Official website of the Department of Homeland Security
The ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) storm surge model combines rain, atmospheric pressure, and wind forecasts to predict when, where, and to what extent flooding will inundate a coastal community with greater precision than other available models. This enables decision-makers to identify which locations will become unsafe and plan for mitigation and response before severe storms occur.
The Disaster Recovery Tracking Tool includes 79 metrics that measure how a community is recovering from a disaster. These metrics (e.g., total disaster related business closures, number of organizations involved in recovery, median home value) are organized in four themes and 10 focus areas that are based on FEMA’s recovery support functions and core capabilities in order to link the metrics to the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) guidance. Researchers are also working to test ways in which the metrics can be used to characterize recovery progress, detect problems with recovery, and improve future recovery and resilience. A practitioner checklist will help end users decide which metrics to use and how to begin collecting data.
The CRC conducts research and education to enhance the resilience of people, infrastructure, economies, and the natural environment from the impacts of coastal hazards such as floods and hurricanes.
Over the years, S&T has developed a host of tools in preparation for the Atlantic hurricane season; the 2019 season officially began June 1.
DHS S&T's Web-based HURREVAC platform integrates forecast and planning data to provide emergency managers with decision support tools for use in advance of and during tropical weather.
Andre Hentz, S&T Deputy Under Secretary and Robert Kolasky, Director, National Risk Management Center, DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will be presenting at SXSW on “Building Resilient Cities,” with former Maryland Governor, Martin O’Malley and Rachel Horn from the Consumer Technology Association.
Several S&T technologies, already in place in many communities, deployed with emergency managers, first responders, and decision makers to predict storm activity, provide alerts, support timely decisions, and keep communication lines open during recent major hurricanes, including Florence and Michael.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are concerned about the potential impact of Hurricane Michael to the East Coast of the United States, where Florida and Alabama are under states of emergency. Our highest priority remains the preservation of life and safety. In consideration of these circumstances, there will be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations or sheltering related to Michael, except in the event of a serious public safety threat.
This week, DHS S&T co-hosted an outreach event with the Congressional Smart Cities Caucus to highlight how new technology can support hurricane resilience and save lives.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is warning drone owners and operators they may face significant fines if they interfere with emergency response operations in the areas affected by Hurricane Florence. Many aircraft that are conducting life-saving missions and other critical response and recovery efforts are likely to be flying at low altitudes over areas affected by the storm. Flying a drone without authorization in or near the disaster area may unintentionally disrupt rescue operations and violate federal, state, or local laws and ordinances, even if a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is not in place. Allow first responders to save lives and property without interference.
