Assessing Federal Research and Development for Hazard Loss Reduction: Issue 1734

Charles Meade · Megan Abbott

01/2003 · Rand Corporation

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Losses resulting from natural hazards--floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfire--cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars each year. Moreover, the costs are escalating, in large part because of the growing population in coastal and other high-risk areas. Further, the increasing complexity of the nation's infrastructure, particularly in urban areas, means that potential losses during a natural hazard are only likely to increase. As part of its strategy to address the hazard loss problem, the federal government funds research and development (R&D) to improve understanding of, preparation for, and response to hazards. A comprehensive RAND analysis of current federal funding for research on hazard losses found that programs solely dedicated to hazard loss reduction receive the least funding, while work on weather hazards and broadly related research on climatology, atmospheric science, and oceanography receive the most. Much of this R&D spending supports short-term prediction capabilities, even though such measures have limited loss reduction potential. While prediction can generally move individuals out of harm's way, long-term loss reduction strategies could improve the resilience of communities and infrastructure, resulting in less property damage and reduced rebuilding costs. The study concludes that a comprehensive national loss database and greater use of loss modeling would assist in identifying

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Megan Abbott is an award wining author. She was born in the Detroit area and graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English Literature. Abbott went on to receive a Ph.D. in English and American Literature from New York University. Abbott's stories have appeared in Damn Near Dead: An Anthology of Geezer Noir (2006), Wall Street Noir (2007), Detroit Noir (2007), Storyglossia and Queens Noir (2007). Her nonfiction book, The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled Fiction and Film Noir, was published in 2003. She is also the editor of the Edgar-nominated A Hell of a Woman: An Anthology of Female Noir. Megan is also the Edgar-winning author of the novels Die a Little, The Song Is You, Queenpin and Bury Me Deep. She won the Barry Award (Deadly Pleasures and Mystery News award) and has been nominated three times for the Anthony Award (Bouchercon World Mystery Convention award). Her upcoming novel, The End of Everything, comes out in July 2011. Megan Abbott lives in Queens, New York City.