Modernizing FEMA's Methodology for Estimating Potential Losses from Natural Disasters
As the number of Hazus users continues to increase, so do the types of uses. Hazus is being employed by states and communities in support of risk assessments that perform economic loss scenarios for certain natural hazards and rapid needs assessments during hurricane response. - FEMA
FACTOR is performing key development activities for a multi-phase project to modernize the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazus MH software. Hazus is a GIS-based software tool that estimates potential losses from earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods by applying science, engineering, and mathematical modeling. This modernization entails upgrading the application to the latest GIS software, developing new tools and analysis capabilities for the flood model, and supporting technology and database updates and code re-architecture. In earlier work, FACTOR supported FEMA with independent verification and validation (IV&V) of the Hazus software.