The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Overview

The purpose of this course is to introduce concepts that can help building designers and building owners to mitigate the threat of terrorist attacks on new buildings. This course specifically addresses four high-population, private-sector building types: commercial office, retail, multi-family residential, and light industrial, although many of the concepts presented are also applicable to other building types and/or existing buildings. The main focus of the material is explosive attacks, but the course does also address measures to protect against chemical, biological and radiological attacks.

Designing security into a building involves tradeoffs. Because an attack can have catastrophic consequences, it is prudent to incorporate measures that will save lives and minimize business interruption. However, the likelihood of an attack is small, so the measures taken should not prevent the efficient, daily operation of the building. This course will help the student to strike a proper balance between maximum building functionality and safety.

The student is expected to read and review the material contained in the Primer for Design of Commercial Buildings to Mitigate Terrorist Attacks; FEMA 427 - December 2003.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of forty (40) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

  · Terrorist threats
  · Weapons effects
  · Building damage
  · Multi-discipline design approach
  · Design guidance
  · Occupancy types
  · Cost considerations

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.