Quantitative risk analysis of natural disasters - Hazus and the U.S. National Risk Index

This project, funded by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, MSB, aims to develop the Swedish application of the U.S. Hazus methodology and to evaluate the applicability of the U.S. National Risk Index, NRI for Sweden.

The purpose of the project is partly to develop the Swedish application of Hazus by modeling synthetic damage functions and applying hose in Hazus and partly to evaluate the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Services, FEMA's, newly developed National Risk Index, NRI for a Swedish context.

Hazus

Hazus

Hazus is a standardised methodology and software that has been developed by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Services, FEMA. Hazus is used to evaluate potential losses from disasters triggered by natural events. Hazus contain models for loss estimation from earthquakes, floods and hurricanes.

Hazus is used today by a number of organisations and communities in the U.S. and abroad. Hazus is available for download free of charge from FEMA. The Hazus software requires an ArcGIS license and the plugin Spatial Analyst.

National Risk Index, NRI

The National Risk Index, NRI is a digital tool developed by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. NRI identifies geographical areas exposed to risk聽triggered by 18 different and potentially harmful natural events. NRI's interactive maps are made available through a Geographical Information System, GIS, for applied analyses.

Central evaluation questions in this project is:

  • Is NRI scientifically grounded?
  • What information is needed to generate a NRI?
  • Is comparable information available in a Swedish context?
  • How has the process of adapting the NRI at federal聽level in the USA looked like when it comes to collaboration between agencies and other actors?

Method

The project will use a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis of data will be conducted through statistical evaluation and modeling, as well as document analysis.

Societal use

The expected societal use is access to standardized models and tools to describe, value and communicate risk as well as support in prioritizing聽between different risk reducing measures.