Department of Building Inspection Annual Report | Page 15

Seismic Safety Outreach Program
In May 2015, DBI awarded two community-based
organizations, Community Youth Center and Self
Help for the Elderly, both located in Chinatown, with
a grant to conduct disaster preparedness outreach,
at Willie Woo Playground and Portsmouth Square
service areas, respectively.
This program provides free seismic safety outreach
and training to Chinatown residents, which may
include renters, business owners, homeowners, youth
and seniors of diverse cultural groups with significant
linguistic, social, and economic needs to educate
them on emergency preparedness and response.

Over the course of the year, each organization is
offering one-hour workshops Chinatown residents
on what they can do to prepare for a natural disaster.
The workshop curriculum includes:
1. Personnel Preparedness

2. Basic First Aid and Citizen CPR
3. Earthquake Mitigation

4. Response and Recovery
5. Fire Safety

IN REVIEW
Creation of DBI’s Disaster Preparedness Coordination Unit
In early 2015, DBI created the Disaster Preparedness Coordination Unit (DCU) to develop training programs
and improve the Department’s emergency staff responses during disaster events such as earthquakes and
landslides.
The DCU works in close coordination with citywide efforts as well as regional, state and federal level training
and preparation for emergency disasters. Along with other first responders such as Fire and Police, DCU is
working to develop DBI’s important role of ensuring building safety before, during and post-disaster.

DBI FY 2014 – 2015 Annual Report

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