FEMA Earthquake Preparedness Workshops Come to Vancouver
Release Date: April 27, 2001
Release Number: 1361-66
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Olympia, WA -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Mitigation Division brings its traveling demonstration of earthquake repairs, preparedness and mitigation to Vancouver, Washington on May 1.
What: "This Strong House: The Nuts and Bolts of Strengthening."
Where: Clark College, Foster Auditorium, 1800 East McLaughlin Blvd, Vancouver, WA
When: Tuesday, May 1 at 3 and 6:30 p.m.
The presentation is free of charge and open to the public. It is designed to help residents and business owners understand how to increase the strength and survivability of their buildings through retrofitting. FEMA experts will explain and demonstrate repairing and retrofitting foundations, chimneys and the house itself from earthquake damage. Informational handouts on repairs, retrofitting and applying for disaster assistance will be available.
"We've discovered that every dollar spent on mitigation saves at least two dollars in repair costs following a disaster," said Carl Cook, FEMA's Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer for Mitigation.
The workshop features a cut-away model house, a chimney model and a cabinet model. Using the models, FEMA mitigation experts will explain in detail how to retrofit a home or business building and answer questions about repairing chimney damage. FEMA experts also will display and explain the need for a personal safety kit for each home and business building, including what it should contain and where it should be stored.
Mitigation is defined as any action taken to permanently eliminate or sharply reduce the long-term vulnerability of human life and property from hazards.
Further information about the workshop can be obtained by calling 360-596-3000. FEMA urges quake victims to register for assistance by calling 1-800-462-9029.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 28-Oct-2003 13:58:43