Disaster Experience

Greg McLellan and Marcelo Perla are members of the Miami-Dade Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) as a structural consultant and John Pepper is a retired member of the team. This volunteer engagement has taken John to the Oklahoma City bombing, the American Embassy bombing in Kenya, the terrorist attack on the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the explosion of the Humberto Vidal Building in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the Taiwan earthquake.

Both John and Greg were federalized at the 9/11 World Trade Center bombing where they provided engineering consultation to Florida Task Force 1 (FLTF1), FEMA and the New York City Fire Department in regard to the structural integrity of the collapsed buildings and adjacent structures.

In addition to the World Trade Center, Greg served with FLTF1 in Punta Gorda after Hurricane Charlie, in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and in Miami after Hurricane Wilma. Greg deployed with FLTF1 to Barbados in 2007 for rescue / recovery operations due to the collapse of a 2-story apartment building. Most recently Greg McLellan and Marcelo Perla were deployed to Haiti with FLTFI as part of an international search and rescue response to the 7.0 earthquake.

• Hurricane Hugo – 1989, On Site Study for The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE).
• Hurricane Andrew – 1992, Over 1500 Hurricane Damage Investigations for Insurance Companies.
• “Storm Of The Century” – March 13, 1993, Damage Investigations for Insurance Companies Concerning Wind and Flood Damage.
• Hurricanes Opal and Erin – 1995, Damage Investigations for Insurance Companies Concerning Wind and Flood Damage.
• Hurricane Marilyn – 1995, Investigated Flood Damage.
• Hurricane Georges – 1998, Damage Investigations for Insurance Companies Concerning Wind and Flood Damage.
• Hurricane Irene – 1999, Damage Investigations for Insurance Companies Concerning Wind and Flood Damage.
• Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne, Ivan – 2004 , Damage Investigations for Insurance Companies Concerning Wind and Flood Damage.
• Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma – 2005 , Damage Investigations for Insurance Companies Concerning Wind and Flood Damage.
• Tornadoes, Hail Storms, Floods, and Explosion Investigations.

• Mexico City Earthquake – 1985, On site study for National Society of Professional Engineers.
• Oklahoma City Federal Building Bombing – 1995, Lead Structural Engineer, Metro Dade County Urban Search and Rescue Team.
• Sri Lanka Central Bank Bombing – 1996, Investigated Damage for US State Department.
• Puerto Rico Gas Explosion – 1996, Structural Engineer, Metro Dade Urban Search and Rescue.
• US Embassy Bombing in Kenya – 1998, Investigated Damage for US State Department.
• Tau-Liu Taiwan Earthquake – 1999, Engineer for Fairfax, Virginia Urban Search and Rescue Team.
• 9/11 World Trade Center – 2001, Both partners Federalized for two weeks as Structural Engineers with Miami Dade Urban Search and Rescue Team.
• Barbados Building Collapse – 2007, Greg McLellan deployed with FLTF1.
• Haiti Earthquake – 2010, Greg McLellan and Marcelo Perla deployed with FLTFI as part of an international search and rescue response.

If you have any questions about our experience in any type of disaster services, you may e-mail us, write us, or call us and we will provide the required information promptly.