FEMA 452 - Risk Assessment: A How-To Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks

The objective of this How-To Guide is to outline methods for identifying the critical assets and functions within buildings, determining the threats to those assets, and assessing the vulnerabilities associated with those threats. The methods presented provide a means to assess risks and to make decisions about how to mitigate them. The scope of the methods includes reducing physical damage to structural and non-structural components of buildings and related infrastructure, and reducing resultant casualties during conventional bomb attacks, as well as attacks involving chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) agents. The intended audience includes architects and engineers working for private institutions, building owners/operators/managers, and state and local government officials working in the building sciences community.

To support the risk assessment process, an easy-to-use Risk Assessment Database is provided (see below). This database is a stand-alone application that has functions to import and display digital photos, emergency plans, digital floor plans, and certain GIS products.

Download FEMA 452- Risk Assessment: A How-To Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks from the FEMA Library.

Currently, this manual is being reviewed to include vulnerability questions that will address earthquake, flood and high wind hazards. Over 400 new vulnerability questions will be added to the existing vulnerability checklist that allows a user to complete a multihazard assessment of a building and site. These vulnerability questions will be included in Version 4.0 of the FEMA 452 database software.

Risk Assessment Database v3.0

Before downloading the zip archive, download and consult the Database User Guide for information about how to install and use the database.

Risk Assessment Database v3.0 (ZIP 47.6MB)  Contains User Guide and Threat Matrix spreadsheet.  This version can be used by a computer-conversant program manager or assessor. 

For more information, please email: riskmanagementseriespubs@dhs.gov

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Last Modified: Friday, 25-Jan-2008 10:56:47 EST