[CEUS-earthquake-hazards] The balance

[WrightLa at usa.redcross.org]

Dear Zhenming:

 

WRT hazard analysis and risk assessment in the St Louis area, the design
requirements authors considered a number of credible hazards, both
natural and manmade, and included requirements to address or mitigate
all credible hazards.  Seismic risk is only one of a number of risks
that were considered.  Most of the design response to these hazards were
not dictated by building codes. 

 

A blood bank, in some ways, is a unique type of structure;  a single
blood  processing facility may serve hundreds of health care facilities.
If the blood bank is not able to deliver blood, any medical care that
requires blood or blood products  cannot be delivered.  In the context
of the aftermath of a large earthquake in the CUS, if a blood bank were
not able to deliver blood products, that would mean that many thousands
of trauma patients would not receive life-sustaining medical care.

 

As you correctly point out, risk analysis is a complex subject, and
there is more to it than just dollars and cents.  It is perhaps as much
art as science. We are, however, as an organization that depends on our
donors, compelled to ensure that we get the most bang for our donated
dollar.  We are also an organization dedicated to preventing human
suffering, and I am certain that with the knowledge at hand that we have
done the best job we can to balance these organizational imperatives.
But as stated above, a blood bank is really a peripheral issue,
considering the relatively few blood banks in the US,  when compared to
the thousands of structures and  millions of people who could be
affected by an earthquake in the CUS.

 

I regret that this side bar appears to be on the way to derailing an
interesting and informative discussion on risk perception and public
policy;  could I hear some more about the specifics of the code changes
in Tennessee?.

 

Laurence M. Wright

Senior Project Engineer

Manufacturing Engineering

202-303-4457 (o)

202-549-5843 (c)

 

-----Original Message-----
From: ceus-earthquake-hazards-bounces at geohazards.cr.usgs.gov
[mailto:ceus-earthquake-hazards-bounces at geohazards.cr.usgs.gov] On
Behalf Of Wang, Zhenming
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 9:19 AM
To: Wright, Laurence
Cc: ceus-earthquake-hazards at geohazards.cr.usgs.gov
Subject: Re: [CEUS-earthquake-hazards] The balance

 

[Wright, Laurence] <snip>

 

It may not be wise to have higher seismic design requirements for the
new Red Cross blood center in the St Louis area (considering seismic
risk only). Other risks should also be considered. 

 

Thanks.

 

Zhenming

  

 

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