S.A.V.E. Coalition
                                Helping Others In Times Of Great Need!

 A Missouri SEMA Earthquake Program

S.A.V.E. = Missouri Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation Coalition

Mission Statement
To rapidly deploy credentialed volunteer SAVE Inspectors to assist SEMA, local jurisdictions and local building inspectors to determine if buildings are safe for continued occupancy and provide essential demolition, cleanup, or other related services in the event of an earthquake or other disasters, including manmade disasters.

What Are the Goals of the SAVE Program?
1. Implementing an emergency assessment of building conditions
following catastrophic events.
2. Maintaining a Safety Assessment Administrative Plan for Volunteers to use in performing building and structure evaluations following catastrophic events.
3. Developing and managing an acceptable training and accreditation program
for volunteers.
4. Maintaining a roster of volunteers by regions of the state.
5. Developing an "alert system" to contact volunteers;
marshal personnel to appropriate locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this program so important?
     Damaging earthquakes of 6.0 of greater reoccur in the new Madrid Seismic Zone about every 80-100 years.  The last earthquake of this magnitude was in 1895.  There are at least 47 counties along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers where there is likely to be some serious damage resulting from such an earthquake.  Moreover, the 3 largest earthquakes in mainland U.S. history occurred in the New Madrid Seismic Zone in 1811-1812.

What is the SAVE Coalition's objective?
       The SAVE Coalition's objective is to assist the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in the execution of its responsiblities with respect to the use of qualified volunteers in the emergency assessment of buildings following a catastrophic event such as an earthquake, tornado, flood or manmade disaster which causes structural damages.

Why do we need SAVE inspectors?
         When a disaster strikes a community, there is an immediate need for damage inspections throughout the affected areas.  People need to be kept from using unsafe buildings, and safe shelter must be provided for those lest homeless.  Regular building inspection officials may become overloaded instantly and require additional help.  It is essential that qualified SAVE inspectors quickly identify structures that are safe for reentry and those that must be avoided.

What do SAVE inspectors do?
     SAVE Coalition inspectors' scope of responsibility is limited to the assessment of buildings and vertical structures.  The evaluation of highways, roads and bridges, utilities, dams and other structures will be conducted by others.

How long does a SAVE inspector work after a disaster?
      When requested, the SAVE Coalition's volunteers are available to work for up to three days inspecting buildings to determine if they are safe for occupation.

 As a SAVE volunteer inspector, what are my liabilities?
       During this service period, the volunteer inspectors are immune from liability for acts committed in the performance of their official emergency duties, except in cases of willful misconduct or gross negligence.

What about the costs involved in performing the emergency inspections?
        Incidental expenses incurred by the inspectors are paid by the local jurisdictions they serve.

Who is eleigible to join?
       Volunteers who are architects or professional engineers, or building inspectors or skilled construction industry personnel with at least 5 years of verifiable general building design, construction or inspection experience. 

Is special training required?
     SAVE volunteers must attend the ATC-20 Post Earthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings course to receive SAVE inspector credentials and become a SAVE team member qualified to inspect disaster damaged buildings.  Every three (3) years a SAVE inspector must be recertified

Basic ATC-20 course information.
A panel of earthquake and structural experts and building officials has approved all training materials used in this course.

• During the course, procedures and documents are presented which promote uniformity in the rating of building damages so that different individuals examining the same building will arrive at the same conclusion about its relative safety.
• Eath SAVE inspector will receive a field manual and detailed instruction to guide their future work.
• Continuing education credit for completion of this course is provided by some professional organizations

Who do I contact for more information or to become a member of the SAVE Coalition?

Steve Besemer, Program manager - Missouri SEMA Earthquake Program @ 573-526-9232
 or on-line at Steve.besemer@sema.dps.mo.gov

Administrative & Operations Plan (.pdf format) Newsletter (.pdf format)

The SAVE brochure can be viewed at www.sema.dps.mo.gov

All Newsletters are in .pdf format.  

Where do I register for the course?
     Complete the registration form and return it to:
                                Steve Besemer, MO SEMA, P.O.Box 116, Jefferson City, MO 65102

     Print a copy of the registration form for your records or copy the registration to a file and save it.