The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to have the opportunity to sponsor the Program on Improved Seismic Safety Provisions being conducted by the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC). The materials produced by this program represent the tangible results of a significant effort, under way for more than a decade, to lessen adverse seismic effects on buildings throughout the United States. This community handbook is a companion publication to the 1994 Edition of the NEHRP (National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program) Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings, and it is one of a series of reports produced to increase awareness of seismic risk and to disseminate information on up-to-date seismic design and construction practices. It is designed to provide interested individuals across the nation with information that will assist them in assessing the seismic risk to their buildings and their community and in determining what might be done to mitigate that risk - whether on an individual basis or through community building regulatory action.

These guidelines represent the culmination of efforts, initiated by President Carter in April 1977, to review procedures and criteria used by Federal Agencies involved in the design, construction, operation, and regulation of dams and to prepare guidelines for management procedures to ensure dam safety. The guidelines are based on an intensive review of Agency practices conducted by the Departments and Agencies themselves, by an ad hoc interagency committee of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (FCCSET), and by an Independent Review Panel of recognized experts from the academic and private sectors. These reviews are summarized in two earlier reports: Improving Federal Dam Safety, a report of the FCCSET, November 1977, and Federal Dam Safety Report of the OSTP Independent Review Panel, December 1978. Publication of the guidelines marks the final step in the review process. However, the Departments and Agencies recognize that there must be a continuing Federal effort to improve dam safety. Federal dam safety remains a fundamental responsibility of each Federal employee in every Department and Agency involved and it is on their technical expertise and dedication that the safety of Federal dams rests. These guidelines recognize that underlying fact and support management efforts to discharge that responsibility effectively and efficiently. These guidelines apply to Federal practices for dams with a direct Federal interest and are not intended to supplant or otherwise conflict with State or local government responsibilities for safety of dams under their jurisdiction. Current Federal initiatives to assist States and others with non-Federal dam safety programs are being pursued under other authorities. The objective of both programs, however, is the same: to allow the people of this country to enjoy the benefits of water resource development with the best assurance of dam safety possible.

Earthquakes in the United States are regional in their occurrence and while California is famous for its earthquake other states, such as Texas, have much less concern for the threat of temblors. However, architectural practice is becoming increasingly national and global, and the architect in Texas may find that the next project is in California. Thus it has become necessary for the professional architect to have some knowledge of the earthquake problem and how design seeks to control it. Designing for Earthquakes: a Manual for Architects is intended to explain the principles of seismic design for those without a technical background in engineering and seismology. The primary intended audience is that of architects, and includes practicing architects, architectural students and faculty in architectural schools who teach structures and seismic design. For this reason the text and graphics are focused on those aspects of seismic design that are important for the architect to know. Because of its non-technical approach this publication will also be useful to anyone who has an interest and concern for the seismic protection of buildings, including facility managers, building owners and tenants, building committee participants, emergency service personnel and building officials. Engineers and engineering students will also gain from this discussion of seismic design from an architectural viewpoint. The principles discussed are applicable to a wide range of building types, both new and existing. The focus is on buildings that are designed by a team that includes architects, engineers and other consultants.

Plastic pipe has been used for many decades in water and sewer applications. More recently, plastic pipe has been used in new embankment dam construction and in the renovation of existing conduits. However, most of the available design information is targeted toward water distribution and sewer pipes and does not address the unique factors involved in using plastic pipe in embankment dams. In general, information on plastic pipe is too dispersed for the best use of lessons learned from past performance, and compilation of information into a more readily available source was needed. Due to the absence of any single recognized standard for plastic pipe used in embankment dams, there is significant inconsistency in the design and construction rationale. In an effort to deal with this problem, this document has been prepared to collect and disseminate information and experience that is current and has a technical consensus. The goal of this document is to provide a single, nationally recognized standard to promote greater consistency between similar project designs, facilitate more effective and consistent review of proposed designs, and result in increased potential for safer, more reliable facilities. This document is intended to supplement the plastic pipe information in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (2005). This document provides in-depth analyses of loading conditions, structural design, and hydraulic design of plastic pipe. This document attempts to condense and summarize the body of existing information, provide a clear and concise synopsis of this information, and present a recommended design approach. The authors reviewed most of the available information on plastic pipe as it relates to use within embankment dams in preparing this document. Where detailed documentation exists, they cited it to avoid duplicating available materials. The authors have strived not to reproduce information that is readily accessible in the public domain. Where applicable, the reader is directed to selected portions of FEMA's Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (2005) and other consensus-accepted references for additional guidance. This document is intended for use by personnel familiar with embankment dams and conduits, such as designers, inspectors, construction oversight personnel, and dam safety engineers.

For the millions of Americans who have physical, medical, sensory or cognitive disabilities, emergencies such as fires, floods and acts of terrorism present a real challenge. The same challenge also applies to the elderly and other special needs populations. Protecting yourself and your family when disaster strikes requires planning ahead. This booklet will help you get started. Discuss these ideas with your family, friends and/or your personal care attendant, or anyone else in your support network and prepare an emergency plan. Post the plan where everyone will see it, keep a copy with you and make sure everyone involved in your plan has a copy. Where will you, your family, your friends or personal care attendants be when an emergency or disaster strikes? You, and those you care about, could be anywhere - at home, work, school or in transit. How will you find each other? Will you know your loved ones will be safe? Emergencies and disasters can strike quickly and without warning and can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services - water, gas, electricity or telephones - were cut off? Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away. You are in the best position to plan for your own safety as you are best able to know your functional abilities and possible needs during and after an emergency or disaster situation. You can cope with disaster by preparing in advance with your family and care attendants. You will need to create a personal support network and complete a personal assessment. You will also need to follow the four preparedness steps listed in this booklet. 1. Get informed 2. Make a plan 3. Assemble a kit 4. Maintain your plan and kit.

On May 27, 2008, President Bush declared a major disaster in the State of Iowa (1763-DR-IA) pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 5121-5206. The incident period began on May 25, 2008 and closed August 13, 2008. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that Federal agencies evaluate the environmental effects of their proposed and alternative actions before deciding to fund an action. The President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has developed a series of regulations for implementing the NEPA. These regulations are included in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 1500-1508. They require the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) that includes an evaluation of alternative means of addressing the problem and a discussion of the potential environmental impacts of a proposed Federal action. An EA provides the evidence and analysis to determine whether the proposed Federal action will have a significant adverse effect on human health and the environment. An EA, as it relates to the FEMA program, must be prepared according to the requirements of the Stafford Act and 44 CFR, Part 10. This section of the Federal Code requires that FEMA take environmental considerations into account when authorizing funding or approving actions. This EA was conducted in accordance with both CEQ and FEMA regulations for NEPA and will address the environmental issues associated with the FEMA grant funding as applied to the construction of the Cedar Rapids Convention Complex Parkade (hereon "Parkade"). Executive Order (EO) 11988 (Floodplain Management) requires that Federal agencies assume a leadership role in avoiding direct or indirect support of development within the 100-year floodplain whenever there is a practicable alternative. Further, EO 11988 requires consideration of the 500-year floodplain for critical facilities such as hospitals and fire stations. Pursuant to Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5172), as amended, the City of Cedar Rapids has requested funding through FEMA Public Assistance Program. FEMA's Public Assistance Program provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance to State, Tribal, and local governments, and certain types of Private Nonprofit organizations so that communities can respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. The Public Assistance Program also has rules whereby eligible applicants may choose to use eligible, though capped, recovery funds for alternate or improved projects that may be more beneficial to the Applicant than what existed prior to the disaster event. The purpose of this project is to improve parking capacity of Lots 24/26 in downtown Cedar Rapids by using the FEMA Public Assistance Program to contribute eligible funding toward improving the parking capacity of Lot 24/26. The Parkade will ultimately be connected to the new CRCC and Hotel via a skywalk over 1st Avenue E. The structure is intended to accommodate ground level retail units in downtown Cedar Rapids. The need for the proposed project is to increase the parking capacity of downtown Cedar Rapids. This project will provide adequate parking for the CRCC and Hotel that is currently under construction. This EA is intended to document the City's decision-making process and evaluate City and FEMA defined alternatives for the City's desire to improve the parking capacity of Lots 24/26. This EA is intended to document and evaluate Cedar Rapids and FEMA defined alternatives for the City's desire to use eligible recovery funds from the facilities considered here toward the construction of the Parkade under FEMA's improved project policies.

One of the activities authorized by the Dam Safety and Security Act of 2002 is research to enhance the Nation's ability to assure that adequate dam safety programs and practices are in place throughout the United States. The Act of 2002 states that the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in cooperation with the National Dam Safety Review Board (Review Board), shall carry out a program of technical and archival research to develop and support: improved techniques, historical experience, and equipment for rapid and effective dam construction, rehabilitation, and inspection; devices for continued monitoring of the safety of dams; development and maintenance of information resources systems needed to support managing the safety of dams; and initiatives to guide the formulation of effective policy and advance improvements in dam safety engineering, security, and management. With the funding authorized by the Congress, the goal of the Review Board and the Dam Safety Research Work Group (Work Group) is to encourage research in those areas expected to make significant contributions to improving the safety and security of dams throughout the United States. The Work Group (formerly the Research Subcommittee of the Interagency Committee on Dam Safety) met initially in February 1998. To identify and prioritize research needs, the Subcommittee sponsored a workshop on Research Needs in Dam Safety in Washington D.C. in April 1999. Representatives of state and federal agencies, academia, and private industry attended the workshop. Seventeen broad area topics related to the research needs of the dam safety community were identified. To more fully develop the research needs identified, the Research Subcommittee subsequently sponsored a series of nine workshops. Each workshop addressed a broad research topic (listed) identified in the initial workshop. Experts attending the workshops included international representatives as well as representatives of state, federal, and private organizations within the United States: Impacts of Plants and Animals on Earthen Dams; Risk Assessment for Dams; Spillway Gates; Seepage through Embankment Dams; Embankment Dam Failure Analysis; Hydrologic Issues for Dams; Dam Spillways; Seismic Issues for Dams; Dam Outlet Works. The proceedings from the research workshops present a comprehensive and detailed discussion and analysis of the research topics addressed by the experts participating in the workshops. The participants at all of the research workshops are to be commended for their diligent and highly professional efforts on behalf of the National Dam Safety Program. The National Dam Safety Program research needs workshop on Seepage through Embankment Dams was held on October 17-19, 2000, in Denver, Colorado. The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, would like to acknowledge the contributions of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials and URS Corporation in organizing the workshop and developing these workshop proceedings.

Think about where you are right now. How well would you and your family fare if today, right now, you were suddenly faced with an enormous disaster-a massive earthquake, a sudden flood, a horrific hurricane, tornado, super storm, or other catastrophic event? If you and your family are not fully prepared to face the events after a disaster and you want to learn how to prepare for and survive when a disaster strikes, this book could save your life ... and the lives of your family. This book details lifesaving information and illustrations for you and your family, to help ensure your survival in the event of a disaster.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed this series of mitigation planning "how-to" guides to assist states, communities, and tribes in enhancing their hazard mitigation planning capabilities. These guides are designed to provide the type of information state and local governments need to initiate and maintain a planning process that will result in safer communities. These guides are applicable to states and communities of various sizes and varying ranges of financial and technical resources. This how-to series is not intended to be the last word on any of the subject matter covered; rather, it is meant to provide easy to understand guidance for the field practitioner. In practice, these guides may be supplemented with more extensive technical data and the use of experts when necessary. The how-to guides cover the following topics: Getting started with the mitigation planning process, including important considerations for how you can organize your efforts to develop an effective mitigation plan (FEMA 386-1); Identifying hazards and assessing losses to your community or state (FEMA 386-2); Setting mitigation priorities and goals for your community or state and writing the plan (FEMA 386-3); Implementing the mitigation plan, including project funding and maintaining a dynamic plan that changes to meet new developments (FEMA 386-4); Evaluating potential mitigation measures through the use of benefit-cost analysis and other techniques (FEMA 386-5); Incorporating special considerations into hazard mitigation planning for historic structures and cultural resources (FEMA 386-6); Incorporating considerations for human-caused hazards into hazard mitigation planning (FEMA 386-7); Using multi-jurisdictional approaches to mitigation planning (FEMA 386-8); and Finding and securing technical and financial resources for mitigation planning (FEMA 386-9). This first guide in the State and Local Mitigation Planning How-to series discusses the activities and issues involved in initiating a hazard mitigation planning process. The topics covered here are presented within the context of the beginning phase of the mitigation planning process, although many of these activities will continue more or less behind the scenes throughout the process. Therefore, the efforts you put into identifying and organizing your resources early on will pay dividends later as you progress through some of the more challenging tasks of mitigation planning. This how-to guide thus covers not only this first phase of the planning process, but also provides snapshots of later phases. You will then be able to begin the planning process knowing ahead of time what types of resources you may need to call upon in the future. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, elected officials, community staff, citizens, and businesses will benefit from the knowledge, organization, positive attitude, and energy that you and your team demonstrate.

The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) (P.L. 106-390) provides an opportunity for States, Tribes, and local governments to take a new and revitalized approach to mitigation planning. DMA 2000 amended the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act by repealing the previous Mitigation Planning section (409) and replacing it with a new Mitigation Planning section (322). This new section emphasizes the need for State, Tribal, and local entities to closely coordinate mitigation planning and implementation efforts. It continues the requirement for a State mitigation plan as a condition of disaster assistance, and creates incentives for increased coordination and integration of mitigation activities at the State level through the establishment of requirements for two different levels of State plans: "Standard" and "Enhanced." States that demonstrate an increased commitment to comprehensive mitigation planning and implementation through the development of an approved Enhanced State Plan can increase the amount of funding available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). To implement the DMA 2000 planning requirements, FEMA published an Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register on February 26, 2002. This Rule (44 CFR Part 201) established the mitigation planning requirements for States, Tribes, and local communities. Normally FEMA publishes a proposed rule for public comment before publishing a final rule. This process can result in a lengthy comment and response period, during which the proposed rule is not legally effective or enforceable. Because certain types of Stafford Act assistance are conditioned on having an approved mitigation plan, FEMA wanted to publish an effective rule providing the DMA 2000 planning requirements in order to position State and local governments to receive these mitigation funds as soon as possible. Even though it is an Interim Final Rule, FEMA will still publish a proposed rule for public comment, to be followed eventually by a final rule. FEMA is assessing the utility and practicality of these interim final requirements based on the experience of States, Tribes, and local governments, and will draw on this experience in preparing the future Proposed and Final Rules for Mitigation Planning. Until then, the Rule serves as the governing set of requirements for DMA 2000 planning implementation. To help States, Tribes, and local governments better understand the Rule and meet the DMA 2000 planning requirements, FEMA has prepared this document, Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance Under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance). It was designed with three major objectives: To help Federal and State reviewers evaluate mitigation plans from different jurisdictions in a fair and consistent manner; To help States, Tribes, and local jurisdictions develop new mitigation plans or modify existing ones in accordance with the requirements of the Rule, and To help States, Tribes, and local jurisdictions conduct comprehensive reviews and prepare updates to their plans in accordance with the review and update requirements of the Rule. This Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance, as interpretation and explanation for the Rule, is FEMA's official source for defining the requirements of original and updated mitigation plans. It includes references to specific language in the Rule, descriptions of the relevant requirements, and sample plan text to illustrate distinctions between plan approaches that would and would not meet DMA 2000 requirements. In addition, this document provides references to a number of planning tools that FEMA has made available to assist States, Tribes, and localities in developing a comprehensive, multi-hazard approach to mitigation planning, and in preparing plans that will meet the DMA 2000 requirements.

The National Mutual Aid and Resource Management Initiative supports the National Incident Management System (NIMS) by establishing a comprehensive, integrated national mutual aid and resource management system that provides the basis to type, order, and track all (Federal, State, and local) response assets. For ease of ordering and tracking, response assets need to be categorized via resource typing. Resource typing is the categorization and description of resources that are commonly exchanged in disasters via mutual aid, by capacity and/or capability. Through resource typing, disciplines examine resources and identify the capabilities of a resource's components (i.e., personnel, equipment, training). During a disaster, an emergency manager knows what capability a resource needs to have to respond efficiently and effectively. Resource typing definitions will help define resource capabilities for ease of ordering and mobilization during a disaster. As a result of the resource typing process, a resource's capability is readily defined and an emergency manager is able to effectively and efficiently request and receive resources through mutual aid during times of disaster.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed FEMA 459, Incremental Protection for Existing Commercial Buildings from Terrorist Attack, to provide guidance to owners of existing commercial buildings and their architects and engineers on security and operational enhancements to address vulnerabilities to explosive blasts and chemical, biological, and radiological hazards. It also addresses how to integrate these enhancements into the ongoing building maintenance and capital improvement programs. These enhancements are intended to mitigate or eliminate long-term risk to people and property. FEMA's Risk Management Series publications addressing security risks are based on two core documents: FEMA 426, Reference Manual to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks Against buildings, and FEMA 452, Risk Assessment: A How-To Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks Against Buildings. FEMA 426 provides guidance to the building science community of architects and engineers on reducing physical damage caused by terrorist assaults to buildings, related infrastructure, and people. FEMA 452 outlines methods for identifying the critical assets and functions within buildings, determining the potential threats to those assets, and assessing the building's vulnerabilities to those threats. This assessment of risks facilitates hazard mitigation decision-making. Specifically, the document addresses methods for reducing physical damage to structural and nonstructural components of buildings and related infrastructure and reducing resultant casualties during conventional bomb attacks, as well as attacks involving chemical, biological, and radiological agents. FEMA 459 can be used in conjunction with FEMA 452. This manual presents an integrated, incremental rehabilitation approach to implementing the outcomes of a risk assessment completed in accordance with FEMA 452, Risk Assessment: A How-To Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks Against Building. This approach is intended to minimize disruption to building operations and control costs for existing commercial buildings. The integrated incremental approach to risk reduction in buildings was initially developed in relation to seismic risk and was first articulated in FEMA's Risk Management Series in the widely disseminated FEMA 395, Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of School Buildings (K-12), published in June 2003. In 2004 and 2005, FEMA also published Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation manuals (FEMA 396-400) for hospitals, office buildings, multifamily apartments, retail buildings, and hotels and motels. This manual outlines an approach to incremental security enhancement in four types of existing commercial buildings: office buildings, retail buildings, multifamily apartment buildings, and hotel and motel buildings. It addresses both physical and operational enhancements that reduce building vulnerabilities to blasts and chemical, biological, and radiological attacks, within the constraints of the existing site conditions and building configurations.

This primer, FEMA 429, Insurance, Finance, and Regulation Primer for Terrorism Risk Management in Buildings, is a part of the Multihazard Risk Management Series of publications that addresses terrorism risk in buildings. The objective of this primer is to introduce the building insurance, finance, and regulatory communities to the issue of terrorism risk management in buildings and the tools currently available to manage that risk. Insurance, finance and regulation are considered the 'change levers' of the built environment. They are the principal mechanisms for the evaluation and management of risk exposure in buildings. These change levers play a critical role in introducing and maintaining standards for risk management and public safety.

The federal government helps states and localities to prepare for disasters by providing financial and technical assistance for emergency planning and training, conducting exercises of plans, and building and maintaining an emergency management infrastructure. In a catastrophic or major disaster incident, the National Response Plan, a national approach to domestic incident management, will be activated. This interagency plan describes the resources that federal agencies can mobilize to support initial emergency functions and how they will integrate with state, local, private sector, and non-governmental resources. It outlines planning assumptions, policies, a concept of operations, and organizational structures. Disaster Assistance: A Guide to Recovery Programs supports the National Response Plan as a resource for federal, state, local, and non-governmental officials. It contains brief descriptions and contact information for federal programs that may be able to provide disaster recovery assistance to eligible applicants. The programs described in this guide may all be of assistance during disaster incident recovery. Some are available only after a presidential declaration of disaster, but others are available without a declaration. Please see the individual program descriptions for details. A governor may request a presidential declaration in the event of a disaster incident in which state and local emergency resources are overwhelmed. The request must satisfy the provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended, which is the primary legislative authority for the federal government to assist State and local governments in carrying out their responsibilities for disaster response and recovery. This Guide presents an array of programs that may be of assistance during disaster recovery, depending upon the circumstances, community needs, and available resources. The purpose of this guide is to provide basic information about programs of assistance available to individuals, businesses, and public entities after a disaster incident. These programs help individuals cope with their losses, and affected businesses and public entities restore their structures and operations. The information is intended to serve as a starting point for disaster workers and local, state, and federal officials to locate sources of help as they seek more definitive information, such as eligibility criteria and application processes. Included are programs that make financial assistance available, as well as those that provide technical assistance and/or goods and other services. The program summaries in this guide evolved from an initial compilation of programs obtained from the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA), the compendium of financial and non-financial programs throughout the Federal Government that provides assistance or benefits to the American public. The relevant agencies reviewed, revised, and added to the summaries to reflect programs that are specifically intended to apply to disaster recovery and regular agency programs that, in special circumstances, may support disaster recovery.

Earthquakes are a serious threat to safety in retail buildings, be they malls or single tenant buildings, and pose a significant potential liability to retail building owners. Retail buildings in 39 states are vulnerable to earthquake damage. Unsafe existing buildings expose retail building owners and tenants to the following risks: Death and injury to tenants, occupants, shoppers, and visitors; Damage to or collapse of buildings; Damage to and loss of furnishings, equipment, merchandise, and other building contents; Disruption of sales functions and building operations. The greatest earthquake risk is associated with existing retail buildings that were designed and constructed before the use of modern building codes. For many parts of the United States, this includes buildings built as recently as the early 1990s. Although vulnerable retail buildings should be replaced with safe, new construction or rehabilitated to correct deficiencies, for many building owners new construction is limited, at times severely, by budgetary constraints, and seismic rehabilitation is expensive and disruptive. However, incremental seismic rehabilitation, proposed in this manual, is an innovative approach that phases in a series of discrete rehabilitation actions over a period of several years. It is an effective, affordable, and non-disruptive strategy for responsible mitigation action that can be integrated efficiently into ongoing facility maintenance and capital improvement operations to minimize cost and disruption. This manual and its companion documents are the products of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) project to develop the concept of incremental seismic rehabilitation-that is, building modifications that reduce seismic risk by improving seismic performance and that are implemented over an extended period, often in conjunction with other repair, maintenance, or capital improvement activities. It provides owners of Class A, B, or C retail buildings, be they Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), pension funds, partnerships, individuals, or other forms of ownership, with the information necessary to assess the seismic vulnerability of their buildings and to implement a program of incremental seismic rehabilitation for those buildings.

This manual is intended to assist office building owners' personnel responsible for funding and operating existing office buildings across the United States. This publication and its companion documents are the products of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) project to develop the concept of incremental seismic rehabilitation-that is, building modifications that reduce seismic risk by improving seismic performance and that are implemented over an extended period, often in conjunction with other repair, maintenance, or capital improvement activities. The manual was developed after the project team analyzed the management practices of office building owners of varying sizes located in various seismic zones in different parts of the United States. It focuses on the identified concerns and decision making practices of owners and managers of Class A, B, or C buildings, be they REITs, pension funds, partnerships, individuals, or other types of owners. Earthquakes are a serious threat to office safety and pose a significant potential liability to office building owners. Office buildings in 39 states are vulnerable to earthquake damage. Unsafe existing buildings expose office building owners and tenants to the following risks: Death and injury of tenants, occupants, and visitors; Damage to or collapse of buildings; Damage to and loss of furnishings, equipment, and other building contents; Disruption of office functions and building operations. The greatest earthquake risk is associated with existing office buildings that were designed and constructed before the use of modern building codes. For many parts of the United States, this includes buildings built as recently as the early 1990s. Although vulnerable office buildings need to be replaced with safe, new construction or rehabilitated to correct deficiencies, for many building owners new construction is limited, at times severely, by budgetary constraints, and seismic rehabilitation is expensive and disruptive. However, incremental seismic rehabilitation, an innovative approach that phases in a series of discrete rehabilitation actions over a period of several years, is an effective, affordable, and non-disruptive strategy for responsible mitigation action. It can be integrated efficiently into ongoing facility maintenance and capital improvement operations to minimize cost and disruption. The strategy of incremental seismic rehabilitation makes it possible to get started now on improving earthquake safety in your office building inventory. This manual provides owners of office buildings, be they Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), pension funds, partnerships, individuals, or other forms of ownership, with the information necessary to assess the seismic vulnerability of their buildings and to implement a program of incremental seismic rehabilitation for those buildings.

Earthquakes are a serious threat to safety in multifamily apartment buildings and pose a significant potential liability to building owners. Multifamily buildings in 39 states are vulnerable to earthquake damage. Unsafe existing buildings expose multifamily building owners and tenants to the following risks: Death and injury of tenants, occupants, and visitors; Damage to or collapse of buildings; Damage to and loss of furnishings, equipment, and other building contents; Disruption of rental and occupancy functions and other building operations. The greatest earthquake risk is associated with existing multifamily buildings that were designed and constructed before the use of modern building codes. For many parts of the United States, this includes buildings built as recently as the early 1990s. Although vulnerable multifamily buildings need to be replaced with safe, new construction or rehabilitated to correct deficiencies, for many building owners new construction is limited, at times severely, by budgetary constraints, and seismic rehabilitation is expensive and disruptive. However, incremental seismic rehabilitation, proposed in this manual, is an innovative approach that phases in a series of discrete rehabilitation actions over a period of several years. It is an effective, affordable, and non-disruptive strategy for responsible mitigation actions that can be integrated efficiently into ongoing facility maintenance and capital improvement operations to minimize cost and disruption. This manual and its companion documents are the products of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) project to develop the concept of incremental seismic rehabilitation-that is, building modifications that reduce seismic risk by improving seismic performance and that are implemented over an extended period, often in conjunction with other repair, maintenance, or capital improvement activities. It provides owners of Class A, B, or C multifamily buildings, be they Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), pension funds, partnerships, individuals, or other forms of ownership, with the information necessary to assess the seismic vulnerability of their buildings and to implement a program of incremental seismic rehabilitation for those buildings.

The area within the Central United States (CUS) (i.e., Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee) known as the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is at risk for experiencing a major earthquake. Although the CUS is not traditionally thought of as an earthquake-prone zone, the scientific community agrees that this area is a seismically active zone. To educate the residents of these states, the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC), with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), conducted six months of outreach from December 2010 to May 2011. This outreach (collectively referred to as ''Earthquake Outreach'') comprised several major initiatives, such as the anniversary of the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes, the first Great Central U.S. ShakeOut and the 2011 National Level Exercise (NLE). The outreach from all these initiatives is collectively referred to as ''Earthquake Outreach'' throughout this report. To measure the effectiveness of this outreach, to gauge residents' current preparedness behaviors and attitudes regarding the risk of experiencing an earthquake and to provide recommendations for increasing preparedness, FEMA's National Preparedness Assessment Division developed the 2011 FEMA Central States Disaster and Earthquake Preparedness Survey (2011 FEMA CUS Earthquake Survey). FEMA administered the 2011 FEMA CUS Earthquake Survey to 3,211 respondents from the CUS states through a telephone interview, asking respondents about the following areas of interest: Perceptions of the likelihood of an earthquake; Participation in earthquake preparedness drills and discussions about earthquake preparedness; Preparedness for an earthquake; Awareness of earthquake preparedness activities and events; and Understanding of the protective actions to take during an earthquake. Enclosed is a summary of the findings as well as recommendations for future outreach efforts. The findings are broken down into six basic sections. Several of these sections include comparisons between different groups, with the most prevalent being respondents who were aware of Earthquake Outreach (Outreach Aware) compared to those respondents who were not aware of Earthquake Outreach (Not Outreach Aware). Residence within and residence outside of the NMSZ are also used as comparison groups, as this comparison provides the unique opportunity to assess the preparedness of those individuals who are in the area most at risk of an earthquake. In addition, several of the questions included in the 2011 FEMA CUS Earthquake Survey were also in the 2011 and 2009 FEMA National Household Surveys. Where available, comparisons to these data are made, as well.

This Annex to the 2012 Federal Interagency Response Plan - Hurricane, describes a concept of operations implementing a paradigm shift for response and recovery operations which focuses on transitioning 500,000 eligible households from sheltering to temporary housing and support for their transition to sustainable housing following a catastrophic hurricane. The concepts and options found in this Annex focus on increasing capacity and adjusting timelines to improve efficiency of transitioning households out of congregate and noncongregate sheltering to temporary housing or directly into long-term sustainable or permanent housing. This Annex also identifies the considerations necessary to implement options in the most efficient and effective manner possible by working with the whole community as described in A Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management: Principles, Themes, and Pathways for Action. Emphasis of recovery support will initially be conducted in the least impacted areas and progress inward toward the most heavily impacted area as accessibility allows. Recovery support for survivors living in the most heavily impacted area will emphasize sheltering/temporary housing solutions provided in locations outside of the impacted area. Life-sustaining support for essential personnel performing critical functions and recovery operations will be provided in all areas. This Annex is currently built around FEMA's plans to increase its housing capabilities. Implementation of the concepts presented in this document will be coordinated with external partners for continued development. The information presented in this Annex provides the foundation for Phase I and sets the stage for Phase II catastrophic planning. Phase I encompasses mass care and sheltering. Phase II will focus on the Whole Community, including other Federal agency participation, resources, and authorities, in the development of a plan to provide long-term sustainable or permanent housing. These Phases are illustrated in Figure 4 on page 14. The planning concepts and options provided herein are guidelines only. Every disaster will be unique in scope and magnitude. The needs of a particular community will drive the response and recovery actions.

The American Red Cross is the nation's largest nonprofit organisation involved in disaster relief. The organisation provides services such as sheltering and food assistance, and it has a leadership role in the federal disaster response framework. However, questions have been raised over its ability to respond effectively to large disasters. This book addresses the key factors affecting the nature and extent of the Red Cross's disaster services; how it coordinates with the federal government on disaster assistance; and what external oversight exists of its disaster services. Furthermore, the book provides a brief history of the charter of the American National Red Cross (ANRC); describes the recent congressional interest in the ANRC's governance, operations, and charter; reviews the ANRC's governance audit report and proposal to amend its charter; and describes recent congressional proposals to amend the charter.