WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it will hold four seminars on hazard mitigation during a two-week-long institute in July 2004. The institute covers protective design for earthquakes, fires, flood and wind.

“Hazard mitigation is vitally important to this country to reduce the toll that disasters exact on our communities and neighborhoods,” said Michael D. Brown, under secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. “These courses help teach the next generation of architects and engineers about the value and importance of disaster resistant design.”

The seminars, part of the Multihazard Building Design Summer Institute, are designed for active college or university faculty teaching undergraduate or graduate-level architecture and engineering courses in U.S-based institutions. They were developed by staff at the Emergency Management Institute in conjunction with experienced architects and engineers. The sessions, free of charge to qualified applicants, are conducted by EMI, located on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center, in Emmitsburg, Md. Qualified applicants are eligible for no-cost housing at the training center and are reimbursed for travel expenses.

During the summer institute, two seminars are offered each week. Flood Protection Design and Wind Engineering are offered the week of July 19, 2004. Earthquake Protective Design and Fire Design are offered during the week of July 26.

University faculty interested in attending one or more of the seminars should contact Joe Bills at 301-447-1356. Depending on faculty enrollment, limited slots may be available for architects and engineers who are not faculty members. For more informationgo to FEMA's Web site.