Hurricane Response Guide for Environmental Public Health Professionals
When assessing large open areas like auditoriums, cafeterias, or open office spaces, an effective assessment technique is to: 1. Walk slowly with team members in a horizontal line through the open area to the far wall and back, making a general visual assessment. 2. Return to the starting point and utilize the Go Right/Stay Right or High-to-Low/Low-to-High techniques or patterns. Post-Assessment Communication After a building assessment is completed, the assessment team compiles the results and communicates them to building owners, authorities, response partners, and other community stakeholders. The building owners are informed that the assessment does not replace an insurance assessment. Assessment findings and recommendations can be communicated using an information sheet or placard, which should be translated into appropriate languages for the community. Before approving a building for re-entry and re-occupancy, the EPH professional and the assessment team review the assessment information in the context of the disaster, building function, and potential occupant safety and health risks. The following questions are taken into consideration: Disaster Considerations: Does the building serve a critical need that outweighs any potential safety and health hazards or building function concerns? Do the benefits of using the building outweigh the negatives of potential safety and health hazard exposure or building function loss? Building Function: Do the potential safety and health hazards impact or diminish building function? How much of an impact can building function absorb? Can the occupants modify the use of the building, or can building components be modified to allow temporary use until hazards are abated? Occupant Risk Assessment: What level of potential safety and health hazard exposure is acceptable, given the building’s function, use, and intended occupants? What are the potential short-term and long-term safety and health risks that could arise from that exposure? If the risk of injury or illness from potential safety and health hazards is deemed low enough, EPH can recommend that a building is safe to reenter and reoccupy. However, they typically do not have the official role or authority to condemn, clear, or determine whether a building is habitable or uninhabitable. They can make safety and health recommendations and offer guidance to those who have the official role or authority within a jurisdiction. Resources Damage Assessment Operations Manual: A Guide To Assessing Damage and Impact Environmental Testing and Sampling Methods FEMA Post-disaster Building Safety Evaluation Guidance HUD Guide to Post-disaster Restoration for a Safe and Healthy Home Identification and Treatment of Health Issues of Concern NEHA Healthy Homes Resources
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