FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - AussieJournal -- Millions of dollars awarded in settlements, multiple state and federal investigations, and new state legislation all lie in the wake of the disaster that struck Surfside, Florida a year ago. With investigations and legal proceedings still ongoing, the question "could it all have been avoided?" will perhaps go unanswered for some time. In his new book, Negligence! Averting Disaster at Your Building, Greg Batista asks, can we prevent it from happening again?

From his 30-plus years in engineering and construction, Batista has a unique vantage point on the inner workings of the construction, concrete repair, and structural engineering industry in South Florida. In fact, he was hired by and visited Champlain Towers in 2017. He provides key insights on the confluence of issues that attributed to the deadliest building failure in modern history.

More on Aussie Journal

• Divine Punk Announces Happy Christmas, a Holiday Soundscape by Rebecca Noelle
• $430 Million 2026 Revenue Forecast; 26% Organic Growth; $500,000 Stock Dividend Highlight a Powerful AI & Digital Transformation Story: IQSTEL $IQST
• Wzzph Deploys 5-Million-TPS Trading Engine with Hot-Cold Wallet Architecture Serving 500,000 Active Users Across Latin America
• Preston Dermatology & Skin Surgery Center and Dr. Sheel Desai Solomon Dominate Raleigh's Best Awards from The News & Observer
• $73.6 Million Multi-Year Backlog and Florida State Term Contract Drive Momentum for AI-Cybersecurity Pioneer: Cycurion, Inc. (N A S D A Q: CYCU) $CYCU

His prescient view of the issues at hand is highlighted by the passage of Florida's new condo safety law that, among other things, will require more frequent inspections, special attention given to properties near the coast, and stipulations for funds to be set aside by homeowner's associations for repairs.

Batista explains in his book why these are vital measures, and in a Fox News interview last week he opined that "a lot of times the law has to prod [HOA boards] along who aren't necessarily engineers, they aren't contractors." He empathizes with board members who, he writes, are volunteers giving up their free time to serve an important role. They don't necessarily have the training and knowledge to advocate for the importance of regular repairs and maintenance in avoiding disasters like the one in Surfside last year.

More on Aussie Journal

• Year-Round Deals for Customers With Square Signs
• SecurePII Raises US$3.5M (A$5M) to Unlock AI and Compliance for Voice Data and Expands Global Presence
• Peter Coe Verbica Stands with Rural Families and Horse Owners: "Keep Horses Classified as Livestock"
• The Mobile-First Company Raises $12M to Build Simple, Powerful Software for Small Teams
• Lick Pineapple Flavored Massage Oil Outperforming and Enticing

That, in part, is what he hopes to solve with his new book, which is available today and advertised at $9.99 on his website, with all profits being donated to the American Red Cross. "I'm not looking to make money off this book," says Batista, whose aim is to educate. "For residents, owners, property managers—the people that are in the building every day—knowing what to look for and when to call an engineer for a closer look is the first line of defense. I hope the book is a resource for the growing concerns about structures that—without proper maintenance—may have deadly weaknesses."

For more information, visit askgbatista.com/books. Negligence! Averting Disaster at Your Building, is available from Amazon and other major booksellers in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.