With the availability of the media, internet, and social networking, the news comes to us faster and more complete than ever. An event anywhere in the world is instant news, and the details are more pervasive, along with an abundance of opinions and commentary. This is mine.
The recent earthquake in Turkey is a scene that we have seen repeated over and over. Mass destruction, chaos, loss of life and limb, and untold human misery are once again with us, in the name of “an act of God”. While it is obvious that humankind is powerless to prevent an earthquake, should we accept the scale of destruction as inevitable?
Curious are the comments of Turkish Prime Minister. On Tuesday, Oct 25, 2011, Selcan Hacaoglu and Suzan Fraser of the Associated Press report,
“Turkey’s prime minister says shoddy construction contributed to the high casualty toll in Turkey’s earthquake.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey has not learned enough from past earthquakes that toppled poorly constructed buildings, trapping people inside. He is comparing the actions of irresponsible builders to murder.”
On October 26, 2011, Sebnem Arsu of the New York Times reports,
“Questions were raised about the quality of construction in the area, with some buildings having remained completely intact while those next door were destroyed.”
We can learn something from these tragedies. Even if you don’t live in a seismic zone, no one is immune from facing such a natural disaster. But there is something that we can do about it. The construction practices in our communities are determining the scale of destruction that we will experience if and when we are visited by disaster.
Many people seem to think of building codes and ordinances as more of a nuisance than a benefit. No one wants to be told by an inspector that they are required to make necessary repairs to their property. And during construction, everyone resists the authority of the local inspectors, whose job it is to insure that our communities are built with integrity. But clearly, compliance with these codes pays off when needed the most. But the benefit of compliance does not register as instant gratification. How does this pertain to us as individuals?
When you hire a contractor for a project, what is the most important factor in selecting a builder? Do you consider qualifications, or just cost. Let’s face it, money talks. But the lowest bidder may not hold the necessary licensing to pull the proper permits. And if they are not licensed, they may not have sufficient knowledge of the applicable code standards to obtain one. If they want to work with out a permit, they may not want an inspector looking at their work.
If you invite such a person onto your property to begin construction or repairs, you may “get away with it.” But in the long run, are you responsible? For more information on choosing a contractor, see the link to an article from Angie’s List on the resources page of my website, http://www.threephaseinc.com. Thanks for reading.
By: John W. Evans
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