Local Engineer Works Nationally to Reduce Life and Property Loss from Earthquakes
Chris Poland, CEO of Degenkolb Engineers, Appointed to Chair the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Advisory Committee
San Francisco, CA, March 13, 2007 – Chris Poland, CEO and president of Degenkolb Engineers, one of the nation’s leading engineering firms in the design and seismic strengthening of structures, is one of fifteen distinguished academic, industry and government experts appointed to chair the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) newly formed Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction (ACHER). NEHRP is the federal government’s program to reduce the risk to life and property from earthquakes.
“NEHRP is the backbone for protecting citizens from the deadly and economically disruptive effects of earthquakes and for seismic risk reduction in the U.S.,” says Poland, a practicing structural engineer who has been actively involved in studies funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), written national seismic codes, and advocated on local, state, and national levels for proactive seismic safety measures. “Each region of the country has its natural disasters to contend with. Through NEHRP, ACHER has the opportunity to make sure the country and policy makers continue to address seismic issues in a prioritized and coordinated manner.”
This committee is responsible for assessing trends and developments in the science and engineering of earthquake hazards reduction, improved design and construction methods and practices, land use controls and redevelopment, prediction techniques and early warning systems, coordinated emergency preparedness plans, and public education and involvement plans.
About NEHRP
Established by the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, NEHRP is the federal government’s program to reduce the risks to life and property from earthquakes. NEHRP consists of four federal agencies: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST). Congress designated NIST as the lead agency for NEHRP in 2004.
About Degenkolb Engineers
Established in 1940, Degenkolb Engineers is one of the nation’s leading structural engineering firms in the design and seismic strengthening of buildings. Degenkolb offers comprehensive design, rehabilitation, and consulting services to architects, building owners, hospitals, educational institutions, corporations, and government agencies. The firm has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego, California, and in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington.
####