Auckland, New Zealand, 22 March 2024 ————– Thomas Schmidt, founder of Sepia Design Consultants Limited completed his Cal-OES Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Evaluator Training through the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to become a certified Building Evaluator. Like many architects around the world, Schmidt has leveraged his expertise and experience to assist communities in need when the time comes. After disaster strikes, local building inspectors often struggle with the volume of buildings that must be evaluated for safety. In many instances, there simply aren’t enough trained city inspectors. Architects with the knowledge and expertise to evaluate buildings can help.
The Safety Assessment Program (SAP) utilizes volunteers and mutual aid resources to provide professional engineers, architects, and certified building inspectors to assist local governments in safety evaluation of their built environment in the aftermath of a disaster. The program is managed by Cal OES, in cooperation with professional organizations. Cal OES Recovery SAP issues registration ID cards to all SAP Evaluators that have successfully completed the program requirements.