Analyzing Success: The visionary leadership of PM Eric Berman has propelled HAZUS as “the risk assessment tool” for natural hazard planning and mitigation.
Eric Berman has been successful at FEMA for two main reasons—focus and patience. While 20 years of FEMA work under your belt doesn’t hurt, it’s the ability to stay on task and resolve the issue at hand to move forward with the mission that is the key driver behind his success.
Eric has spent the last five years in a leadership role as the HAZUS Program Manager. HAZUS is a multi-hazard risk assessment tool that combines science, engineering, mathematical modeling, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to estimate the potential loss of life and property damage from natural hazards. HAZUS currently models impacts from earthquake, hurricane wind, and floods.
In 2009, the HAZUS Program completed a national average annualized loss study for flood to show how much flooding and the varying degrees of damage that potentially exist. Counties can then use this information for an initial identification to aid in mitigation planning.
According to Eric, this was the first time a study of that magnitude had been completed in FEMA Mitigation in such a short time period. “We had hundreds of computers running the HAZUS application all across the country. The study took a year to complete, so we made pretty good time.”
But equally important as building an accurate risk analysis tool is the need to make states and communities aware that it’s available and train/support users. Eric’s #1 priority for the Program is training and outreach because of the criticality of making sure HAZUS gets used to help proactively plan to reduce disaster losses.
FEMA is in a support role by assisting communities and building state/local capabilities so they can better manage their disasters. “By providing these HAZUS tools for use; this is synergistic to FEMA’s role of serving the American public,” says Eric.
In Eric’s 20 years with FEMA, he has worn many hats within the Mitigation Directorate having previously worked for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and currently for HAZUS, which is the primary the loss assessment tool for Risk MAP. Risk MAP is FEMA’s multi-million dollar hazard “Mapping Analysis and Planning” Program which will help expose HAZUS technology to the nearly 20,000 communities who participate in the NFIP.
Eric established HAZUS Conference in 2007 to bring together decision makers, GIS users, local officials and emergency responders for networking and education. The conference has sustained growth and is now in its fourth year. The 4th Annual HAZUS Conference is August 23-25 in Indianapolis, IN.
Eric attributes much of his success to the support from mentor, Cliff Oliver; a previous HAZUS Program Manager who Eric says gave him the encouragement and responsibility to manage the program when he transferred to another position.
Eric’s career high was receiving former Vice President Gore’s Hammer Award as part of an acquisition team recognized for their work in recovery operations during the flooding on the Red River of the North in 1997.
When asked what advice he would give FEMA PM’s when facing challenges within their own programs, Eric says: “Don’t get discouraged by budget cuts or internal politics, but instead stay focused and true to your cause and you will see change.”
Eric was also one of the first FEMA employees to earn DHS’ Level 3 COTR and Project Management Level 3 certifications.