In the weeks following the magnitude-7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, our staff received reports from many organizations about what they are doing and what they need to continue to provide aid to the people of Haiti. We have also received requests from many structural engineering professionals who would like to contribute to the relief and rebuilding efforts. Structural Engineering & Design staff has compiled a list of the many organizations and individual structural engineering efforts that are underway to assist the island nation. Visit www.gostructural.com and click on the red button to visit “Engineering Relief for Haiti” for many resources, links, and descriptions of the engineering-based efforts that are underway.

The following organizations are particularly active in the recovery efforts and each have created repositories of member information and provide links and data for public use.

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)
EERI has appointed Reginald DesRoches, professor and associate chair of the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, a native of Haiti, and a current EERI Board member, to lead EERI’s reconnaissance team to Haiti.

Haiti Earthquake Clearinghouse — Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the EERI created this site to collect and disseminate information to and from members and other aligned organizations. The site contains many photos of earthquake-damaged structures, reports from the field, EERI activities, as well as many links and discussion pages. (www.eqclearinghouse.org/20100112-haiti)

Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER)
Following the earthquake that struck Haiti, MCEER became involved in coordinating relief efforts. MCEER and the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) teamed up to dispatch a relief team of French-speaking structural engineers to evaluate the structural stability of hospitals and other crucial infrastructure in the earthquake-stricken region.

Haiti Earthquake Relief Mission — AIDG launched a special fundraising campaign to cover the cost associated with the relief mission. Donations can be sent by check (please note “Haiti Structural Analysis Fund” or “Haiti Relief Fund” on check) to AIDG, P.O. Box 104, Weston, MA 02493, or donate by credit card online. (http://mceer.buffalo.edu/research/Reconnaissance/Haiti1-12-10/reliefmission.asp)

Even as efforts are ongoing to help rebuild the infrastructure in the wake of the tremor, the need for assistance will continue to be great — especially as we enter hurricane season. Hurricanes — not earthquakes — are the annual natural disaster that typically threaten this impoverished nation and challenge the fragile infrastructure.

If you have information to share, please e-mail Structural Engineering & Design Editor Jennifer Goupil, P.E., with more resources or firm reports at jgoupil@stagnitomedia.com and we’ll get them posted.