Post-Earthquake Investigations: Coordination, Collaboration, and Participation in NEHRP Activations

Last year, the U.S. Geological Survey published USGS Circular 1542, an updated Plan to Coordinate Post-Earthquake Investigations Supported by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). The Plan describes the activation and coordination of multi-disciplinary post-earthquake investigations by NEHRP Agencies and identifies opportunities for collaboration with other entities and individuals following impactful domestic and international earthquakes. These coordinated investigations, focused on collaborative data gathering and leveraging new technologies, can capture critical information needed to understand the causes and impacts of events and lead to lessons that can substantially improve the nation’s resilience to future earthquakes.

NEHRP is the federal government’s coordinated nationwide program to reduce risks to life and property from earthquakes. USGS Circular 1542 presents a plan for coordination of post-earthquake investigations among the four NEHRP Agencies (FEMA, NIST, NSF and USGS) and with other entities, including: other federal agencies; state, regional, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies; domestic non-governmental organizations; academic institutions and affiliated organizations; private companies; and foreign and international agencies and organizations.

This webinar will present an overview of USGS Circular 1542, share examples of how the plan has been used in recent earthquakes, and discuss how other agencies and entities can collaborate and participate in NEHRP post-earthquake investigations. The webinar will also review the current landscape for Technical Clearinghouses, including recent examples operated by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI). Applied Technology Council (ATC) managed the development of USGS Circular 1542 under contract with the U.S. Geological Survey.