WAS Survey: Adopt Preliminary Damage Assessment Categories for Damage?

[pjdohertygis]

The damage categories currently in use are very difficult to cross-walk into the categories used by FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessment. Hurricane Laura also showed that most teams did not really understand the current categories. There was a lack of consistency between FEMA and SUSAR Teams.

Of course, the Joint Damage scale would be OK too if FEMA is headed in that direciton.

[pjdohertygis]

Example from Laura - it looks like SUSAR and FEMA had different opinions on Structure, damaged vs Structure, no damage

[pjdohertygis]

From Dave Weber - "Thanks Paul. I have thought a lot about our US&R four structure symbols and how they initially came to be (a compromise by the original ad hoc group) since 2014. Since we now have the ability to add more, I think the best way to deal with PDA versus US&R structure hazard symbols is to change our first four definitions to accurate PDA definitions and add three structure hazard symbols (already part of our system/training) with the definitions we currently have. I have some ppt slides I use to present to the engineers that may help. We may be wise to also add a fourth symbol defined as “searched per ROE” since PDA and / or Structure Hazard symbols may not mean the structure was actually searched per the rules of engagement. "

[pjdohertygis]

In response to Dave Weber above - this is a similar approach to what TX-TF1 is using with their statewide deployment.

PDA Category Definitions (there are specific examples in the pocket guide for flooding) • Affected: a home is considered affected if the damage to the home is mostly cosmetic. • Minor: a home with repairable non-structural damage. • Major: a home with structural damage or other significant damage that requires extensive repairs. • Destroyed: the home is a total loss.

I suggest we:

1) Remove structure no damage, structure damage, structure failed, structure destroyed from the waypoint list. 2) Add the PDA categories - match the field names and aliases exactly as they do in the official PDA Survey123 template.

• Affected: a home is considered affected if the damage to the home is mostly cosmetic. • Minor: a home with repairable non-structural damage. • Major: a home with structural damage or other significant damage that requires extensive repairs. • Destroyed: the home is a total loss.

Field Name | Alias based on PDA v3.0.3 (you can review the XLSform in the Survey123 Connect - Community) affected | Affected minor | Minor major | Major destroyed | Destroyed inaccessible | Inaccessible unaffected | Unaffected

3) Add a link to the PDA Pocket Guide in the Survey instructions. https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1588956523083-0b0420c837695fc63e6ea8169dbf80fa/Preliminary_Damage_Assessment_Pocket_Guide.pdf

RE: FEMA Structures / Hazards Marking conversation - see https://github.com/pjdohertygis/SARandFirstResponderSurvey/issues/69

[pjdohertygis]

From Jarrett M at FEMA Recovery

"And yes, v3.0.3 is the most current version of our Survey123 templates."

[jdokemaps]

The PDA categories have been added to v8 of the survey.

I used the PDA categories with the exception of "Inaccessible" for that we will most likely just use Route Blocked. I also included an "unknown" category. This can be useful to pre-load structures into the database that have not been assessed yet.

[pjdohertygis]

"I fully agree. The need for standardization in this complex environment is critical. Making the data “line up” between Federal and State partners will add meaning and reduce the need for active deconfliction. When dealing with the collection of thousands of data points nobody wants to try to deconflict or even explain why the data doesn’t match.

It will certainly be value added if we leave data that lines up with the FEMA recovery personnel and can jumpstart the PDA process by delineating areas of damage consistent with the FEMA PDA standards." - Blue IST Planning Section Chief

[pjdohertygis]

"I will pass this along to the Search group today. I don't foresee any real objections. 'A rose by any other name is still yet a rose.' If a structure is affected, minor (damage) major (damage) and so on, will always be subjective to a certain degree. The true hurdle is training and compliance. It took too many years and deployments to finally get TFs to use the WAS "Iron sights "as designed and even then, often "on the job training" had to be provided.

So, with every change comes an investment. I agree there is value in aligning our damage assessment/marking system with the RC/FEMA PDA. It only makes sense to do it once and in a way that works for everyone involved. " - Deputy Fire Marshal VA Beach Fire

[pjdohertygis]

Implemented.