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Statewide Seismic Needs Assessment Using Rapid Visual Screening (RVS)

Statewide Seismic Needs Assessment Using Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) [Senate Bill 2 (2005)]. Oregon Senate Bill 2 (2005) directed DOGAMI, in consultation with project partners, to develop a statewide seismic needs assessment that included seismic safety surveys of K-12 public school buildings and community college buildings that had, at the time, a capacity of 250 or more persons, hospital buildings with acute inpatient care facilities, fire stations, police stations, sheriffs' offices and other law enforcement agency buildings.


The statewide needs assessment consisted of rapid visual screenings (RVS) of critical infrastructure buildings in accordance with FEMA-154, 2002 Edition, or an equivalent standard adopted by DOGAMI; information gathering to supplement RVS; and ranking of RVS results into risk categories.

Senate Bill 2 (2005) provided the first step in a pre-disaster mitigation strategy that is further defined in Senate Bills 3-5 (2005). Senate Bill 3 (2005) directed the Oregon Emergency Management office to create a grant program for local communities. Senate Bills 4 (2005) and 5 (2005) directed the state treasurer to issue voter approved bonds. This flow chart (PDF) explains the relationship of Senate Bills 2-5 (2005).

Seismic Project Partners

  • Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission
  • Oregon Office of Emergency Management
  • Oregon Department of Human Services
  • Oregon State Board of Education
  • Oregon State Board of Higher Education
  • any grant committee established pursuant to a statewide grant program for seismic rehabilitation

Final Screening Report

DOGAMI Open-File Report O-07-02, Statewide seismic needs assessment: Implementation of Oregon 2005 Senate Bill 2 relating to public safety, earthquakes, and seismic rehabilitation of public buildings (23 MB PDF)

May 22, 2007, presentation to Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Ocean Policy (1.5 MBPDF)

RVS Scores and Site Summary Reports for hospitals, schools, police stations, etc.

Information Aids for Understanding Site Summary Reports


School District Status Reports

SB 1566 (2012) amended ORS 329.105 to require all school districts and education service districts to notice the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries of any construction of new school buildings or modification of an existing school building in a manner that may affect the seismic risk category of a school. Oregon school districts report annually on construction of new buildings and modification of existing buildings. Status reports are due by September 30, and are posted along with the results of the original 2007 Statewide Seismic Needs Assessment. View school district status reports here.