3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4. The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tornado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data. NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Sincerely,

Jerénhy Isenberg,
Natjénal Construct!
Committee

ty Team Advisor’

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Frederica Wilson
Ranking Minority Member


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable Bill Nelson

Chairman

Subcommittee on Science and Space

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

Tam pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11" teleconference are as follows:

1. As in 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events.

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum.
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4. The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tomado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data, NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Sincerely,

Jeremly Isenberg,
Natighal Constru
mmittee

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson
Ranking Minority Member


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable Ted Cruz

Ranking Minority Member

Subcommittee on Science and Space

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Cruz:

Tam pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11TM teleconference are as follows:

1. Asin 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events.

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4. The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tornado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data. NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Sincerely,

Cre) Construction

ommittee

Team Advi:

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Ted Cruz
Ranking Minority Member


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable Lamar Smith

Chairman

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

Tam pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11" teleconference are as follows:

1. As in 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events.

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable John D. Rockefeller [V

Chairman

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I am pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11" teleconference are as follows:

1. As in 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events. .

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4. The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tornado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data. NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Lamar Smith
Chairman


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson
Ranking Minority Member

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative Johnson:

I am pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11" teleconference are as follows:

1. Asin 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events.

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4. The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tornado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data. NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Sincerely,

Jere:
Natis
mmittee

Isenberg!

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Bill Nelson
Chairman


3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4, The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tornado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data. NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Sincerely,

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable John D. Rockefeller IV
Chairman


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable Frederica Wilson

Ranking Minority Member

Subcommittee on Technology

Committee on Science, Space and Technology
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative Wilson:

Iam pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11" teleconference are as follows:

1. Asin 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events.

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable John Thune

Ranking Minority Member

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Thune:

I am pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11" teleconference are as follows:

1, As in 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events.

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4. The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tornado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data. NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable John Thune
Ranking Minority Member


National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee
National Institute of Standards and Technology

March 1, 2013

The Honorable Thomas Massie

Chairman

Subcommittee on Technology

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

1 am pleased to submit the 2012 Annual Report of the National Construction Safety Team
(NCST) Advisory Committee (Committee) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Committee serves as NIST’s advisor on implementation of the NCST
Act (P.L. 107-231) and our opinions and recommendations expressed in this letter reflect our
views as an independent, private sector body.

The Committee met face-to-face at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland on December 10, 2012.
Public comments were invited for this meeting; however, none were received. The Committee
also met by teleconference on January 11, 2013, to review the Committee’s draft report. An
overarching, unanimous recommendation of the Committee is that Congress continue to fund
NIST in its vital role as an impartial provider of factual, science-based information for the codes
and standards development process. The Committee urges Congress to consider expanding the
scope of NIST for NCST activities to bring changes into society as quickly as possible.
Implementing the findings of NCST investigations, past and future, will save lives and reduce
property losses. Even modest expansion of the program, consistent with the detailed
recommendations summarized below, will have major benefits.

The Committee’s recommendations rising from the January 11TM teleconference are as follows:

1. As in 2011, the Committee enthusiastically endorses NIST’s plan to develop a database
of information on structural performance in earthquakes, fires, windstorms, and other
extreme events.

2. The Committee urges NIST staff to use its communication skills as well as its technical
prowess to advise less sophisticated audiences regarding the appropriate use of maximum
wind speed and other parameters arising from NIST investigations such as the Joplin
tornado. Modeling based on such parameters is central to the interpretation of damage
from such investigations and, if used by someone other than NIST investigators, must
take into account the inevitable approximations and uncertainties.


3. The Committee urges that data gathering should lead to enhanced public welfare,
especially improved life safety and community resilience consistent with that described
in the recently published National Research Council report on disaster resilience. Data
gathering by National Construction Safety Teams should be expanded to include
infrastructure as well as buildings.

4, The Committee recommends that NIST advance the social science element of the Joplin
tornado investigation, and of investigations of other events affecting broad geographical
areas, such as Superstorm Sandy, to understand how human behavior contributed to the
casualties. To the extent that improved self-protective actions would reduce casualties, it
is recommended that NIST undertake or become a prime contributor to a program of
science-based public information and education.

5. The Committee recommends that more events should be investigated. The decision-
making criteria, leading to scoring on a five-point scale, appear to be appropriate. Due to
resource limitations, NIST can only investigate a limited number of events. However,
valuable data are being lost due to these limitations. In this regard, the Committee
strongly endorses NIST’s decision to participate in the FEMA investigation of
Superstorm Sandy.

6. The Committee recommends that NIST collect data on fires following all disasters driven
by natural events. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is intended to
capture fire data but in fact leaves gaps in the data. NIST staff, trained in mass-disaster
data collection and armed with simple collection and recording systems that can capture
geospatial data, could greatly enhance the usefulness of NFIRS.

Committee

Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Thomas Massie
Chairman