Criteria
The focus for Individual Assistance Preliminary Damage Assessments is HABITABILITY, meaning whether or not the survivor can safely continue to live in the structure. Damages to homes and businesses are broken down into five categories for an IA PDA: destroyed, major, minor, inaccessible and affected. For all of these damage levels, except the affected category, a survivor cannot safely remain at home. These criteria are more thoroughly detailed in the IA PDA Pocket Guide but the basic definitions are listed below.
Destroyed—Structure is a total loss. Not economically feasible to rebuild. Permanently uninhabitable.
Major—Building has sustained structural or significant damage and is currently uninhabitable. Extensive repairs are necessary, therefore the structure cannot be made habitable in a short period of time (less than a month).
Minor—Structure is damaged and uninhabitable. Minor repairs are necessary to make the structure habitable, but they can be completed in a short period of time (less than a month). The dwelling has some damage, but can be used without significant repair.
Inaccessible—Known structures exist in an area that the team or resident cannot safely enter in order to verify damage.
Affected—Structure has received minimal damage and is habitable without repairs.
Updated:
February 16, 2010 11:37
