362:, focusing on a type of building characterized by concrete frames with unreinforced masonry infill walls that is common in earthquake-threatened urban areas of Asia, Latin America, and the Mediterranean due to the low construction costs. In this project, GeoHazards International developed guidance manuals and formed the Framed Infill Network, an international group of earthquake engineering researchers and professionals, to improve how concrete frames and masonry infill walls are designed and built so they are safer in earthquakes. In 2015, GeoHazards International published a guidance document from a USAID-sponsored project created to help organizations and communities to develop the best advice on protective actions to take during earthquake shaking to help the greatest number of people. Prior to this project, no clear guidance had existed on how to consider the numerous factors involved in creating an appropriate message for areas with many vulnerable buildings, or on how to interpret the limited data and numerous—often conflicting—anecdotes endorsing one protective action over another.
404:. In a publication on their website a week after the first earthquake and its aftershocks, Tucker warned that well-meaning people might inadvertently recreate the conditions that made the recent earthquake so devastating, due to their lack of experience or expertise in building earthquake-resistant buildings. GeoHazards International urged aid organizations to positively influence Nepal's reconstruction by ensuring that newly built structures would be resilient to inevitable future earthquakes. He encouraged other South Asian countries to recognize that future earthquakes similar to Nepal's are likely to occur within their borders and to take immediate steps to reduce the risk to people and their livelihoods.
397:. Around two weeks before those earthquakes, GeoHazards International published a warning that "the 1.5 million people living in the Kathmandu Valley were clearly facing a serious and growing earthquake risk," because an absence of any building code had meant most construction had taken place without consideration of natural disaster risk, technical information about earthquake risk in the Kathmandu Valley was incomplete and dispersed among several governmental agencies, and rapid population growth with one of the highest urban densities in the world made it challenging for Nepal's preliminary progress on reducing its earthquake vulnerability to occur quickly enough.
347:(the 15th or 16 January), a series of weeklong activities provides the opportunity for the reflection on yearlong efforts; renewal of national commitments toward earthquake safety promotion; and increased public awareness through training sessions, guidance materials, and public service announcements.
188:
in the world's most vulnerable communities. Founded in 1991, GHI is the first non-profit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to mitigating earthquake, tsunami, and landslide risks in the world's poorest and most at-risk regions. Its solutions emphasize preparedness, mitigation, and building local
244:
in developing countries, but also realized many people had not taken those steps. Fourteen years later, Tucker founded GeoHazards
International in order to realize his vision of communities in the most vulnerable areas around the world preparing for and mitigating the risks associated with natural
342:
In 1999, GHI and NSET established an annual Nepal
Earthquake Safety Day. Its main purpose is to raise awareness and share information and experiences on risk reduction for earthquakes and other natural disasters. It serves as the culmination of earthquake risk management works implemented in the
270:
A community will reduce its risk when a trusted peer shows that the community's risk is unacceptably large—e.g., its children are at significant risk of dying—and demonstrates an affordable, socially acceptable, and verifiable method to reduce that risk. The concrete ways we do this are to raise
350:
Much of GHI's work targets schools and hospitals. In 2014, GHI-sponsored school preparedness programs trained over 750,000 students in India about what to do during an earthquake. GHI worked with numerous hospitals in India, Nepal, and Bhutan to prepare facilities so that they could provide
248:
The focus on people in low- and middle-income countries comes from the concern that these countries face the highest risk of death and injury in natural disasters, due to poor building code enforcement, poor urban planning, and no local technical skills to manage high risk.
318:
GeoHazards
International partners with numerous organizations around the world in carrying out their mission, including its local partner organization in India, GeoHazards Society India, and the National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET), a non-profit based in
257:
GeoHazards
International builds its mission around prevention, working to limit predictable losses in natural disasters through international collaboration, projects, education, and the creation and distribution of guidance. Tucker has credited the sociologist and writer
197:
Since its founding in 1991, GeoHazards
International has worked in more than 20 different countries around the world to develop and deploy preventative solutions that are known to save lives in the face of natural disasters such as
1111:
1116:
936:
354:
GeoHazards
International also focuses on addressing structural concerns of specific building types prevalent in vulnerable countries around the world. It carried out a project, with funding from the
236:
and the United States. After conversations with local community members in some of the mountainous regions of the country, many of whom could still recall the devastating earthquake that hit
271:
awareness of risk and risk mitigation options, build local capacity, develop public policies and strengthen critical infrastructure, and promote preparedness and prevention.
401:
394:
842:
400:
In the aftermath of the Nepal earthquakes, a rush of non-profits, NGOs, family foundations, relief organizations, and individual donors looked to raise money to
1057:
323:
that GeoHazards
International supported in the mid-1990s and that has since flourished into its own self-sustaining organization. Staff offices are located in
940:
1126:
1106:
355:
275:
GeoHazards
International uses the following elements in its approach to help communities to recognize, prepare for, and respond to natural disasters:
1101:
614:
1131:
1121:
963:
1009:
914:
816:
517:
386:
217:
51:
566:
446:
1086:
892:
237:
240:, Tucker thought simple changes in building design could dramatically reduce the risk of deaths and injuries from
390:
420:
1031:
263:
893:"Saving more than 100,000 lives through a simple, innovative solution: Tsunami Evacuation Raised Earth Park"
843:"Natural and Technological Risks: Geological Hazards Update: Highlights of Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Activities"
181:
64:
344:
324:
145:
98:
986:
266:
as an important influence on GeoHazard
International's approach, informing their "Theory of Change":
82:
772:
385:
GeoHazards
International's work in Nepal gained heightened media attention in the aftermath of the
359:
725:
185:
637:
544:
140:
131:
495:
259:
211:
868:"Project Completion Report of the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project"
1095:
794:
343:
country in the preceding 12 months. Every year on the second day of the Nepali month
233:
77:
937:"Prevention and adaptation measures: Natural disaster prevention project in India"
820:
750:
365:
Funding for GeoHazards International's work has come from a variety of sources.
241:
521:
229:
221:
199:
102:
867:
703:
374:
332:
207:
178:
61:
220:
initially formulated the idea for the organization in 1977 when he visited
570:
450:
681:
370:
773:"Thornton Tomasetti Foundation Announces GeoHazards International Grant"
472:
659:
203:
795:"Developing Guidance on Protective Actions to Take During Earthquakes"
424:
336:
328:
1035:
964:"What Can We Learn About Disaster Preparedness from Nepal's Quake?"
366:
320:
225:
1112:
Environmental organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area
184:
dedicated to ending preventable death and suffering caused by
1117:
Non-profit organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area
726:"School Safety Initiatives completed by GeoHazards Society"
245:
disasters through technical solutions and local expertise.
1081:
1058:"Nepal devastation a 'wake-up call' for vulnerable region"
987:"Scientists warned of ageing risk maps before Nepal quake"
592:
1010:"Nepal Earthquake Was Disaster Experts Knew Was Coming"
1034:. GeoHazards International. 6 May 2015. Archived from
159:
154:
121:
111:
91:
70:
57:
47:
32:
24:
377:have funded many of their projects in the past.
915:"Improving hospital earthquake safety in India"
268:
775:. Thornton Tomasetti Foundation. 25 June 2012
232:, as part of an exchange program between the
8:
19:
402:rebuild the damaged Nepalese infrastructure
819:. GeoHazards International. Archived from
569:. GeoHazards International. Archived from
520:. GeoHazards International. Archived from
449:. GeoHazards International. Archived from
423:. GeoHazards International. Archived from
18:
1032:"Post-earthquake Reconstruction in Nepal"
356:Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
412:
966:. Eos: Earth & Space Science News
797:. GeoHazards International. June 2015
640:. Eos: Earth & Space Science News
547:. Eos: Earth & Space Science News
7:
351:uninterrupted care after disasters.
638:"Reducing Earthquake Risk in Nepal"
545:"Reducing Earthquake Risk in Nepal"
387:country's April 25, 2015 earthquake
1008:Borenstein, Seth (25 April 2015).
496:"Seismologist wins 'Genius Grant'"
292:Help local partners gain resources
189:capacity in order to manage risk.
14:
1127:1991 establishments in California
1107:Organizations established in 1991
494:Peterson, Greg (4 October 2002).
283:Build local capacity and support
280:Bring experts to the local level
985:Rai, Bhrikuti (28 April 2015).
962:Showstack, Randy (5 May 2015).
636:Showstack, Randy (7 May 2015).
543:Showstack, Randy (7 May 2015).
286:Safeguard schools and hospitals
1:
1102:Charities based in California
1060:. The Japan Times. 6 May 2015
895:. Swiss Re. 30 September 2010
360:Thornton Tomasetti Foundation
308:Raise awareness of known risk
224:, soon after completing his
939:. Munich Re. Archived from
1148:
753:. GeoHazards International
595:. GeoHazards Society India
593:"GeoHazards Society India"
475:. GeoHazards International
289:Use demonstration projects
1012:. HuffingtonPost.com, Inc
305:Improve urban development
302:Serve the most vulnerable
314:Areas of work and impact
264:diffusion of innovations
171:GeoHazards International
20:GeoHazards International
1132:501(c)(3) organizations
873:. USAID. September 2000
751:"Framed Infill Network"
660:"Earthquake Safety Day"
615:"NSET History/Archives"
395:other later aftershocks
182:non-profit organization
137:Infrastructure projects
65:non-profit organization
16:Non-profit organization
917:. Swiss Re. March 2012
817:"Our Funding Partners"
273:
146:Earthquake engineering
1122:Disaster preparedness
848:. USAID. October 2014
518:"The People We Serve"
731:. GeoHazards Society
706:. GeoHazards Society
823:on 6 September 2015
573:on 5 September 2015
453:on 5 September 2015
238:the country in 1949
210:, and impacts from
21:
1038:on 31 October 2015
682:"Event Highlights"
391:its May aftershock
1087:Board of Trustees
524:on 30 August 2015
186:natural disasters
168:
167:
1139:
1082:Official website
1070:
1069:
1067:
1065:
1054:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1028:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1017:
1005:
999:
998:
996:
994:
982:
976:
975:
973:
971:
959:
953:
952:
950:
948:
933:
927:
926:
924:
922:
911:
905:
904:
902:
900:
889:
883:
882:
880:
878:
872:
864:
858:
857:
855:
853:
847:
839:
833:
832:
830:
828:
813:
807:
806:
804:
802:
791:
785:
784:
782:
780:
769:
763:
762:
760:
758:
747:
741:
740:
738:
736:
730:
722:
716:
715:
713:
711:
700:
694:
693:
691:
689:
678:
672:
671:
669:
667:
656:
650:
649:
647:
645:
633:
627:
626:
624:
622:
611:
605:
604:
602:
600:
589:
583:
582:
580:
578:
563:
557:
556:
554:
552:
540:
534:
533:
531:
529:
514:
508:
507:
505:
503:
491:
485:
484:
482:
480:
469:
463:
462:
460:
458:
443:
437:
436:
434:
432:
427:on 4 August 2015
417:
164:
161:
141:Seismic retrofit
132:Natural disaster
43:
41:
22:
1147:
1146:
1142:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1137:
1136:
1092:
1091:
1078:
1073:
1063:
1061:
1056:
1055:
1051:
1041:
1039:
1030:
1029:
1025:
1015:
1013:
1007:
1006:
1002:
992:
990:
989:. PreventionWeb
984:
983:
979:
969:
967:
961:
960:
956:
946:
944:
943:on 18 July 2015
935:
934:
930:
920:
918:
913:
912:
908:
898:
896:
891:
890:
886:
876:
874:
870:
866:
865:
861:
851:
849:
845:
841:
840:
836:
826:
824:
815:
814:
810:
800:
798:
793:
792:
788:
778:
776:
771:
770:
766:
756:
754:
749:
748:
744:
734:
732:
728:
724:
723:
719:
709:
707:
704:"School Safety"
702:
701:
697:
687:
685:
680:
679:
675:
665:
663:
658:
657:
653:
643:
641:
635:
634:
630:
620:
618:
613:
612:
608:
598:
596:
591:
590:
586:
576:
574:
565:
564:
560:
550:
548:
542:
541:
537:
527:
525:
516:
515:
511:
501:
499:
493:
492:
488:
478:
476:
471:
470:
466:
456:
454:
445:
444:
440:
430:
428:
419:
418:
414:
410:
383:
316:
311:
260:Everett Rogers'
255:
195:
158:
150:
114:
107:
87:
39:
37:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1145:
1143:
1135:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1094:
1093:
1090:
1089:
1084:
1077:
1076:External links
1074:
1072:
1071:
1049:
1023:
1000:
977:
954:
928:
906:
884:
859:
834:
808:
786:
764:
742:
717:
695:
673:
651:
628:
606:
584:
567:"Our Approach"
558:
535:
509:
486:
473:"Our Projects"
464:
447:"Our Approach"
438:
411:
409:
406:
382:
379:
327:, California;
315:
312:
310:
309:
306:
303:
300:
293:
290:
287:
284:
281:
277:
262:theory on the
254:
251:
212:climate change
194:
191:
166:
165:
156:
152:
151:
149:
148:
143:
138:
135:
129:
125:
123:
119:
118:
115:
112:
109:
108:
106:
105:
95:
93:
89:
88:
86:
85:
80:
74:
72:
68:
67:
59:
55:
54:
49:
45:
44:
34:
30:
29:
26:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1144:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1099:
1097:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1079:
1075:
1059:
1053:
1050:
1037:
1033:
1027:
1024:
1011:
1004:
1001:
988:
981:
978:
965:
958:
955:
942:
938:
932:
929:
916:
910:
907:
894:
888:
885:
869:
863:
860:
844:
838:
835:
822:
818:
812:
809:
796:
790:
787:
774:
768:
765:
752:
746:
743:
727:
721:
718:
705:
699:
696:
683:
677:
674:
661:
655:
652:
639:
632:
629:
616:
610:
607:
594:
588:
585:
572:
568:
562:
559:
546:
539:
536:
523:
519:
513:
510:
497:
490:
487:
474:
468:
465:
452:
448:
442:
439:
426:
422:
421:"Our Mission"
416:
413:
407:
405:
403:
398:
396:
392:
388:
381:Work in Nepal
380:
378:
376:
372:
368:
363:
361:
357:
352:
348:
346:
340:
338:
335:, India; and
334:
330:
326:
322:
313:
307:
304:
301:
298:
294:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
278:
276:
272:
267:
265:
261:
252:
250:
246:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
213:
209:
205:
201:
192:
190:
187:
183:
180:
176:
172:
163:
157:
153:
147:
144:
142:
139:
136:
133:
130:
127:
126:
124:
120:
116:
110:
104:
100:
97:
96:
94:
90:
84:
81:
79:
76:
75:
73:
69:
66:
63:
60:
56:
53:
50:
46:
35:
31:
27:
23:
1062:. Retrieved
1052:
1040:. Retrieved
1036:the original
1026:
1014:. Retrieved
1003:
991:. Retrieved
980:
968:. Retrieved
957:
945:. Retrieved
941:the original
931:
919:. Retrieved
909:
897:. Retrieved
887:
875:. Retrieved
862:
850:. Retrieved
837:
825:. Retrieved
821:the original
811:
799:. Retrieved
789:
777:. Retrieved
767:
755:. Retrieved
745:
733:. Retrieved
720:
708:. Retrieved
698:
686:. Retrieved
684:. NSET-Nepal
676:
664:. Retrieved
662:. NSET-Nepal
654:
642:. Retrieved
631:
619:. Retrieved
617:. NSET-Nepal
609:
597:. Retrieved
587:
575:. Retrieved
571:the original
561:
549:. Retrieved
538:
526:. Retrieved
522:the original
512:
500:. Retrieved
489:
477:. Retrieved
467:
455:. Retrieved
451:the original
441:
429:. Retrieved
425:the original
415:
399:
384:
364:
353:
349:
341:
317:
296:
274:
269:
256:
247:
234:Soviet Union
218:Brian Tucker
216:
196:
174:
170:
169:
113:Area served
78:Preparedness
52:Brian Tucker
25:Abbreviation
358:(EERI) and
242:earthquakes
200:earthquakes
1096:Categories
498:. GeoTimes
408:References
331:, Bhutan;
325:Menlo Park
230:seismology
222:Tajikistan
208:landslides
103:California
99:Menlo Park
83:Mitigation
375:Munich Re
339:, India.
333:New Delhi
299:disasters
179:501(c)(3)
134:scenarios
128:Education
117:Worldwide
62:501(c)(3)
1064:7 August
1042:7 August
1016:7 August
993:7 August
970:7 August
947:7 August
921:7 August
899:7 August
877:7 August
852:7 August
827:7 August
801:7 August
779:7 August
757:7 August
735:7 August
710:7 August
688:7 August
666:7 August
644:7 August
621:7 August
599:7 August
577:7 August
551:7 August
528:7 August
502:7 August
479:7 August
457:7 August
431:7 August
371:Swiss Re
253:Approach
204:tsunamis
92:Location
193:History
177:) is a
155:Website
48:Founder
38: (
33:Founded
393:, and
373:, and
337:Aizawl
329:Thimpu
297:before
160:geohaz
122:Method
871:(PDF)
846:(PDF)
729:(PDF)
367:USAID
321:Nepal
226:Ph.D.
71:Focus
1066:2015
1044:2015
1018:2015
995:2015
972:2015
949:2015
923:2015
901:2015
879:2015
854:2015
829:2015
803:2015
781:2015
759:2015
737:2015
712:2015
690:2015
668:2015
646:2015
623:2015
601:2015
579:2015
553:2015
530:2015
504:2015
481:2015
459:2015
433:2015
345:Magh
295:Act
162:.org
58:Type
40:1991
36:1991
228:in
175:GHI
28:GHI
1098::
389:,
369:,
214:.
206:,
202:,
101:,
1068:.
1046:.
1020:.
997:.
974:.
951:.
925:.
903:.
881:.
856:.
831:.
805:.
783:.
761:.
739:.
714:.
692:.
670:.
648:.
625:.
603:.
581:.
555:.
532:.
506:.
483:.
461:.
435:.
173:(
42:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.