Objective 2: Reduce Earthquake Hazard Through Mitigation.

Casualties and economic losses can only be avoided by taking positive steps to ensure that structures and systems survive earthquake shaking with minimal damage.

Strategy Action Result
2.1 Promote the adoption and enforcement of technically sound and economically feasible codes, standards and procedures for the design and construction of new structures and additions to existing structures. Design buildings to resist earthquakes and encourage local government to adopt a building code for seismic design as required by Chapter 319 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. Seismic design should be a part of the engineering and architecture curricula at state universities and colleges and included in the testing required for licensing engineers. Promote continuing education for architects and engineers. Overall damage to structures from future earthquakes will be reduced if the codes, standards and procedures are adopted and implemented.
2.2 Identify existing structures especially susceptible to earthquake damage and develop methods to reduce such damage. Develop a plan for increasing the seismic resistance of essential facilities in a cost-effective and politically feasible manner. Enourage universities and professional societies to provide educational opportunities to design professionals in the methodology of seismic rehabilitation of structures. Seismic retrofitting of existing structures will reduce the damaged caused by earthquakes.
2.3 Establish a process reviewing construction documents and inspecting construction of buildings and structures for compliance with the seismic provisions of the NEHRP Recommended Provisions for the Development of Seismic Regulations for New Buildings or the building codes adopted by the appropriate jurisdiction. Identify qualified resources for the review of construction documents and appropriate inspection of construction. Protection of the public from injury and loss of life caused by structural failure.
2.4 Mitigate non-structural hazards for hospitals, schools and other critical facilities Strengthen non-structural building components to resist earthquake damage and provide backup utility service to support post-earthquake functions in hospitals and other critical facilities. Hospitals, schools, and other critical facilities would be available for immediate occupancy after a major earthquake if the site utilities are operable and structural damage is negligible.
2.5 Review Missouri dam safety criteria relative to potential earthquake hazards. Evaluate present rules and, if needed, recommend appropriate design and construction rules. Use these rules to assess the seismic safety of new dams. New dams in Missouri will be more resistant to earthquake shaking
2.6 Accelerate the program to assess, retrofit and/or replace bridges that do not meet current earthquake design standards. Assess, retrofit, and/or replace bridges in a more timely manner. Reduced risk of collapse or severe damage to highway bridges. Bridges which are at risk of failure or damage will be retrofitted or replaced in a timely manner, which will facilitate response and recovery.
2.7 Minimize the risk for hazardous material spills and contamination that may be caused by an earthquake. Assess potential for hazardous material spills resulting from earthquakes and implement ways to minimize that risk. Reduced risk to property and the environment resulting from hazardous material spills, caused by an earthquake.
2.8 Conduct critical lifeline co-location vulnerability studies. Identify lifeline co-location sites in earthquake-prone areas where the hazard of ground failure is high and where vulnerable structures support co-located lifelines; develop a mitigation plan for each one. Encourage equipment improvement, facility redundancy and relocation, and pre-event response and recovery agreements. During an earthquake emergency, damage to one lifeline will not cripple an adjacent lifeline, when the recognized hazard is anticipated and accommodated.
2.9 Promote local government assessment of sites for new critical facility and school. Encourage local governments to adopt land-use planning and ordinances to locate critical facility and school sites in areas less vulnerable to natural hazards. Loss of life will be reduced and the operational status of critical facilities will be maintained by considering land-use and building factors relative to earthquakes and other natural hazards.
2.10 Support educational, regulatory, legislative and market-based efforts to promote insurer ability to respond to seismic catastrophes. Support educational efforts to aid the public in understanding their role in mitigating damage, the nature of catastrophe indurance, the role of deductibles, and threats to solvency. Support educational, regulatory and legislative efforts aiding the availability and affordability of insurance. There will be a financially sound catastrophic insurance business, wide public acceptance of need to carry earthquake insurance with substantial deductibles, and public support of commercial and residential earthquake-resistant building design. Adequate measures will be in place to assure that construction can withstand expected stresses in reasonably safe ways.

Last Changed 01/30/97