Guidelines published to help enhance building terrorism resistance

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announces the release of four new publications in the Multi-Hazard Risk Management Series developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The publications contain guidance on designing, constructing, and engineering high occupancy buildings that are more resistant to damage resulting from terrorist attack.

“By implementing some of these recommendations into commercial buildings, we’ll help the nation better protect itself and citizens from the effects of terrorist attacks by improving building damage resistance,” said Michael Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response.

The purpose of the publications is to make communities aware of science and technology that can be applied to protect people and critical infrastructure from the affects of terrorist attacks on high occupancy buildings. The documents now available are:

* FEMA 426, Reference Manual to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks Against Building
* FEMA 427, Primer for Design of Commercial Buildings to Mitigate Terrorist Attacks
* FEMA 428, Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks
* FEMA 429, Insurance, Finance, and Regulation Primer for Risk Management in Buildings

These guidelines can be effectively used along side FEMA 386-7, Integrating Human-Caused Hazards Into Mitigation Planning, already available since September 2002.

“We are confident that this comprehensive guidance will improve how buildings are designed and constructed, now and in the future”, said Anthony Lowe, director of FEMA’s Mitigation Division.

The publications are free and available on FEMA’s website at http://www.fema.gov/fima/rmsp.shtm

•Date: 14th January 2004 •Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
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