New Disaster Response Alliance mobilizes skilled building safety professionals to help after major disasters
The International Code Council and the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations created a single national database of code officials, engineers and other skilled volunteers to respond in the event of a future disaster
Washington, D.C. – The International Code Council and the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) have joined forces to create a national, digital database of volunteers to assist local, state or federal entities who need skilled, trained and certified building safety professionals in the aftermath of a disaster.
Once the wind, rain, fire or flooding has passed, communities are left devastated. The workforce needed to rapidly assess the safety of structures after a crisis are often in short supply. The U.S. has a number of skilled code officials, engineers and others across the country willing to step in to help with post-disaster safety assessments, building damage assessments, inspections and other code-related functions. The Disaster Response Alliance brings these skilled volunteers together for easy access and quick mobilization.
Local and state jurisdictions as well as federal agencies can contact the Disaster Response Alliance for help to reach skilled professionals from across the country willing and able to assist. This alliance combines the Code Council’s Disaster Response Network and NCSEA’s Second Responder Roster.
“A big thank you to NCSEA for joining with us to create the Disaster Response Alliance,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “The Code Council and our members have long been active in the aftermath of disasters to help communities in their times of greatest need. The increasing frequency and severity of storms, including Hurricanes Michael and Florence and the recent destructive wildfires in California, illustrated the need for this vital national database.”
“The collaboration between NCSEA and the Code Council to create the Disaster Response Alliance means a vastly improved, single resource exists to help those in need when disaster strikes,” said NCSEA President Williston Warren IV, P.E., S.E., SECB, F. SEAOC. “Together, we can truly make a difference.”
For more information, to request help, or to sign up to volunteer, visit www.disasterresponse.org.
About the Author
The International Code Council is a nonprofit association that provides a wide range of building safety solutions, including product evaluation, accreditation, certification, codification and training. It develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.
