Data Documentation Template and Checklist

Hurricane/Wind Data Analysis Methodology


This data documentation template is designed to assist Benefit-Cost (BC) analysts in recording the data and methodologies utilized in their 
Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA).  BC analysts should keep in mind that a well-documented BCA means that a knowledgeable BC analyst 
should be able to re-create the BCA from the supporting documentation provided (with a Mitigation application submitted for funding) 
without any additional explanation.  BC analysts should provide an electronic or paper copy of the full BCA to compliment any template or 
summary submitted to FEMA for review.  Check with your State Hazard Mitigation Officer or FEMA Regional office to find out if a 
completed Data Documentation Template (DDT) is required with your grant application.



Data Type
Value
Description
Documentation
Source
Discount 
Rate 
The OMB-
mandated 
discount rate 
of 7% must be 
used for all 
BCAs.


*	The discount rate determines 
the time-value of money
*	In a FEMA benefit-cost 
analysis, a discount rate is 
used to calculate a value today 
(the Net Present Value) of 
future benefits so that they 
can be compared to the costs 
of a mitigation project.
*	Electronic or paper copy of 
the BCA.
*	The OMB-mandated 
discount rate of 7% must be 
used for all BCAs.
*	The OMB-mandated 
discount rate of 7% must 
be used for all BCAs.
Building 
Type
Select the 
appropriate 
building 
construction 
type in the 
Wind Hazard 
Damage 
Function.mbd 
software.  

Select “Other.”  
for the building 
type in the 
Hurricane 
Wind Module.
*	Click “View Building Types” 
in the FEMA Wind Hazard 
Damage Function software to 
see the available building 
category descriptions.
*	The Building Type is no 
longer selected from the 
choices in the Hurricane 
Module.  Select “Other” in 
the Hurricane Module.
*	Various forms are acceptable, 
including tax records, signed 
appraisals, letters from 
homeowners, or photographs. 
*	Homeowner, local building 
department, local tax 
assessor’s office, or title 
documents.
The Building 
Site (miles 
inland)
Distance (in 
miles)

*	The Wind Hazard Damage 
Function software calculates 
the wind speeds for the 
project site using the zip code 
for the project site; therefore, 
the miles inland value is no 
longer critical in calculating 
wind hazard data.
*	If the Wind Hazard Damage 
Function software is used, no 
documentation is required 
other than a copy of the 
database report.
*	Various forms are acceptable, 
including State highway map, 
USGS quadrangle map for 
areas near the coast, latitude 
and longitude coordinates
*	If the Wind Hazard Damage 
Function software is used, 
no documentation is 
required.
*	Local building department, 
builder, contractor, planner, 
engineer, architect, or 
realtor.
Building 
Floor Area
Expressed in 
square feet 
*	The total heated, enclosed 
area in the building. Used in 
conjunction with replacement 
value to determine potential 
damages in various wind 
events.
*	Various forms are acceptable, 
including tax records, signed 
appraisals, surveys, and 
estimates with photographs.
*	Local tax office or 
appraiser’s office, surveyor, 
title and documents with 
building footprint. 
*	Homeowner estimates or 
measured drawings 
accompanied by 
photographs.
Building 
Replacement 
Value
Expressed as 
dollars per 
square foot
*	The cost for labor and 
materials to build a similar 
building at the same location. 
*	A key determinant of the 
amount of wind damage. 
*	Letter from local building 
department or residential 
builder, or photocopied pages 
from standard residential cost 
reference manual for the 
specific type of building.
*	Local building inspector, 
contractor, builder or 
construction company, 
architect or building 
engineer. 
*	Standard references such as: 
Marshall & Swift Residential 
Cost Handbook, RS Means, 
Means Square Foot Cost 
Guide, 
www.buildingcost.com, etc.
Building 
Damage that 
would Result 
in Demolition
Percentage of 
building 
replacement 
value
*	FEMA standard value is 50%.
*	Low cost or poorly 
maintained buildings may 
have lower thresholds; 
buildings of historical or 
cultural importance may have 
higher thresholds.
*	 No documentation required if 
standard value used.
*	Provide documentation and 
the basis of the estimate for 
values other than 50%.  

*	Values other than 50% 
should include consultation 
with real estate appraiser, 
economist, local building 
inspector, contractor, 
builder or construction 
company, architect, building 
engineer, planners, etc.
Contents 
Value 
Expressed as 
dollars 
*	The cost to replace the 
contents of a building. 
*	Contents damage includes 
furniture, office equipment, 
personal belongings, and 
non-permanent room 
dividers.
*	Contents do not include 
permanent parts of the 
building such as electrical and 
plumbing systems.  
*	FEMA standard value for 
residential buildings is 30% of 
the replacement value of the 
building or $20,000, 
whichever is greater.
*	30% value for residential 
buildings: no documentation 
required. 
*	For other values of residential 
buildings and non-residential 
buildings, provide detailed 
descriptions of contents, value 
and the means by which value 
was determined.  
*	No source required if it is a 
residential building and the 
FEMA standard is used.
*	 Otherwise, review 
insurance records, signed 
appraisals, purchase receipts, 
estimates based on current 
market price for similar 
contents.
Displacement 
Costs
Expressed as 
dollars per 
square foot per 
month, and one 
time and 
monthly costs.
1.	The costs borne by occupants 
during the time when a 
building is damaged and they 
are unable to occupy it. 
2.	Costs may include rent for 
alternative living spaces, rent 
for storage space, additional 
commuting time, additional 
day care, unpaid time off 
work, rental trucks, etc. 
3.	All these may be estimated 
when supported by credible 
documentation and sources. 
*	Alternative living space 
documented by copies of rental 
costs from realtors, leasing 
agents or newspapers, among 
others.
*	Rental for storage spaces may 
be supported by copies of 
advertising, records of contacts 
with rental companies.
*	Extra commuting costs and 
day care may be estimated as 
long as the estimation 
methodology is explained. 
*	Photocopies of ads for rental 
spaces in the community, 
records of phone contacts 
with rental agencies, receipts 
from similar rentals. 
	For residential properties, 
standard displacement costs 
are $1.00 per square foot per 
month.  Standard other 
monthly costs and one-time 
costs are $500 each.
*	Use standard figures where 
possible [i.e. dollar amount 
per mile for additional 
commute].
Value of Loss 
of Service
Dollar value of 
loss of public 
services
*	For public services, daily 
value of service is estimated 
by the daily cost of providing 
service.  
*	Documentation of annual 
operating budget for public 
facility.
*	For critical facilities, see “What 
is a Benefit?” Guidance.
*	Agency providing service.
Continuity 
Premium
Multiplier on 
ordinary value 
of service
*	Applies only to services 
critical to immediate disaster 
response and recovery 
(police, fire, and emergency 
responders).
*	No documentation required if 
FEMA standard values are 
used.
*	Exception to standard values 
requires detailed explanation of 
source used and method 
applied.
*	See “What is a Benefit?” 
guidance for standard values.
*	Developing non-standard 
values may involve working 
with organization or agency 
providing service.
Loss of 
Business 
Income
Net (not gross) 
business 
income
*	For commercial facilities, loss 
of net business income is the 
measure of loss of function 
when damage results in 
closure of the facility.
*	No documentation required if 
FEMA standard values are 
used.
*	If estimated, include a 
description of how derived.
*	Business income statements 
of finances.
*	The FEMA HAZUS-MH 
software loss estimation 
software has standard values 
for many classes of business, 
applicable to all hazards.  
http://fema.gov/hazus/
*	
Mitigation 
Project 
Useful 
Lifetime
Years
*	Estimated amount of time 
that mitigation action will be 
effective.  
*	Includes any maintenance 
activities that will be done to 
prolong effectiveness).
*	Reference FEMA standard 
value if utilized. 
*	If FEMA standard value is not 
utilized then include a 
justification of the value 
entered.
*	May also attach a letter, e-mail, 
etc. from credible agency 
documenting this estimate (if 
resource other than FEMA 
standard value).
*	FEMA BCA Guidance, 
Page 27.
*	BCA Checklist, Page 14.
*	Government representative 
or private professional with 
expertise relevant to the 
proposed project.
Mitigation 
Project Cost 
(includes 
data inputs 
for net 
mitigation 
project cost 
and 
additional 
annual 
maintenance 
cost ($/yr) 
for a project)
Total dollar 
value
*	Estimated total cost of the 
proposed mitigation action 
(not just the Federal share) 
and any maintenance 
activities that will be done to 
prolong effectiveness.

*	Narrative summary in the BCA 
module should state that this 
value comes from a potential 
or submitted project 
application. 
*	Sub-applicant should provide a 
detailed cost breakdown, rather 
than a lump sum value, from 
an engineering cost estimate.
*	Must document source and 
reasoning in estimate of 
maintenance activity cost.
*	Should support the value 
submitted with project 
application.

*	Government representative 
or private professional with 
expertise relevant to 
proposed project.
*	For maintenance values, 
consult Government 
representative or private 
professional with expertise 
relevant to proposed 
project.
Wind 
Recurrence 
Data
Wind speeds 
(in mph) for 
10-, 25-, 50-, 
100- and 2,000-
year intervals. 
*	Maximum sustained wind 
speed by return period (one-
minute sustained wind speeds 
in open terrain) at the project 
site.  
*	Provide copy of the Wind-
Hazard Data generated from 
the Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software located in 
the Hurricane Wind Software 
folder under the main BCA 
Software and Technical 
Manuals folder.
*	Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software located in 
the Hurricane Wind 
Software folder under the 
main BCA Software and 
Technical Manuals folder.
*	ASCE wind maps with 
recurrence intervals, 
*	Wind or structural 
engineers.
Expected 
Annual 
Number of 
Wind Storms
Frequency 
*	Specific values for wind 
storm frequencies for wind 
storms from Class 0 to Class 
5.
*	Calculated automatically in 
Wind Module from Wind 
Recurrence Data entries
*	If default values in FEMA 
software are used then provide 
print out of software.
*	If user-entered values are used 
provide full documentation of 
reasons for differences from 
FEMA default values.
*	If default values in FEMA 
software are used then 
provide print out of 
software.
*	Estimates based on 
measured wind speeds for 
historical losses and 
engineering judgment.
Mitigation 
Option
Selection in 
software
*	Match the projects mitigation 
activities to the Mitigation 
Option that is most similar to 
the project.
*	Select the appropriate 
Mitigation Option from the 
list of available options for 
the Building Type selected.
*	Provide copy of the Wind-
Hazard Data generated from 
the Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software located in 
the Hurricane Wind Software 
folder under the main BCA 
Software and Technical 
Manuals folder.
*	If default values in FEMA 
software are used then provide 
print out of software 
*	If user-entered values are used 
provide full documentation of 
reasons for differences from 
FEMA default values.
*	Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software located in 
the Hurricane Wind 
Software folder under the 
main BCA Software and 
Technical Manuals folder.

Building 
Wind 
Damage 
Function
Percent damage 
of building 
replacement 
value for each 
storm class.
*	Estimate of building damage 
before- and after-mitigation 
for each storm class.  
*	Provide a report print out of 
the default values from the 
Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software Building 
Information Tables.
*	Based on the Building Type 
and Mitigation Option 
selected. 
*	If user-entered values are used 
provide full documentation of 
reasons for differences from 
FEMA default values.
*	Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software located in 
the Hurricane Wind 
Software folder under the 
main BCA Software and 
Technical Manuals folder.
*	Estimates based on 
historical losses and 
engineering judgment.  
Contents 
Wind 
Damage 
Function
Percent damage 
of the building 
contents value 
for each storm 
class.
*	Estimate of contents damage 
before- and after-mitigation 
for each storm class.  
*	Provide a report print out of 
the default values from the 
Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software Building 
Information Tables.
*	Based on the Building Type 
and Mitigation Option 
selected. 
*	If user-entered values are used 
provide full documentation of 
reasons for differences from 
FEMA default values.
*	Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software located in 
the Hurricane Wind 
Software folder under the 
main BCA Software and 
Technical Manuals folder.
*	Estimates based on historical 
losses and engineering 
judgment.  
Displacement 
Time
Days, increases 
with wind 
damage 
(building 
percent 
damage)
*	The before- and after-
mitigation number of days 
that occupants are expected 
to be displaced to temporary 
quarters due to wind damage.
*	Provide a report print out of 
the default values from the 
Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software Building 
Information Tables.
*	Based on the Building Type 
and Mitigation Option 
selected. 
*	If user-entered values are used 
provide full documentation of 
reasons for differences from 
FEMA default values. 
*	Wind Hazard and Damage 
Function software located in 
the Hurricane Wind 
Software folder under the 
main BCA Software and 
Technical Manuals folder.
*	See “What is a Benefit” 
guidance for residential and 
critical facilities.

Functional 
Downtime
Days, increases 
with wind 
damage 
(building 
percent 
damage)
*	The time period for which 
public or commercial services 
are lost from a building.
*	For ordinary buildings, default 
values in FEMA software.
*	For critical buildings, use 
“What is a Benefit?” guidance. 
*	Local source not required if 
FEMA default values are 
used.  
*	Developing non-standard 
values will involve working 
with organization or agency 
providing service.



FEMA BCA Checklist
Appendix II
FEMA BCA Checklist 
Last Updated June 28, 2006

For the entire BCA Checklist, refer to the BCA_Checklist.doc located on the BCA Mitigation Toolkit (BCA Mitigation 
Toolkit\4 – BCA TOOLS\CHECKLIST AND DATA DOCUMENTATION TEMPLATES).

3.5	Hurricane Wind Projects

3.5.1	The Building Type is one of the most critical data elements for determining an accurate Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR). This 
should be based on design drawings and determined by a building official, a registered professional engineer, or a licensed 
architect. In the Hurricane Wind module, select “Other” for the Building Type in the Level One Data section. Follow the 
instructions in the Wind Hazard and Damage Function software (located in the Hurricane Software folder in the main BCA 
Software and Technical Manual folder on the FEMA Mitigation BCA Toolkit CD) and select the building type that is most 
similar to the project building.

3.5.2	The Building Site (and zip code) should be identified on a map, showing the coast, submitted with the application. The 
value for Building Site (miles inland) in the Level One Data section of the Hurricane Wind module may be any value from 
1 to 125 miles inland. This value is no longer critical when the new Wind Hazard Damage Function table is used because 
the analyst should enter the same wind speed data in both the “Coast” and “125 miles inland” columns for the specific 
building site. Obtain the wind hazard data for the project site (by zip code) from the Wind Hazard and Damage Function 
software and enter that into the Wind Hazard Data section of the Hurricane Wind module.

3.5.3	The Wind Hazard Data requires the wind speed at the project site be entered in both the “Coast” and “125 miles inland” 
columns for the 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, and 2000-year events. This wind speed data can be obtained by zip code by using the 
Wind Hazard and Damage Function software located in the Hurricane Software folder in the main BCA Software and 
Technical Manual folder on the FEMA Mitigation BCA Toolkit CD. These data have been developed using the FEMA 
HAZUS-MH software for the 48 contiguous states. The values provide updated (2005) wind speed data that should be used 
in the Hurricane Wind module.

3.5.4	The Wind Hazard Data for U.S. islands or territories outside the 48 contiguous states (Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, etc.) are provided in Figure 7-3 of the BCA Hurricane Technical Manual. The wind speeds are identical at the 
coast and 125-miles inland due to the relatively small landmass of islands.

3.5.5	A detailed project description should be provided to demonstrate Project Effectiveness. In addition to the design wind 
speeds, this information should also identify which building components will be replaced or retrofitted as part of the 
project. The Wind Hazard and Damage Function software is used to determine the appropriate percent damage (Wind 
Damage Functions) for both before- and after-mitigation using the available options. The Wind Damage Function data is 
then entered into the appropriate Level Two Data tables in the BCA module.


Hurricane Wind DDT.doc					      Page 1 of 11
{Last Updated 7/6/06}