Page 111 - Building Codes News Today

Will be an earthquake of that size in california in the next 30 years. >> people do have some time to prepare. what we saw in japan was the structures that they had been built in such a way, the big, big buildings, we saw them sway but not topple over. when you take a look at the preparation that we have made in california, is that true, is that the same? >> yes, basically in terms of the structure and buildings that california has almost the most strict building codes. so i think basically they...

Routinely, we prepare for it. >> i lived out there for a couple of years, and you cant live without hearing a traffic report. obviously 1989 when the quake hit san francisco, there have been retrofitting efforts, many of them taking decades. are most large structures sufficiently either built to code to withstand an earthquake or retrofitted to do so? >> well, i would say the greater percentage of the buildings are. but its important to really know and the public should know that when youre talk...

Schools are typically built at higher elevations than many other buildings and the building codes for schools are more stricter. they are more earthquake resistance, and they also become an immediate place for refugees in the aftermath of something like this, so hundreds of people have been coming into this particular part of the school, this gymnasium. they say anywhere around 700 people in this particular area. more people in other parts of the school. this is quickly becoming one of the large...

Was obviously much greater than what we experienced in japan. and the japaneses high level of preparedness for disasters informed in part by their experience with the kobe earthquake in 1995. so i suspect that this relief effort will be much better and easily organized. having said that, all of these situatio situations, some of the pictures youve seen and interviews youve conducted over the course of the day highlight the fact that when something of this magnitude, which is almost indescribable...

Its blown into the air because of the explosion. >> despite the high level of engineering and building codes, is it really ever safe to bill and operate a nuclear plant in an earthquake zone such as that in a place like sendai? >> well, i think this is the question which we need to rethink under the circumstances and see why we ended up with this current situation. i think what we need to do at this point of time, exactly what president obama said, provide all of the possible support to the gove...

When i was living in los angeles i swore i would have the earthquake kit. i never got around to packing it. whats the best advice for people in the u.s. to prepare for the potential of a major earthquake. >> well, there is both what the individual can do and of course what the communities can do. at an individual level, things like ready.gov emphasize personal preparedness being able to prepared to be on our own for 72 hours. as we look at the community scale, the state scale, international scal...

Spokesperson yesterday, the group and theyre specialized in training and what challenges are they facing? and what are the expectations from the japanese people really about them coming over? >> the good news in their appearance is japan being in an earthquake prone area has strict building codes. many buildings were designed to withstand this earthquake and in fact, they have done that. ive seen video of the high-rises swinging back and forth but not tumbling down or caving in. the greatest amb...

Ngos and we are very gratified. >> the u.s. is also providing support for the most pressing issue, the threat of a nuclear meltdown. two u.s. officials from the u.s. nuclear regulatory commission with expertise in nuclear reactor deployed to japanese as part of a u.s. aid team. the operations center is operating on a 24-hour basis providing any expertise needed. despite the scope of the disaster, japanese is not a third world country and has a huge and sophisticated infrastructure and capabiliti...

And then well also provide some mental health counseling because obviously these people have receivedle multiple shocks. they may have lost loved ones. their homes, livelihoods. >> mm-hmm. we are looking at pictures, images of what people are having to live through now. when we talk about other disasters, like haiti, for example. a country that had a much different infrastructure from japan. how do the relief efforts compare and contrast. >> of course in haiti where you didnt have the strong bui...

Quake. >> geraldo: the japanese have extremely strict building codes. they are prepared. you heard the warning over the public address system telling people that a tsunami was coming to get to higher ground and they actually went. can you imagine if that happened here? people would think it was a crank, you know, i dont even know if we have public address systems in most neighborhoods any more. i dont think we do any more. stand by. we will have more and discuss the scary possibility of the chin...