Response to NCST Advisory 

Committee’s 2020 Report to 

Congress

Maria Dillard, Ph.D.

Acting Director, Disaster and Failure Studies Program

Associate Lead Investigator, Hurricane Maria NCST Investigation

National Institute of Standards and Technology

U.S. Department of Commerce

NCST Advisory Committee Meeting, June 10

-11, 2021
Background Material on NCST Investigations

• The National Construction Safety Team (NCST) Act authorizes the Director of NIST 

to:

o establish NCST Act Teams for deployment after events causing the failure of a 

building or buildings that has resulted in substantial loss of life or that 

posed significant potential for substantial loss of life. (15 U.S.C. §7301(a)) 

• Under the NCST Act established Teams shall: 

(A) establish the likely technical cause or causes of the building failure,

(B) evaluate the technical aspects of evacuation and emergency response

procedures, 

(C) recommend, as necessary, specific improvements to building standards,

codes, and practices based on the findings made pursuant to (A) and (B), and 

(D) recommend any research and other appropriate actions needed to improve

the structural safety of buildings, and improve evacuation and emergency

response procedures, based on the findings of the investigation. 

(15 U.S.C. §7301(b)(2))
Background Material on NCST Investigations

• Under the NCST Act (15 U.S.C. 7301 (b)(1)), the purpose of the investigations by Teams 

is to improve the safety and structural integrity of buildings in the United States.

• Under the NCST Act implementing regulations (15 CFR § 270.100(c)), the number of 

fatalities considered to be “substantial” will depend on: 

o the nature of the event,

o the event’s impact, 

o the event’s unusual or unforeseen character, 

o historical norms, and 

o other pertinent factors.

• Under the NCST Act implementing regulations (15 CFR § 270.100(b)), building failure 

may involve one or more of the following: 

o structural system, 

o fire protection (active or passive) system, 

o air-handling system, and 

o building control system. 
Background Material on NCST AC

• In accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 7310 (a) and restated in the NCST Advisory 

Committee Charter, the NCST Advisory Committee (Committee) shall:

o advise the NIST Director on carrying out the NCST Act, and

o review the procedures developed under Section 2 (c)(1) of the Act, and 

o review the reports issued as a result of an NCST investigation.

• In accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 7310 (b), on January 1 of each year the Advisory 

Committee shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space and Technology of 

the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation of the Senate a report that includes:

o an evaluation of Team activities, along with recommendations to improve the 

operation and effectiveness of Teams, and

o an assessment of the implementation of the recommendations of Teams and 

of the advisory committee.
Background Material on NCST AC

• Based on the NCST Advisory Committee Charter (2016), the NCST Advisory 

Committee shall:

o meet at least once per year, 

o hold additional meetings, whenever called by the NIST Director or the DFO

o meet in person annually, and for any additional meetings, meet in person or 

in the form of telephone conference calls and/or videoconferences.

• Based on the NCST Advisory Committee Charter (2016), NIST may establish 

subcommittees from among the NCST AC members, as may be necessary: 

o subject to the provisions of FACA (Federal Advisory Committee Act), and its 

implementing regulations, and applicable Department of Commerce 

guidance., and

o whom must report back to the parent committee, and must not provide 

advice and work products directly to the agency.
NIST Response to 2020 NCST AC Report to Congress

Recommendation Response

1. Data collection modes 

Given the circumstances that NIST 

researchers have encountered while 

undertaking investigations in Puerto Rico, 

and the ongoing effects of the pandemic, 

we encourage the teams to give 

consideration to alternative means for 

systematic data collection that can be 

implemented in a timely fashion that are 

not reliant upon face to face, in person 

research methods.

We agree. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, phone, video conference, 

and web-based modes of data collection have now been 

implemented or are planned for most Hurricane Maria NCST and 

NWIRP projects. This has been particularly important for any survey 

or interview efforts where data collectors would need to interact with 

large numbers of respondents. NIST has also shifted from an inperson data collection mode for Wave 4 of its longitudinal field study 

of Lumberton, NC. Web and mail surveys are being used. These 

changes in mode were determined as necessary for the health and 

safety of both the data collectors and respondents. The Team is 

monitoring response rates and data quality in order to assess the 

viability of these modes for future data collection during nonpandemic times.
Recommendation Response

2. Linking wireless communications and 

emergency communications

Given the intent to collect survey 

research data about public decision 

making in response to emergency risk 

communication, we also encourage the 

Hurricane Maria NCST team to 

coordinate their data collection efforts 

with the National Windstorm Impact 

Reduction Program (NWIRP) researchers 

who are focused on the physical 

performance of wireless communication 

systems.

The Hurricane Maria Program includes both the NCST Investigation and 

the complementary NWIRP research study. The NWIRP research projects 

are led by NCST members, and the NWIRP data collection efforts are 

closely coordinated with the NCST projects to provide complementary 

data that will strengthen the findings of the NCST investigation. 

In coordinating these projects, the NCST members have 1) developed 

household survey questions on emergency communications that capture 

linkages to the performance of wireless communications systems; 2) 

defined analyses that could provide insight regarding the extent of 

reliance on channels associated with wireless communications for 

emergency messaging, as well as the relationship between these 

channels and decision making about response; and 3) incorporated a 

battery of utility questions (e.g., duration of outages, backups available) 

in surveys of schools, hospitals, manufacturing, and retail businesses 

that provide context for understanding the failure of communication 

systems. 

NIST Response to 2020 NCST AC Report to Congress
Recommendation Response

3. Designing for tornado hazards 

NCST has made significant strides toward a 

better understanding of potential tornado 

wind speeds and have developed tornado 

hazard maps for the US. The current 

proposal includes tornado wind speeds that 

are proportional to building size—based on 

the probability that a building covering a 

larger area is more likely to be hit with a 

tornado, a result of the relatively small 

width of a tornado. Developing design loads 

based on the concept involves a complex 

engineering philosophical issue that may 

not be universally accepted. NCST should 

be prepared for counterproposals using 

other philosophies. 

We agree. Since the last NCST AC meeting in June 2020, NIST has 

continued to work with the wind engineering community to develop 

and finalize the tornado hazard maps and associated tornado loads 

provisions for incorporation into ASCE 7-22 standard. Through ASCE 

balloting process, NIST, working within the ASCE-7 Wind Load 

Subcommittee, has satisfactorily addressed numerous ballots related 

to the tornado maps and loads provisions, and delivered (1) a final set 

of 48 maps to ASCE with GIS documentation, and (2) more than 120 

pages of standard provisions, commentary, and supporting 

documentation that constitute the new Tornado Loads Chapter of 

ASCE 7-22. NIST has also conducted numerous public webinars and 

briefings to explain the tornado design philosophy, the maps, and 

process for computing design loads. This outreach was aimed, in part, 

at addressing counterproposals throughout balloting. At present, the 

tornado hazard maps and tornado load provisions have passed all 

ASCE ballots and are approved for inclusion in the ASCE 7-22 draft 

standard for public comment.

NIST Response to 2020 NCST AC Report to Congress
Recommendation Response

4. Incremental measures for tornado 

shelters

...some individuals and/or jurisdictions may 

want to improve their tornado protection 

voluntarily and such protective measures 

should be described incrementally so that 

voluntary improvements can be 

incorporated with cost-benefit 

considerations. The Advisory Committee 

encourages NCST to continue to explore 

alternative strategies, especially the 

improvement of tornado shelter standards 

and public tornado sheltering strategies.

We agree. NIST has been working to advance other strategies for 

improved public safety in tornadoes, including: 

• Updates to the ICC 500 Standard for Design and Construction of 

Storm Shelters (Recommendation 7a).

• NIST is developing a proposal to incorporate the ASCE 7-22 

tornado load provisions into ICC 500-2023.

• NIST plans to conduct a series of workshops to identify 

opportunities, challenges, and best practices associated with 

design and operation of public tornado shelters in order to develop 

and publish guidelines, with FEMA and NOAA 

(Recommendation 8).

• NIST will collaborate with FEMA to develop and publish a 

NIST/FEMA tornado design guide that will include consideration of 

commercial buildings and single-family homes 

(Recommendation 6).

NIST Response to 2020 NCST AC Report to Congress
Recommendation Response

5. Social media data 

We note that NIST has engaged in exploring 

the possibility of obtaining and analyzing 

social media data for future research 

endeavors. We understand the complexity 

of data collection, storage, management, 

and analysis that accompanies this process, 

and we recommend continued 

perseverance and ongoing efforts in this 

area.

NIST realizes the value that social media data provides and continues 

to make great effort to integrate social media into its data collection 

process.

Since January 2021, we made a new hire in the area of emergency 

communications to resume the work on the content analysis of social 

media messages. NIST has an ongoing commitment to enabling NIST 

researchers to ethically access, collect, analyze, and use social media 

data in post-disaster contexts.

In the final report, NIST will include documentation of methodological 

considerations and best practices in the use the social media data. 

NIST continues to engage in learning opportunities to explore how 

others in the field are using social media data. 

NIST Response to 2020 NCST AC Report to Congress
Recommendation Response

6. Rapid response

It is crucial that NIST capitalize on current 

efforts by institutionalizing the procedures 

and capabilities deployed for the Hurricane 

Maria study in order to ensure efficient 

and effective NCST responses in the future.

Given the importance of documenting and 

collecting time-sensitive data with NCST 

activities, we recommend that NIST 

investigate whether other federal agencies, 

such as the NTSB, have developed 

protocols for quick response activities. This 

could be crucial for potential future 

disasters such as an earthquake in a heavily 

populated area.

We agree. Under the Hurricane Maria Investigation, NIST continues to 

implement new practices to ensure efficient and effective NCST 

responses that extend beyond the current investigation. 

In June 2020, we reported to the NCSTAC that NIST was utilizing an 

OMB Paperwork Reduction Act Generic Clearance to increase 

efficiency of public information collection approvals. This year, we are 

pleased to report that we have cleared 4 data collection instruments 

using this umbrella PRA with average times to approval of less than 1 

month. Most agencies estimate 6-9 months. (https://pra.digital.gov/).

Additional activities include: 

• Consent and future data use language 

• Data curation and management workflows 

• Data portal development and approval

• Documenting best practices and lessons learned in the DFS SOP 

• Engagement of NTSB and other agency partners

NIST Response to 2020 NCST AC Report to Congress
Recommendation Response

7. Revisions to the NCST Act

...we also want to restate our 

recommendation to Congress that the Act 

be revised.

While investigations of failures of 

nonbuilding structures have been and could 

be carried out under the authorities 

granted to NIST in the Organic Act, in the 

National Windstorm Impact Reduction 

Program, and in the National Earthquake 

Hazard Reduction Program, we recommend 

that formal consideration be given to 

amending the NCST act to emphasize the 

important role NIST should play in such 

investigations. The specific changes that we 

recommend are appended to this letter.

While this recommendation is intended for Congress, NIST agrees that 

issues beyond building failures are important to examine and address. 

As a result, NIST is working on a variety of activities through other 

authorities, including:

• The FEMA/NIST Functional Recovery Report (released in Jan. 2021) 

calls for a national recovery framework based on the desired level 

of function provided by buildings and lifelines following an 

earthquake.

• The Climate Science and Building Codes Workshop (held in Jan. 

2021) brought together stakeholders in building codes and 

standards and climate science to discuss climate science data, 

models, and tools. 

• The NIST Community Resilience Planning Guide and NIST Playbook 

(released Nov. 2020) provide a structured yet flexible way to set 

community-scale goals, align priorities and resources, and develop 

plans for recovery by moving the focus beyond buildings and 

infrastructure to the community functions performed. 

NIST Response to 2020 NCST AC Report to Congress
NCST Advisory Committee Meeting 

– June 10

-11, 2021

Questions?

Please ‘raise your hand’ using the Blue Jeans 

Participant window and unmute your audio and video

Maria Dillard

Acting Director, Disaster and Failure Studies Program

Associate Lead Investigator, Hurricane Maria NCST Investigation

National Institute of Standards and Technology

maria.dillard@nist.gov