California Using HAZUS to Evaluate Hospital System Safety

The California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) has implemented a new voluntary program to re-evaluate the seismic risk of California hospital buildings classified as Structural Performance Category (SPC-1). These buildings are considered hazardous and at risk of collapse in the event of an earthquake and must be retrofitted, replaced or removed from providing acute care services by 2013. OSHPD is using HAZUS to reassess the seismic risk of SPC-1 buildings. Those buildings that are determined to pose a low seismic risk may be reclassified to SPC-2. The SPC-2 buildings would have until 2030 to comply with the structural seismic safety standards. Participation in the HAZUS program is optional for hospital owners wishing to have their SPC-1 building(s) re-evaluated. For more info, click here...

California Hospital Association press release, click here...

To read an August 23rd San Diego Union-Tribune article about this program , click here...

Tropical Storm Fay

Lee County, FL reports on HAZUS-MH estimates for Tropical Storm Fay

As Tropical Storm Fay rumbled away from Lee County on Tuesday afternoon toward central Florida, the Lee county Emergency Operation Center utilized HAZUS-MH to estimate that the storm left a $3.3 million total economic loss in its wake.

To read the complete article in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze, click here...


Broward County's Perspective on the use of Geospatial Technology during Tropical Storm Fay

Scott Burton the GIS Manager for the Broward County Sheriff's Department posted a good discussion of how the Broward Sheriff's Office used HurrTRAK and Hurrevac for tracking and analyzing wind probability and wind forcast estimation. Scott gave HAZUS.org premission to post his discussion here. To see a copy of the discussion, (.pdf) click here...

Welcome to the "new" HAZUS.org ...

HAZUS.org has joined the Web 2.0 era. The HAZUS.org home page is now in a blog format. This will allow HAZUS.org to quickly update content and more important it will allow the HAZUS user community the ability to directly participate in content and comments.

HAZUS.org has activated moderated HAZUS user posting and comment capabilities. HAZUS.org will also be establishing a separate HAZUS.org blog page for "HAZUS-MH Technical Discussions". The purpose of the HAZUS-MH Technical Discussions blog will be to document bugs and fixes, tips and tricks and work-arounds, user suggestions, etc.

If you have any comments or suggestions or want to be granted posting privileges on this blog send us an email ... click on the "HAZUS.org CONTACTS" hot-link in the menu on the far right or click here ...

Florida Officials See Added Hurricane Threat: Not Enough Fear

COMPLACENCY!
Florida’s faltering economy and a recent scarcity of major storms have led to what emergency management officials now describe as a dangerous level of complacency. To read more, click here...

UPDATE - Tropical Storm FAY
To view the latest info about Tropical Storm FAY go to the National Hurricane Center, click here...

Useful links:
Florida HAZUS User Group ...
Florida Division of Emergency Management
FEMA REgion IV

Comprehensive Data Management System (CDMS) Released

The Comprehensive Data Management System (CDMS), an extension to HAZUS-MH, was released on August 4th. For for info, visit http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/hazus/index.shtm.

2008 HAZUS User Conference

All reports are that the 2008 HAZUS User Conference was a big success. Unfortunately HAZUS.org was not able to attend this year ... we proposed to FEMA that HAZUS.org provide a running blog during the conference but unfortunately FEMA was unable to fund this initiative ... maybe next year?

FEMA is soliciting feedback on the conference ... click on the "comments" hot link at the bottom of this post to share your thoughts about the conference ... HAZUS.org will pass on your comments to FEMA ...