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Penn State UniversityMaster of Geographic Information Systems (MGIS) Program

Capstone Project Proposal / Peer ReviewSept 23, 2008

Topic: Hazard Risk Communicationfor Preparedness and Decision Support

Student: Craig EisslerAcademic Advisor: Dr. Brent Yarnal

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Web Posted: 07/28/2008 6:06 CDT

Editorial: State is wise in reviewing its response to hurricane Dolly, 2008Express-News –

…Residents also complained that they were not awareof which facilities would be turned into shelters.

2008 Midwest Flood television interview:

“…They told me I didn’t need to buy insurance”

2005 Hurricane Katrina

Myth: People are protected by levees

Wikipedia: Risk communication and risk perception are essentialfactors for all human decision making

JUSTIFICATION for Flood HazardRisk Analysis & Risk Communication:

Human Casualties, Property Damage/Economic Loss, Insurance Claims, Personal Hardships, etc.

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GOAL:

Create a GIS-based system that effectively communicates hazard riskfor preparedness and decision support

* Build the system to accommodate the most vulnerable populations,so that everyone is considered *

<NEW RISK COMMUNICATION TOOL>

PURPOSE:

Empower individuals and communities to be more informed of hazard risksand reduce their vulnerabilities

Hazard/Risk data Web-based application

Information products

…for preparednessand decision support

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Professionals General Public

Impact Assessment

External Tools:

• Shelter Requirements• Building Damage

• Dollar Loss Estimation• …more

Hazard Risk Awareness & Visualization System (H-RAVS):

Preparedness & Decision Support • Long-Before a Hazard event

• General Education (Awareness)• Property Purchase / Development• Financial Protection / Insurance• Structural Mitigation• Personal & Community Resources• …and the list below (as much as possible)

• Near-Before a Hazard event

• Personal & Community Resources• Personal Mitigation• Evacuation / Driving• Shelter• Special Needs

• What is your Risk?

Natural Hazards

• Static (Inactive) events• Historical events• Dynamic (Real-time) events

Real-Time

PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE---------------------------------------------------------------Long-Before During Near-Before After

Knowledge of event

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Capstone Project:

Pilot Project Study Areas

2. Coastal area: Harris/Galveston counties specific areas: TBD

1. Inland area: (Central Texas) specific areas: TBD

Expanded System

• Statewide/Multi-State coverage• Data/Tool Enhancements• ADA-compliant; Multiple Languages

Real-Time System

• Multi-Hazard: Dynamic/Real-time [Convective/Severe Weather, Fire, etc.]• Mobile deployment

Working Prototype / Web

• Applications Programming for components to become operational

Pilot Project / Desktop

• 1 Hazard type [Flood inundation]• 2 Geographic Regions (Inland & Coastal)• Demo components only

Pilot Project = Capstone Project

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Capstone Project: Hazard Risk Communication

OBJECTIVES:

1. Create value-add flood risk maps using GIS analysis and visualization techniques2. Provide supporting information and learning tools that offer a more meaningful understanding of flood risk3. Integrate other hazard-related and local resource GIS data that is most useful to highly vulnerable populations

Hazard/Risk data

Other data

• Hazard-related• Resources

GIS Analysis

GIS DataManagement

value-addHazard Risk

data

Visualization(Maps)

Supporting Info/Learning Tools

RiskCommunication

End-User

Data Analysis

1

3

2

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What is the flood risk here?

1%

0.2%

Flood Insurance Rate Map from FEMA

Hazard Risk Communication Objective 1:

Create value-add flood risk maps through GIS analysis and visualization techniques

Flood Depth Grid from HAZUS-MH application

There are a variety of hazard data sources and methods for analyzing riskto create new (value-add) flood risk information products

<some potential ‘Static’ hazard sources shown here>

8Streamflow (Discharge) from USGS

Hazard Risk Communication Objective 1:

Create value-add flood risk maps through GIS analysis and visualization techniques

Inundation: Tropical Storm Allison, 2001

What risks are exposed ina historic flood map?

Note: Inundation data for Hurricane Ike, 2008?

<some potential ‘Historical’hazard sources shown here>

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Hazard Risk Communication Objective 1:

Create value-add flood risk maps through GIS analysis and visualization techniques

GIS HAZARD ANALYSIS OUTPUT:

VALUE-ADD RISK MAP

CONCEPTS

This example was produced in Geog 586

Identify Feature & Address/Coordinate Geocoding options

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Pictures & Videos

MitigationCase Studies

Location-based Info:geographically-referenced

(near my location of interest)

click

Risk Communication Objective 2:

Provide supporting information and learning tools that offer a more meaningful understanding of flood risk

Other Info:

• Stories• History• Statistics• Contacts• …more

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Risk Map Explanations

Location-specificHazard Explanations

H-RAVSApplication

Tutorial

Note: This is plannedfor a future development phase

Risk Communication Objective 2:

Provide supporting information and learning tools that offer a moremeaningful understanding of flood risk

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Potential Reference data:

• Imagery (Satellite and/or Aerial-Orthos)• Streets• Parcels• Streams and other Water Bodies• Elevation Data (DEM, Contours)

Academic Note: Some of this data collection

may occur during Geog 488 work next Quarter

Risk Communication Objective 3:

Integrate other hazard-related and local resource GIS datathat is most useful to highly vulnerable populations

Potential Special Needs data:

• Special Needs Institutions• Special Needs residences (special access only)• …other?

Potential Risk Communication-related data:

• Flood Risk by Census Geography • Community Rating System Participation/Score• Community Mitigation Plan approvals• NFIP Policies/Claims• Repetitive Loss Properties/Claims• Federally-declared disasters• Low-water crossings• Vehicular Flood incidents

Potential Community Resource data:

• Hospitals• Shelters• Medical Care Shelters• Pet-friendly Shelters• Evacuation Routes• Road Traffic• Road Barriers

Potential Planning / FloodplainManagement-related data:

• Land Use• Zoning• Levees• Dams

Important:• Need vital Attribute Data for Identifying and Querying

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Risk Communication-related data:Federally-declared Flood Disasters

Risk Communication-related data:Flood Risk by Census Block Group

Community Rating System (CRS):

Participant/Non-participant map

Risk Communication Objective 3:

Integrate other hazard-related and local resource GIS datathat is most useful to highly vulnerable populations

NFIP Policies:

# perCensus Geography

Note: These Risk Communication-related maps/data above are pre-generated, and are also risk maps(similar to those produced in Objective #1), but are not probabilistic in nature, yet still communicate risk and awareness.

Raw data exists for thesethat can be transformed

into maps

14Note: Some data may require delivery as near/real-time information and useful in “Near-Before”hazard event situations which may be out of scope for development Phase 1

Risk Communication Objective 3:

Integrate other hazard-related and local resource GIS datathat is most useful to highly vulnerable populations

Medical-aid ShelterPet-friendly Shelter

X

Low-Water crossing

Road Barrier

!

Evacuation Route(heavy traffic)

Attribute Data

• What location-based

information is important?

• …What do Vulnerable Populations need to

know?X

Hospital

click

General Shelter (open)

Special Needs Institution(School for the Deaf)

Identify& Query

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Un

iqu

e S

yste

m F

eatu

res

Citizen-focused• Personal Empowerment• Proactive and Interactive

Vulnerable Population-ready• ADA-compliant (?), Multiple languages• Relevant information for special needs

Education-oriented• Supporting information• Learning tools

Graphic & Dynamic• Geo-visualization and multi-media• Real-time risk and conditions • Mobile GIS deployment

Information Products• Value-added hazard risk maps• Other hazard risk-communication maps• Location-based community resource maps/data

Hazard Risk Awareness & Visualization System (H-RAVS):System Summary

Risk Communication for Preparedness & Decision Support to Help Minimize Physical Impact and Personal Hardship

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Phase 1a:

• GIS/Risk Data Analysis (Static & Historical hazard risk data)• 1 Hazard type [Flood inundation]• Other GIS data• 2 Geographic Regions (County areas)

Phase 1b:

• Basic Map Visualization• Basic Supporting Info/ Learning Tools

Phase 2a:

• Advanced GIS/Risk Data Analysis (Higher Accuracy & Uncertainty)• More ‘Other’ GIS data / Improved Attribute data• More regions/study areas

Phase 3a:

• Dynamic/Real-time hazard data [Multi-Hazard types; Convective /Severe Weather, Fire]• ADA-compliant; Multiple languages• Mobile GIS deployment• Statewide region

Phase 3b:

• Advanced Map Visualization• Advanced Supporting Info/ Learning Tools

Phase 2b:

• Intermediate Map Visualization• Intermediate Supporting Info/ Learning Tools

H-RAVS Development Phases

Correlated with Academic/Capstone Project work

Includes Objectives 1 & 3

Includes Objective 2

Certain

Certain

Maybe

Doubt

ful

Fall ‘08 Winter ‘09 March ‘09

Geog 596BGeog 488

Geog 596CAAG

ConferencePhase 1a (1b?) Phase 1b (2a/2b?)

Craig Eissler:Anticipated Academic Schedule

17Thank Y

ou: Questio

ns & A

nswers

Craig Eissler: craig@geo-techvp.com; 512-912-9695

Hazard Risk Analysis

Visualization Supporting Info/Learning Tools

Hazard Risk Communication

OtherGIS Data

Preparedness and Decision Support

Hazard Risk Awareness & Visualization System (H-RAVS)

Phase 1: Expected Project Outcomes

• Various GIS flood risk analysis methods• Value-add risk maps• Georeferenced supporting information• Learning tools: explanations & illustrations• Additional risk-related layers• Additional local resource data, including vital attributes

Capstone Project Summary