3. HAZUS Hazus was developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is a standardized methodology for estimating potential losses from disasters (FEMA, 2013). Originally developed in the 1990s as a toolset aimed at getting a regional understanding of the impact of hazards, it has evolved to offer community level results [FEMA 2013]. Users of Hazus are able to: (a) identify vulnerable areas, (b) estimate potential losses, (c) assess how ready they are to respond to a natural disaster, (d) decide how to allocate resources, and (e) prioritize mitigation measures. Hazus includes models for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods as basic models, and the ability to model storm surge along the coast as a combination of the hurricane and flood models. This is accomplished through the use of GIS technology to estimate the physical, economic, and social impacts of the disaster (FEMA, 2013). Free of charge, Hazus is an extension of ArcGIS and will not function without the underlying architecture map engine and analytical processes of ArcGIS. In the next sub-section we briefly describe the Hazus Flood Model. 3.1 HAZUS FLOOD MODEL Hazus is used extensively in the USA by government planners, GIS specialists, and emergency managers for pre-disaster planning: to break the cycle of disaster, damage, and reconstruction. Potential disasters are modelled and the results can be visualized to spatially identify relationships between populations and other permanently fixed assets. Additionally, tables and reports of inventory loss, replacement and depreciation value are generated. The loss estimation methodology employed by Hazus can be thought of as a multilevel approach. The first level uses the out-of-the-box functionality and inventory data, and requires minimal user knowledge or input. National level datasets for each US state have
New Orleans, Louisiana lies at the second lowest elevation among major cities in the United States. It is a city surrounded by water, making it almost like an island. To counter this dangerous combination of the low elevation along with the lakes, rivers and swamps surrounding it, the Army Corps of Engineers built a series of levees around the city to foster its protection. It is these very same levees however that might doom the city should a Category 3 hurricane ever hit. Our statistical analyses examined the current belief that there is a 39% probability that New Orleans will be hit by a major hurricane and based on the resulting Z-score, rejected that belief. We did find however that the probability, while not 39%, was still in the 30th percentile range, which should still be a major cause for concern among the leaders and residences of the city of New Orleans.
The subsequent sections provide detailed data information and example scenarios for each of the three types.
When analyzing Boomtown’s weather in Activity 27, we found that the hillside and the marsh would be most affected by flooding, or any other excessive precipitation. Green Hill would be affected by extra precipitation during the wet season because it could cause mudslides. Mudslides could cause the houses on the hill to be unstable and the neighborhoods below the hill to be in danger. Also, excess water could affect the marsh because it would flood the area. Since not all water can be absorbed by the marsh, houses built there would easily flood during the rainy season in Boomtown. In contrast, houses constructed on Seaside Cliff wouldn’t easily be affected by additional
They found that various socio-demographic predictors of flood risk impact the difference across flood zone categories. The main residents in inland flood zones are non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic, while coastal flood zones have more higher median income and housing value residents. I considered the study a valuable reference for future flood hazard research and comprehensive public policy making. Social groups with higher vulnerability also tends to stay instead of moving away, for they do not have the affordability for moving to other neighborhood, giving up what they have and almost start from scratch. Thus, they are actually the group of people that suffers the most and paying the most towards natural events. It is also important for the government to create a official help system to improve their resilience.
In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, leaving its signature of destruction form Louisiana all the way to Florida. The hardest hit area and the greatest catastrophe was in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. For many years the people of New Orleans had feared that one day a hurricane would drown their city with its storm surge. Katrina brought that nightmare storm surge and flooded the city. Yet the New Orleans levees system and flood control was the major cause of flooding, due to the inadequate repair and maintenance failure, incompletion of the levee system, and engineering designs based on outdated scientific data.
Both man-made and natural disasters are often devastating, resource draining and disruptive. Having a basic plan ready for these types of disaster events is key to the success of executing and implementing, as well as assessing the aftermath. There are many different ways to create an emergency operations plan (EOP) to encompass a natural and/or man-made disaster, including following the six stage planning process, collection of information, and identification of threats and hazards. The most important aspect of the US emergency management system in preparing for, mitigating, and responding to man-made and natural disasters is the creation, implementation and assessment of a community’s EOP.
Gene understands that the story does not end with just the damages but also what it contributes to the future. It has brought with it new measures in structural development, social relationships and insurance holding. It is a major step to the lessening of the impact of future disasters.
"FAQ: Disaster Recovery Planning for Health Care Data." SearchHealthIT. Ed. Anne Steciw. TechTarget, May 2012. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. .
Hazards pose risk to everyone. Our acceptance of the risks associated with hazards dictates where and how we live. As humans, we accept a certain amount of risk when choosing to live our daily lives. From time to time, a hazard becomes an emergent situation. Tornadoes in the Midwest, hurricanes along the Gulf Coast or earthquakes in California are all hazards that residents in those regions accept and live with. This paper will examine one hazard that caused a disaster requiring a response from emergency management personnel. Specifically, the hazard more closely examined here is an earthquake. With the recent twenty year anniversary covered by many media outlets, the January 17, 1994, Northridge, California earthquake to date is the most expensive earthquake in American history.
...ments. Geospatial technologies, such as LiDAR, can assist in mapping the flood vulnerability of particular areas. There is a wealth of information from the federal agencies, such as flood hazard maps developed by FEMA and sea level rise calculators. This information can also be used proactively to identify locations where restoration could be most effective and to discourage development in areas that still have their natural coastlines in tact. In some cases, structures can be updated to be more hurricane and flood proof by as using stronger materials and building at higher elevations. Buildings can also be designed to allow flooding to occur with minimal damage. Another alternative is to actually relocating people and buildings in the most high-risk areas. This will be exceedingly difficult as population increases and demand for coastal development is on the rise.
These values are manifest through a simple, five level hierarchical structure. Each plant has three levels - the plant manager, seven area superintendents and front-line staff while a divisional layer oversees the plants and projects by area providing the interaction between the headquarters and plants followed by the CEO.
Authorities have attempted to implement codes or regulations, but that has proved to be very difficult tasks becasue there are many variables that effect the dynamic response of buildings. One way to try to avoid disaster is to evaluate seismic risk is to look at a buildings hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and location. Hazards are, for example, landslides ad soil type. Exposure is a building's occupancy and function. Vulnerability is the expected performance of a building's system, and location is how often earthquakes occur in the area. (Lagorio)
Communities throughout the country and the world are susceptible to disasters. The environment and location of a community often predisposes a greater susceptibility to the type of disaster. For example Central Pennsylvania would not be susceptible to an avalanche however communities in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado would have increase vulnerability. Understanding the types of disaster for which the community is susceptible is essential for emergency preparedness (Nies & McEwen, 2011). All communities are susceptible to man-made disasters; terrorism, fires, and mass transit accidents and emergency preparedness are essential. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) is responsible for disaster planning.
Johns Hopkins University. (2009, March). In disaster-prone areas, construction needs a new approach. Retrieved from http://phys.org/news157051992.html
Earthquakes belong to the class of most disastrous natural hazards. They result in unexpected and tremendous earth movements. These movements results from dissemination of an enormous amount of intense energy in form of seismic waves which are detected by use of seismograms. The impact of earthquakes leaves behind several landmarks including: destruction of property, extensive disruption of services like sewer and water lines, loss of life, and causes instability in both economic and social components of the affected nation (Webcache 2).