Stanford Report, March 8, 2006

A call for volunteer building inspectors

Office of Environmental Health and Safety looks for employees interested in examining campus structures for damage

The office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) is inviting employees who are interested in inspecting campus buildings for exterior damage after a major earthquake to attend a training session on Wednesday, March 15. Volunteers are asked to register for the Building Assessment Team (BAT) training session as soon as possible.

The university has more than 800 buildings and ideally a pair of volunteers would be assigned to assess each one, according to Keith Perry, manager of EH&S training and communications for institutional emergency management. With about 540 BAT members currently signed up, the program has many more volunteer slots to fill.

BAT members are asked to report as soon as possible after a major earthquake to help in assessing buildings for any external damage—but not for interior inspections. The university will use the information to decide whether professional engineers should perform more detailed safety inspections.

The training starts with a two-hour lecture led by a professional engineer about the assessment process and signs of damage. The engineer also will discuss the various types of stresses that a building experiences during an earthquake and how different construction materials and designs affect a building's performance.

Perry said volunteers gain knowledge that is valuable in other aspects of life as well: "By being informed about earthquake risks and building construction materials, an individual can apply this knowledge when purchasing a home or when working with a contractor on a home remodel or addition," Perry said. "There are many aspects of this training that go well beyond simply volunteering to help Stanford in the event of an emergency."

After the lecture, participants will have the opportunity to go on one of two guided tours of campus buildings with the engineer, who along the way will discuss various aspects of conducting an inspection. The lecture begins at 8 a.m. in Tresidder Union's Oak Room, with one tour convening immediately afterward and scheduled to last until 12:15 p.m. A second tour will meet in front of Memorial Church and leave from the Main Quad at 1 p.m.

Team members will be supplied with field manuals and a "BAT pack" containing all the materials necessary for conducting an inspection. Volunteers can keep the pack as long they remain active in the program, Perry said.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Kathlyn Miller in Emergency Preparedness Planning at 723-3635 or kathlynm@stanford.edu. The morning training will include a 7:30 a.m. breakfast before the lecture.