Officials
at the Commerce Department's
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today
reported solid progress in the first three months of the
agency's federal building and fire safety investigation into
the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster of Sept. 11, 2001. At
a press briefing in Washington, D.C., NIST Director Arden
Bement Jr. urged the public and news media to help the investigation
team acquire more photographs and videotapes that could yield
important insights into what happened to the collapsed WTC
buildings, occupants and first responders.
"We
have a long way to go in what is an enormous undertaking,
but we have made good progress since we launched this investigation
in late August," Bement said. "We aim to learn enough
by the time it is finished for NIST to point to recommended
improvements in the way people design, construct, maintain
and use buildings, especially high-rises."
Bement
emphasized that the investigation is only one part of a three-part
plan for responding to the WTC disaster. The other twobeing
conducted concurrently with the investigationare essential
to actually achieving significant improvements to practices,
standards and codes. These elements are a research and development
program to provide the technical basis for improved building
and fire codes, standards and practices; and an information
dissemination and technical assistance program involving leaders
of the construction and building community and providing practical
guidance and tools to better prepare facility owners, contractors,
architects, engineers, emergency responders and regulatory
authorities to respond to future disasters.
At today's
briefing, NIST released a progress
report on the WTC investigation. An online version is
available at http://wtc.nist.gov.
Key points include:
Data
Collection: Throughout its WTC investigation, NIST has
consulted extensively with local authorities in New York,
including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the
Fire Department of New York, and the New York City Department
of Buildings. NIST has asked forand has already receivedconsiderable
cooperation and large volumes of information from these agencies
and from the organizations representing the building designers,
owners, leaseholders, suppliers, contractors and insurers.
The progress
report lists specific types of information that NIST has received.
This includes documents related to the design, construction,
operation, inspection, maintenance, repair, alterations, emergency
response and evacuation of the WTC complex.
However,
more information is needed. There are still many documents
and materials that have not yet been located or provided.
Many of these documents may have been destroyed in the collapses,
but copies of some documents still may be available.
NIST is
still seeking photographic and video images that could help
to better document the initial damage and subsequent fire
growth in the WTC towers and WTC 7. The investigation team
is especially interested in WTC 7 and views of the south and
west faces of the WTC towers.
At today's
briefing, Bement asked the public and news media for help
in providing such photos and videos. Efforts to gather photos
or videos from media sources, especially unpublished photos
and non?broadcast video footage, are in progress. NIST believes
that the public and the media could assist significantly in
this public safety investigation by sharing their unpublished
photos and video footage.
To provide
NIST with documents, photographs or other materials, follow
the instructions at http://wtc.nist.gov/media/provide_info.htm.
NIST also
announced that it is moving ahead with its systematic collection
of first-hand information from survivors, families of victims
and first responders. The WTC investigation team will be using
the information collected to evaluate the role of occupant
behavior and the evacuation and emergency response technologies
and practices for tall buildings.
NIST soon
will release a solicitation for help in collecting data and
a white paper outlining its collection strategy. This includes
face-to-face interviews, paper and Web-based questionnaires,
and focus group interviews.
Funding:
NIST redirected $3.4 million in fiscal year (FY) 2002 to begin
a three-part plan in response to the WTC disaster. The agency
received $16 million for the investigation in September from
the FY 2002 supplemental appropriation. The president requested
$4 million from Congress in FY 2003 to support the R&D
and information dissemination programs. This request is pending
in Congress.
NCST
Passage/Advisory Committee: On Oct. 1, 2002, President
Bush signed the
National Construction Safety Team Act (NCST) into law,
establishing NIST as the lead agency to investigate building
failures. Providing authorities modeled after those of the
National Transportation Safety Board, the NCST applies to
the ongoing NIST WTC investigation.
NIST has
begun to develop explicit agreements for future investigations
with other federal agencies and with private-sector organizations
so that it can be ready to deploy investigation teams quickly
and effectively.
With the
new law in place, NIST has chartered a federal
advisory committee to advise the NIST director in carrying
out responsibilities under the NCST. More than 80 nominations
were submitted. Bement soon will appoint individuals to the
advisory committee, which will reflect a balance of the diverse
disciplines relevant to NCST investigations.
Communications:
NIST has been maintaining an active liaison with the professional
community, the general public, the media and New York City
authorities. In addition, NIST has designated a special liaison
to be in regular contact with the families of building occupants
and first responders through the Skyscraper Safety Campaign.
Progress
reports like the one today will be issued at least quarterly.
As a non-regulatory
agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration,
NIST develops and promotes measurement, standards and technology
to enhance productivity, facilitate trade and improve the
quality of life.
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