Ocean state rising: Storm simulation and vulnerability mapping to predict hurricane impacts for Rhode Island's critical infrastructure.

Predicting the consequences of a major coastal storm is increasingly difficult as the result of global climate change and growing societal dependence on critical infrastructure (CI). Past storms are no longer a reliable predictor of future weather events, and the traditional approach to vulnerability assessment presents accumulated loss in largely quantitative terms that lack the specificity local emergency managers need to develop effective plans and mitigation strategies. The Rhode Island Coastal Hazards Modeling and Prediction (RI-CHAMP) system is a geographic information system (GIS)-based modeling tool that combines high-resolution storm simulations with geolocated vulnerability data to predict specific consequences based on local concerns about impacts to CI.

The Hazard Consequence Prediction System: A Participatory Action Research Approach to Enhance Emergency Management.

Emergency managers (EMs) need nuanced data that contextualize the local-scale risks and impacts posed by major storm events (e.g. hurricanes and nor'easters).