Disaster Recovery Construction Specialist Development and Research Planning Forum

“The Disaster Recovery Forum underlined the critical need for a disaster recovery construction specialist certification.  Recommendations about skills that must be addressed, the potentials that virtual reality training and testing offer plus the opportunities app technologies offer point the way forward. The Forum clearly demonstrated the collaborative energies of many organizations which can be harnessed to realize a disaster recovery construction certification accredited under ISO/IEC 17024 standards in the near-term. We are very grateful to the conveners, sponsors, speakers and other leaders who partnered with us to make the Forum a success.”

“The Forum represented a pivotal first step to launch and shape a fully accredited Disaster Recovery Construction Specialist Certification for the United States and Canada. It was clearly evident that there is a great unmet need for this certification in order to improve the quality of construction delivery in the face of disaster, protect workers, reduce the likelihood of construction fraud, and promote local inclusion and revitalization. Given the forecast of more frequent and more intense disasters on the horizon, it is imperative that this certification be developed and made available as soon as possible.”

“Hispanics make up about 25% of the construction industry workforce in the United States. Construction workers, Hispanic or not, are generally “hands and mind” oriented, therefore virtual technology platforms for certification and training can provide a much better simulation of construction field work than conventional approaches. A disaster recovery construction specialist certification is not only urgently needed to prepare the construction workforce for future disaster events, the creation of a virtual technology platform for the certification and related preparatory training would be a welcome advance to the industry.”

“Disaster survivors would benefit from a certification to use as a resource tool and guide. A Disaster Recovery Construction Specialist Program could serve as a catalyst to thwart scam artists and thieves that lay wake to prey on the suffering, lack of construction knowledge, and information available in the aftermath of a disaster.”

“Emergency managers throughout the nation could greatly benefit from being able to utilize construction workers who have demonstrated their competencies by achieving an ISO/IEC 17024 accredited Disaster Recovery Construction Specialist Certification. The development of this certification should be a top priority for governments and the private sector to better address the ever increasing challenges we face in the wake of disasters.”

“We know, as the number and cost of federally declared disasters increase, how important it is that those responding to rebuild our communities become better prepared themselves to implement best practice approaches and technologies.  The Design Forum has achieved “proof of concept” for filling this urgent need through certification.”

“The Forum provided building industry representatives an important opportunity to advance the development and fill a void for a vitally needed disaster recovery construction specialist certification. It also supported better understanding of advanced technologies relevant to this credential as well as the need for construction certification credentials in general. ICC recognizes the importance of certification and looks forward to bringing this important initiative to completion.”