Emergency Management

The California Building Standards Code, Title 24 serves as the basis for the design and construction of buildings in California. Improved safety, sustainability, maintaining consistency, new technology and construction methods, and reliability are paramount to the development of building codes during each Triennial and Intervening Code Adoption Cycle.

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986 was created to help communities plan for emergencies involving hazardous substances. EPCRA requires hazardous chemical emergency planning by federal, state and local governments, Indian tribes, and industry. It also requires industry to report on the storage, use and releases of hazardous chemicals to federal, state, and local governments.

The document describes the types, operation, and protection of emergency and standby power systems, and provides guidelines for their application. Recommendations are included for the arrangement and protection of fuel supplies feeding emergency and standby power systems.

The provisions of this code shall apply to the construction, alteration, relocation, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures. Exception: Detached one- and two-family dwellings and multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses) not more than three stories above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress and their accessory structures shall comply with the International Residential Code.

This code establishes regulations affecting or relating to structures, processes, premises and safeguards regarding: 1. The hazard of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials or devices; 2. Conditions hazardous to life, property or public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises; 3. Fire hazards in the structure or on the premises from occupancy or operation; 4. Matters related to the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression or alarm systems; and 5.

The guide describes the structure, application and limitations of the Fire Safety Concepts Tree, which provides an overall structure with which to analyze the potential impact of fire safety strategies. NFPA 550 examines the interrelation of fire safety features and their effect on achieving specific fire safety goals and objectives.

The standard identifies the minimum levels of competence required by responders to emergencies involving hazardous materials/WMD. This standard applies to any individual or member of any organization who responds to hazardous materials/WMD incidents. This standard shall cover competencies for awareness level personnel, operations level responders, hazardous materials technicians, incident commanders, hazardous materials safety officers and other specialist employees. Outside the United States, hazardous materials might be called dangerous goods (see Annex H).

This standard shall establish a common set of criteria for all hazards disaster/emergency management and business continuity programs, hereinafter referred to as “the program.” A.1.1 The Emergency Management and Business Continuity community comprises many different entities, including the government at distinct levels (e.g., federal, state/provincial, territorial, tribal, indigenous, and local levels); commercial business and industry; not-for-profit and nongovernmental organizations; and individual citizens.

The standard identifies and establish levels of functional capability for conducting operations at technical search and rescue incidents while minimizing threats to rescuers. This standard was developed to define levels of preparation and operational capability that should be achieved by any AHJ that has responsibility for technical rescue operations. These defined levels provide an outline of a system used to manage an incident efficiently and effectively to maximize personnel safety and bring about the successful rescue of victims and eventual termination of the event.

A resource for facts on safe response to electric and hybrid vehicle incidents involving damaged high voltage batteries, battery fires, extrication challenges, submersion, and charging stations. This document covers the vital aspects of EV/hybrid hazard awareness and procedures, including information from related NFPA codes and new consistent Moditech Rescue Solutions® vehicle diagrams.