The
Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) federal legislation is the latest attempt by the
U.S. government to halt the trend of increasing hazard impacts. DMA 2000 requires the development
of multi-hazard maps, with the implication that mitigation dollars will be prioritized based on
areas of greatest vulnerability. This vulnerability can include:
- Physical vulnerability of buildings and infrastructure
- Biophysical vulnerability of people and places
- Social vulnerability based on social, economic, and political factors
Unfortunately, the FEMA guidance
for DMA 2000 mitigation planning details the criteria to be met, but fails to
provide the specific methodogology to do so. Many communties lack the time, technical expertise and
financial resources to fully comply, and few web-based resources are available to aid in this task.
The Integrated Hazards Assessment Tool (IHAT) attempts to help close this gap. It provides map
and tabular display of disaster vulnerability based on hazard frequency, historical losses, and
social vulnerability for all South Carolina counties. The application is intended to serve as a tool
for hazard mitigation planners, emergency managers, and the general public.
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