FEMA P-795

FEMA P-795
Title	FEMA P-795
Author	Federal Emergency Management Agency
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Post-disaster building safety evaluation
Publisher	Federal Emergency Management Agency
Date	2006
Pages	94

FEMA P-795 FEMA P-795 is a technical manual published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide procedures for rapid visual screening and post-disaster building safety evaluation. The document interfaces with practice used by agencies such as the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the International Code Council to guide assessment teams after events like the Northridge earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, or the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. It is referenced by practitioners working with the United States Department of Homeland Security, state emergency management offices, and disaster response teams including the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.

Overview

FEMA P-795 presents a standardized protocol for the rapid evaluation of damaged buildings following hazards such as the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and the 2005 Hurricane Katrina landfall. The manual builds on methodologies tested in case studies from events including the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and aligns with practices promoted by the American Concrete Institute, the Structural Engineers Association of California, and the National Research Council. It is intended for use by engineers, architects, and building officials who coordinate with agencies like the Federal Highway Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development during recovery operations.

Development and Publication

Development of FEMA P-795 involved collaboration among federal and academic institutions such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Massachussetts Institute of Technology. Input was provided by professional organizations including the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The publication process included pilot applications during incidents like the 2001 World Trade Center recovery and exercises organized by the United States Geological Survey, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center. FEMA issued the manual in 2006, and it has been cited in guidance from the International Code Council and by state-level building departments in New York, California, and Florida.

Contents and Methodology

The manual contains protocols for rapid visual screenings, tagging systems, and triage decision trees that parallel frameworks used by the National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safety. It describes observational criteria for structural damage modes documented in literature from the American Concrete Institute, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, and publications by the National Research Council. The methodology outlines roles for multidisciplinary teams comprising structural engineers from the Structural Engineers Association, building inspectors from municipal departments in cities such as Los Angeles and New Orleans, and emergency managers from county offices. The tagging scheme and placarding recommendations are consistent with field practices observed during responses to the 1995 Kobe earthquake, the 2003 Bam earthquake, and major coastal storms cataloged by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Applications and Use in Practice

Practitioners apply the manual during rapid assessments after incidents like the 2011 Joplin tornado, the 2017 Hurricane Maria response, and large-scale seismic events monitored by the United States Geological Survey. Agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, state emergency management agencies in Texas and Puerto Rico, and municipal building departments in Seattle and Miami have integrated the procedures into training curricula alongside courses from the American Society of Civil Engineers and university programs at Columbia University and Stanford University. Nonprofit response organizations including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Engineers Without Borders have adapted elements of the protocol for international missions following disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Criticism and Limitations

Critiques of the manual note limitations similar to those discussed in analyses by the National Research Council and academic studies at institutions like the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. Observers from professional bodies including the Structural Engineers Association and the American Institute of Architects have pointed to challenges in consistency of evaluator judgment, logistic coordination with agencies such as the Department of Transportation, and applicability in complex urban environments like New York City or Mumbai. Researchers affiliated with organizations such as the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center and the Disaster Research Center have recommended enhancements for integration with probabilistic seismic hazard models used by the United States Geological Survey and for better alignment with recovery planning practiced by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Related Standards and Documents

FEMA P-795 is used alongside standards and guidance produced by the International Code Council, the American Society of Civil Engineers (notably ASCE 7), the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the American Concrete Institute. It complements documents such as FEMA 154, FEMA 547, the National Fire Protection Association codes, and the guidance issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The manual is frequently cross-referenced in state building codes, policy briefings by the Department of Homeland Security, and technical reports from the National Academies and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

Category:Federal Emergency Management Agency publications Category:Disaster response Category:Building engineering