Imperial County Services Building: Occupant Behavior and Operational Consequences as a Result of the 1979 Imperial Valley Earthquake

摘要

Results are presented of a study of two issues: (1) occupant behavior in the Imperial County Services Building in El Centro, California, at the time of an earthquake; and (2) the relocation process for the county agencies that were forced to move from the building. A questionnaire was administered to the 118 building occupants who still worked for the county. Forty-four people were injured and all eleven county agencies were relocated. The study found that: (1) previous experience in earthquakes and in drills strongly influenced people's behavior in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake; (2) although building contents were displaced, people suffered only minor injuries; (3) no one was injured by falling light fixtures, air diffusers, other ceiling-supported objects, or broken glass; and (4) although required to relocate, county services were resumed after a very short period of time.