Florida Structural Engineers Association (FSEA): How Structural Engineers Can Give Back through Disaster Response

By Andrew Lovenstein, PE, SI

This article was reprinted from the April 2024 issue of Structure magazine with permission from its publisher. For more information, visit www.structuremag.org State Board Member of the FSEA.

The sense of community we experience as engineers is one of many things I enjoy about our profession. Part of being in our community experience is a responsibility we have to give back, to use our skills to the greater good. This responsibility manifests itself in different ways. We share our collaborative knowledge to strengthen building codes and industry standards. We continue our education to stay current in our profession so that we can advance the communities around us.

There is another way we give back – one that I have found particularly rewarding – and that is helping our larger community through disaster response. The know how we carry as engineers can greatly help in many disaster situations.

Disaster response is wide-reaching, so let’s focus today on two avenues I have been active in for many years: Structural Engineers Emergency Response (SEER) and Urban Search and Rescue (US&R).

Determining Sound Structures

When a natural disaster impacts a large area, such as hurricanes striking Florida, a wide swath of structures can become damaged. City or county building departments, as well as state or regional Emergency Operations Centers must check these buildings to make sure they are safe and habitable or if they have to be evacuated until repairs are made.

SEER volunteers make a quick evaluation of the homes or commercial structures, notify the owners of the building’s status, and provide that status to local building departments. A volunteer does not have to be a Professional Engineer, but PEs are greatly appreciated.

To join a SEER team near you, you must first take one of two classes on how to evaluate structures:

• When Disaster Strikes, presented by The International Code Council (ICC)

• California Office of Emergency Services’ Safety Assessment Program

These classes are offered several times a year by industry groups, including FSEA. Additionally, the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) offers training through its CalOES Safety Assessment Program, which is compliant with the requirements of the Federal Resource Typing Standards for engineer emergency responders.

After taking one of these classes, volunteers can sign up to be placed in the Disaster Response Alliance. This single, national database of skilled volunteers willing to help with response and recovery activities was created by the ICC and NCSEA. It’s located at the Disaster Response Alliance website, www.disasterresponse.org.

Seers In Action

After a natural disaster, area building departments and/or emergency operation centers will determine how many SEER volunteers will be needed and reach out to the Disaster Response Alliance to review the database of volunteers. After the volunteer has been contacted and agreed to be deployed, they will travel to the area of the natural disaster and work with the local officials to evaluate the buildings. Typical deployment occurs a couple weeks after the natural disaster for a week or two.

The inspection plan and locations will be provided to the volunteers by the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Volunteers conduct their inspections on the designated structures and report their data back to the AHJ each day.

Urban Search And Rescue

US&R teams deploy to affected areas right after natural disasters, as well as after a building collapses. While these teams are organized by individual states, some state teams are also designated to be Federal Government FEMA teams.

US&R teams are typically made up of firefighters who conduct rescue operations, alongside structural specialists who assist the rescuers. Other specialists on a US&R team include medical doctors, rescue dog handlers, experts in crane lifting, and drone pilots.

Structural specialists evaluate damaged buildings and monitor them while rescue efforts are underway, providing advice on shoring damaged elements of the structure so that the rescuers are in the safest conditions possible. Unlike with SEER, these volunteers must be professional engineers with experience in buildings, construction and building evaluations.

To volunteer, contact the lead structural specialist – every US&R team has one – and express interest in joining the team. After joining, the volunteer will be sent to Structural Specialist Training conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This week-long class focuses on using building monitoring equipment, shoring techniques and guidelines, and hands-on experience in conducting building evaluations and search operations.

US&R In Action

After a natural disaster or building collapse – or even before in the case of a hurricane – states and FEMA will activate the US&R teams. The structural specialists deploy with the rescue teams to conduct search and rescue operations.

When a US&R team is activated, the team and all its gear are loaded onto transportation and sent to the affected area for a deployment that can last between one and a few weeks.

I can attest that volunteering is rewarding both on a professional and personal level. After all, disasters happen, and we as engineers are uniquely qualified to help save additional lives and infrastructure by ensuring rescue and recovery efforts are performed safely.