Living with Risk. A global review of disaster reduction initiatives

damage to introducing means that can
reduce the risk of damage to vulnerable
structures and lifelines before it occurs.
• Establishing a special government fund to
strengthen important public buildings,
including schools and hospitals, public
infrastructure and lifeline facilities.
• Providing financial incentives for private
and commercial sector interests that are
interested in upgrading their existing vulnerable
structures.
• Encouraging more industrialization in the
construction field to ensure better quality
control.
The following are some of the actions pursued
through the IERMP in technical matters:
• Translating scientific knowledge into a
usable and achievable format, using practical
knowledge to promote risk reduction.
• Developing guidelines for conducting
vulnerability assessments.
• Establishing detailed technical databases
to document the necessary requirements
to strengthen public buildings, and setting
Policy and public commitment: the foundation of disaster risk reduction
priorities to do so, based on available
resources.
• Determining the most appropriate and
cost-effective means of strengthening different
types of masonry, concrete and steel
buildings.
• Promoting the use and enforcement of
codes, quality control and inspection for
all types of construction.
The following are some of the actions pursued
through the IERMP in public understanding:
• Increasing public awareness and motivation
using an active earthquake information
system.
• Motivating the participation of the public
in prevention and mitigation activities.
• Promoting the use of easy do-it-yourself
construction techniques suited for simple
dwellings in rural areas.
The following table summarizes the increase in
resources allocated to seismic risk reduction
during the course of the IERMP:
3
Resource allocation to seismic risk reduction, Iran
Type of resource Before (1980-89) After (1990-2000)
Seismic researchers Less than 40 More than 265
Seismic graduate students Less than 20 355
Seismic stations 15 45
Strong motion stations 270 Approx. 1000
Research laboratories 2 7
Books and technical reports Less than 100 More than 460
Budget Over 10 years, less Over 10 years, a total
than 700 million Rials. of more than 128,000
(US$402,000)
million Rials.
(US$73.5 millions)
In 1989 alone, about 104
million Rials.
(US$59,727)
In 2000 alone, more
than 37,000 million Rials
(US$23.3 millions)
Investment for laboratories US$ 3.1 millions US$ 11,5 millions
Source: International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, IIEES, Teheran, Iran
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