Contingencies Online - July/August 2011

The availability and reliability of our national lifelines—the essential transportation and utility services that support a functioning community—are essential every day, but particularly during times of response and recovery from a disaster.
changing how we do things. That process is going on at mul-
tiple sites in 2011—and we are learning a lot.
resilient Communities
It has become clear to U.S. earthquake professionals over the
past 20 years that we need to build differently. In earlier decades,
the focus was on keeping people safe. There was little regard
given to the larger extent to which an earthquake damages a
built-up environment. But the focus increasingly has shifted to
resilience—designing buildings and infrastructure that not only
keep people safe but also protect their communities so that they
can recover more quickly. We must continue to prepare for the
earthquakes that are expected, but with an eye on what to do if
an extreme event occurs.
A resilient community is one in which hospitals, fire sta-
tions, and other emergency facilities are designed to withstand
such disasters and remain operational in the aftermath. Indi-
vidual neighborhoods—including small businesses, service
providers, and schools—are built in a way that allows for con-
tinued use while under repair. Residents must be able to shelter
in place and have their districts rebuilt to a new normal with-
in 60 days if they are going to be able to return to work and
begin reviving the local economy. The community’s essential
lifelines—power, transportation, communication, water, and
wastewater services—must be re-established in order of need
so as to support financial recovery and get the region’s economy
back on track in as little time as possible.