Glossary

Acronyms

AIA-American Institute of Architects

ASCE-American Society of Civil Engineers

BOMA-Building Owners and Managers Association

Bootheel-Southeastern corner of the State of Missouri; so named because of its shape.

CECMo-Consulting Engineers Council of Missouri

CERT-Community Emergency Response Teams

CES-Center for Earthquake Studies (Southeast Missouri State University - Cape Girardeau)

CSR-Code of State Regulations (Missouri)

CUSEC-Central United States Earthquake Consortium

DGLS-Division of Geology and Land Survey

DNR-Department of Natural Resources

DPS-Department of Public Safety

EERI-Earthquake Engineering Research Institute

EMAC-Emergency Management Assistance Compact

ESFs-Emergency Support Functions (see FRP)

FEMA-Federal Emergency Management Agency

FRP-Federal Response Plan

ISTEA - Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act

LEPC-Local Emergency Planning Commissions

LEPCs-Local Emergency Planning Commissions

MEPA-Missouri Emergency Preparedness Association

MFDA-Missouri Funeral Directors Association

MFDADRT-Missouri Funeral Directors Association Disaster Response Team

MIRMA-Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Association

MML-Missouri Municipal League

MoDOT-Missouri Department of Transportation

MSPE-Missouri Society of Professional Engineers

MSSC-Missouri Seismic Safety Commission

Mercalli-Qualitative effects of earthquake damage

NEHRP-National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program

PSC- Public Service Commission

RISC-Regional Interagency Steering Committee (see FEMA)

SAVE-Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation

SEMA-State Emergency Management Agency

UBC-Uniform Building Code

US&R-Urban Search and Rescue

USGS-U. S. Geological Survey

USGS-U. S. Geological Survey

USSC-Utah Seismic Safety Commission

Definitions

Hazard - an act or phenomenon that has the potential to produce harm or other undesirable consequences to people or objects.

Hazardous structure - a structure whose condition creates an imminent danger of physical injury, harm or damage to people or objects within or nearby.

Non-structural hazard - a condition or phenomenon in a structure that is unrelated to the structural system but which has the potential to produce harm or other negative consequences to people or objects within or nearby. Examples include non-load-bearing architectural elements and mechanical and electrical components of the building system.

Risk - the probability that the potential harm or negative consequences of a hazard will be realized. This is the combination of the underlying hazard and vulnerability.

Structural hazard - a structural condition in a structure that has the potential to produce harm or other negative effects on people or objects within or nearby. This is due to the failure of the structure to withstand the vertical gravity loads or lateral seismic forces acting on the structure.

Vulnerability - susceptibility to injury, harm, damage or economic loss.

Last Changed 02/04/97