United States Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Response

The primary goal of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Response is to ensure that the disaster response community has access to timely, accurate, and relevant geospatial products, imagery, and services during and after an emergency event. To accomplish this goal, products and services provided by the National Geospatial Program (NGP) and Land Remote Sensing (LRS) Program serve as a geospatial framework for mapping activities of the emergency response community. Post-event imagery and analysis can provide important and timely information about the extent and severity of an event. USGS Natural Hazards Response will also support the coordination of remotely sensed data acquisitions, image distribution, and authoritative geospatial information production as required for use in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery operations.

USGS Natural Hazards Response Products and Services

When disaster strikes there is often an urgent need and high demand for rapid acquisition and coordinated distribution of pre- and post-event geospatial products, services, and imagery. These products and services are necessary to record change, analyze impacts, and facilitate response to the highly dynamic conditions on the ground. The coordination and timely provision of relevant datasets have become especially important as geospatial technologies continue to advance and evolve in support of emergency responders.

Depending on requirements, USGS Natural Hazards Response can provide the following types of support for disaster response:

• Acquire and coordinate remotely sensed (satellite and aerial) imagery.
• Provide the primary data distribution portal for pre- and post-event satellite and aerial imagery.
• Coordinate with Federal, State, and local emergency response agencies as required.
• Provide timely and effective image and geospatial analysis.
• Provide rapid deployment and services of USGS geospatial experts, including the Science Response Vehicle (SRV) for onsite deployment.
• Provide United States representation, event activation, and event support through the International Charter “Space and Major Disasters”.

Past Emergency Events

Over the past decade, USGS Natural Hazards Response staff have supported hundreds of domestic and international disaster events by providing critically needed pre- and post-event geospatial products, remotely sensed imagery, and other related geospatial information services as required by the emergency response community. Some of the largest national event responses supported by the USGS have included Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010). In addition to these very large, complex, and long-duration events, the USGS has also supported many other emergency events across the United States, such as the persistent and dangerous wildfires in Texas and Southwestern United States (2011), devastating tornadoes in the Southeastern United States (2011), flood events caused by Hurricane Irene across the Mid-Atlantic and New England (2011), and the historic flooding along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers (2011). Some examples of international events supported by the USGS have included the earthquake in Haiti (2010), the Japan earthquake/tsunami/nuclear event (2011), and the historic flood event in Pakistan (2010).

Access to Pre- and Post-Event Geospatial Information

When an emergency occurs, first responders and disaster response teams often need rapid access to aerial photography and satellite imagery that are acquired immediately after the event. When paired with pre-event imagery, the resulting product can facilitate change assessment and provide critical information to response personnel. The USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) provides quick and easy access to the remotely sensed imagery and geospatial datasets that are essential for emergency response and recovery operations.

Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS)

The Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) provides a single, consolidated pointof-entry and distribution system for access to all available USGS-hosted datasets related to an emergency event response. HDDS provides data visibility and immediate download services through a complementary pair of graphical map-based and traditional directory-based interfaces. These interfaces allow emergency response personnel to rapidly select and obtain pre-event (“baseline”) and post-event emergency response imagery.

Some of the features included within the map-based, interactive HDDS interface include:

• Immediate download access to event-related imagery.
• Geographical data visualization with browse image and footprint area overlay.
• Extensive metadata available in multiple formats (for example, CSV, KML, SHP, XML, FGDC).
• XML-based Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds for newly ingested data.
• Registration service and login access for restricted datasets.
• Bulk data download capability.

HDDS Event Support

Since its inception in 2005, the USGS HDDS system has grown to include over 170 terabytes of emergency response data (representing over 700 baseline and disaster events) and has distributed nearly 3 million files to the emergency response community.

Important Links

USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) http://hdds.usgs.gov/hdds2/

International Charter “Space and Major Disasters” http://www.disasterscharter.org/

USGS Natural Hazards Response Portal http://eoportal.cr.usgs.gov/

USGS Land Remote Sensing (LRS) Program http://remotesensing.usgs.gov/

USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) http://www.usgs.gov/ngpo/

USGS Natural Hazards Program http://www.usgs.gov/natural_hazards/

For more information:

Please contact USGS Natural Hazards Response eocustserv@usgs.gov

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