Introduction

This case study follows the general methodology established in the Vulnerability Assessment Tutorial. It illustrates the various steps in the tutorial utilizing examples completed for New Hanover County, North Carolina. By following this case study, you can examine how geographic information system (GIS) can be used to conduct vulnerability assessment analyses and aid in visualizing analysis results. While this case study follows the methodology outlined in the tutorial, it is only one example of how to complete the steps identified. While the use of GIS is not required to conduct a vulnerability assessment, this case study demonstrates the value of GIS as an analytical tool in this process.

This case study is organized according to the steps defined in the Vulnerability Assessment Tutorial. The tutorial instructions for each step are included in bold italic text and the remaining narrative for each step describes how those instructions were applied in the New Hanover County example. Examples of New Hanover County maps and tables are also included to illustrate the output capabilities of GIS. For GIS users who wish to explore the data used in this case study, ArcView® and ArcExplorer® project files are included. If you are interested in developing a similar project for your community, information on metadata and potential data sources is also included on the Internet Data Resources page.