Placing engineering in the earthquake response and the survival chain

Earthquakes injure millions and simultaneously disrupt the infrastructure to protect them. This perspective argues that the current post-disaster investigation paradigm is insufficient to protect communities’ health effectively. We propose the Earthquake Survival Chain as a framework to change the current engineering focus on infrastructure to health. This framework highlights four converging research opportunities to advance understanding of earthquake injuries, search and rescue, patient mobilizations, and medical treatment. We offer an interdisciplinary research agenda in engineering and health sciences, including artificial intelligence and virtual reality, to protect health and life from earthquakes. This Perspective provides insightful discussion in how engineers can aid human health and safety during earthquake disasters. From search and rescue, helping mobilize patients, and securing medical facilities and treatment engineering can work towards bettering earthquake response.