U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2012–3061

October 2012 Printed on recycled paper

United States Geological Survey (USGS) 

Natural Hazards Response

The primary goal of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Response is to ensure that the disaster 

response community has access to timely, accurate, and relevant geospatial products, imagery, and services during 

and after an emergency event. To accomplish this goal, products and services provided by the National Geospatial 

Program (NGP) and Land Remote Sensing (LRS) Program serve as a geospatial framework for mapping activities 

of the emergency response community. Post-event imagery and analysis can provide important and timely information about the extent and severity of an event. USGS Natural Hazards Response will also support the coordination of remotely sensed data acquisitions, image distribution, and authoritative geospatial information production 

as required for use in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery operations.

USGS Natural Hazards Response Products

and Services

When disaster strikes there is often an urgent need 

and high demand for rapid acquisition and coordinated 

distribution of pre- and post-event geospatial products, 

services, and imagery. These products and services are 

necessary to record change, analyze impacts, and facilitate 

response to the highly dynamic conditions on the ground. 

The coordination and timely provision of relevant datasets 

have become especially important as geospatial technologies continue to advance and evolve in support of emergency responders.

Depending on requirements, USGS Natural Hazards Response can provide the following types of support for disaster response: 

• Acquire and coordinate remotely sensed 

(satellite and aerial) imagery.

• Provide the primary data distribution portal 

for pre- and post-event satellite and aerial 

imagery.

• Coordinate with Federal, State, and local 

emergency response agencies as required.

• Provide timely and effective image and 

geospatial analysis.

• Provide rapid deployment and services of 

USGS geospatial experts, including the 

Science Response Vehicle (SRV) for onsite 

deployment.

• Provide United States representation, event 

activation, and event support through the 

International Charter “Space and Major 

Disasters”.

Past Emergency Events

Over the past decade, USGS Natural Hazards 

Response staff have supported hundreds of domestic 

and international disaster events by providing critically 

needed pre- and post-event geospatial products, remotely 

sensed imagery, and other related geospatial information 

services as required by the emergency response community. Some of the largest national event responses 

supported by the USGS have included Hurricane Katrina 

(2005) and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010). In 

addition to these very large, complex, and long-duration events, the USGS has also supported many other 

Landsat 5 satellite image of the 2011 eruption of Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic 

Complex (Chile). The white ash cloud and bright orange-red region within this 

image shows active eruption occurring from the Cordón Caulle fissure, while the 

circular snow-covered Puyehue caldera (blue) remains dormant. Image acquired on 

June 26, 2011, hosted on HDDS (Event ID: 201106_Volcano_Chile).
Landsat 5 and 7 satellite images 

acquired before and after the 

2011 Missouri River flooding near 

Hamburg, Iowa. The large blue 

region in the right-hand image 

shows the flooded area. Images 

acquired on September 24, 2010, 

and August 2, 2011, hosted on 

HDDS (Event ID: 201104_Floods_

Central_US).

Aerial photograph showing a flooded region in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Image acquired on September 16, 2005, 

hosted on HDDS (Event ID: 200508_Hurricane_Katrina).

emergency events across the United States, such as the 

persistent and dangerous wildfires in Texas and Southwestern United States (2011), devastating tornadoes 

in the Southeastern United States (2011), flood events 

caused by Hurricane Irene across the Mid-Atlantic and 

New England (2011), and the historic flooding along the 

Mississippi and Missouri Rivers (2011). Some examples 

of international events supported by the USGS have 

included the earthquake in Haiti (2010), the Japan earthquake/tsunami/nuclear event (2011), and the historic 

flood event in Pakistan (2010).

Access to Pre- and Post-Event Geospatial 

Information

When an emergency occurs, first responders and 

disaster response teams often need rapid access to aerial 

photography and satellite imagery that are acquired 

immediately after the event. When paired with pre-event 

imagery, the resulting product can facilitate change 

assessment and provide critical information to response 

personnel. The USGS Hazards Data Distribution System 

(HDDS) provides quick and easy access to the remotely 

sensed imagery and geospatial datasets that are essential 

for emergency response and recovery operations.
Home page of the USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS). The HDDS site provides eventbased download access to remotely sensed imagery and other datasets acquired for emergency 

response.

Oblique aerial photograph acquired after the Woodward, Oklahoma, 

tornado in Spring 2012. Image acquired on April 15, 2012, hosted on 

HDDS (Event ID: 201204_Tornadoes_Central_US).

Aerial photograph showing 

highway damage and storm 

surge impacts on Cape Hattaras, 

North Carolina, after Hurricane 

Irene. Image acquired on 

September 2, 2011, hosted 

on HDDS (Event ID: 201108_

Hurricane_Irene).

Hazards Data Distribution 

System (HDDS)

The Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) provides 

a single, consolidated pointof-entry and distribution system for access to all available 

USGS-hosted datasets related to 

an emergency event response. 

HDDS provides data visibility 

and immediate download services through a complementary 

pair of graphical map-based 

and traditional directory-based 

interfaces. These interfaces allow 

emergency response personnel 

to rapidly select and obtain preevent (“baseline”) and post-event 

emergency response imagery.

Some of the features included within the map-based, 

interactive HDDS interface include:

• Immediate download access to event-related imagery.

• Geographical data visualization with browse image and 

footprint area overlay.

• Extensive metadata available in multiple formats (for 

example, CSV, KML, SHP, XML, FGDC).

• XML-based Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds for 

newly ingested data.

• Registration service and login access for restricted 

datasets.

• Bulk data download capability.
HDDS Event Support

Since its inception in 2005, the USGS HDDS system 

has grown to include over 170 terabytes of emergency 

response data (representing over 700 baseline and disaster 

events) and has distributed nearly 3 million files to the 

emergency response community.

Other, 2 percent

Tsunami, 3 percent

Tornado, 7 percent

Oil spill, 4 percent

Volcano, 6 percent

Earthquake,

12 percent

Flood, 35 percent

Storm, 16 percent

Fire, 15 percent

Type of emergency events (percent) supported 

through Hazards Data Distribution System 

(HDDS) as of October 2012.

Map products, 2 percent

Optical low-resolution 

(satellite), 1 percent

Optical moderateresolution (satellite),

45 percent Optical high-resolution 

(satellite), 35 percent

Optical high-resolution 

(aerial), 4 percent

Hyperspectral, 1 percent

Lidar, 1 percent

Other, 1 percent

Radar,

10 percent

Type of datasets (percent) hosted and delivered 

through Hazards Data Distribution System 

(HDDS) as of October 2012.

Important Links

USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS)

http://hdds.usgs.gov/hdds2/

International Charter “Space and Major Disasters”

http://www.disasterscharter.org/

USGS Natural Hazards Response Portal

http://eoportal.cr.usgs.gov/

USGS Land Remote Sensing (LRS) Program

http://remotesensing.usgs.gov/

USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP)

http://www.usgs.gov/ngpo/

USGS Natural Hazards Program

http://www.usgs.gov/natural_hazards/

For more information:

Please contact USGS Natural Hazards Response

eocustserv@usgs.gov

SPOT-4 satellite image showing a fire scar (dark region) 

created by the 2012 Ash Creek Fire in southeastern Montana. 

Image acquired on July 29, 2012, hosted on HDDS (Event 

ID: 201207_Fires_MT). Includes material © CNES 2012, 

Distribution Spot Image S.A., France, SICORP, USA, all rights 

reserved.

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