Bracken Engineering is an industry leading structural and forensic engineering consulting firm dedicated to hands-on problem solving and innovative solutions to structural and building envelope issues. Bracken Engineering provides Design, Restoration, Forensic and Disaster Response services to organizations and individuals that own, construct, operate, represent and/or insure structures/facilities of all types.
ERT works with emergency response personnel throughout fire rescue operations and investigations.
ERT works with building departments, insurance companies and property/facility managers to provide post-disaster structural triage and assessments.
ERT provides restoration documentation and engineered plans to repair and rebuild structures damaged by disasters.
ERT conducts forensic investigations of damage from disasters.
Presentations and Publications
- William Bracken regularly teaches “Wind, Flood, Code and Preparedness” classes for the International Code Council (I.C.C.), The Florida Engineering Society, and the State of Florida. His audience consists of engineers, architects, contractors, building officials, and other professionals in the construction industry. William Bracken also teaches disaster mitigation and emergency preparedness for the I.C.C.
- Timothy Roda presented “Establishing Protocols for Conducting Structural Condition Assessments of Multiple Structures in Response to Catastrophic Conditions” at the 2007 International Structures Congress. This peer-reviewed paper was presented in May of 2007 and published as part of the conference proceedings.
Bracken Engineering formed and has maintained its Engineering Response Team since 2002. This team was originally formed in response to the lack of structural engineering expertise within the State of Florida’s Urban Search and Rescue Program. This need was originally filled by 5 engineers employed by Bracken Engineering, who then went on to form Bracken Engineering’s ERT. This team has gone on to provide structural engineering consultation services in a post-event capacity for regular clients of Bracken Engineering, in addition to emergency personnel. This team has established industry standards with respect of engineers to rapidly conduct large numbers of structural assessments in response to disastrous events.
In the 2004 hurricane season, the ERT saw its first large scale test. Members of the team conducted structural assessments in Florida in response to hurricane damage resulting from Hurricanes Charley, Francis, Ivan and Jeanne. In 2005, again the ERT experienced a busy hurricane season. This time, the ERT responded to hurricane damage throughout the Southeast as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. This included extensive work and structural assessments in Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana. In early 2007, ERT provided structural assessments in response to the large tornado outbreak in North Central Florida. Since its inception, the ERT has provided emergency assistance to fire rescue personnel in the Tampa Bay Area in response to fires, vehicle impacts, structural collapses, construction failures, flooding, sinkholes and severe storms.
Today, Bracken Engineering’s ERT employs six FEMA trained and qualified Urban Search and Rescue Structure Specialists. The role of the Structure Specialist is to work as a member of the fire rescue system to identify potential hazards to fire rescue personnel in compromised structures. When necessary, the Structure Specialist is responsible for recommending and supervising the installation of shoring and/or demolition measures in order to mitigate risk to rescue personnel. Our engineers utilize this training and experience as part of Bracken Engineering’s Engineering Response Team.
