The goal of this website is to present a method for developing a hazard map with a community.  Community mapping and hazard identification by scientists and local governments has been attempted before but often with poor results. In theory, mapping a community and identifying the hazards as well as identifying what the people in a community perceive as their hazards should be something that is easy to do - especially as its aim is to promote the wellbeing of the community.   In practice, this project has great potential for complications and can be quite difficult complete.

The Integrated Approach presented here is a series of exercises for you to complete with your target community.  It may seem that this project could be completed by one single expert, but this is not the case.  A successful hazard map is one that the whole community not only understands, but also trusts.  As difficult as it may be, the greater the involvement of the community, the better the map will be.  

The hazards discussed in this guide are natural geological  phenomenon focusing on volcanological hazards.  Despite this focus, little modification is needed to tailor these methods to other hazards.  Many of the resources used for this guide are based on a wide variety of crisis and case studies.  It is also worth mentioning that a certain amount of improvising should be expected while following this guide- any community you encounter will have its own needs and it is important to understand how the community operates and to be ready to make adjustments over time.