HAZUS (abbreviation for HAZards United States) is a GIS-based natural hazard loss estimation software package developed and freely distributed by FEMA. A natural hazard or geophysical hazards is a threat of an event that will have a negative effect on people or the environment The purpose of FEMA is to coordinate the response to a Disaster which has occurred in the United States and which overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities
In 1997 FEMA released its first edition of a COTS loss and risk assessment software package built on GIS technology. Commercial off-the-shelf ( COTS) is a term for Software or Hardware, generally technology or computer products that are ready-made and available for sale This article refers to the use of computers to estimate losses caused by disasters This product was termed HAZUS97. The current version is HAZUS-MH MR3 where MH stands for 'Multi-Hazards'. Currently HAZUS can model three types of hazards: flooding, hurricanes, and earthquakes. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer The model estimates the risk in three steps. First it calculates the exposure for a selected area, second, it characterizes the level or intensity of the hazard affecting the exposed area, and third, it uses the exposed area and the hazard to calculate the potential losses in terms of economic losses, structural damage, etc.
Although it was developed with the US continent in focus, the HAZUS toolset has been adopted by emergency management organizations worldwide. Emergency management (or disaster management) is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks
Requirements
Although HAZUS-MH itself is free, it requires the users to have ArcGIS with ArcView license level. ArcGIS is the name of a group of Geographic information system software product lines produced by ESRI. ArcView is the entry level licensing level of ArcGIS Desktop, a Geographic information system software product produced by ESRI. [1] In addition, ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension is required for Flood Model.
External links
- FEMA HAZUS website
- USEHAZUS An All HAZUS Web Space
- Hazus website
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