SEPTEMBER 2010

SPA Principal Keith Porter helped coordinate this demonstration project of FEMA’s mobile software Rapid Observation of Vulnerability and Estimation of Risk (ROVER). ROVER was exercised on a sample of Utah schools for the benefit of the Utah Seismic Safety Commission and the Utah Schools Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) Committee. In the exercise, 17 engineers and other building officials have carried out ROVER screenings of a stratified sample of school buildings, considering era of construction, geographic area, and public versus charter-school operation. In 2 days, 139 school buildings were examined, of which 66 (47%) were deemed to need additional detailed evaluations. This high percentage will help support Utah’s efforts to have a systematic approach to Utah school seismic evaluations.