support seismic
  building codes, and that elected officials
  underestimate this support.
Design and Buildfor
EarthquakeSafety
A Guidefor LocalOfficials
Most parts of the United States have the potential
to suffer from earthquake damage. Local officials
can help to reduce risk from earthquake damage
by adopting a building code that contains current
seismic provisions.
  Each of the three model building codes
specifies seismic code provisions appropriate to
a given area's level of hazard. By adopting one of
the model codes and incorporating the seismic
provisions into new design and building, you
can help to ensure that new structures withstand
damage and help to protect lives in your                          Aleutian
                                                                         Islands
                                                             -

commnuity                                                        Il
                                                                  _




Seismic Building CodesAre Specific to
                                                                                                                    seismic shakinig is expected i the wtesterl[1.S.anld
                                                      This seismic hazard iiap showts that, alfhouigh the miosf
                                                                                                              sev7ere
Local Conditions
                                                      Mississippi River areas, iinwtch the U.S. has soni level of seismic hazard.
                                                                                     of
Each model code contains a seismic hazard map,
                                                                                                                             seismic codes) and suffered $4 million damage,
                                                      Seismic Building Codes Work
based on current scientific knowledge. Its risk
                                                                                                                             including severe damage to the high school. A
philosophy is accepted by a broad consensus of        Recent earthquakes in the United States and                            Magnitude 5.6 earthquake in 1993 at Scotts
scientists and design and construction profession-    throughout the world show that seismic codes                          Mills, Oregon, caused significant structural
als. Its use in seismic design was determined by a     w~orkCities that have built structures to meet
                                                              .                                                             damage to a number of unreinforced masonry
nationwide consensus process conducted by the         seismic codes have suffered much less damage                          (brick) buildings. The estimated damage cost to
Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC), an            than those without such codes. In the 1995                            public facilities alone was nearly $13 million.
organization of more than fifty construction,         earthquake in Kobe, Japan, most of the 5,000
professional, and trade organizations.                fatalities occurred in homes built prior to the
                                                                                                                             Seismic Design Is Becoming the
                                                      advent of modern seismic codes. The 1988
   Portions of thirty-nine states are considered to
                                                                                                                             National Norm
                                                      Armenian earthquake destroyed entire cormmu-
have some degree of earthquake hazard. Some
                                                      nities and killed 25,000people. The construction
counties need to design for high levels of earth-                                                                            Since 1992 all three model codes in the United
                                                      standards used in Armenia are similar to those
quake ground-shaking, whereas others should                                                                                  States have included seismic design provisions.
                                                      used in much of the United States. The 1989
design for relatively less. Conversely, some areas,                                                                          By a 1990 presidential executive order (EG
                                                      Loma Prieta and 1994Northridge, California,
even those with seismic codes, do not need                                                                                   12699), all federal agencies must require seismic
                                                      earthquakes had relatively low loss of life (63
seismic design at all because the risks are so low.                                                                          design and construction of all new buildings
                                                      and 57 deaths, respectively) largely because of                        that they own, lease, regulate, or financially
High-risk facilities, of course, demand custom-
                                                      the widespread use of seismic building codes.
ized, site-specific analysis.                                                                                                assist, including single-family homes with
                                                                                                                             Federal Housing Authority mortgages. At least
                                                         Smaller seismic events, while receiving less
                                                                                                                             thirty-seven states now have seismic design
                                                      attention from the media, can result in substan-
                                                                                                                             requirements for state-owned buildings. Seismic
                                                      tial losses to a community. Helena, Montana,
                                                                                                                             design is rapidly becoming the standard of
                                                      experienced an M6.0 event in 1935 (predating
                                                                                                                             practice throughout the United States.
Seismic Design Is Becoming the                         Professional Organizations:                                 FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTAGENCY    FEMA 313/ January I998

National Norm                                          American Institute of Architects
                                                         1735 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006
Since 1992 all three model codes in the United
                                                         Tel: 202-626-7300; http://www.aia.org
States have included seismic design provisions.
By a 1990 presidential executive order (EQ             American Society of Civil Engineers
12699), all federal agencies must require seismic        1801 Alexander Bell Drive
                                                                                                                   Design and Build for
                                                         Reston, VA 20191-4400
design and construction of all new buildings that
                                                         Tel: 800-548-2723; http://www.asce.org
they own, lease, regulate, or financially assist,
                                                                                                                   Earthquake Safety
including single-family homes with Federal
Housing Authority mortgages. At least thirty-
seven states now have seismic design require-          Model Code Organizations:
ments for state-owned buildings. Seismic design
                                                                                                                                     A Guide for Architects
                                                       Building Officials and Code Administrators International,
is rapidly becoming the standard of practice
                                                          Inc. (BOCA)
throughout the United States.
                                                                                                                                                        & Engineers
                                                           4051 West Flossmoor Road
                                                           Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795
Seismic Building Codes Are Affordable                      Tel: 708-799-2300; fax: 708-799-4981;
                                                          http://www.bocai.org
Seismic codes add relatively little to the cost of a
new building; and as experience with seismic           International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)
                                                           5360 South Workman Mill Road
design and construction grows, this increment
                                                           Whittier, CA 90601-2298
will shrink. A 1985 federal study found that               Tel: 562-699-0541; fax: 562-699-8031
seismic codes increase total building costs by 2.1         http: / /www.icbo.org
percent on average. A 1992 study by the National
Association of Home Builders found that                Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc.
                                                          (SBCCI)
builders can construct houses providing for life
                                                          900 Montclair Road
safety in earthquakes for an additional 1 percent
                                                          Birmingham, AL 35213-1206
or less of the purchase price. This is a small price      Tel: 205-591-1853; fax: 205-592-7001;
to pay for the proven level of protection pro-            http://www.sbcci.org
vided.
                                                       The Earthquakce EngineeringResearch institute of
How To Learn More About Seismic                        Oakland, California (tel: 510-451-0905) has sponsored
Building Design                                        two-day seismnic design seminars in variolus parts of the
                                                       country. Also, civil engineering and coustmetion
As seismic design practice rapidly spreads             technology programsat many public universities now
throughout the country, it is becoming easier and      teach courses, mnini-conurses, and wzorkshops in seismic
easier to access educational programs and              design.
materials. The model building code organiza-
tions now offer materials and seminars on their
seismic design requirements. These seminars are
sponsored periodically in most states, often by
the state emergency management agency
Contact the three model code organizations for
more information.
Designand Build for EarthquakeSafety
A Guidefor Architects & Engineers

                                                                                                                            counties need to design for high levels of
Most parts of the United States have the poten-                        Seismic Building Codes Are Specific to
                                                                                                                            earthquake grounid-shaking, whereas others
tial to suffer from earthquake damage. Architects                      Local Conditions
                                                                                                                            should design for relatively less. Conversely,
and engineers, as key players in the construction
                                                                       Each model code contains a seismic hazard map,       some areas, even those with seismic codes, do
industry, can help to reduce risk from earthquake
                                                                       based on current scientific knowledge. Its risk      not need seismic design at all because the risks
damage by encouraging the adoption of seismic
                                                                       philosophy is accepted by a broad consensus of       are so low. High-risk facilities, of course, de-
building codes.
                                                                       scientists and design and construction profes-       mand customized, site-specific analysis.
  Each of the three model building codes                               sionals. Its use in seismic design was determined
specifies seismic code provisions appropriate to a                     by a nationwide consensus process conducted          Seismic Building Codes Work
given area's level of hazard. By adopting one of                       by the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC),
                                                                                                                            Recent earthquakes in the United States and
the model codes and incorporating the seismic                          an organization of more than fifty construction,
                                                                                                                            throughout the world show that seismic codes
provisions into new design and building, you                           professional, and trade organizations.
                                                                                                                            work. Cities that have built structures to meet
can help to ensure that new structures withstand
                                                                         Portions of thilty-nine states are considered to   seismic codes have suffered much less damage
damage and help to protect lives in your com-
                                                                       have some degree of earthquake hazard. Some          than those without such codes. In the 1995
mulity.
                                                                                                                            earthquake in Kobe, Japan, most of the 5,000
                                                                                                                            fatalities occurred in homes built prior to the
                                                                                                                            advent of modern seismic codes. The 1988
                                                                                                                            Armenian earthquake destroyed entire commu-
                                                                                                                            nities and killed 25,000people. The construction
                                                                                                                            standards used in Armenia are similar to those
                                                                                                                            used in much of the United States. The 1989
                                                                                                                            Loma Prieta and 1994Northridge, California,
                                                                                                                            earthquakes had relatively low loss of life (63
                                                                                                                            and 57 deaths, respectively) largely because of
                                                                                                                            the widespread use of seismic building codes.
                                                                                                                               Smaller seismic events, while receiving less
                                                                                                                            attention from the media, can result in substan-
                                                                                                                            tial losses to a community. Helena, Montana,
                                                                                                                            experienced an M6.0 event in 1935(predating
                                                                                                                            seismic codes) and suffered $4 million damage,
                                                                                                                            including severe damage to the high school. A
                                                                                                                            Magnitude 5.6 earthquake in 1993 at Scotts
                                                                                                                            Mills, Oregon, caused significant structural
                                                                                                                            damage to a number of unreinforced masonry
       Aleutian
              Islands
                                                                                                                            (brick) buildings. The estimated damage cost to
                   A_
         ;v I He
                                                                                                                            public facilities alone was nearly $13 million.


This seismic hazard map showts that, although the itiost severe seismic shaking is expected i the western lI.S. anii
Mississippi River areas,mutch of the Lt.S. has sonite level of seismic hazard.
whether construction is proceeding according to                                                        FEDERALEMERGENCY MANAGEMENTAGENCY    FEMA313/)anuary1998

the approved plans and the conditions of the          Model Code Organizations
permit. Inspection is typically required at           Building Officials and Code Administrators
several key stages in the construction process.          International, Inc. (BOCA)
The inspector has a powerful enforcement tool            4051 West Flossmoor Road
called a stop work order. A stop work order is           Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795
                                                         Tel: 708-799-2300; fax: 708-799-4981;
issued to the construction firm if the inspector
                                                                                                       Enforce Seismic Code
                                                         http: / /www.bocai org
finds a code violation that must be corrected
before any further construction is performed. At
                                                                                                       Provisions for
                                                      International Conference of Building Officials
final inspection, the building can be approved            (IC130)
                                                                                                       Earthquake Safety
for occupancy.                                            5360 South Workman Mill Road
                                                          Whittier, CA 90601-2298
                                                          Tel: 562-699-0541; fax: 562-699-8031
Architects & Engineers Can Help                           http: / /www.icbo.org
Improve Code Enforcement
                                                                                                                         A Guide for Architects
                                                      Southern Building Code Congress International,
Architects and engineers can, and should, help           Inc. (SUCCI)
                                                                                                                                           & Engineers
to improve code enforcement. Structures built            900 Montclair Road
improperly can damage the architect's                    Birmingham, AL 35213-1206
                                                         Tel: 205-591-1853; fax: 205-592-7001;
profesional reputation and may lead to being
                                                         http: / /www.,sbcci.org
named in a lawsuit. Secondly, the reputation of
the professional as a whole may suffer if
numerous errors and failures occur. Some
actions you can take include:
    Verify the enforcement capabilities in every
    jurisdiction in which you work. If possible,
    find. out the code-effectiveness rating of each
    building department.
    Work with local building departments to
'

    convince them of the need for effective
    enforcement.
* Inspect your own jobs more carefully in
  jurisdictions with poor enforcement, and
  inform your client of the reason.
    W with your local professional organiza-
     Work
    tions to lobby for more effective enforcement.
Enforce Seismic Code Provisionsfor Earthquake Safety
A Guide for Architects & Engineers


                                                                                                            which the local government can affect the details
                                                       Insurers Recognize the Critical
A building code is just a book. To achieve the
                                                                                                            of buildinig construction. At a minimum, the
community goal of safer buildings, the building        Importance of Code Enforcement
                                                                                                            plan review verifies whether the design com-
code and its seismic provisions must be enforced-
                                                       The code-enforcement problems discovered in          plies with the building code. This is the most
a process in which. architects and engineers can
                                                       the wake of Hurricane Andrew have prompted           cost-effective moment to catch mistakes, before
play an important role. By specifying practices in
                                                       the insurance industry to initiate a code-effec-     any money is spent on construction. Some
accordance with the code, and working closely
                                                       tiveness grading schedule, in order to identify      jurisdictions may also review structural calcula-
with code-enforcement personnel, architects and
                                                       communities with good enforcement practices.          tions.
engineers can ensure that safer buildings are
                                                       The new system will be phased in over a five-
constructed according to plan and without costly                                                               Architects and engineers can help by specify-
                                                       year period beginning in 1995. Property owners
interruptions.                                                                                              ing practices in accordance with the code and
                                                       in communities with good code-enforcement
                                                                                                            working closely with reviewers. State statutes
                                                       practices may be rewarded with reduced
Poor Code Enforcement Results in                                                                            require that the licensed professional engineer
                                                       insurance premiums.
Deficient Buildings                                                                                         and/or architect place his or her seal and
                                                                                                            signature on the designs. The seal and signature
                                                       Elements of Code Enforcement
Recent studies following Hurricanes Hlugo and
                                                                                                            signify that the design is at the accepted profes-
Andrew have shown weaknesses in code enforce-
                                                       Code enforcement and administration consist of       sional standard, which is typically the most
ment. In 1991 State Farm Insurance Company
                                                       five sequential elements. For architects and         recent version of a model building code or
contracted with SBCCI (Southern Building Code
                                                       engineers, the most important aspects of en-         technical document. An added incentive for
Congress International, a model code organiza-
                                                       forcement are plan review and construction           conformity is the legal liability the engineers and
tion) to evaluate code compliance in twelve
                                                       inspection-but effective code administration         architects assume when the seal and signature
randomly selected coastal communities. They
                                                       must consider the entire sequence.                   are placed on the document. Typically, licensed
found that inspectors and reviewers had little or
                                                                                                            architects and engineers also inspect the con-
no training in wind-resistant construction and            Code provisions must be up to date. A code
                                                                                                            struction of their designs.
that there was a general lack of enforcement of        is an active document, evolving to reflect new
adequate connections of windows, doors, and            knowledge and new standards of practice. Once           Construction should proceed according to
mechanical equipment to the building frame.            a jurisdiction makes a commitment to use a           approved plans. An owner receives a building
                                                       building code, it must be prepared to update its
About half of the communities were not enforc-                                                              permit to construct according to the approved
ing their own code standards for wind resistance.      local code on a regular basis.                       plans, and it is the legal responsibility of the
Thus, even in communities with adequate codes,                                                              owner to do so. The builder uses the plans to
                                                           Builders must apply for permits. Obviously,
significant damage was attributed to poor                                                                   order materials and construct the building. The
                                                       if builders try to avoid the code-application
compliance and enforcement. With respect to                                                                 owner may hire inspectors or the engineers and
                                                       process, then the code cannot do its job. A
seismic design, a 1993 study by the University of                                                           architects to oversee key aspects of the construc-
                                                       jurisdiction must have inspectors out in the field
Southern California found significant problems in                                                           tion in order to help verify compliance with the
                                                       who know the community. The inspector needs
quality control of seismic-resistant construction in                                                        plans. To some extent, all government inspection
                                                       to be alert to new construction in his or her
California.                                                                                                 systems depend on this obligation by the owner,
                                                       jurisdiction and must be aware of current active
                                                                                                            which is inherent in the issuance of a permit.
                                                       permits. Architects and engineers can help to
                                                       ensure that clients obtain building permits.            A qualified inspector must inspect the
                                                                                                            construction. Inspection is the second point at
                                                          A qualified reviewer must review building
                                                                                                            which the local government can affect the details
                                                       plans. Plan review is one of the two points at
                                                                                                            of building construction. Inspection verifies
                                                     FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMCNY AGENCY   FEMA 313 /january 1998
Improving SubstandardEnforcement
Practices
The most direct way to improve building code
enforcement is to increase the quantity or
quality of staff. The new code-enforcement
grading system may aid local legislative bodies
                                                     Enforce Seismic Code
in encouraging or requiring building depart-
ment staff to participate in continuing education
                                                     Provisions for
and certification. All the model building code
                                                     Earthquake Safety
organizations have extensive education pro-
grams, including handbooks, workshops,
seminars, and videotapes. These programs aim
to improve both technical expertise and admin-
                                                                               A Guide for Local
istrative effectiveness in order to increase the
level of professionalism in code administration.
                                                                                        Officials
Each code organization also has a certification
program for a number of categories of plan
review and inspection. Certification-based
promotions will help to reward staff members
for their achievements.



   Model Code Organizations
   Building Officials and Code Administrators
      International, Inc. (BOCA)
      4051 West Flossmoor Road
      Country Club I-lilts, IL 60478-5795
      Tel: 708-799-2300; fax: 708-799-4981;
      http://www.bocai~org

    International Conference of Building Officials
        (ICBO)
        5360 South Workman Mill Road
        Whittier CA 90601-2298
        Tel: 562-699-0541; fax: 562-699-8031
        http: / /www.icbo.org

    Southern Building Code Congress International,
       Inc. (SBCCI)
       900 Montclair Road
       Birmingham, AL 35213-1206
       Tel: 205-591-1853; fax: 205-592-7001;
       http://www.sbcci.org



                                                              N
Enforce Seismic Code Provisions for Earthquake Safety
A Guidefor Local Officials


                                                                                                           her jurisdiction and must be aware of current
                                                      resistance. Thus, even in communities with
A building code is just a book. To achieve the
                                                                                                           active permits.
                                                      adequate codes, significant damage was attrib-
community goal of safer buildings, the building
                                                      uted to poor compliance and enforcemnenit. With
code and its seismic provisions must be en-                                                                   A qualified reviewer must review building
                                                      respect to seismic design, a 1993 study by the
forced-a process facilitated by the active                                                                 plans. Plan review is one of the two points at
                                                      University of Southern California found signifi-
involvement and oversight of local officials.                                                              which the local government can affect the details
                                                      cant problems in quality control of seismic-
Through proper staffing and code-enforcement                                                               of building construction. At a minimum, the
                                                      resistant construction in California.
procedures, and coordination with area architects,                                                         plan review verifies whether the design com-
engineers, and builders, local officials can ensure                                                        plies with the building code. This is the most
                                                      Insurers Recognize the Critical
that safer buildings are constructed according to                                                          cost-effective momnent to catch mistakes, before
                                                      Importance of Code Enforcement
plan and without costly interruptions.                                                                     any money is spent on construction. Some
                                                                                                           jurisdictions may also review structural calcula-
                                                      The code-enforcement problems discovered in
Poor Code Enforcement Results in                                                                           lions.
                                                      the wake of Hurricane Andrew have prompted
Deficient Buildings                                   the insurance industry to initiate a code-              Construction should proceed according to
                                                      effectiveness grading schedule, in order to
Recent studies following Hurricanes Hugo and                                                               approved plans. An owner receives a building
                                                      identify communities with good enforcement
Andrew have shown weaknesses in code en-                                                                   permit to construct according to the approved
                                                      practices. The new system will be phased in
forcement. In 1991 State Farm Insurance Com-                                                               plans, and it is the legal responsibility of the
                                                      over a five-year period beginning in 1995.
pany contracted with SBCCI (Southern Building                                                              owner to do so. The builder uses the plans to
                                                      Commniities with good code-ern]brceineiitpractices
Code Congress International, a model code                                                                  ordermaterials and construct the building. Thie
                                                                                                                  r
                                                      miay be rewarded with rediced instiranicepreuiums.
organization) to evaluate code compliance in                                                               owner may hire inspectors or the engineers and
twelve randomly selected coastal communities.                                                              architects to oversee key aspects of the construc-
                                                      Elements of Code Enforcement
They found that inspectors and reviewers had                                                               tion in order to help verify compliance with the
little or no training in wind-resistant construc-                                                          plans. To some extent, all government inspection
                                                      Code enforcement and administration consist of
tion and that there was a general lack of enforce-                                                         systems depend on this obligation by the owner,
                                                      five sequential elements. Local officials must
ment of adequate connections of windows,                                                                   which is inherent in the issuance of a permit.
                                                      ensure that each element functions smoothly
doors, and mechanical equipment to the building
                                                      and is staffed by trained personnel.                    A qualified inspector must inspect the
frame. About half of the communities were not
                                                                                                           construction. Inspection is the second point at
enforcing their own code standards for wind              Code provisions must be up to date. A code
                                                                                                           which the local government can affect the details
                                                      is an active document, evolving to reflect new
                                                                                                           of building construction. Inspection verifies
                                                      knowledge and new standards of practice. Once
                                                                                                           whether construction is proceeding according to
  Steps Toward an Effective Building                  a jurisdiction makes a commitment to use a
                                                                                                           the approved plans and the conditions of the
  Code-Enforcement Program                            building code, it must be prepared to update its
                                                                                                           permit. Inspection is typically required at
                                                      local code on a regular basis.
  Step 1: Adopt a model code.                                                                              several key stages in the construction process.
                                                          Builders must apply for permits. Obviously,      The inspector has a powerful enforcement tool
  Step 2: Establish fee structures for permits
                                                      if builders try to avoid the code-application        called a stop work order. A stop work order is
          and plan review.
                                                      process, then the code cannot do its job. A          issued to the construction firm if the inspector
  Step 3: Institute a systematic plan review          jurisdiction must have inspectors out in the         finds a code violation that must be corrected
          system.                                     field who know the community. The inspector          before any further construction is performed. At
                                                      needs to be alert to new construction in his or      final inspection, the building can be approved
  Step 4: Determine an inspection schedule.
                                                                                                           for occupancy.
                                                                          Appendix J:
                                                                           Glossary anddAcronyms




    33                        33                                                                                                                                   3

                      3                                                                                     3


0                                                                                                                               33                                     33




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                                                                                                                 33



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                                        <33<I
204




      Appendix J
      Glossary and Acronyms

      Glossary ofTerms and Definitions Geophysics
      Related to Building Codes          Study of the physics of the Earth,
                                                including seismology, geomagne-
      Body-wave magnitude
                                                tism, gravity, geodesy, heat flow.
        Magnitude of an earthquake as
        determined from seismic waves         Geotechnical engineering
        that travel through the interior of     Civil engineering subdiscipline
        the Earth.                              that applies knowledge of soil
                                                and rock mechanics to engineer-
      Brittlefailure
                                                ing problems.
        Sudden rupture with little warn-
        ing.                                  Intensity
                                                 Measure of ground-shaking
      Building code
                                                 based on the degree of damage to
        Officially adopted comprehensive
                                                 man-made structures, changes in
        specifications regulating building
                                                 the Earth's surface, and felt
        construction, materials, and
                                                 reports.
        performance to protect the public
        health, safety, and welfare.          Lateralforce
                                                Horizontal force generated by an
      Ductilefailure
                                                earthquake's side-to-side motion.
        Rupture or collapse preceded by
        large deformations (bending).         Localfailure
                                                Partial collapse of. a building
      Ductility
                                                limited to noncritical sections.
        Ability of a material to deform
        without fracturing.                   Magnitude
                                                Measure of the physical size of an
      Dynamic structuralanalysis
                                                earthquake.
        Modeling (most often by com-
        puter) of the building's behavior     Model building code
        during an entire cycle of earth-        Document published by a private
        quake forces.                           organization containing standard-
                                                ized building requirements
      Earthquake zone map
                                                available for adoption by political
        Map that divides the country into
                                                units in the U.S.
        zones of relative earthquake
        hazard and reflects the maximum       Peak ground acceleration
        ground-shaking expected within a        Maximum rate of change in
        specified time period.                  earthquake-generated ground
                                                motion at a specified location that
      Epicenter
                                                produces the maximum force
        Surface projection of the hypo-
                                                generated by an earthquake.
        center, the point within the earth
        where an,earthquake originates.       Peak ground velocity
                                                Maximum speed (distance
      Frame
                                                divided by time) of the earth-
        Support skeleton of the structure
                                                quake-generated ground motion.
        that transfers weight to the
        foundation.                           Reinforcement
                                                 Steel rods or wire used to
      Generalfailure
                                                 strengthen concrete under tension
        Total collapse of a structure.
                                                 (pulling).
                                                                                                                     205
Glossary and Acronyms




                                                                                 ISO/CRS Insurance Services 'Office,
                                          Significant Acronyms Related to
Seismic hiazard
                                                                                         Commercial Risk Services
                                          Building Codes
   Probability that a specified
   earthquake intensity will occur                                                         National Association of
                                                                                 NAHB
                                                     American Concrete
                                          ACI
   during a defined period of time.                                                        Home Builders
                                                     Institute
Seismic hiazard nap                                                                        National Bureau of
                                          AASHTO American Association of         NBS
   Map that indicates the likely level                                                     Standards (now NMST)
                                                 State Highlmay and
   of earthquake ground-shacing                    Transportation Officials
                                                                                           National Comittee on
                                                                                 NCPI
   throughout the country, or local
                                                                                           Property Insurance (no v
                                                   American Institute of
                                          AIA
   maps that showxr the relative
                                                                                           IBHS)
                                                   Architects
   hazard from earthquakes.
                                                                                 NCSBCS National Conference of
                                                   American Iron and Steel
                                          AISI
Seismnic moment muignitude
                                                                                        States on Building Codes
                                                   Institute
   Magnitude of an earthquake as
                                                                                        and Standards
    determined from the dimensions                  American Society of Civil
                                          ASCE
    of the fault, amount of displace-                                                      National Earthquake
                                                                                 NEHRP
                                                    Engineers
   ment along the fault during the                                                         Hazards Reduction
                                                    Applied Technology
                                          ATC
    earthquake, and rigidity of rock.                                                      Program
                                                    Council
Seismic iehabilitation                                                                     National Institute of
                                                                                 NIBS
                                                    BOCA National Building
   'Corrections to a building after the   BNBC                                             Building Science
                                                    Code
   initial construction is completed
                                                                                           National Institute of
                                                                                 NIST
    and before damage is caused by                  Building Officials and
                                          BOCA                                             Standards and Technology
    an earthquake.                                  Code Administrators
                                                                                           (formerly NBS)
                                                    International, Inc.
    tc-resistantdesign
Seisi
                                                                                           National Science
                                                                                 NSF
  Building design that evaluates
                                                    Building Seismic Safety
                                          BSSC                                             Foundation
  expected horizontal earthquake                    Council
  forces and strengthens the                                                               Standard Building Code
                                                                                 SBC
                                                    Council of American
                                          CABO
  building to withstand these
                                                                                           Southern Building Code
                                                                                 SBCCI
                                                    Building Officials
  forces.
                                                                                           Congress International,
                                                    Earthquake Engineering
                                          EERI
Seismic retofit                                                                            Inc.
                                                    Research Institute
   Repairs to a building damaged by
                                                                                           Structural Engineers
                                                                                 SEAOC
   an earthquake.                                   Federal Emergency
                                          FEMA                                             Association of California
                                                    Management Agency
Seismology
                                                                                           Uniform Building Code
                                                                                 UBC
   The study of earthquakes.                        Federal Highway
                                          FHWATA
                                                                                           United States Geological
                                                    Administration               USGS
Structuralengineering
                                                                                           Sun ey
   Civil engineering subdiscipline                  Institute for Business and
                                          IBHS
   responsible for the selection,                   Home Safety (formerly
   design calculations, drawing, and                NCPI and IIPLR)
   specifications of a building frame.
                                                    International Conference
                                          ICBO
Sinfiace wvave magnitude                            of Building Officials
   Magnitude of an earthquake as
                                                    International City!
                                          ICIVIA
   determined from seismic waves
                                                    County Management
   that travel around the surface of
                                                    Association
   the Earth.
                                                    Interagency Committee
                                          ICSSC
Sw7ay
                                                    on Seismic Safety in
   Side-to-side movement of a
                                                    Construction
   structure.
                                                    Insurance Institute for
                                          IIPLR
 Unreinforcedmasonry construction
                                                    Property Loss Reduction
   Construction using brick, stone,
                                                    (formerly NCPI, now
   or concrete blocks that are
                                                    IBHS)
   adhered together solely by mortar
   with no additional reinforcing
   materiaL