Design Guide for Improving School Safety in Earthquakes, Floods, and High Winds Manual

This publication is concerned with the
protection of schools and their occupants
against natural hazards. Architects
and engineers deal with natural hazards
in building design and construction and
building codes have provisions for protection
against natural hazards.

This manual addresses two core concepts: multi-hazard design and performance-
based design. Neither is revolutionary, but both represent an
evolution in design thinking that is in tune with the increasing complexity
of today’s buildings and that takes advantage of developments and
innovations in building technology:

In Multi-hazard design recognizes the fundamental characteristics of
hazards and how they interact, so that design for protection becomes
integrated with all the other design demands.
n Performance-based design suggests conducting a systematic investigation
to ensure that the specific concerns of building owners and
occupants are addressed, rather than relying on only the minimum
requirements of the building code for protection against hazards.
Building codes focus on providing life safety, while property protection
is secondary. Performance-based design provides additional
levels of protection that cover property damage and functional interruption
within a financially-feasible context.

This publication stresses that the identification of hazards and their frequency
and careful consideration of design to resist these hazards must
be integrated with all other design issues, and be included from the inception
of the site selection and building design process. Although the
basic issues to be considered in planning a school construction program
are more or less common to all school districts, the specific processes
differ greatly because each school district has its own approach. Districts
vary in size, from a rural district responsible for only a few schools, to
a city district or statewide system overseeing a complex program of all
school types and sizes. Any of these districts may be responsible for new
design and construction, renovations, and additions. While one district
may have a long-term program of school construction and be familiar
with programming, financing, hiring designers, bidding procedures,
contract administration, and commissioning a new building, another
district may not have constructed a new school for decades, and have no
staff members familiar with the process.

Scope
This publication is intended to provide design guidance for the
protection of school buildings and their occupants against natural
hazards. It focuses on the design of elementary and secondary
schools (K–12), as well as repair, renovation, and additions to existing
schools. It is one of a series of publications in which multi-hazard
and performance-based design are addressed (FEMA 577, Design Guide
for Improving Hospital Safety in Earthquakes, Floods, and High Winds, and
FEMA 543, Design Guide for Improving Critical Facility Safety from Flooding
and High Winds).

This publication considers the safety of school buildings to occupants,
and the economic losses and social disruption caused by building damage
and destruction. The volume covers three natural hazards that have
the potential to result in unacceptable risk and loss: earthquakes, floods,
and high winds. A companion volume, FEMA 428, Primer to Design Safe
School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks, covers the manmade hazards of
physical, chemical, biological, and radiological attacks.
This publication is intended to assist design professionals and school officials
involved in the technical and financial decisions related to school
construction, repair, and renovations.