The Diversity of Hazus Uses for Hazus Beyond Planning

1. The Diversity of HazusUses for Hazus Beyond Planning ASFPM 2011 National Conference Louisville, KY Tuesday, May 17, 2011

2. Today’s Speakers • Rob Flaner, CFM • Hazard Mitigation Program Manager • Over 20 years experience in FEMA hazard mitigation programs. • Project Manager for 30 hazard mitigation planning efforts in the west over the past 7 years. • Ed Whitford • GIS/Hazus Program Manager • Performed Hazus risk assessments on over 20 projects.

3. What are we going to talk about? • Wouldn’t be nice if………..! • Diverse applications of Hazus • What is a “user defined facilities” analysis • Updating Hazus with “user defined” data • Project examples • What we have learned

4. Disclaimer • The topics we will discuss are based on our applications of Hazus. • Some of these applications are currently not sanctioned by FEMA. • But, in this RiskMAP age, “Wouldn’t be nice if……….!

5. What is the user defined facilities approach? • User defined facilities are those structures, other than essential facilities or high potential loss facilities, which the user may wish to analyze on a site-specific basis. • You can construct a base model that will allow you to extract Hazus outputs on a site-by-site basis.

6. User defined approach and analysis • Building specific data • Assessor • FEMA Elevation Certificates • Site Surveys • Flood depth grids • HEC-RAS • FLO-2D • FEMA Flood Studies • Hazus Generated

7. User defined inputs • Parcel and building footprint data • Assessor tax data • Year Built • Square Footage • Construction Class and Foundation Type • Occupancy/Use Code • Number of Stories • Building Value • First floor height above LAG • Field Visit and Photos • Elevation Certificates • Effective FIRM Date

8. User defined challenges…and solutions • Loaded at the study region level • Not currently supported in CDMS • Loss of data precision, XY accuracy (flood model only) • Applying non-default depth damage functions • Database attribute requirements • Study region size • First floor height above grade

9. Hazus Versatility • Hazus has evolved into a multifaceted planning tool • Regionally relevant Hazus models can be used for: • Public information • To support benefit cost analyses for mitigation grant applications • Risk based analysis of capital projects • Risk Assessment • “What if” scenarios • Planning (mitigation, emergency management, COOP, debris management)

10. Public Outreach • Hazus is a powerful public outreach tool • To gauge peoples perception of risk, you need to be able to show them how a hazard may impact them personally (“I never new !”) • A regionally relevant risk assessment is the key. • Can really promote the concept of mitigation • “Have you thought about……?” • People like having access to this type of information • Very media friendly!

11. Hazus and BCAR • You want to apply for a mitigation grant for a flood hazard mitigation project. • You need to perform a BCA. • But, you don’t have historical loss data in the form of insurance claims or disaster records. • You don’t have a flood insurance study. • What can you do? • Hazus

12. Hazus and BCAR • Hazus can be used to generate “expected” or “Historical” loss results that can be plugged in to the Damage Frequency module of BCAR • Keys • Must be a level 2,user defined module • Must be able to construct depth grids form creditable source ( H&H study, surveyed high water marks from historical events. • Recurrence intervals • Good data on inventory-(i.e. assessors data, elevation certificates, construction cost guides)

13. Risk Based Analysis of Capital Projects • Can use Hazus to perform “alternatives” analysis of capital projects. • Can compare losses avoided from one alternative to another. • “what if” scenarios • Can be a great tool to illustrate project benefits to garner political support. • Keys: • Same as mentioned for BCAR support

14. Project Example-Outreach Ada County, Idaho • 30,000 user defined facilities were loaded into Hazus • Detailed structure information was extracted from County Assessor data. • Utilized LiDAR for depth grid production • Critical/essential facilities defined by the County were used in place of the Hazus defaults. • Set up Hazus work stations at public open houses. • Each citizen received a printout of property specific information relating to dam failure ,flood and earthquake.

15. Example Outputs

16. Project Example-BCAR Project Exodus-Tillamook Bay, OR • FEMA 406 mitigation project • Over 500 used defined facilities. • Used pre and post project depth grids from H&H study (historic events). • Inventory was based on assessor’s data. • Replacement cost was updated using national cost estimation guides. • Loss results were validated • Hazus results were plugged into DFA module of BCAR.

17. Project ExampleRisk Based Analysis of Capital Projects King County, WA 180th-200th Levee alternative analysis • Used Hazus and BCAR to look at impacts for 3 setback levee alignments, plus an existing condition analysis. • Hazus used to model pre and post project impacts. • BCAR used to calculate annualized avoided damages. • Analysis included levee breach probabilities. • Analyzed 4 flows, 3 dam operational scenarios, for 4 levee alignments (that is 48 sets of depth grids!) • Over 1900 user defined facilities

18. What we have found….. • The potential applications for Hazus at the local level are many. • The key’s are: • Good data ! • Thorough understanding of the application’s within the model- (knowledge of its strengths and limitations). • Ability to validate results • FEMA should acknowledge the versatility of Hazus in all of its programs. • Historic loss data is not always available. Then what?

19. Questions