EHRSI Intruduction
Introduction
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Society of Iran (EHRSI) is a “Not for profit and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)”. EHRSI was established after the devastating earthquake in Bam, Iran in December 2003 by a group of Iranian professionals specialized in earthquake engineering and disaster management. The objective of EHRSI is to reduce human fatalities and financial losses from earthquakes in Iran and other developing countries prone to earthquake through:
- Increasing public
awareness and earthquake preparedness by setting classes in schools
and communities, providing educational brochures and publishing
related articles in major newspapers and magazines as well as on the
Internet. - Publishing
booklets providing simple procedures and minimum need-to-know
information for constructing safe homes for use by general public. - Forming
professional “Search & Rescue Teams” across the country, providing
training and support to existing teams such as Search and Rescue
Teams of the Iranian Red Crescent. - Training
government and private organizations about Disaster Management and
Temporary Sheltering. - Forming
National Earthquake Network, BioNET, with the objective to
identify, announce and guide the rescue teams to the exact
location(s) of the earthquake destruction sites within the minimum
time possible. - Auditing and
overseeing the ongoing construction to ensure compliance with
related earthquake codes. - Retrofitting
schools, public buildings and private homes using the latest
engineering findings and standards.
Some of the EHRSI Members and Their Expertise
-
President of EHRSI: Mehdi Vojoudi
Mr. Vojoudi has a B.S.
degree in civil engineering from Tehran University and a M.S. degree in
earthquake engineering from The International Institute of Earthquake
Engineering and Seismology (IIEES) in Tehran. Mr. Vojoudi’s specialty is
risk and hazard assessment and crisis management. He is also the founder
of the web site vojoudi.com which is the first personal web site in
Persian and English devoted to educating public about earthquake. Mr.
Vojoudi launched his web site approximately one year prior to earthquake
in Bam, Iran.
Retrofitting Specialist: Hadi Jalili
Mr. Jalili has a B.S.
degree in civil engineering and a M.S. degree in structural engineering
from Tehran University. Mr. Jalili Masters’ thesis was “Examining the
Iranian Retrofitting Codes against the International Standards”. Mr.
Jalili has been the Project Manager for retrofitting of various
industrial plants during his work at Pardise Rooz. Pardise Rooz is one
of the major civil engineering consulting firms in Iran.
-
Disaster Management Specialist: Ali Reza Saeedi
Mr. Saeedi has a B.S.
degree in civil engineering from Ghaem-Shahr University in Iran. He has
been involved in disaster management of all major earthquakes in Iran
during the past 14 years including Manjil earthquake in 1991, Ardabil
earthquake in 1997, Avaj earthquake in 2001, Bam earthquake in 2002 and
Zarand earthquake in 2005. Mr. Saeedi has made extensive research on
search and rescue, crisis management, temporary sheltering, design and
fabrication of sanitary systems after the earthquake. Mr. Seedie is the
instructor for earthquake preparedness and crisis management courses
offered by EHRSI.
-
Mojtaba Dirbaz
Mr. Dirbaz has a B.S.
degree in civil engineering from Hormozgan University in Iran and a M.S.
degree in earthquake engineering from The International Institute of
Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES) in Tehran. Mr. Dirbaz is
specialized in evaluation of the earthquake-affected buildings.
-
Mehdi Salamati
Mr. Salamati has a
B.S. degree in civil engineering from Tehran University and a M.S.
degree in water engineering from Shahid Abaspor University in Iran. Mr.
Salamati is an expert in effects of earthquakes on lifelines such as
water and natural gas.
-
Hamid Pourpak
Mr. Pourpak has a B.S.
degree in civil engineering from Tehran University and a M.S. degree in
geotechnical engineering from Mazandaran University in Iran. Mr. Pourpak
is an expert in “Earthquake Vibrational Geotechnics & Site Effect”.
EHRSI Projects
Following are some of
the major projects that EHRSI has executed since its establishment in
the beginning of 2004:
۱٫
Conducted
4-hour power point presentation on earthquake preparedness for public
with the following main outline.
–
How to build
a safe home?
–
Structural
and non-structural retrofitting.
–
How to
prepare an earthquake kit?
–
What should
you do during the earthquake?
–
What should
you do after the earthquake?
Following is a list of
the sessions that has so far been conducted by EHRSI:
–
In Nezami
Ganjavi Auditorium in Tehran in 16 sessions during the Summer of 2004.
–
September
2003, in Hedayat Auditorium in Tehran.
–
March 2004,
for the members of the Cultural Society of the Iranian Woman.
–
July 2004,
for the Student Cultural Center in Tehran.
–
July 2004,
in Ekbatan, Tehran for senior citizens.
–
October
2004, for female high school students during the “Nakhlhaye Omide Bam
Show”.
–
July, 2004,
hosted by the Islamic Revolution Woman Society.
۲٫
Conducted
the training course “Introduction to Earthquake Crisis in Iran” for the
high ranking city officials including Mayer and Governor and the members
of the Search and Rescue Teams. The outline of these courses were:
–
Introduction
to disaster management theory.
–
Introduction
to 23 different earthquake crises.
–
Solutions in
disaster management.
–
How to
survive under harsh condition.
–
Introduction
to search and rescue equipment
–
Search and
rescue
–
Debris
removal
Following is a list of
these training sessions that has so far been conducted by EHRSI:
–
In the city
of Karaj (60 km from Tehran) in the city hall in 6 sessions during the
Summer and Fall of 2004.
–
September
2004, to the directors and managers of Karaj Foster Home Society.
–
March 2005,
to the directors of Karaj branch of the Iranian Red Crescent.
–
November
2004, to the school principals of the city of Karaj.
۳٫
April 2005,
Temporary Sheltering Training course for the specialists of the Iranian
Red Crescent.
Please note that all
of the above educational and trainings courses have been offered by
EHRSI at no cost to public or government.
۴٫ Advisor to Bam’s Mayer on reconstruction management and city planning during the November and December of 2004.
– Established a Technical Civil Engineering Office in the city hall.
– Made Planning for the public buildings and Parks of the city.
– Designed and launched a Farsi and English Internet Web Site for the city of Bam by which all NGO’s and government organization operating in Bam could share information.
۵٫ Writing and publishing a booklet with the title: “Guidelines for Reconstructing Safe Homes in Bam”. In this publication EHRSI specialists in simple language with pictures describe to non-technical people how to build a home resistant to earthquake. This booklet was published by EHRSI and was distributed among Bam’s residents for free.
۶٫ Launching www.EHRSI.com in Persian. This web site includes 400 pages of educational articles about:
-
Seismology
Earthquake preparedness -
Retrofitting
Crisis management
Debris removal -
Technical articles on earthquake and geotechnic for professionals in the field of earthquake engineering and seismology.
-
Frequently asked questions
In addition to the above projects EHRSI is planning to take its training courses on the road to other cities and villages around the country. In order to achieve this goal EHRSI must receive significant donations from people or charities.
EHRSI Publications
۱٫ EHRSI, “An Introduction to Earthquake Crisis in Iran” EHRSI, July 2004.
۲٫ EHRSI, “Earthquake Preparedness Booklet” EHRSI, April 2004.
۳٫ EHRSI, “Guidelines for Reconstructing Safe Homes in Bam” EHRSI, December 2004.
۴٫ EHRSI, “Bam Reconstruction Report Volumes 1 and 2”
۵٫ EHRSI, “Zarand Earthquake Report” EHRSI, February 2005.
۶٫ EHRSI, “How to Prepare for an Earthquake” Etemad Newpaper, June 9, 2004.
۸٫ EHRSI, “Independent Opposition” Shargh Newspaper, November 4, 2004, Page 21.
۹٫ EHRSI, “The Weak Points of Small Communities” Shargh Newspaper, November 4, 2004, Page 21.
۱۰٫ EHRSI, “Twenty Three Crisis after each Destructive Earthquake” Shargh Newspaper, December 27, 2004, Economy Page.
۱۱٫ EHRSI, “The Possibility of Earthquake in Tabriz” Shargh Newspaper, November 8, 2004, Page 21.
۱۲٫ EHRSI, “Public Overseeing of Reconstruction” Shargh Newspaper, January 6, 2005, Page 21.
۱۳٫ EHRSI, “An Introduction to BioNet” Shargh Newspaper, February 24, 2005, Page 21.
۱۴٫ EHRSI, “Minutes from Earthquake Hazard Reduction Seminar” Javan Newspaper, April 14, 2005, Page 6.
۱۵٫ EHRSI, “BioNET: A Way to Reduce Earthquake Fatalities” The Weekly Iran Friday, APRIL 15, 2005, Page 3.
۱۶٫ “Interview with BBC Persian” March 11, 2005.
۱۷٫ “Interview with Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA)” March 10, 2005.
۱۸٫ “The Launch of BioNET” Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA), February 24, 2005.
۱۹٫ “Interview with EHRSI Director about Earthquake Crisis in Iran on the Anniversary of Bam Earthquake” Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA), December 26, 2004.
20. “Interview with EHRSI about Disorganized Operation of Organizations during Earthquakes in Iran” Iran Newspaper. June 29, 2004.
Contact Info:
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Society of Iran
E-mail: Info@EHRSI.com
Website: www.EHRSI.com
