Incident commanders on the scene of major terrorist attacks and other emergencies resulting in structural damage or collapse are often faced with a “go” or “no-go” decision: Can they commit first responders to immediately enter the structure to begin life-saving operations with a reasonable assurance that what remains of the structure (or the collapse pile itself) won’t come down on their heads? Do they have the ability to evaluate the structural integrity with a reasonable degree of accuracy? Is the structure reasonably safe to enter without major stabilization, or will it require hours-long shoring operations?
A truly accurate assessment of the stability of damaged structures often requires the skill, experience, training, and knowledge of a certified structural engineer, who is prepared to perform a risk analysis and to make certain calculations about the weight of material, the status of key structural members, how the loads have been redistributed after the event, and the need for stabilization or evacuation.
Unfortunately, first responders typically don’t have those capabilities, and when lives are hanging in the balance, they don’t have the luxury of time to await the arrival of a structural engineer. Someone needs to make immediate decisions about entering to conduct firefighting, search and rescue, and other emergency operations.
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