The Congressional emergency appropriation resulting from the January 17, 1994, Northridge earthquake provided the Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL)
at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) an opportunity to expand its activities in earthquake engineering under the National Earthquake Hazard
Reduction Program (NEHRP). In addition to the postearthquake reconnaissance, BFRL focused its efforts primarily on post-earthquake fire and lifelines and on moment-resisting steel frames.