FEMA is pleased to announce that Hazus-MH 2.0 is now available! The 2.0 release includes many improvements to the usability and functionality of the software including, but not limited to:
- A new coastal storm surge modeling capability integrating two industry standard models (SLOSH and SWAN), which now allows Hazus to predict the physical and economic impacts of hurricane scenarios on coastal flood regions. In addition to estimating the separate impacts of coastal flooding and high winds, the coastal surge scenario methodology also estimates the combined economic losses to the general building stock in a manner that avoids double counting of flood and wind losses.
- With Hazus-MH 2.0, the CDMS tool has been integrated with Hazus. CDMS will no longer be handled as a distinct product requiring users to obtain and install it separately. It will automatically be added when installing Hazus, thus making it easier for users to take advantage of the tool's data management capabilities.
Hazus-MH 2.0 is now compatible with ArcGIS 10.0 Service Pack 1.
To Order Hazus-MH 2.0 Order the latest version of Hazus-MH 2.0 free-of-charge on-line by visiting the FEMA Map Service Center (MSC) Web Store at http://msc.fema.gov
For more information about how to set-up your account with the MSC and place your order please refer to the Ordering Hazus-MH 2.0 Flyer. http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/hazus/hz_orderform.shtm
About Hazus Hazus is a nationally applicable standardized methodology that contains models for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. Hazus uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to estimate physical, economic, and social impacts of disasters. It graphically illustrates the limits ofentified high-risk locations due to earthquake, hurricane, and floods. Users can then visualize the spatial relationships between populations and other more permanently fixed geographic assets or resources for the specific hazard being modeled, a crucial function in the pre-disaster planning process.
Hazus is used for mitigation and recovery as well as preparedness and response. Government planners, GIS specialists, and emergency managers use Hazus to determine losses and the most beneficial mitigation approaches to take to minimize them. Hazus can be used in the assessment step in the mitigation planning process, which is the foundation for a community's long term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Being ready will aid in recovery after a natural disaster.
As the number of Hazus users continues to increase, so do the types of uses. Increasingly, Hazus is being used by states and communities in support of risk assessments perform economic loss scenarios for certain natural hazards and rapid needs assessments during hurricane response. Other communities are using Hazus to increase hazard awareness. Successful uses of Hazus are profiled under Mitigation and Recovery and Preparedness and Response. Emergency managers have also found these map templates helpful to support rapid impact assessment and disaster response.