FEMA 154 
Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings 
for Potential Seismic Hazards and 
Rapid Observation of Vulnerability 
and Estimation of Risk (ROVER) 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: FEMA 154, Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings 
for Potential Seismic Hazards, provides training on how to identify potentially 
hazardous buildings before earthquakes occur. The course covers methods and 
processes that enable personnel to rapidly identify, inventory, and rank local 
buildings according to their expected safety and usability during and after 
earthquakes. Local officials can use these data to plan and prioritize further 
engineering and vulnerability analysis, emergency-response needs, and 
mitigation projects. 

Rapid Observation of Vulnerability and Estimation of Risk (ROVER) is 
software that automates the paper-based screening procedures taught in FEMA 
154 and ATC-20. Building-specific data are entered into ROVER in the field via 
smartphones and GPS devices, and are aggregated in a PC-based data server. 
ROVER features include automated geolocation, integrated digital photography 
and sketching capabilities, and automated retrieval of site-specific soil and 
hazard data from USGS maps. 

TARGET AUDIENCE: Building officials, engineers, architects, building 
owners, emergency managers, risk analysts, and other interested citizens and 
volunteers. 

GENERAL INFORMATION: 

Time: 

Date: 

Location: 

Instructor: 

Materials: Course materials and/or CDs will be disseminated onsite. 

 
REGISTRATION: To register, email your name, title, organization, address, 
and phone number to 

For questions or additional information, call 

AGENDA: 

1. Introduction 
2. Planning and Managing Rapid Visual Screening 
3. Completing the Data Collection Form 
4. Using the RVS Procedure Results 
5. Example Application of Rapid Visual Screening 
6. ROVER Training 


This training is supported by NEHRP National Earthquake Technical Assistance Program (NETAP).
For more information visit: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/earthquake/training_netap.shtm