• American Lifeline Alliance (ALA): The MMC is continuing its public-private partnership effort for FEMA to reduce risks to lifelines (utility and transportation systems) from multiple hazards. Recent work included an October 2006 invitation-only workshop that focused on exploring unified post-disaster data collection efforts its long term maintenance. Complete project reports are posted on the ALA website at http://www.americanlifelinesalliance.org.
   
• Hazads Risk Assessment Program (www.nibs.org/hazusweb) Under a FEMA agreement, NIBS develops HAZUS®, a nationally applicable GIS-based tool for estimating hurricane, flood and earthquake damage and economic loss. HAZUS is used to plan for hazard resistant construction, prudent land use, emergency preparedness, and promoting awareness of threats. Federal and state agencies use HAZUS to support real-time response after a disaster occurs. Expert committees provide technical oversight.

The current version, HAZUS-MH MR2, released in June 2006, which contains updated models for all three hazards, supports integrated, multi-hazard analysis and access to the operational capabilities of other natural and man-made hazard models. It includes three data management tools that allow users to easily incorporate their own more detailed, site-specific data for even better results for: 1) the Building Inventory Tool (BIT) for tax assessor’s data; 2) the Inventory Collection and Survey Tool (InCAST) for building data; and 3) the Flood Information Tool (FIT) for flood hazard data.

HAZUS-MH MR2's new Flood Model features include improved integration with the underlying ArcGIS platform and an option to create study regions larger than four counties using the full version of MS SQL Server. The Earthquake Model now has an optimized Building Damage Module. The Hurricane Model includes mitigation analysis options for all of the building classes and thousands of new damage and loss functions in the database.

HAZUS-MH MR2 supports state and local agencies in implementing programs for Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA2000). HAZUS-MH MR1 was used for first response during Hurricane Isabelle, the 2004 Florida hurricanes, and the 2005 Hurricanes. HAZUS-MH MR2 is being utilized by FEMA for nationwide training workshops and by HAZUS user groups, a network of twenty-one state and city-cased partnerships between public and private sector organizations.

HAZUS-MH MR2 is available on DVD from FEMA at www.fema.gov/hazus. HAZUS-MH MR3, the next version, is to be released in Spring 2007.

• National Average Annualized Loss Studies: NIBS is using HAZUS® to update a 1999 national average annualized loss (AAL) study for earthquakes, and to create the first nationwide AAL study for hurricanes in the Atlantic ad Gulf Coast states and Hawaii. An approach to a national flood AAL study using HAZUS is also underway.
   
• Code Officials’ Role in Mitigation: The project, to develop for FEMA a guide for enhancing the role of the building code enforcement official in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, is reaching the final stages with the final report expected soon.
   
• NIST Report on Progressive Collapse: The final report to the National Institute of Standards and Technology on the July 2002 invitation-only Workshop on the Prevention of Progressive Collapse was delivered to NIST in 2003. A follow-on effort to develop a best practices manual of for preventing progressive collapse is under way. A draft of the manual was discussed and feedback provided in early 2004. Workshop comments emphasized the need for more prescriptive information to be included in the manual. MMC engaged a design professional to identify the best seismic structural design connections for a sample steel and concrete structure, and MMC assembled a team of experienced design professionals to assess analytical models of steel and concrete beam-to-column connections. In June 2005 the team demonstrated its findings to a group of structural designers. The resulting recommended refinements focused on the need for additional details. NIST has funded the additional work, which is expected to be completed in May 2007.
   
• Guidelines for Fire Safety Design of Concrete and Steel Structures: In September 2004, NIST funded MMC efforts to coordinate the development of a best practices manual on fire safety for concrete and steel structures. Draft manual was reviewed at a March 2005 workshop and it was recommended that an overview chapter be added to highlight the differences between practices for steel and concrete. This chapter has been delivered to NIST, which subsequently distributed the document to its technical professionals for review.
   
• Translating the NIST WTC Investigation Findings Into Codes and Standards: With the completion of its World Trade Center investigation, NIST asked NIBS to translate the investigation’s recommendations into model building codes. NIBS MMC formed a committee comprised of building regulatory and technical experts to develop an implementation strategy and initial proposals for change to the appropriate codes/standards bodies. The committee shepherded the changes through the relevant change processes, including the identification of research needed to support changes, and identifying needed training and educational. The Committee, which is working closely with ICC and NFPA, has met several times.