This page provides on overview of the Hazus application and its potential uses and usefulness. This page is intended to give those unfamiliar with Hazus an understanding of what the program does.
Hazus is a nationally applicable standardized methodology that estimates potential losses from earthquakes, hurricane winds and floods. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed Hazus under contract with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Hazus uses state-of-the-art Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software to map and display hazard data and the results of damage and economic loss estimates for buildings and infrastructure. It also allows users to estimate the impacts of earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods on populations.
Estimating losses is essential to decision-making at all levels of government, providing a basis for developing mitigation plans and policies, emergency preparedness and response, and recovery planning.
For information on software and hardware requirements to run Hazus, see Hazus Hardware and Software Requirements.
To learn about real life cases and stories where Hazus was successfully used to complete a study or mitigate natural disaster risk, check out the Hazus Success Stories page.
Hazus Overview Handout
Hazus: What Could Happen? 
How many homes would be lost if this hurricane makes landfall as a Category 3? What are the costs to repair infrastructure after a Magnitude 7 earthquake? If we spent $2 million to buy out these flood-prone homes, what is the cost-benefit? This overview handout explains how Hazus combines science, engineering and mathematical modeling with GIS technology to estimate losses of life and property—and shows those losses on a map.