Raker Shore Test Facility opens in California
On October 15, the Raker Shore Test Facility made its debut in East Menlo Park, California. The objectives of the facility are to provide opportunities for researching raker shore design and construction as well as a training site for rescue personnel. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was cohosted by the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency`s (FEMA) California Task Force 3, a special operations Urban Search and Rescue team. The ceremony was followed by a disaster response simulation of how members of California Task Force 3 retrieve survivors trapped in collapsed structures.
The event was timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake. The new facility is designed to simulate extremely hazardous postdisaster conditions similar to those experienced in areas severely damaged by the Loma Prieta Earthquake. The facility is expected to provide insight into how and why raker shores collapse so that SEAONC`s structural engineers will be able to design stronger, more reliable raker shores.
SEAONC`s Disaster Emergency Services committee and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District provided financial and technical support for the project.
