Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Student Manual

CA Emergency Mgmt. Agency Safety Assessment Program Evaluator Manual April 2011Photo courtesy Raymond Lui, SEAFigure 6-9 – Destroyed commercial building, 2005 Hurricane KatrinaStrong winds have been known to damage or destroy unreinforced masonry buildings. Note thebuilding in Figure 6-9; this unreinforced masonry commercial building was practicallydemolished by Hurricane Katrina. Many of the walls have been debilitated, and the roof is gone.Water from the hurricane reached about 10 feet high, and the structure at some point caught fire,burning everything above the water line. It is interesting to note that the door appears to beunscathed through all of this, and likely still works!6.2 FloodsThere are two types of floods: the slow moving, inundation type of flood, and the fast movingand very dangerous flash flood.Inundation flooding is the most common type of flood in the United States. From theperspective of managing the safety assessment of submerged or affected buildings, there isplenty of time to mobilize SAP evaluators, as safety assessments cannot be performed until thewater recedes. It may be weeks in some cases before buildings become accessible.Inundation flooding damages building elements and contents from submersing them in water.The water in such floods is not safe due to its carrying hazardous materials, coliform bacteria,and other noxious components picked up as the flood water traveled through the community.The flood may have overrun septic tanks, sewage percolation ponds, and chemical or industrialplants on its way, and so many unhealthy or undesirable materials may be in its waters.192