Terms and Acronyms – NYC Hazard Mitigation Plan

The list below is a collection of terms used in the NYC Hazard Mitigation Plan, some of which are more technical in nature and may not be easily or immediately understood by all readers. In the future, the NYC Hazard Mitigation Plan intends to be capable of hover over definitions for choice words. For now, the terms and acronyms are presented in their entirety below.

Term (Acronym)	Definition
Capability Assessment	Provides a description and analysis of a community’s current capacity to address threats associated with hazards. The assessment includes two components: an inventory of an agency’s mission, programs, and policies, and an analysis of its capacity to carry them out. A capability assessment is an integral part of the planning process in which a community’s actions to reduce losses are identified, reviewed, and analyzed, and the framework for implementation is identified.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)	A computer software application that relates data regarding physical and other features on the earth to a database for mapping analysis.
Natural Protective Feature Area (NPFA)	Portion of Coastal Erosion Hazard Area (CEHA) which contains natural protective features that protect natural habitats, infrastructure, and built structures from wind and water erosion and storm-induced high water.
Boroughs	The five geographic and political divisions of New York City, each classified as an individual county. The five Boroughs of New York City are the Bronx, Brooklyn (Kings), Manhattan (New York), Queens, and Staten Island (Richmond).
Jurisdictional Risk Assessment (JRA)	An assessment of the past, current, and future risks to the health, safety, and property of the people within that jurisdiction.
American Community Survey (ACS)	The American Community Survey (ACS) helps local officials, community leaders, and businesses understand the changes taking place in their communities. It is the premier source for detailed population and housing information about our nation.
Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000)	Federal legislation enacted to encourage and promote proactive, pre-disaster planning as a condition of receiving financial assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Act. The DMA emphasizes planning for disasters before they occur. Under the DMA, a pre-disaster hazard mitigation program and new requirements for the national post-disaster hazard mitigation grant program (HMGP) were established.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)	An independent federal agency (now part of the Department of Homeland Security) created in 1978 to provide a single point of accountability for all federal activities related to disaster mitigation and emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.
Goal	A general guideline that explains what is to be achieved. Goals are usually broad-based, long-term, policy-type statements, and represent global visions. Goals help define the benefits that a plan is trying to achieve.
Hazard	A source of potential danger or adverse condition that could harm people and/or cause property damage.
Hazard Mitigation	Reduction or alleviation of the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage that could result from a disaster through long- and short-term strategies. Hazard mitigation involves strategies such as planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities that could mitigate the impacts of hazards.
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)	Authorized under Section 202 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the HMGP is administered by FEMA and provides grants to states, tribes, and local governments to implement hazard mitigation actions after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the program is to reduce the loss of life and property due to disasters and to enable mitigation activities to be implemented as a community recovers from a disaster.
Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP)	A collaborative document that identifies hazards that could affect a community, assesses vulnerability to identified hazards, and presents existing and potential actions that the community is undertaking or intends to undertake in order to minimize or eliminate the effects of hazards.
Mitigation Actions	Specific projects, plans, or policies that achieve goals and objectives that minimize the effects from a disaster and reduce the loss of life and property.
Mitigation Strategy	A systematic process for analyzing, prioritizing, and implementing the identified mitigation actions in the Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Natural Hazard	Hazard which results from conditions in the natural environment. Humans may contribute to or exacerbate the hazard, but are not the direct source of the hazard.
Non-Natural Hazard	Hazard which results from human-induced processes.
Preparedness	Actions that strengthen the capability of government, citizens, and communities to respond to disasters.
Presidential Disaster Declaration	Typically made for events that cause more damage than state and local governments and resources can handle without federal government assistance. Generally, no specific dollar loss threshold has been established for such declarations. A Presidential Disaster Declaration puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are matched by state programs, designed to help disaster victims, businesses, and public entities.
Recovery	Recovery refers to actions taken by an individual or community after a catastrophic event to restore order and community lifelines.
Resiliency	The capacity of the social, built, or natural environment to bounce back and return to normalcy following a disaster.
Risk	The estimated impact that a hazard would have on people, services, facilities, and structures in a community. Risk measures the likelihood of a hazard occurring and resulting in an adverse condition that causes injury or damage. Risk is often expressed in relative terms such as a high, moderate, or low hazard. Risk also can be expressed in terms of potential monetary losses associated with the intensity of likelihood of sustaining damage above a particular threshold due to occurrence of a specific type of the hazard.
Risk Assessment	The process of measuring potential loss of life, personal injury, economic injury, and property damage resulting from hazards. This process assesses the vulnerability of people, buildings, and infrastructure to hazards and focuses on severity, probability, impact to the social, built, natural, and future environment.
Coastal Erosion	Loss or displacement of land along the coastline from the interaction of oceans, waves, and beaches, often coupled with the impact human activity.
Coastal Erosion Hazard Area (CEHA)	Coastal locations that are particularly vulnerable to erosion requiring written approval of regulated activities or land disturbance to properties within these areas.
Landslides	The downward and outward movement of slope-forming materials reacting to the force of gravity. Slide materials may be composed of natural rock, soil, artificial fill, or combinations of these materials. The term landslide includes rock falls, rockslides, block glide, debris slide, earth flow, mudflow, slump, and other such terms.
Structural Hazard Areas (SHA)	Section of the Coastal Erosion hazard Area located landward of natural protective features and having shorelines receding a long-term average recession rate of one foot or more per year.
Bearing	A storm’s direction and angle of approach.
Coastal Storms	Including tropical cyclones formed in the atmosphere over warm ocean areas, and nor’easters which form at higher latitudes during the colder months of the year. Circulation is counterclockwise around a center of low pressure. Depending on the exact storm type, coastal storms can affect the area with heavy rain, winds, storm surge, tornadoes, or wintry precipitation
Hurricane	A tropical cyclone with winds that have reached a constant speed of 74 miles per hour or greater.
New York Bight	A bight is a curve in the shoreline of an open coast that funnels and increases the speed of storm surge. The New York Bight is located at the point where New York and New Jersey meet, creating nearly a right angle in the coastline
Nor’easter	A strong low-pressure system that affects the Mid-Atlantic and New England states. Nor’easters can form over land or coastal waters, generally between October and April. These events are notorious for producing heavy snow, rain, and tremendous waves that crash onto Atlantic beaches, often causing beach erosion and structural damage.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale	Primary scale used to measure the hurricane’s sustained wind speed based on a scale of 1 to 5.
Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes Model (SLOSH)	Computer model which calculates surge based on storms moving in different directions and with varying strengths.
Severe Thunderstorm	Thunderstorms consisting of winds of 58 mph or higher, and/or large hail measuring at least 1 inch in diameter, and/or a tornado. About 10% of thunderstorms are classified as severe.
Storm Surge	An abnormal rise in water level above the normal astronomical tide level as it is pushed towards the shore by the force of the winds and low pressure of a storm. It is measured as the different between the normal astronomical tide levels and observed storm water levels, or storm tide.
Storm Surge Inundation	The storm surge height above ground level, calculated by subtracting the total land elevation from the total storm surge height.
Storm Tide	When storm surge combines with the astronomical high tide, raising mean water level and causing severe inundation of coastal areas.
Tropical Cyclone	Organized areas of precipitation and thunderstorms that form over warm, tropical ocean waters. Rotation is counterclockwise around a low pressure center.
Tropical Depression	A tropical cyclone consisting of an organized system of clouds and thunderstorms, with a defined surface circulation, and maximum sustained winds of 38 miles per hour or less.
Tropical Storm	A tropical cyclone consisting of an organized system of strong thunderstorms, with a defined surface circulation, and maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour.
Earthquake	A sudden, rapid shaking of the earth caused by the breaking and shifting of rock beneath the surface, usually within the upper 10-20 miles of the earth’s surface.
Epicenter	Point on the surface directly above the source of an earthquake.
Focus (Earthquakes)	An earthquake’s location of origin beneath the surface.
Ground Acceleration	Shaking of the ground resulting from seismic waves caused by an earthquake.
Intensity (Earthquakes)	Used to describe the overall felt severity of shaking during an earthquake at a particular location, measured in terms of the Modified Mercalli scale.
Liquefaction	Occurs when unconsolidated, water-saturated soils exhibit fluid-like or significantly softened properties due to the intense shaking and vibrations during an earthquake.
Magnitude (earthquakes)	A measurement of the energy released at the source of the earthquake expressed by ratings on the Moment Magnitude Scale.
Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI)	A scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. The scale quantifies the effects of an earthquake on the Earth’s surface, humans, objects of nature, and man-made structures on a scale of I through XII, with I denoting a weak earthquake and XII one that causes almost complete destruction.
Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA)	The maximum acceleration experience by the ground during the course of an earthquake motion, described by its changing velocity as a function of time. It is expressed as a percent of the established rate of acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/sec2).
Moment Magnitude Scale	A logarithmic scale used to express the total amount of energy released by an earthquake. It is a logarithmic scale – a single step represents an increase of about 32 times the amount of energy released.
Spectral Acceleration (SA)	Measures what is experienced by a building during an earthquake by referencing a particle mass on a mass-level vertical rod having the same natural period of vibration as the building.
Excessive Heat Warning	Issued within 24 hours of onset of the following condition: Heat index of at least 105°F.
Extreme Heat	Temperatures that hover 10°F or more above the average high temperature for the region and last for several weeks. Humid or muggy conditions, which add to the discomfort of high temperatures, occur when a “dome” of high atmospheric pressure traps hazy, damp air near the ground.
Heat Advisory	Issued within 24 hours prior to onset of any of the following conditions: 1) Heat index of 100°F-104°F for any period 2) Heat Index of 95°F-99°F or greater for two consecutive days.
Heat Exhaustion	A health condition brought on by prolonged exposure to extreme heat, with symptoms including confusion, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headaches, and muscle cramps.
Heat Index (HI)	The temperature the body feels when heat and humidity are combined. Higher humidity reduces the body’s ability to cool itself and makes the temperature feel hotter.
Heat Stroke	Occurs when the body is no longer able to regulate its internal temperature, resulting in a body temperature of greater than 105°F. Common symptoms include seizures, disorientation, loss of consciousness, and complications involving the central nervous system.
Urban Heat Island Effect	Develop when built surfaces replace a large portion of natural land. Incoming solar radiation is trapped during the day and is then re-radiated at night. This slows the cooling process, keeping nighttime air temperatures high, relative to temperatures in less urbanized areas.
1% Annual Chance Flood (100-Year-Flood)	The area where there is 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Formerly referred to as a “100-year-flood.”
0.2% Annual Chance Flood (500-Year-Flood)	The area where there is a 0.2 % or greater chance of flooding in any given year. Also called the “500-year-flood.”
Base Flood Elevation (BFE)	FEMA’s flood maps identify the expected height of flooding from the 1% annual chance flood for each zone, known as the Base Flood Elevation. The Base Flood Elevations are denoted in the datum NAVD 88, which represents the number of feet above mean sea level in that datum.
Coastal Flooding	Primarily caused by the storm surge that generally accompanies a strong coastal storm, such as a tropical storm, hurricane, or nor’easter.
Flood	A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation or normally dry land. Flooding can be categorized as coastal, riverine, tidal, or inland.
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)	The official map of a community for which FEMA has designated flood zones – geographic areas classified according to levels of flood risk, with each zone reflecting a different severity and/or type of flooding – and the insurance risk premium zones applicable to the community.
Flood Zone Category VE (VE)	Coastal areas subject to inundation by a 1 percent annual chance flood. Additional hazards associated with storm-induced waves more than 3 feet high
Flood Zone Category Coastal A (Coastal A)	A sub-area of the A/AE flood zone that has additional hazards associated with storm-induced waves that are between 1.5 to 3 feet high
Flood Zone Category AE (AE)	Areas subject to inundation by a 1% annual chance flood
Flood Zone Category X (X)	Areas of moderate flood hazard subject to inundation by a 0.2% annual chance flood, also called the “500 year flood zone”
Hazards U.S. Multi-Hazard (HAZUS-MH)	A nationally applicable standardized methodology and software program, developed by FEMA, which is under contract with the National Institute of Building Sciences. The program estimates potential losses from earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods. In HAZUS-MH, current scientific and engineering knowledge is coupled with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to produce estimates of hazard-related damage before, or after, a disaster occurs.
Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)	The average height of the lowest tide recorded at a tide station each day during a recording period.
Maximum Envelope of Water (MEOW)	SLOSH output showing the maximum surge inundation from a set hypothetical storms with fixed intensity and bearing but varied size, forward speed, and landfall locations.
Maximum of MEOWs (MOM)	SLOSH output which represents the worst-case scenario storm surge.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)	Program through which FEMA sets insurance premiums and minimum building standards for properties in the 1 Percent annual chance floodplain. The three components of the NFIP are flood insurance, floodplain management, and flood hazard mapping. Nearly 20,000 communities across the United States and its territories participate in the NFIP by adopting and enforcing floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage. In exchange, the NFIP makes federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters, and business owners in these communities. Community participation in the NFIP is voluntary.
Probabilistic (for HAZUS-MH)	Events modeled by looking at the damage caused by an event that is likely to occur over a given period of time, known as a return period.
Repetitive Loss Property	Structures for which a policyholder receives two or more claim payments of $1,000 or more after flood events within a 10-year period.
Riverine Flooding	Occurs when freshwater rivers and streams exceed local flow capacity and water spills over their banks.
Severe Repetitive Loss Structure	Any insured structure that has incurred flood damage for which: At least two separate claim payments have been made under a Standard Flood Insurance Policy, with the cumulative amount of such payments exceeds the fair market value of the insured buildings on the day before each loss: or At least four or more claim payments over $5,000 and with the cumulative amount of claim payments exceeding $20,000.
Stillwater Flooding	A rise in water levels without significant waves.
Tidal Flooding	Also known as “nuisance flooding,” “blue-sky flooding, or “sunny day flooding” is caused by normal variations in the lunar cycle and can occur even in the absence of a storm.
Beaufort Wind Scale	A simplified scale to aid in the estimation of wind speed and corresponding typical effects.
Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)	National Weather Service’s revised Fujita-scale, which is a complex, systematic approach to measuring the strength of a tornado.
Fujita Scale (F-Scale)	Standard measurement for rating the strength of a tornado.
Micro/Macroburst	Associated with a thunderstorm, Micro/Macrobursts are powerful downdrafts that can cause severe, localized damage.
Straight-Line Winds	Typically blow in one direction but can vary during the course of an event. Speeds exceed 50-60 mph and are associated with intense low atmospheric pressure. Duration usually lasts up to one day.
Tornadoes	A local atmospheric storm, generally of short duration, formed by winds rotating at very high speeds, usually in a counterclockwise direction. The vortex is visible to the observer as a whirl-pool-like column of winds rotating about a hollow cavity or funnel. Wind speeds range from 65 to 300 miles per hour.
Extreme Cold	Temperatures that drop well below normal in an area. Whenever temperatures drop well below normal and wind speed increases, heat can leave your body more rapidly (known as the wind-chill effect).
Freezing Rain	Precipitation that falls as rain, but freezes on contact with the surface, forming a glaze of ice.
Frostbite	Freeing of the body’s outer tissue as a result of prolonged exposure to extreme cold. Most commonly occurs in the outer extremities like the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, and toes. Symptoms include numbness, tingling or stinging, aching, and discoloration of the skin.
Hail	Precipitation in the form of irregular pellets, or balls of ice more than five millimeters in diameter, falling from thunderstorm.
Hypothermia	A significant lowering of internal body temperature which occurs due to prolonged exposure to extreme cold. Early symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, fatigue, loss of coordination, and disorientation. If continued untreated, this condition becomes more serious, with recognizable symptoms including blue skin, dilated pupils, slow pulse and breathing, or loss of consciousness.
Ice Storms	Occur when freezing rain results in dangerous accumulations of ice, usually ¼ inch or greater.
Sleet	Sleet is defined as pellets of ice composed of frozen or mostly frozen raindrops or refrozen partially melted snowflakes.
Snow	Precipitation in the form of ice crystals that form directly from water vapor freezing in the air.
Snow Showers	Snow falling at varying intensities for brief periods with accumulations of one inch or less.
Snowsquall	Intense, brief periods of moderate-to-heavy snowfall, accompanied by strong, gusty surface winds and possibly lightning, with risk of significant snow accumulation.
Thundersnow	A snowstorm accompanied by thunder and lightning, which can occur over intense low pressure systems or other similar conditions of relatively strong instability and abundant moisture.
Wind-Chill Effect	Measures apparent temperature felt on exposed skin due to the combination of air temperature and wind speed. This occurs because wind causes heat to leave the body more rapidly.
Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN)
Accidental Releases	Hazardous materials releases that result from human error, tainted food products, technological failure, or natural disaster. These include spills, leaks, and airborne releases.
Chemical Hazard	A substance with the potential to cause harm, primarily to humans, through toxicity, reactivity, corrosivity, or flammability.
Dose (Radiation)	Amount of energy absorbed by the body.
Dose Equivalent (Radiation)	Considers dose absorbed and the type of radiation to which one is exposed.
Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Incidents	A situation in which hazardous materials are released into the environment, causing a threat to human health and safety. Such incidents are often classified as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN).
Intentional Releases	Hazardous materials release that are criminal acts. These include purposeful dumping by businesses to avoid regulatory requirements, or terrorist acts that target a specific location, possibly involving a dispersal or an explosive.
Latency	Time interval between exposure and the development of clinical symptoms.
Persistency	Time it takes for the chemical to disperse.
Radiological Hazard	When harmful doses of radiation come into contact with humans. Can occur when external radiation comes into contact with a person’s skin, hair, or clothing, or through inhalation or ingestion.
Toxicity	Degree to which the chemical impairs human health.
Transmissibility	Potential passage of the chemical between exposed persons and others, particularly rescue workers, such as hospital staff.
Cyber Attack	A cyber incident that is intentional or malicious in nature.
Cyber Crime	A cyber attack that is primarily motivated by financial gain.
Cyber Threat	An adverse event in an information system or network in which the digital infrastructure of a person or organization is compromised.
Hacktivism	The act of hacking, or breaking into a computer system for a politically or socially motivated purpose.
Endemic (Disease)	Refers to the usual presence of a disease within a specific population or area.
Epidemic	The sometimes-sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease that exceeds what is normally expected.
Health Risk Assessment	Process of evaluating the existence and/or magnitude of health problems resulting from exposure to a hazardous substance. The four steps in this process are health problem identification, toxicology (dose response), exposure assessment, and health risk characterization.
Pandemic	An epidemic that has spread across a region or over several countries.
Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA)	A systematic, quantitative method of comparing projected benefits to projected cost of a project or policy. It is used as a measure of cost effectiveness.
Coastal/Natural Resource Protection	Actions that, in addition to minimizing hazard losses, also preserve or restore the functions of natural or coastal systems.
Education and Awareness	Actions that protect people and property, or increase the capacity of emergency response during and immediately following a disaster event.
Emergency Services	Actions that protect people and property, or increase the capacity of emergency response.
Existing Mitigation Action	A project, plan, policy, or program the City has already taken or has begun to implement that addresses natural hazard mitigation.
Infrastructure Projects	Actions that involve the engineering of infrastructure systems to be more resistant to the impacts of hazards.
Potential Mitigation Action	A project, plan, policy, or program that the City would like to take to address hazard mitigation, but currently does not have the funds and/or resources to implement.
Prevention and Policy	Government, administrative, or regulatory actions and processes that influence the way land buildings are developed and built. These actions also include public activities that reduce hazard losses. Examples of this category include building and construction code revisions, zoning regulation changes, and hazard computer modeling.
Property Protection	Actions that involve the modification of existing buildings or structures to protect them from a hazard, or removal from the hazard area.
Social, Technical, Administrative, Political, Legal, Economic, Environmental (STAPLEE)	A set of criteria used to examine the Social, Technical, Administrative, Political, Legal, Economic, and Environmental (STAPLEE) opportunities and constraints of implementing a particular mitigation measure during a consistent framework.
Barrier Islands	A long offshore deposit of sand parallel to the coastline which act as a buffer against storms by absorbing the most severe impacts of waves and storm surge.
Building Value	Assessed value of the physical building.
Critical Facilities	A critical facility is vital to the City’s ability to provide essential services and protect life and property. Loss of a critical facility would result in a severe economic or catastrophic impact.
Debris	The scattered remains of assets broken or destroyed during the occurrence of a hazard. Debris caused by wind or water hazards can cause additional damage to other assets.
Deterministic (for HAZUS-MH)	Estimates of hazard-related damage to a city or a region from a hypothetical “hazard event” of a fixed severity and location.
Geomorphology	The study of geographic features and landforms and the processes that shape them over time.
Go-Outside-the-Home Disability	Conditions lasting six or more months that make going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor’s office difficult.
Linguistically Isolated	Limited English-proficiency, people who speak English less than “very well”.
New York City Construction Code	The City’s comprehensive building code managed by the New York City Department of Buildings.
Outwash Plains	Deposits of sand, silt, and clay deposited by glaciers which compromise the low-lying areas of eastern Staten Island, and southern Brooklyn and Queens.
Physical Disability	Long-lasting conditions that substantially limit one or more basic physical activity, such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying.
Return Period	Average period of time in years between occurrences of a particular hazard (equal to the inverse of the annual frequency of occurrence).
Self-Care Disability	Conditions lasting six or more months that make dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home difficult.
Sensory Disability	Blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or hearing impairment.
Susceptibility	Factors which make certain populations more at-risk to a hazard, including predisposition, stress, environmental factors, and behavioral factors.
Terminal Moraine	Rock debris deposited by glaciers. Terminal Moraine areas in the city are located in the hilly portions through Staten Island and central Brooklyn/Queens.
Utility Disruptions	Disruptions to essential utilities, including energy (electric, gas, and steam) and communications.
Vulnerability	Refers to a reduced capacity of the social, built, or natural environment to cope with, resist, or recover from the impact of a hazard.
Community District (CD)	59 distinct geographical boundaries within New York City that haven an important advisory role in dealing with land use and zoning matters, the City budget, the municipal service delivery, and many other matters relating to their communities’ welfare.
American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA)	AAMA is a trade association that represents manufacturers of windows, doors, skylights, curtain walls, and storefronts. AAMA develops standards for the performance of these products, and also certifies products that meet those standards.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)	The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.
American Institute of Architects (AIA)	The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. The AIA represents the interests of architects and promotes excellence in architecture.
Air Quality Index (AQI)	A measure of how clean or polluted the air is. It is reported on a scale of 0 to 500, with higher numbers indicating higher levels of pollution. The AQI is based on the levels of five major pollutants in the air: ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.
American Red Cross (ARC)	A non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States.
American Civil Engineers (ASCE)	The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is a professional organization for civil engineers in the United States.
Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS)	The Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) is a network of automated weather stations that provide real-time weather observations from over 900 locations across the United States
Advance Warning System (AWS)	A notification system for organizations and agencies that work with people with disabilities or access and functional needs.
Business Improvement District (BID)	A Business Improvement District (BID) is a geographical area where local stakeholders oversee and fund the maintenance, improvement, and promotion of their commercial district.
Brownfield Incentive Grant (BIG)	The Brownfield Incentive Grant (BIG) Program provides New York City investment in brownfield investigation and cleanup. The BIG Program is a collaboration between the New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and is managed by Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions, Inc., which acts as the BIG Program Administrator.
Building Identification Number (BIN)	A seven-digit numerical identifier unique to each building in the City of New York. The first digit is the borough code. In a permanent BIN, the second digit is a number between 0 and 7, inclusive.
Biological Safety Levels (BSL)	A series of protections specific to autoclave-related activities that take place in biological labs. Biosafety levels are individual safeguards designed to protect laboratory personnel, as well as the surrounding environment and community.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection – Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations (BWS)	Operates and maintains the water supply and sewerage system.
New York City Community Affairs Unit (CAU)	The Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU) is the fundamental connection between City Hall and New York City residents throughout the five boroughs. The primary mission of CAU is to establish deep partnerships with communities in order to actively engage and mobilize New Yorkers in City government.
Coastal Barrier Resource Act (CBRA)	An Act to protect and conserve fish and wildlife resources, and for other purposes.
Chemical Bulk Storage (CBS)	An aboveground storage tank larger than 185 gallons; any size underground storage tank; or. in a container that can store 1,000 kg or more for a period of 90 consecutive days or more.
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)	A TV system in which signals are not publicly distributed but are monitored, primarily for surveillance and security purposes.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)	A federally funded flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of housing and community development needs.
Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)	Grant funds are appropriated by Congress and allocated by HUD to rebuild disaster-impacted areas and provide crucial seed money to start the long-term recovery process.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)	An agency of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for the prevention and control of disease and for health promotion and education.
City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR)	As mandated by the State Environmental Quality Review Act, CEQR is the process by which New York City agencies determine what effect, if any, a discretionary action they approve may have upon the environment.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)	Commonly known as Superfund, was enacted by Congress on December 11, 1980. This law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)	A program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may occur where they live.
Citywide Health and Safety Plan (CHASP)	A site-specific construction health and safety plan developed for remediation and construction phases of a project that is designed to protect on-site workers from exposure to known site contaminants.
Citywide Incident Management Systems (CIMS)	Adopted by executive order in 2005, the Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS) establishes roles and responsibilities and designates authority for City, state, other government entities, and nonprofit and private-sector organizations performing and supporting emergency response.
Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD)	An emergency management term, are local (neighborhood, town, county, or state region) disaster coalitions that coordinate nonprofit efforts within an emergency management jurisdiction within each State or U.S. Territory
Consolidated Edison (ConED)	Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) supplies various forms of power to the greater New York City area.
Continuity of Operations (COOP)	An initiative that ensures that Federal Government departments and agencies are able to continue operation of their essential functions under a broad range of circumstances including all-hazard emergencies as well as natural, man-made, and technological threats and national security emergencies.
New York City Planning Commission (CPC)	The Commission is responsible for the conduct of planning relating to the orderly growth and development of the City, including adequate and appropriate resources for the housing, business, industry, transportation, distribution, recreation, culture, comfort, convenience, health and welfare of its population.
Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO)	A combined sewer system collects rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater into one pipe.
Coastal Storm Plan (CSP)	A program that trains New York City agency workers for these weather emergencies.
City Tax Levy (CTL)	A levy represents the total amount of funds a local unit of government may collect on a tax rate. In other words, the levy is a cap on the amount of property tax dollars a local government is allowed by law.
Coordinated Technical Partnership (CTP)	The Cooperating Technical Partners Program is an innovative approach to create partnerships between FEMA and communities participating in the NFIP.
City University of New York (CUNY)	The nation’s largest urban university, offering a range of undergraduate, graduate degrees and continuing education opportunities to over 243,000 students of all ages and backgrounds on 25 NYC campuses.
New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)	The Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU) is the fundamental connection between City Hall and New York City residents throughout the five boroughs. The primary mission of CAU is to establish deep partnerships with communities in order to actively engage and mobilize New Yorkers in City government.
New York City Department of City Planning (DCP)	New York City’s primary land use agency and is instrumental in designing the City’s physical and socioeconomic framework.
New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC)	The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)	A malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of Internet traffic.
Digital Elevation Model (DEM)	A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a representation of the bare ground (bare earth) topographic surface of the Earth excluding trees, buildings, and any other surface objects.
New York City Department Environmental Protection (DEP)	The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects public health, critical quality of life issues, and the environment by supplying clean drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution.
NYC DEP Division of Emergency Response and Technical Assessment (DERTA)	DERTA oversees the use and storage of hazardous substances that pose a threat to public health and the environment in NYC
Design Flood Elevation (DFE)	The elevation of the highest flood (generally the BFE including freeboard) that a retrofitting method is designed to protect against. Also referred to as Flood Protection Elevation.
Distributed Generation (DG)	A variety of technologies that generate electricity at or near where it will be used, such as solar panels and combined heat and power.
Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR)	An incident that results in the confirmed disclosure—not just potential exposure—of data to an unauthorized party
Domain Name System (DNS)	The Domain Name System (DNS) is the phonebook of the Internet. Humans access information online through domain names, like nytimes.com or espn.com. Web browsers interact through Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. DNS translates domain names to IP addresses so browsers can load Internet resources.
New York City Department of Buildings (DOB)	Agency helps provide housing and commercial space for our growing City, while promoting safety on construction sites and in the City’s nearly 1.1 million buildings.
New York City Department of Corrections (DOC)	The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment while providing individuals in our care with a path to successfully re-enter their communities.
New York City Department of Education (DOE)	The New York City Department of Education is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city’s public school system.
New York City Department of Finance (DOF)	The New York City Department of Finance (DOF) is the revenue service, taxation agency and recorder of deeds of the government of New York City.
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)	Department of the government of New York City[2] responsible for public health along with issuing birth certificates, dog licenses, and conducting restaurant inspection and enforcement.
New York City Department of Investigation (DOI)	The New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) is the City’s Inspector General, with independent oversight of City government.
New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT)	The Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) provides the technology that enables City services for all who live, work, do business in and visit the City of New York
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT)	Agency provides for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York.
Disaster Declaration Number (DR)	The FEMA disaster declaration number consists of the letters “DR” and four numbers, or the letters “EM” and four numbers.
New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY)	The NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) keeps New York City clean, safe, and healthy by collecting, recycling, and disposing of waste, cleaning streets, attacking the scourge of illegal dumping, and clearing snow and ice.
New York City Department of Social Services (DSS)	The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). Through integrated management for HRA and DHS, client services can be provided more seamlessly and effectively.
Emergency Department (ED)	A hospital facility that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and provides unscheduled outpatient services to patients whose condition requires immediate care.
New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC)	New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is a nonprofit corporation whose stated mission is to “strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors, with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy.”
Electrical Distribution Room (EDR)	Room designed for/dedicated to purpose of containing electrical distribution equipment as vertical risers, bus ducts, transformer, and panelboards.
Emergency Declaration Number (EM)	An Emergency Declaration Number is a unique identifier assigned to an emergency declaration issued by the President of the United States, a Governor of a state, or another authorized official. The number is used to track the declaration and to coordinate the response to the emergency.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)	Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for the protection of human health and the environment.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)	The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 was authorized by Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act to help communities plan for chemical emergencies.
Emergency Project Information Center (EPIC)	Environmental Project Information Center (EPIC) Environment is the NYC Office of Environmental Remediation’s portal for environmental information about cleanup and redevelopment projects working with OER (Office of Environmental Remediation).
United States Federal Emergency Agency (FAA)	The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supports citizens and emergency personnel to build, sustain, and improve the nation’s capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Financial Assistance Search Tool (FAST)	FAST” (Financial Assistance Search Tool) to help the public find grants and other financial assistance for environmental investigation and cleanup in NYC.
New York City Fire Department (FDNY)	The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the largest Fire Department in the United States and universally is recognized as the world’s busiest and most highly skilled emergency response agency. The Department’s main goal is to provide fire protection, emergency medical care, and other critical public safety services to residents and visitors in the five boroughs.
Fire Department Operations Center (FDOC)	Central command and information hub for the FDNY. The FDOC is responsible for monitoring fire and EMS activity across the five boroughs of New York City. It also coordinates the response to major incidents and special events.
Public Assistance (FEMA-PA)	FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, and certain types of private non-profits so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
Individual Assistance (FEMA-IA)	FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster, who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)	The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides stewardship over the construction, maintenance and preservation of the Nation’s highways, bridges and tunnels.
Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)	FMA provides grants to assist with the planning and implementation of flood mitigation projects that include measures to reduce flood losses by elevation, acquisition, or relocation of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)-insured structures.
United States Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)	The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. It is one of ten agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation concerned with intermodal transportation.
United States Federal Transportation Administration (FTA)	The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems, including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys and ferries.
Emergency Relief Program (FTA-ER)	FTA’s Emergency Relief program, established under MAP-21 legislation, enables FTA to provide assistance to public transit operators in the aftermath of an emergency or major disaster.
Fiscal Year (FY)	A fiscal year is a one-year period that companies and governments use for financial reporting and budgeting.
General Building Stock (GBS)	Baseline data for occupancy and building types; building characteristics; economic values such as structure replacement value, contents replacement value, county modification factors, depreciated building replacement values, business inventory, relocation expenses (i.e., rental and disruption costs), and loss of income.
General Capital Funding (GCF)	General collateral financing (GCF) trades are a type of repurchase agreement (repo) that is executed without the designation of specific securities as collateral until the end of the trading day.
Green Infrastructure Grant Program (GIGP)	GIGP projects selected for funding maximize opportunities to leverage the multiple benefits of green infrastructure, energy efficiency, water efficiency, and environmental innovation to build capacity in these fields and facilitate the transfer of new technologies and practices to other areas of the State.
Grassroots Research to Action in Sunset Park (GRASP)	The collaboration, known as Grassroots Research to Action in Sunset Park (GRASP) has focused on identifying possible sources of chemical contamination, modeling the potential for chemical release into community areas and resulting exposure risks, and proactively developing actions for mitigating or preventing adverse community impacts.
Columbia University’s Graduate School for Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP)	Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation is the architecture school of Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. It is regarded as an important and prestigious architecture school.
George Washington Bridge (GWB)	The George Washington Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting Fort Lee in Bergen County, New Jersey, with Upper Manhattan in New York City.
New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (H+H)	New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (NYC Health + Hospitals) is the largest public health care system in the United States. It is a public benefit corporation that is governed by a board of directors appointed by the Mayor of New York City.
Hydrological/Hydraulic (H&H)	A Hydrologic and Hydraulic (H&H) Study is the study of movement of water, including the volume and rate of flow as it moves through a watershed, basin, channel, or man-made structure.
Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT)	HAZMAT is an abbreviation for “hazardous materials”—substances in quantities or forms that may pose a reasonable risk to health, property, or the environment. HAZMATs include such substances as toxic chemicals, fuels, nuclear waste products, and biological, chemical, and radiological agents.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) (HEAP)	The New York State Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally-funded program that helps households with low income to pay their energy bills.
Hazard Mitigation Coordinator (HMC)	The Hazard Mitigation Coordinator (HMC) is responsible for the coordination of all mitigation activities of this jurisdiction. For the City of Beaumont, the HMC is the Emergency Management Coordinator.
New York City Housing and Preservation Development (HPD)	The Department of Housing Preservation and Development is the department of the government of New York City responsible for developing and maintaining the city’s stock of affordable housing. Its regulations are compiled in title 28 of the New York City Rules.
Housing Recovery Office (HRO)	The NYC’s Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations (HRO) administers the Build It Back program which has helped 12,500 families recover from Hurricane Sandy by providing resources for impacted New Yorkers to repair, rebuild, and elevate their homes, or relocate.
Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)	HVAC, which stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, is an all-encompassing term when it comes to talking about your heating and cooling system in its entirety
Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI)	The Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) shows neighborhoods whose residents are more at risk for dying during and immediately following extreme heat.
International Code Council (ICC)	The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions that include product evaluation, accreditation, technology, training, and certification.
Incident Command Structure (ICS)	Incident Command structure is organized in such a way as to expand and contract as needed by the incident scope, resources and hazards.
Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site (IHWDS)	The Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site (IHWDS) Program is the State’s program for identifying, investigating and cleaning up sites where consequential amounts of hazardous waste may have been disposed.
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)	New “intelligent” technologies at the driver-, vehicle-, and transportation system-level are attracting more research attention for their potential to improve the energy efficiency and environmental impact of current transportation systems.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)	Interactive voice response, or IVR, is an automated telephone system that combines pre-recorded messages or text-to-speech technology with a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) interface to engage callers, allowing them to provide and access information without a live agent.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport (JFK)	John F. Kennedy International Airport, colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK, is the main international airport serving New York City.
Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)	The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is a federally mandated entity composed of state and local officials, business representatives and members of the press.
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)	LaGuardia Airport is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Covering 680 acres as of July 1, 2023, the facility was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia.
Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR)	Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing method used to examine the surface of the Earth.
Local Development Corporation (LDC)	An LDC is a private, non-profit corporation often created for the benefit of local government to promote economic development at the neighborhood level.
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC)	The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the largest municipal preservation agency in the nation. It is responsible for protecting New York City’s architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings and sites by granting them landmark or historic district status, and regulating them after designation.
Property Land Use Tax Lot Output (MapPLUTO)	Extensive land use and geographic data at the tax lot level in comma–separated values (CSV) file format. The PLUTO files contain more than seventy fields derived from data maintained by city agencies.
Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering (MCEER)	MCEER seeks solutions to reduce earthquake losses and help communities stand better prepared and increasingly resilient when faced with earthquakes.
Manhattan Detention Center (MDC)	A municipal jail at 125 White Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City.
Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)	Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) was first recognised in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Mean Higher High Water (MHHW)	The average of the higher high water height of each tidal day observed over the National Tidal Datum Epoch.
Metro-North Railroad (MTA) (MNR)	The Metro-North Commuter Railroad, or Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service in New York. Metro–North goes from New York City to the New York Hudson Valley. It also has stops in Connecticut.
Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities (MOPD)	In partnership with City offices and agencies, MOPD ensures City initiatives, programs and policies address the needs and interests of people with disabilities.
Mayor’s Office of Resiliency (MOR)	The Mayor’s Office of Resiliency (MOR) strives to adapt New York City to the unprecedented challenge of climate change, creating a more resilient, equitable and vibrant city for the New Yorkers of today and generations to come.
Major Oil Storage Facility (MOSF)	The MOSF program applies to facilities that store a total of 400,000 gallons or more of petroleum in aboveground and underground storage tanks. Facilities must be licensed by DEC and managed in compliance with applicable regulations for the storage and handling of petroleum.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)	The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America’s largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut.
Not Applicable (N/A)	Used on a form to show that you are not giving the information asked for because the question is not intended for you or your situation.
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)	The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) aims to understand earthquake hazards and reduce earthquake risks in the United States.
Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale (NESIS)	The Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale (NESIS) was created to measure snowstorms in the U.S. Northeast in much the same way the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale records hurricane intensity and the Enhanced Fujita Scale with tornadoes.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)	The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.
National Hurricane Center (NHC)	The National Hurricane Center is responsible for issuing forecasts for all tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific (East of 140W) basins.
New Jersey Transit (NJT)	NJ TRANSIT is the nation’s third largest provider of bus, rail and light rail transit, linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)	The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) works to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts. Their work supports severe weather preparedness, and international shipping.
New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC)	The New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC) started in 2009 and was codified in Local Law 42 of 2012 with a mandate to provide an authoritative and actionable source of scientific information on future climate change and its potential impacts.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPSDES)	The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging “pollutants” through a “point source” into a “water of the United States” unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people’s health.
National Park Service (NPS)	The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)	The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to ensure the safe use of radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while protecting people and the environment.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)	NRDC works to safeguard the earth—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.
Natural Resource Enhancement (NRE)	Any action needed to improve the condition or composition of a natural resource.
National Weather Service (NWS)	The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.
New York City (NYC)	New York City comprises 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean: comprising the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
New York City Cyber Command (NYC3)	Cyber Command is charged with protecting all City systems against cyber threats, including systems that deliver vital services to New Yorkers.
New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS)	The Health Department and Queens College (CUNY) conduct the New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS) to evaluate how air quality differs across New York City.
New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM)	NYC Emergency Management helps New Yorkers before, during, and after emergencies through preparedness, education, and response.
New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)	The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers.
New York City Transit (NYCT)	NYCT manages, maintains, and runs the subway and bus service in New York City.
New York City Wireless Network (NYCWiN)	A government-dedicated broadband wireless infrastructure created to support public safety and other essential City operations.
New York Liquidation Bureau (NYLB)	An entity that carries out the responsibilities of the Superintendent of Financial Services as Receiver, in the discharging of the Superintendent’s statutorily defined duties to protect the interests of the policyholders and creditors of insurance companies that have been declared impaired or insolvent.
New York Power Authority (NYPA)	The New York Power Authority is America’s largest state power organization, with 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines.
New York City Police Department (NYPD)	The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is the largest and one of the oldest municipal police departments in the United States, with approximately 36,000 officers and 19,000 civilian employees.
New York State (NYS)	New York, sometimes called New York State, is a state in the Northeastern United States. A Mid-Atlantic state, New York borders New England, and has an international border with Canada.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC)	The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was created on July 1, 1970 to combine all state programs designed to protect and enhance the environment into a single agency.
New York State Divison of Housing and Community Renewal (NYS DHCR)	HCR’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal is responsible for the supervision, maintenance, and development of affordable low-and moderate-income housing in New York State.
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (NYS DHSES)	The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services – DHSES – works to protect New Yorkers, their property, and the State’s economic well-being from natural and human-caused emergencies and disasters.
New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH)	The New York State Department of Health has been overseeing the health, safety, and well-being of New Yorkers since 1901 – from sanitation and vaccinations to utilizing new developments in science as critical tools in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases
New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT)	It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to ensure our customers – those who live, work and travel in New York State — have a safe, efficient, balanced and environmentally sound transportation system.
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)	The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) works to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emissions reduction across New York’s economy and energy system.
New York State Geological Survey (NYS GS)	The mission of the Geology Department and New York State Geological Survey (NYSGS) is to conduct geologic research, evaluate mineral resources and geologic hazards of the State of New York, and make the data and advice derived from that research available to State agencies, the educational community, and the public for the health, safety, and economic welfare of the citizens of the State.
New York State Hazard Mitigation Plan (NYS HMP)	The State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP) reduces risk to key state assets in the long term, and also provides local jurisdictions with critical information and guidance regarding the state’s risks, capabilities, priorities and action plans as they develop their own hazard mitigation plans.
New York State Department of Temporary and Disability Assistance (NYS OTDA)	The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is responsible for supervising programs that provide assistance and support to eligible families and individuals.
New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME)	The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) conducts independent investigations using advanced forensic science in the service of families, communities and the criminal justice system.
Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER)	The New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) is a team of about 15 scientists and engineers that was established to design, build and operate a set of world class municipal programs to advance cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites.
Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB)	The City’s chief financial agency responsible for ensuring that the Administration’s priorities are funded and implemented efficiently and effectively and that the city’s resources are managed responsibly.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersety (PANYNJ)	The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is a joint venture between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, established in 1921 through an interstate compact authorized by the United States Congress.
Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH)	The Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) is a 13.8-mile (22.2 km) rapid transit system in the northeastern New Jersey cities of Newark, Harrison, Jersey City, and Hoboken, as well as Lower and Midtown Manhattan in New York City.
Petroleum Bulk Storage (PBS)	Petroleum bulk storage is the storage of petroleum products in large quantities, typically in tanks.
New York City Public Design Commission (NYCPDC)	As New York City’s design review agency, the Public Design Commission (PDC) has jurisdiction over permanent structures, landscape architecture, and art proposed on or over City-owned property.
Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)	The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant program makes federal funds available to state, local, tribal and territorial governments to plan for and implement sustainable cost-effective measures designed to reduce the risk to individuals and property from future natural hazards, while also reducing reliance on federal funding from future disasters.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)	Positron emission tomography is a functional imaging technique that uses radioactive substances known as radiotracers to visualize and measure changes in metabolic processes, and in other physiological activities including blood flow, regional chemical composition, and absorption.
Psychological First Aid (PFA)	Psychological First Aid (PFA) is a humane, supportive, and practical approach to helping people in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or traumatic event.
Public Health Laboratory (PHL)	Public health laboratories focus on diseases and the health status of population groups.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)	Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is any gear or equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses.
New York State Public Service Commission (NYS PSC)	The New York State Public Service Commission was established under State Public Service Law, Article 1, Section 4, and is responsible for regulating the state’s electric, gas, steam, telecommunications, and water utilities, and overseeing the cable industry.
Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSEG)	Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey’s oldest and largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly three-quarters of the state’s population.
Risk Based Inspection System (RBIS)	Risk based inspection is the process of developing a scheme of inspection based on knowledge of the risk of failure. The essential process is a risk analysis.
Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD)	Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) is any device that causes the purposeful dissemination of radioactive material without a nuclear detonation.
Radiological Exposure Device (RED)	An RED is a terrorist device intended to expose people to significant doses of ionizing radiation without their knowledge. It is also called a “hidden sealed source.”
New York City Regional Economic Development Corporation (NYCREDC)	The New York City Regional Economic Development Council (NYC REDC) is the economic development advisory body for the five boroughs of New York City.
Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC)	Repetitive flood claims are claims for flood damage that are filed by property owners who have had two or more flood losses of more than $1,000 each within any rolling 10-year period
Right-of-way (ROW)	A legal right of passage over another person’s ground.
Community Right-to-Know Law (RTK)	The Community Right-to-Know Law [Local Law 26 of 1988], requires the City to effectively regulate the storage, use, and handling of hazardous substances.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)	SARS is an airborne virus and can spread through small droplets of saliva in a similar way to the cold and influenza.
New York City Department of Small Business Services (NYC SBS)	The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building thriving neighborhoods across the five boroughs.
New York City School Construction Authority (NYC SCA)	The School Construction Authority’s (SCA) mission is to design and construct safe, attractive and environmentally sound public schools for children throughout the many communities of New York City.
Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)	An area having special flood, mudflow or flood-related erosion hazards and shown on a Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) or a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)	The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signaling protocol used for initiating, maintaining, and terminating communication sessions that include voice, video and messaging applications.
Special Needs Advisory Group (SNAG)	The City maintains a Special Needs Advisory Group (“SNAG”), composed of approximately fifty representatives of agencies, service providers, and advocacy groups that represent and work with people with special needs.
State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES)	The State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) controls waste water discharge. This program is from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL)	Either a severe repetitive loss building or the contents within a severe repetitive loss building, or both.
State-of-the-Art Laboratory Information Management System (StarLIMS)	A software that is used in labs for data management and to process a large number of lab samples to manage laboratory workflow
Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP)	Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP) is a program managed by the State of North Carolina that provides homeowners with limited, temporary repairs to make a home safe, clean and secure.
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)	The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is a federal program that provides funding for transportation projects that expand travel choices, strengthen the local economy, improve quality of life, and protect the environment.
To Be Determined (TBD)	Used to indicate that the time or place of something has not yet been decided and will be announced at a later time.
Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP)	The Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) is a federal program that provides funding for transportation projects that enhance the quality of life in communities.
Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TIC)	Toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) are created and used by commercial or medical industries that can seriously harm human health if released into the environment. TICs can be in the form of solid, liquid or gas.
Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP)	The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) is a competitive grant program that provides funding to public transit agencies to help them protect their systems and passengers from terrorism. The program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is authorized by the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)	The Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Program assists high-threat, high-density Urban Areas in efforts to build and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.
Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP)	ULURP is a standardized procedure whereby applications affecting the land use of the city would be publicly reviewed.
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)	The United States Army Corps of Engineers is an engineer formation of the United States Army that has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil works.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)	The National Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Response System (the System), established under the authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 1989, is a framework for organizing federal, state and local partner emergency response teams as integrated federal disaster response task forces.
United States Coast Guard (USCG)	The United States Coast Guard is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country’s eight uniformed services.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Emergency Watershed Protection Program (USDA EWP)	The EWP offers technical and financial assistance to help local communities relieve imminent threats to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms and other natural disasters that impair a watershed.
United States Department of Homeland Security (USDHS)	The United States Department of Homeland Security is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries.
United States Department of Energy (USDOE)	The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power, the military’s nuclear weapons program, nuclear reactor production for the United States Navy, energy-related research, and domestic energy production and energy conservation.
Untied States Geological Survey (USGS)	USGS provides science for a changing world, which reflects and responds to society’s continuously evolving needs.
Urban Area Working Group (UAWG)	An Urban Area Working Group (UAWG) is a multi-jurisdictional forum for emergency management officials in urban areas to collaborate on planning, training, and exercising for homeland security incidents.
Urban Waterfront Adaptive Strategies (UWAS)	Urban Waterfront Adaptive Strategies is a resource to help guide planners and policy makers in New York City and beyond in identifying and evaluating potential coastal protection strategies.
Vernon C. Bain Center (VCBC)	The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center is an 800-bed jail barge used to hold inmates for the New York City Department of Corrections. The barge is anchored off the Bronx’s southern shore, across from Rikers Island, near Hunts Point.
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)	Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is a technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line.
National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD)	National VOAD, an association of organizations that mitigate and alleviate the impact of disasters, provides a forum promoting cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration; and fosters more effective delivery of services to communities affected by disaster.
Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP)	The New York City Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP) establishes the City’s policies for waterfront planning, preservation and development projects to ensure consistency over the long term.
World Trade Center (WTC)	A large complex of seven buildings in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City.
Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)	Social vulnerability refers to the potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health. Such stresses include natural or human-caused disasters, or disease outbreaks. Reducing social vulnerability can decrease both human suffering and economic loss.
Environmental Justice	Environmental Justice is the principle that all people, regardless of race, disability status, age, or socioeconomic background, have a right to live, work, and play in communities that are safe, healthy, and free of harmful environmental conditions.