Claire MengThesis Proposal/ Spring 10

Efficiency of Rescue Process Earthquake Relief

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Abstract Of all natural disasters, earthquakes cause the highest number of deaths in the last ten years. The event that happened in Haiti inspired me to think of what I can do for the earthquake victims as an industrial designer.

Based on my research, I found out generally victims go through three phases during and after earthquakes: surviving the initial event, being rescued, and receiving humanitarian assistance. Each phase has different needs and problems.

This book will detail my thesis project proposal, explain how I narrow down my direction toward efficiency of the rescue process and what my opportu-nities in the field are.

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San francisco 1906 earthquake

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Table of contents I. DISCOVERY

My passionSelection ProcessInitial ResearchObservationInspirationSurveyResearchProblem statementHypothesis

II. PROJECT ANALYSIS

Market AnalysisTarget UsersPersonasBuilt EnvironmentStakeholdersRescue ProcessCompetition AnalysisFuture Technology

VI. CONCLUSION

SummaryThree ReasonsTimeline

III. VERIFICATION

Experts VerificationV. ABOUT ME

AutobiographyResumePortfolio

0203, 0405-1213-1516-192221-262728

30-3334, 3536-3839-4142, 4344, 4546-5152, 53

57 60, 6162, 6364

666768-77

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I. DISCOVERYMy passionSelection ProcessInitial ResearchObservationInspirationSurveyResearchProblem statementHypothesis

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Cooking Helping people

Fishing

TravelingUsing electronics

Exploring

Health

02

My passionWhat am I passionate about?

Fishing

Bathroom Safety

Earthquake Relief

Bathroom Safety

Earthquake Relief

Elderly Driving

Muti-building Escape

2nd Hand Smoke

Bathroom Safety

Earthquake Relief

Earthquake Relief

Fishing

Selection ProcessHow did I get here?

03

04

At the beginning of the semester, a 7-magnitude earthquake struck Southern Haiti, knocking

down buildings and power lines and causing 230,000 people to die.

I still remember how much pain I felt when I saw the news report about the situation in Haiti.

People were buried under collapsed buildings, fighting each other for food and water, and had

to live in makeshift tarp homes and shanties. All of these factors made me think of what an

industrial designer can do for them. Therefore, in the initial research, I was trying to find out

what are people concerned about most when an earthquake occurs.

Selection ProcessHow did I get here?

An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy under the Earth's surface. When the crust

breaks, it creates seismic waves -body and surface waves- which cause the damage to construction.

Body waves include P (primary) waves and S (secondary) waves

Initial ResearchWhat are earthquakes?

Primary wave

The speed of this wave will be in the order of 13 to 17

km per second, the fastest of all waves. This wave will

travel through all mediums like solids, semisolids and

liquids. This will make the particles of the earth expand

and compress. The strength of this wave will be about

one tenth of a secondary wave.

Secondary wave

Secondary wave travel about half of the speed of a

primary wave. This causes the earth to move perpen-

dicular to the direction of its propagation. The shaking

will be felt by humans. This wave will not travel through

liquids. 05Source: USGS- U.S. Geological Survey

Initial ResearchWhat are earthquakes?

Love wave

Love waves are surface waves that cause horizontal

shearing of the ground. They are named after A.E.H.

Love, a British mathematician who created a math-

ematical model of the waves in 1911. They usually

travel slightly faster than Rayleigh waves, about 90% of

the S wave velocity.

Rayleigh wave

Rayleigh waves are the most dangerous of all. These

waves comes last and generate rolling movements of

the earth. They move in all directions and cause serious

damage. Source: USGS- U.S. Geological Survey

06

When an earthquake occurs in a populated area, it may cause deaths and injuries and extensive property

damage. Below are some hazards related with earthquakes.

Structures falling/ The contents of structures falling

"Earthquakes do not kill people, buildings do". The

largest cost in lives, injuries, and damage to econo-

mies from earthquakes is from structures (buildings,

bridges, etc.) and the contents of structures falling.

Tsunamis

Tsunamis, also known as seismic sea waves, are

caused by sudden changes in the seafloor, generally

earthquakes and more rarely large landslides. The

Pacific rim through Indonesia typically is most

vulnerable because it has many zones that generate

large, shallow subduction earthquakes.

Initial ResearchWhat hazards are associated with earthquakes?

07Source: USGS- U.S. Geological Survey

Initial Research

08

What hazards are associated with earthquakes?

A landslide near outside Santiago, Chile

Landslides and rockfalls

Landslides are a geological phenomenon which

include a wide range of ground movements.

Sometimes they can become large, fast flows

mixing water, rock, mud, trees, and debris.

Liquefaction

Liquefaction takes place when seismic waves pass through a soft, young, water-saturated soil layer, distort

its granular structure, and cause some of its porous spaces to collapse. The collapse of the granular struc-

ture increases porous space water pressure, and decreases the soil's shear strength. If porous space water

pressure increases to the point where the soil's

shear strength can no longer support the weight

of the overlying soil, buildings, roads, houses, then

the soil will flow like a liquid and cause extensive

surface damage.

Source: USGS- U.S. Geological Survey

Other disasters from construction damage

For example: Fire

Conflagrations following earthquakes result from

broken gas lines. A fire following an earthquake can

be a significant problem in urban areas, especially

those where a large proportion of the building

stock is wood-frame. A major contribution to the

potential for fire following earthquakes is the effect

of ground displacement on underground water

pipes. Breaks in those pipes can result in a loss of

water and water pressure, restricting the ability of

fire departments to fight fires.

Initial ResearchWhat hazards are associated with earthquakes?

09

Source: USGS- U.S. Geological Survey

Initial Research

10

Where do earthquakes occur?

Ninety percent of the world's earthquakes occur in specific areas that are the

boundaries of the Earth's major crustal plates and 80% of the world's largest

earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.

The Pacific Ring of Fire (or sometimes just the Ring of Fire) is an area

where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in

the basin of the Pacific Ocean.Source: Wikipedia

Local Fire/Heavy Rescue Team Response

An Earthquake occurs

City Government/ Mayor Response

State Government/ Governor Response

President

Fe

de

ral

Ass

ista

nce

Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Arrive first at scene

Request Aid from

Request Aid from

Request Aid from

Urb

an

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ea

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Ne

igh

bo

rin

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esc

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ers

/ N

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National Response Framework

Once an earthquake occurs, local fire/ heavy rescue teams will respond first. If the scale of disaster exceeds

the capability of local responders, the Mayor’s Policy Group will convene. However, if city government sill

can not handle the emergency, the Governor will step in to provide needed resources and capabilities. If

situations still need support, the Secretary of Homeland Security will begin to coordinate supporting

federal operations to help support the response and recovery.

Initial ResearchHow does government work?

11

Initial Research

12

Deaths caused by earthquakes in last ten years

Droughts/

Food insecurityEarthquakes/tsunamis

42%

Extreme temperaturesFloods

Windstorms

473,498 people were killed

The estimated damage:

232,502 million US$

Source: Red Cross

Total number of people reported killed, by type

of phenomenon and by year (1999 to 2008)

"The only thing I can do now is pray and hope for the best," the ambassador, Raymond Alcide Joseph

"People are looking for their wives, looking for their husbands and their kids. It's scary."Jean Bernard told CNN Rescuer was woman's last hope in Haiti:

“We told her we won't leave” Mendez said, a rescuer from Mexico

"Within the next 24 hours, approximately 30 percent of the patients in the hospital need immediate surgery or they're going to die," Dr. Jennifer Furin, at a makeshift hospital on a United Nations compound

near Port-au-Prince's airport.

“They are using hacksaws to perform these operations, and

using vodka to sterilize the hacksaws.”

"We're not a country anymore," said Agenor, a former top-ranked professional tennis player. "It doesn't seem like we have a govern-

ment. We're a place where people go to give money."

"We need food, we need medical supplies, we need medicine, we need vitamins and we need painkillers. And we need it urgently."

"A lot of houses [and] buildings went down, and people are still running all over the streets," Jean Bernard, an eyewitness in Port-au-Prince

"There's hardly any anesthesia, or post-operative care or

blood to transfuse someone." Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.

ObservationWhat did I see?

13Source: CNN World

Observation

14

What did I see?

Irish and Spanish rescue teams search for bodies in Port-au-Prince.

Earthquake victims await treatment at a Doctors Without Borders facility in Port-au-Prince

A car sits beneath a pile of rubble in Port-au-Prince.

Buildings collapsed

Victims may be buried under rubble

Medical treatment People need proper medical facilities

Source: CNN World

Women carry food and other goods through the rubble.

An armed Haitian man carries a bag out of a destroyed shop in downtown Port-au-Prince. There have been reports of sporadic looting and violence.

Tents and other temporary shelters cover a stadium surface in Loagan, Haiti.

Security problems Need food

Need Water

Need proper shelters

Sanitation problems

Source: CNN World

ObservationWhat did I see?

15

Inspiration

16

What do people need when earthquakes occur?

Based on observation, when an earthquake occurs and victims are trapped in

collapsed structures, there are three elements required for survival:

Surviving the initial event, being rescued, and receiving humanitarian assistance.

Surviving the initial event Humanitarian assistanceSearch & Rescue

The first phase The second phase The third phase

Surviving the initial eventThe first phase

17

Based on my Initial Research, I found out most people get killed or injured by the contents of buildings

falling or trapped under collapsed structures . Therefore, having a survival kit may increase the victims’

chances of survival during this phase.

Student Maxi Falon, 23, struggles to navigate life anew after being buried under rubble for six days in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Source: CNN World

Search and Rescue

18

The second phase

Search and rescue processes during earthquake involve the location, rescue (extrication), and initial

medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces. The first 72 hours after an earthquake are

critical. Electricity, gas, water and telephones may not be working. Search and rescue teams have to

search and save as many lives as they can before they run out of time.

“Every time we find a live victim, that’s the energy that keeps us going to the next day,”

-Capt. Louis Fernandez of Miami-Dade Urban Search and Rescue.

Source: CNN Worlds

Humanitarian AssistanceThe third phase

19

After victims are rescued from the confined space, they need proper medical treatment because they

may have multiple fractures and internal injuries or they will be threatened by tetanus and gangrene or

other of diseases such as: measles, meningitis and other infections. For people who are healthy, they

need food, clean water and shelter to survive.

“Some doctors estimate the number of amputations may be running as high as 70 per day -- without an-

esthesia. ” -John Jacobs, chief prostheticist at Ability Prosthetics and Orthotics in Frederick.

Source: CNN World

Survey

20

What are people concerned about?

31%

40%29%

Search and Rescue

Humanitarian Assistance

Surviving the initial event 40% people are concerned

about the efficiency of the

rescue process...29% of people think

having a survival kit during

an earthquake is impor-

tant.

But only 34% of people

have survival kits at home.

Another 66% of people,

two thirds of them never

think of it.

31% of people think humanitarian

assistance is important.Survey of 320 participants

ResearchWhy does search and rescue need to be efficient?

21

Time is crucial during search and rescue. Based on the information from WHO, survival in

entrapment rarely lasts longer than 48 hours. Therefore, quick movement is essential during

search and rescue.

Time v.s. Survival Rate

0

20

40

60

80

100Survival Rate (%)

Hours After Earthquake occur

24 48 72 96 120

5-9%

90-80%

35%

R.I.P.

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

Research

22

Observations & Interviews

Rex StricklandDay-side Operations Chief for the Haiti missionTechnical Search Specialist, Plans Chief, Technical Information Specialist

Rick GeringSF Fire Station 1, Heavy Rescue Team Member

Jason WangSearch and Rescue team member. Responded to the Haiti Earthquake with International Search and Rescue Team.

Alan JakobsenVice President, International Sales / Con-Space Communications Ltd

Based on my survey, I realized people were concerned about the efficiency of the rescue process. I con-

tacted with rescue and industry experts to collected more valuable information. Here are three rescue

experts and one industry expert that I engaged with.

ResearchWhat are the current problems?

23

Breach concrete

Breaching concrete is just one of the

challenges facing rescuers when

trying to locate victims in a building

collapse. In addition, it is very time

consuming, especially when rescu-

ers have to work in confined spaces

because some powerful tools are too

big to use in narrow spaces and it

may slow down the whole rescue

process.

Research

24

What are the current problems?

Remove rubble

Heavy equipment can't use because

using it may destabilize the struc-

ture, risking the lives of rescuers and

victims who were buried in the

rubble. Therefore, rescuers only can

use hand and bucket to remove

concrete, glass, and other debris.

They have to remove rubble because

these rubble may obstruct their

working area and path. However, this

is really time-consuming because the

bucket brigade has to span a long

way across potentially unstable parts

of the structure to firm ground to

throw it away.

ResearchWhat are the current problems?

25

Search victims

The difficulty with finding survivors

trapped in what's left of the build-

ings is knowing whether anyone is

even in there. Tapping noises could

be someone's cry for help or the

sounds of a weakened building

settling.

In this situation, rescuers use

canines and listening devices to

narrow down the search area and

locate victims.

Research

26

What are the current problems?

Shore up structures

Shoring is the provision of a

support system for trench faces

used to prevent movement of

constructions. Current shoring

tools either require a lot of time to

install or have refilling require-

ments with big foundation, such

as pneumatic strut, which not

only make confined spaces

narrower but also require more

process to set up.

In order to save as many lives as possible after an earthquake, the rescue process must be fast and efficient. However, the current earthquake rescue process is not efficient, which decreases the victims’ chances of survival during and after an earthquake.

Problem StatementInitial conclusions

27

Hypothesis

28

Initial conclusions

If there is a product, device, and/or system, that can make the rescue process more efficient, then not only rescuers could save more people’s lives but also injured victims would have higher chances of survival during and after an earth-quake.

II. PROJECT ANALYSISMarket AnalysisTarget UsersPersonasBuilt EnvironmentStakeholdersRescue ProcessCompetition AnalysisFuture Technology

Source: Wikipedia

First responders are the people who have basic medical training and they will arrive on scene to

perform any technical rescue operation when emergencies happen, such as: police, fire, and emer-

gency medical services (EMS). First response industry responds to the needs of these first responders,

provide services, equipment, device and/or system to help them to confront danger.

Market Analysis

30

First response industry

94%

6% In 2009, first response industry revenue in U.S. over

8 billion dollars.

94% of the business is from the government

Government

Others

Source: IBIS World Disaster & Emergency Relief Service- U.S. industry report

First response industry is not like a typical consumer industry. This industry was developed as a response to

the needs of government agencies; therefore, customers are almost always comprised of government

agencies such as: fire, rescue, police and EMS departments.

Market AnalysisFirst response industry

31

Government

Companies/Manufacturers

Federal, State, local government

Research, Engineer, Business groups

expresses the needs

release

Bids

New ideas

For contracts

New products

Companies

Manufacturers

Government

Government

There are two buying patterns in this market. One is using public bids. A government expresses the needs,

then the companies or manufacturers will bid for the contract.

The other way is from the companies or manufacturers; these companies create new products and offer

them to governments to purchase.

Buying Patterns

32

How does the market work?

Source: Article “Homeland defense market will triple in size by 2015”

2006 2015

17 Billion

$ Bi

llion

s

0

5

10

15

20

Year

By 2015, governmental spending on prod-ucts and services for Emergency Prepared-ness and Response will reach 17 billion

Global Homeland Security Market for Emergency Preparedness and Response

Market AnalysisGlobal market

33

- Alan JakobsenVice President, International Sales/ Con-Space Communications Ltd

“...The market is still growing globally. For many countries are only now expanding their fire departments beyond simple fire fighting. And let’s face it with all the natural disasters and terrorism around the world, the market will continue to be strong for many years to come.”

INSARAG deals with Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) related issues. INSARAG aims at establishing standards for interna-tional USAR teams and methodology for international coordination in earthquake response.

There are 28 FEMA US&R Task Forces spread throughout the continental United States trained and equipped by FEMA to handle structural collapse.

Federal level- FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Team

The member of International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG)

33

Target Users

34

Who are my target users?

Community level-Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

SF-Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT)

The goal is to teach as many San Franciscan's as possible that, with basic training, they can make a difference in the lives of their families and others when disaster occurs.

All firefighters have light rescue training, such as how to use cribs, blocks, jacks, jaws of life, etc. If the firefighters take optional classes, namely Rescue Systems I and Rescue Systems II, they will be taught specialized types of rescue training such as confined space, high angle,low angle, etc.

Local level-Heavy Rescue Team/Firefighter

35

Target UsersWho are my target users?

Personas

36

Personas I

Jason WangAge: 28Relief Organization: Taiwan International Search and Rescue Job Title: Search and Rescue Personnel

Jason Wang, along with other search and rescue personnel from Taiwan, has been sent to Haiti to aid in the relief efforts. Jason Wang and his team have been specially trained for rescue in collapsed struc-tures. Jason brought a sensitive listening device that can detect even the slightest human sound to locate victims who are still alive. Because the result from the detector is easy to read, Jason really quickly narrowed down the search area and found out several victims’ location. Jason and his team members feel confident when they are using this sound detector because they know they can save victims’ lives and won’t miss finding them.

PersonasPersonas II

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Jerry Brewer Age: 41Relief Organization: Fairfax County Urban Search and RescueJob Title: Search and Rescue Personnel

Jerry Brewer is a member of urban search and rescue team in Fairfax. He has been on the team for 10 years and deployed on several missions around the world. In this Haiti mission, he coordinated all field operations as well as served as an incident commander at several large collapse sites and rescued 20 Haitian trapped in confined spaces. Due to his extensive experience and new detectors used, victims were found and extricated in time. He feels proud of his job and glad he can save people's lives.

Personas

38

Personas III

Ron Wickbacher Age: 35Relief Organization: Los Angeles Urban Search and RescueJob Title: Search and Rescue Personnel

Ron is a canine search specialist from California Task Force 2, and Dawson is a live-scent dog trained for humanitarian search and rescue. Ron and Dawson have passed rigorous national certification in urban search and rescue and responded at several relief missions. For this Haiti mission, Ron installed a new device on Dawson and that can record Dawson’s tracks and barks during the mission, which helped Ron to analyze the possible locations of victims. Because of the new technology used, Ron can easily determine where victims were and spent less time searching for victims.

Pancake collapse Both walls and the ceiling fall and become stacked on top of each other and the floor. This is the most danger-ous type of collapse and causes the most deaths.

Victims in such a collapse are most likely to be found next to and not under large

Earthquake victims will be hard to find in this type of collapse

Part of the building collapses while the remainder of it remains intact, as if the building was cut in half from top to bottom.

Cantilever collapse

When dealing with a search and rescue situation in an urban environment, usually, the rescuers have to deal with collapsed buildings; however, different type of building collapse creates different type of spaces- voids may contain trapped victims; in other words, it shows rescuers the possible location of victims.

Built Environment4 Types of building collapse

39Source: Surviving an Earthquake by Aisha El-Awady

Lean-To collapse

V collapse

One wall gives way while the opposite wall stays standing in place. The ceiling will fall on one side but stay held up on the other side by the remaining wall. A triangle is formed by the floor, sidewall, and the ceiling that makes an angle with the floor.

Both sidewalls remain standing while the ceiling collapses to the inside of the building. This gives an ‘M' shape from the outside or a ‘V' shape on the inside caused by the collapsed ceiling.

Victims can be found along the outer walls under the collapsed ceiling.

Victims will be found under the ceiling next to the standing wall.

Source: Surviving an Earthquake by Aisha El-Awady

Built Environment

40

4 Types of building collapse

California Building Code

The California Building Code establishes minimum stan-dards for earthquake evaluation and design for new con-struction and retrofit of existing structures. The Code requires that every structure and portion thereof, including non structural components that are permanently attached to structures and their supports and attachments, bedesigned and constructed to resist the effects ofearthquake motions in accordance with the minimumdesign loads described in the American Society of CivilEngineers. Listed below are some of the rules andconsiderations:

Seismic Design Category: As a threshold matter, eachstructure must fall within a “seismic designcategory.” These categories depend to some extenton the type of soil (hard rock, clay, etc), earthquakespectral response acceleration parameters, othercomplex formulas, and occupancy categories

New vs. Retrofit: Also considered is whether theconstruction is new construction or a retrofit of anexisting structure.

Private vs. State-Owned: The regulations are further divided between private and state-owned structures. In this regard, for example, there are specific rules forCalifornia state universities and additional rules for public school buildings and hospitals.

Liquefaction Maps: The Code also includes maps of liquefaction zones. These maps have been generated based upon geologi-cal data and each zone lists damping factors and other information used todetermine aspects of the applicable building standards.

Source: Some portions are excerpted from "Homeowner's Guide to Earthquake Safety"

Building CodeWhat are current building code?

41

Stakeholders

42

Who are my stakeholders?

Efficiency of Rescue Process

ManufacturersCompanies

Government Agencies

Communities

End-Users

Homeland Security DepartmentFEMAUrban Search and Rescue TeamFire DepartmentsFire StationsCommunity Emer-gency Response Teams

FirefightersRescuersVolunteerVictims

DesignerWorkerOwner

Administrative

United NationsOffice for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC)International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG)

Emergency medical care Technical support

---

Source: FEMA

Rescue AssistantsWho will help in the rescue process?

43

Rescue Processes

44

What are rescue processes?

Local Knowledge

Evaluate Structures

Shore up

Search for Victims

Remove Rubble

Breach Walls

1

2

3

4

4

4

Rescue ProcessesWhat are rescue processes?

45

Medical services are given to any victims who are found alive, so they are treated while they are being extricated.

Search begins with dogs, cameras and listening devices.

Search for victims

Search and rescue team will follow the mark on the wall shoring up on the site or breaching and lifting structural components. Meanwhile, searches will be conducted simultaneously. The search continues as long as it's possible that victims remain alive.

Shore up Remove rubbleBreach walls

After rescue team arrive at the site, the first thing they do is to meet with the field incident commander, and get a general situation update and briefing.

Local knowledge

Technical support and medical care members set up a base of operations at the site.

Search and rescue specialists and structural engineers inspect the site and will mark areas that need breaching and areas where victims can be seen.

Evaluate structure

1

2

3

4

Source: FEMA

Competition Analysis

46

How are “Needs” currently being addressed?

4 Gas DetectorSound DetectorSearch CamCamera, Thermal ImagingCanine

Pneumatic Powered Hydraulic Powered Electric Powered

Detectors

Shoring Tools

Breaching Tools

Price: $60 - 7,000+

Price: $30 - 5,000+

Price:$3,400$12,000$16,000$17,000

Pneumatic Powered Hydraulic Powered

Search collapsed building is not possible until the site is safe, therefore, shoring up will be priority at this point.

Pneumatic breaking tool is good to use in confined spaces. Hydraulic breaker is commonly used in vehicle accidents.

Gas detector is using to warn of the existence of specific toxic or combus-tible gases and oxygen deficiency hazard. Sound detector can detect even the slightest human sound to locate victims who are still alive.

Competition AnalysisHow are “Needs” currently being addressed?

Pneumatic Powered Hydraulic Powered Electric Powered

Cutting Tools

Others

Safety

Torch, oxygen/fuel gasHeavy Rigging Technical Rope

Belt Tooletc...

Air blowerBreathing Apparatus

Leather GlovesHelmets

etc...

Price: $10 - 2,000+

Price: $90 - 5,000+

Price: $300 - 3,500+

47

Air blower is used to venti-late explosive and hazard-ous vapors or fumes safely. Breathing apparatus allows rescuers to breathe in hostile environments.

Oxygen torch is used for welding, brazing, and cutting. Heavy rigging is used in the demolition (destruction) of structures. Technical rope is used during high angle or low angle rescue.

Like breaching tool, cutting tool is used for destruction or cutting of concrete.

What Are My Opportunities?

48

Breaching Tools

LargeSmall

Powerful

Weak

Opportunities

Opportunities

- Rex StricklandDay-side Operations Chief for the Haiti mission

“Breaching devices could be smaller, last longer and more portable.

Concrete smasher

Chain saw

Hammer drill

Electric hammer

Hammer Portable cut-off saw

Pneumatic chisel kit

ExpensiveInexpensive

Quick

Slow

Opportunities Opportunities

“Any device that can narrow down the amount of debris removal is invaluable”

- Mark Foster Massachusetts Task Force 1 Team Member

49

What Are My opportunities?Remove Tools

Leather gloves

Bucket Source: From “Life Detection Systems Save Earthquake Victims in China”

What Are My Opportunities?

50

Detectors for search victims

High restriction for the product to work

Low restriction for the product to work

Opportunities

Opportunities

Thermal camera

Canine

Searchcam

Sound Detector

If there is a product that everyone can buy it and it can help rescuers to find “customers” when they are buried under the rubble...

ExpensiveInexpensive

Refill requireNo require

More time to install

Less time to install

Opportunities

Air bags Struts with air power

Struts with hydraulic power

What Are My opportunities?Shoring Tools

51

“ We need more options for lifting heavy objects. Smaller profiles with power plants that do not have large footprints or cumbersome refilling requirements such as air bags”.

- Rex StricklandDay-side Operations Chief for the Haiti mission

Future Technology

52

Technology for future emergency response

Hand-held Reader Sees Through-walls

Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton

Prism 200 is an ‘impulse radar’ thatoperates by transmitting very short radarpulses which pass through standard buildingmaterials and then listen for echoes. It allow rescuers to detect the situation behind the wall.

Exoskeleton in which the pilot could carry a heavy load, while feeling only a few-pound load. This system can provide disaster relief workers to carry major loads such as food, rescue equipment, first-aid supplies, communications gear with minimal effort.

Source: http://bleex.me.berkeley.edu/bleex.htm

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012084217.htm

Tele-operated search and rescue robots

Tele-operated search and rescue robots that can navigate deep into rubble to search for victims and to transfer critical field data back to the control console has gained much interest among emergency response institutions.

Chaos robot

Chaos is a highly mobile small robot useful for explosive ordinance disposal, surveillance, recon-naissance, search and rescue, hauling gear, and other dull, dirty, or dangerous tasks read.

Source: Intelligent Robot-assisted HumanitarianSearch and Rescue System

Source: autonomoussolutions.com

Future TechnologyTechnology for future emergency response

53

54

III. VERIFICATIONRescue & Industry Experts Verification

San Francisco Fire Station 1/Heavy Rescue Team

VerificationRescue & industry experts verification

57

Rex StricklandDay-side Operations Chief for the Haiti missionTechnical Search Specialist, Plans Chief, Technical Information Specialist

Rick GeringSF Fire Station 1, Heavy Rescue Team Member

Alan JakobsenVice President / Con-Space Communications Ltd

“...The market is still growing globally. For many countries are only now expanding their fire departments beyond simple fire fighting. And let’s face it with all the natural disasters and terrorism around the world the market will continue to be strong for many years to come.”

“I can’t imagine if an earthquake occurs in San Francisco...We wouldn’t have enough time and personnel to rescue everyone...because the rescue process takes a lot of time... ”

“Our focus is heavy reinforced concrete collapses. We offer shoring capability, structural engineers who undress the building to keep it from falling further, hydraulic concrete breakers and cutters, torches, and other gas-powered saws.”

( - It takes at least about 30 minutes to break through a concrete wall, and if there is a beam in the wall, it will take about 4 hours.)

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IV. CONCLUSIONSummaryBibliographyTimeline

Summary

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My goal and my possible direction

Goal

The goal of my project is to enhance the speed of rescue process by improv-

ing the current used tools and/or equipment for search and rescue

during/after earthquakes.

Possible Direction

Design a device or a system that can help to search victims

Improved breaching, shoring, or debris removal systems

Consider if there are ways to help rescuers work in confined spaces

SummaryWhy the rescue process have to be efficient?

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There are social, economic and technological reasons why we should make the rescue process more efficient.

Social Reason

Remain family and social structuresEarthquakes not only destroy building but also de-stabilize the social structure of the affected area. So, a more efficient rescue process can help to maintain the social stability of the affected area because more people survive and more families remain intact.

Economic Reason

Reduce the economic impactA quick and efficient rescue process frees people faster and decreases harm to people; therefore, it can shorten the victims’ hospital stays and reduce the money spent on medical care.

Technological Reason

Enhance victims’ chances of survivalWith the new technologies, rescuers can locate victims faster and/ or shorten the time for breaching concrete, they will have more time to rescue other victims; therefore, decreasing the loss of life and increasing other trapped victims’ chances of survival.

Bibliography

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“Are We Prepared for an 8.8 Quake?” The New York Times Official Site. March 1, 2010, Web. 15 April 2010

An Overview of Disaster Management, 2nd ed. Geneva, United Nations Development Programme, Disaster Management Training Programme, 1992.

Clinton, Bill (2010). Earthquake Haiti: Tragedy and Hope. New York, NY: Time Books

Elliott, Michael. “Haiti’s Agony.” Time special report Jan. 25 2010: 30-36

Earthquakes and People’s Health: Vulnerability Reduction, Preparedness, and Rehabilitation. Proceedings of a WHO Symposium, Kobe, Japan 1997. Geneva, World Health Organization, 1997

Huang KC, Lee TS, Lin YM, et al: Clinical features and outcome of crush syndromecaused by the Chi-Chi earthquake. J Formos Med Assoc 2002;101:249–256.

Shoaf KI, Sareen HR, Nguyen LH, et al: Injuries as a result of Californiaearthquakes in the past decade. Disasters 1998;22:218–235.

“Study: Earthquake does not kill people, buildings do” Digital Journal. Edwin Manaois, Mar 10, 2010, Web. 10 April 2010

“Are We Prepared for an 8.8 Quake?” The New York Times Official Site. March 1, 2010, Web. 15 April 2010

“Study: Earthquake does not kill people, buildings do” Digital Journal. Edwin Manaois, Mar 10, 2010, Web. 10 April 2010

An Overview of Disaster Management, 2nd ed. Geneva, United Nations Development Programme, Disaster Management Training Programme, 1992.

Earthquakes and People’s Health: Vulnerability Reduction, Preparedness, and Rehabilita-tion. Proceedings of a WHO Symposium, Kobe, Japan 1997. Geneva, World Health Organi-zation, 1997.

“U.S. Homeland Security Market Forecast” Homeland Security Weekly. Hunter Holcombe, January 5, 2007, Web. 12 April 2010

“Why Haiti's quake toll higher than Chile's” CNN Official Site. Colin Stark, February 28, 2010, Web. 13 April 2010

Bibliography

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Portable Fishing Rod

Cap Protection

Spinning Reel

Advanced Digital 3D Modeling / Fall 0968

Make a fishing rod easy to carry and comfortable to use

Comfortable to Hold

Retractable

Cap protection

Wire protection

Design Features

Extendable Rod

Ergonomic Handle

This is a group project worked with Claire Toussaint and Li Tung Tai in the project 1 class, the Noshi com-bined digital scale with measuring cup to make baking process more easy and relaxed.

Noshi

Digital Scale and

Measuring Cup

70

Design Project 1 / Spring 09Instructor: Mark Bolick

Sweet Candy Flashlight

72

Sweet Candy FlashlightBring back your sweet memory

Model Making / Spring 08Instructor: John

Stackability Served Fold Connect Strap

Takeaway Food container

Inspiration -When you carry your food, your bag may be spilled or dirty all over by your leaking food container.....-It is never convenient to take your take out food in a to-go box without having to use a plastic bag.

Problems-leaking-using plastic bags

Hypothesis-What if carrying a takeout box that not only has better leaking prevention, but also environmental friendly.

Design a food container that is not just more conve-nient for users but also less impact for environment

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Go!

Design Project 2/ Fall 09Instructor: Tom Matano

Claire Meng 2010THESIS PROPOSAL