Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Purdue University Develops Online Course on Disaster Recovery

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/06/21

Purdue Online has recently launched a Disaster Recovery Certificate course for construction professionals. The course was developed as a means to educate workers in the construction industry on the nuances between disaster recovery work and normal construction practices. According to a news release, some of the major differences include working against a ticking clock, dealing with unusual and unexpected conditions, and performing to a particular standard of timeliness and perfection in an emergency setting.

The course was developed by Randy Rapp, an associate professor with Purdue Polytechnic Institute’s School of Construction Management Technology and a disaster recovery expert who responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. “I had the background in construction, but I was missing the nuances that make disaster recovery different,” said Rapp of his inspiration for creating the program.

 The course’s target audience includes conventional construction professionals, disaster management professionals, government personnel involved in disaster recovery, and those interested in project management. The curriculum introduces the process for dealing with a large regional disaster, noting that professionals can easily adapt the principles to smaller disasters as needed. It teaches professionals the right technical questions to ask and how to employ contractors with the appropriate skills.

Its four modules discuss the specifics of dealing with water damage, smoke and fire damage, personal property damage, and microbial damage. Other topics covered include the various impacts of disasters; communication and documentation standards; and the basics of bids, delivery methods, contracts, and proposals, logistics, and material management and procurement.

The fully online course is self-paced but takes about 20 hours to complete (about 5 hours per module). Rapp noted that professionals can make their way through the material within a week to prepare for a disaster recovery job. The course costs $295, and upon completion, students earn a Purdue Disaster Recovery Certificate.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.