Life Safety Issues/Immediate Needs

Reporting life safety issues is paramount, not only to maintain the safety of the damage assessment response team members, but also that of individuals in the community. A life safety issue is any issue that presents an immediate hazard. Examples are live power lines, leaking chemicals, gas leaks, and wild animals. Follow your community's designated procedures for reporting life safety issues as soon as they are identified.

Any immediate needs issues should also be identified and reported. Immediate needs are defined as food, water, sanitation, shelter, need for Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), etc.

Date and time of assessment

It is important to note the date and time you are conducting your assessment. Multiple assessments may need to be conducted following an event, and certain conditions, such as continued hazardous weather, may contribute to further damage. Documenting dates and times on assessment forms helps document the timeline of damage.

Location

Details about the location of the assessment need to be included. This information helps determine the perimeter of damage and helps locate the areas which received the most damage. That information can be useful later when planning distribution of resources.

Type of Structure/Infrastructure

Categories of structures can include single family dwellings, mobile homes, multi-family dwellings such as apartments or condominiums, public buildings, and commercial buildings.

Infrastructure includes lifeline systems such as utilities, roads, bridges, and public services.

Degree of Damage/Volume of Debris

The degree of damage a structure has sustained should be assigned a category based on the standards established in your community. The goal at this phase is not merely assigning a dollar amount to the damage, but rather getting an accurate description of the scope and magnitude of the damage. Rather than simply providing an estimated repair cost, information about the impact on the community should be included. Describe how the damage will impede, threaten, or prevent the community from functioning as it normally would. The estimated duration of the disruption and assistance required for recovery should be included as well.

The volume of debris is a necessary measurement, as it is an integral part of the declaration process. It will also help determine the community's ability to manage the event or disaster and help evaluate if managing the event or disaster is beyond the means of the community.

Comments

The team should also include any other observations that do not fit into any other category. For example:

• How damages will affect the provision of essential services such as potable water, sewer disposal, etc.
• How damages will affect the business community
• The potential economic impact of the damage