Creating An Advocacy Network for Improved School Earthquake Safety

Abstract eng:
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute’s School Earthquake Safety Initiative (SESI) is a collaborative network of diverse, expert, and passionate professionals who are committed to creating and sharing knowledge and tools that enable progressive, informed decision making around school earthquake safety. Its goal is to leverage EERI’s extensive expertise and reputation to conduct regionally appropriate actions that make a tangible and positive difference in communities around the world, by protecting the lives of all who inhabit school buildings. This paper discusses various approaches, models, and templates that SESI and its members have used to advocate for improved school earthquake safety in their own communities. Advocacy efforts related to tsunami mitigation [1], classroom education, and building safety screening for schools are shared, with a focus on how these activities have been implemented in the United States but also how they could be modified for use in other countries and regions. Equipment and lessons used to teach school children and teachers about earthquake engineering and earthquake safety are shared along with follow-up activities designed to leverage classroom education into conversations about broader school seismic safety issues with teachers, parents and school administrators. Several building safety screening best practice case studies for school districts document procedures and approaches that can be implemented in other locations to support mitigation programs. Links to all resources and templates are included so that the activities and actions described easily can be replicated or expanded to others who want to enhance school seismic safety in their own communities.

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