Public Safety Studies on Evacuations of World Trade Center Will Be Announced at April 8th Community Forum

NEW YORK CITY, March 28 ???Scientific investigators from Columbia University, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are conducting comprehensive public safety studies into the evacuation of and emergency response to the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001. The goal of these studies is to enhance the safety of occupants in tall buildings by improving understanding of human behavior, improving emergency response capabilities and procedures, and enabling improvements to U.S. building and fire codes, standards, and practices. The studies will be detailed on Tuesday, April 8, during a two-hour community forum at The New York Academy of Medicine.

The researchers are coordinating their activities with the overarching goal of seeking to improve life safety in the future for building occupants and first responders. Some critical questions surrounding the events of September 11th that the group of researchers will address include:

• How do specific building design features promote or hinder evacuation of buildings?

• Can we better enable persons with disabilities to safely evacuate from tall buildings?

• How do people become aware of their situations and make decisions during a time-constrained evacuation?

• How can emergency communications in tall buildings be improved to ensure that the occupants and emergency responders have the information they need -- in as timely a way as possible -- to make the best decisions for themselves and others in need of rescue?

• What type of training can improve the evacuation of people from buildings?

Principal Investigators from each study will be present to discuss their projects during the community forum, to be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Room 440 of the Academy.

Each speaker will briefly describe the objectives, methodologies, and timelines for their work. Former WTC employers, employees who survived the attacks, victims??? families and friends, and first responders who were present that morning are strongly encouraged to attend.

A press conference will be held at 4:00 p.m. in the President's Gallery. Principal researchers will briefly describe each study and answer questions about their studies.

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA ONLY should RSVP to:

Stephanie Berger at the Mailman School of Public Health 212-305-4372/5365 sb2247@columbia.edu

If you are unable to attend, Dr. Robyn Gershon, principal investigator of the Columbia University study, will be available for interviews. Please call:

212-305-1186 email wtc-evacuation@columbia.edu or visit http://www.mailman.hs.columbia.edu/CPHP/wtc.html

Directions to the Forum

Posted on March 28, 2003

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Contact:
Andrew J. Martin
Director of Communications
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
212-822-7285
amartin@nyam.org

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