Practical Lessons from the Loma Prieta Earthquake (1994) / Chapter Skim
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1. Legacy of the Loma Prieta Earthquake: Challenges to Other Communities
1. Legacy of the Loma Prieta Earthquake: Challenges to Other Communities
Pages 19-28
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From page 19... ...
The future cannot afford our comfortable and exclusive association with other engineers and scientists. We must add building officials, city councils, boards of supervisors, and state legislators as colleagues to a broadened endeavor.
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From page 20... ...
You can use your knowledge to see to it that earthquake risk is reduced. THE NEED FOR SUSTAINED ADVOCACY The Loma Prieta earthquake reinforced common-sense wisdom that there is a "window of opportunity" for seismic safety advocacy in the aftermath of an earthquake.
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From page 21... ...
· The cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Oakland passed general obligation bond measures to retrofit certain buildings and improve emergency response capabilities. The state and Santa Cruz County temporarily raised sales taxes to pay for repair and retrofit.
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From page 22... ...
Thus, while the "window of opportunity" does exist, and while we should be ready to take advantage of it, it is far more important to build a sustained advocacy program. Otherwise, we may find ourselves waiting forever for the "right time." Political and public support for earthquake risk reduction measures can be developed by making decision makers aware of the hazard; explaining the expected losses to the buildings, businesses, and functions they care about; and then explaining that there are technically and politically viable solutions and funding within existing administrative structures.
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From page 23... ...
Consider public policy relating to recovery. The earthquake caused irreversible changes: personal losses, structural losses, cost increases, different options for injured persons, disrupted businesses, and shattered neighborhoods, and it created different responsibilities for state and local governments.
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ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY The Loma Prieta earthquake reminded us that recovery is a long-term effort that imposes a substantial financial burden on local governments and businesses. · The city of Santa Cruz is experiencing the painfully slow process other cities should expect.
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From page 25... ...
Contracting procedures, intended to provide qualified parties a fair chance at government contracts, make it difficult to distinguish among "licensed professionals." Laws now require that the cost of proposals and compliance with numerous quotas be given as much or more weight than demonstrated competence. Nontechnical managers who are responsible for personnel and contract decisions must rely on licensing laws for evidence of competence and on building codes for standards.
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From page 26... ...
Improving code enforcement by requiring rigorous plan checking, using expert review panels on significant buildings and structures and requiring thorough, "special" inspection, are proven techniques to reduce seismic risk and protect valuable capital investments. You are the leaders of the professions responsible for seismic safety, but the overwhelming bulk of the work across the state and nation is done by others.
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From page 27... ...
Just do something about it! " He voted "no." After the Loma Prieta earthquake, I responded to questions from the press by saying it was common knowledge that the Marina District was prone to liquefaction; it was common knowledge that unreinforced masonry buildings were vulnerable to life-threatening damage; and, yes, it was common knowledge that older concrete structures were likely to lack the steel reinforcement and connection details needed to resist strong ground shaking.
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From page 28... ...
But the Loma Prieta earthquake and three and one half years of recovery have taught us that it will not be an easy task to accomplish this goal. We must change our strategy from sole emphasis on the development of knowledge, to one of integrating seismic risk concerns and knowledge into the mainstream activities of both government and business.
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