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Plan To Coordinate Post-Earthquake Investigations Supported by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)

Circular 1542
Prepared in collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and U.S. National Science Foundation
By: , , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1542

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Introduction

This report presents a plan supported by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) to coordinate domestic and international post-earthquake investigations (herein called “the Plan”). Post-earthquake scientific and engineering investigations are undertaken to capture critical information to understand the causes and impacts of the event, lessons from which can substantially improve the Nation’s resilience after future earthquakes. NEHRP is the Federal Government’s coordinated nationwide program to reduce risks to life and property from earthquakes. The Plan describes the activation and coordination of the four designated NEHRP Agencies in the Federal Government: Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. National Science Foundation, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Plan also describes coordination between NEHRP Agencies and other organizations that may participate in pre-event and post-earthquake investigations, including non-NEHRP Federal agencies; State, regional, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies; domestic nongovernmental organizations; academic institutions and affiliated organizations; private companies; foreign governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations; and international organizations. The Plan delineates the coordination of NEHRP post-earthquake scientific and engineering investigations to document the direct, indirect, and cascading physical and societal impacts from fault rupture and ground shaking hazards and from secondary hazards such as landslides, liquefaction, and tsunamis. In addition, the Plan identifies pre-event activities necessary to ensure that post-earthquake investigations are executed effectively. The USGS is the lead NEHRP Agency for activating and coordinating NEHRP post-earthquake investigations and for implementing this Plan. The USGS also leads coordination of the NEHRP Agencies in completing the pre-event activities identified in the Plan. The Plan has new information and supersedes USGS Circular 1242, “The Plan to Coordinate NEHRP Post-Earthquake Investigations,” which was published in 2003. This second-generation Plan was developed with the assistance of the Applied Technology Council (ATC) of Redwood City, California, under USGS contract 140G0121P0309, ATC-155. A 17-member Project Review Panel provided guidance on plan development, and input was solicited from subject matter experts representing key stakeholder groups and from participants at a public workshop.

Suggested Citation

Poland, C., Bray, J.D., Johnson, L., Nikolaou, S., Rathje, E., and Sherrod, B., 2024, Plan to coordinate post-earthquake investigations supported by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP): U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1542, 36 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1542. [Supersedes USGS Circular 1242.]

ISSN: 2330-5703 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • 1.0. Introduction
  • 2.0. Plan Organization, Maintenance, and Exercises
  • 3.0. Guidelines for Activating Post-Earthquake Investigations
  • 4.0. Phase 1: Plan Activation (Minutes to Days)
  • 5.0. Phase 2: Perishable Data Reconnaissance (Days to Months)
  • 6.0. Phase 3: Research and Knowledge Transfer (Months to Years)
  • References Cited
  • Appendix A. Background and Development Process for the NEHRP Plan
  • Appendix B. Roles of NEHRP Agencies
  • Appendix C. Roles of Non-NEHRP Federal Agencies in Post-Earthquake Investigations
  • Appendix D. Roles of Non-Federal Governmental Agencies and Nongovernmental Organizations in Post-Earthquake Investigations
  • Appendix E. Coordination with National Response and Recovery Frameworks and Unified Coordination
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Plan to coordinate post-earthquake investigations supported by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)
Series title Circular
Series number 1542
DOI 10.3133/cir1542
Year Published 2024
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Earthquake Hazards Program
Description viii, 36 p.
Country United States
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details