Tim G. Frazier

A GIS Methodology to Assess Exposure of Coastal Infrastructure to Storm Surge & Sea-Level Rise: A Case Study of Sarasota County, Florida

Storm surge is the leading cause of loss of life and property from hurricanes. Recent research using geographical information system (GIS) technology has demonstrated sea level rise (SLR) will increase storm surge inundation zones. While effective and accepted GIS models exist for framing surge inundation there is a lack of depth information and consideration of SLR that may be critical for examining the exposure of coastal assets to current and future storm surge hazards. There is a need for a methodology that relates depth to inundation and asset exposure, and is supported by recent hazard vulnerability and resilience literature. Furthermore, new data has been collected that facilitates more detailed SLR modelling than available in previous research. Researchers provide a framework for GIS depth modelling of contemporary and SLR enhanced storm surge that is superior to two-dimensional inundation modelling for examining exposure of societal assets to storm surge and SLR in Sarasota County, Florida. The effectiveness of this framework is demonstrated in a GIS by comparing inundation modelling, depth modelling, and SLR modelling as applied to the exposure of flood-depth sensitive infrastructure in Sarasota County, Florida.

Development of a spatially explicit vulnerability-resilience model for community level hazard mitigation enhancement

Community vulnerability to coastal hazards can be difficult to analyze at a local level without proper modeling techniques. Societal assets and human populations are dispersed unequally across landscapes, causing vulnerability to vary from one community to another. A common method of quantifying vulnerability has developed in the form of vulnerability indexes, typically conducted at the county scale. These indexes attempt to measure community vulnerability by assessing exposure of traditional vulnerability indicators. Sensitivity and adaptive capacity analyses are excluded from these assessments, creating a less than holistic vulnerability analysis. Traditional vulnerability assessments also neglect the inclusion of place-specific differentially weighted indicators, and the effects of spatial autocorrelation. These limitations make indexes less effective for community level analysis. In response to these challenges, a resilience index that incorporates place, spatial, and scale specific indicators that are more appropriate for community level analysis was developed. The model developed in this research determines varying distributions of vulnerability across the study region using several socioeconomic, spatial and place specific indicators. Spatial statistics (such as spatial autocorrelation techniques) and multivariate techniques (such as factor analysis) were employed to determine the differential influence of each vulnerability and adaptive capacity indicator. The results of the model enable decision makers to target mitigation efforts toward place-specific, differentially weighted indicators that most impact vulnerability at the community level. The model also depicts that traditional vulnerability indicators are differentially impactful at varying spatial scales.

Opportunities and Constraints to Rural HAZMAT Risk Reduction

Abstract The successful implementation of a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) emergency response plan aimed at risk reduction varies by jurisdiction. Rural communities often face challenges in HAZMAT planning and training due to lower economic vitality that is often a result of fewer economic resources, a lack of knowledge of HAZMAT risk/response training, and data collection limitations. In order to identify opportunities and constraints in HAZMAT planning in rural communities, this paper presents a case study of HAZMAT transportation in North Central in Idaho. Researchers collected and analyzed HAZMAT transportation data to provide a basis for planning and implementation of mitigation measures that help reduce the risks of HAZMAT in rural areas. An interview with the Director of the board of Regional Emergency Managers was conducted to determine the utility of the study for local HAZMAT planning. This study also informs responders about the types of HAZMAT that are transported throughout the region. This information can be used to develop hazard-specific preparedness activities particular to the region, such as training, equipment selection and future grant opportunities. This study also contributes to the limited body of literature that examines challenges rural communities face in HAZMAT risk assessments and risk reduction response planning.