Hazard And Vulnerability Analysis

The next step of the planning process is the Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis which is an understanding of the potential risks and threats towards the Alaqua Animal Refuge. The analysis is crucial in learning the potential weak points and their consequences that could impact the Refuge center. Some key terms that we need to know are hazard, probability, vulnerability and risk. Hazard is a circumstance that has potential to lead to an emergency or disaster. Probability is the likelihood that a hazard will occur. Vulnerability is the susceptibility of life, property or the environment. Finally, risk is the probability of suffering damages. A hazard analysis determines what can occur, how often, how bad, how likely it is to affect the country
Based on the hazard identification and risk estimation of the Walton County Emergency Management plan, there are several risks that threaten the community here in the Panhandle of Florida. I chose to use the Walton County plan because my facility, the Alaqua Animal Refuge, is located in Freeport, Fl. Some natural hazards listed in the LMS (Local Mitigation Strategy) to be aware of are hurricanes and tropical storm rain events, flooding, high winds, tornados, wild fire, and earthquakes. Some technological and political hazards include power failures, nuclear accidents/radiation, disease or pandemic outbreaks, hazardous materials and terrorism. These hazards have been identified based on historical information and general risk analysis as well as geographic, demographic and economic
Wildfires are uncontrollable fires that burn in forest and grasslands but could spread to developed areas and agricultural areas. The direction and duration can vary rapidly and they are very unpredictable. There are three types of fires: surface which consume fuel and are below the canopy, ground which are below the surface of the forest floor and crown which are the greatest threat and occur at the top of the trees which can spread rapidly. Some examples of wildfires include the 1985 Palm Coast fire in which 250 residential houses burned down and the 2007 fire in the Black Creek area. Some mitigation efforts to reduce the risk is the use of controlled burns. Drought and heat waves are another natural hazard that has the potential to affect the area. High heat hazards can occur and last for several weeks with temperatures 10 degrees or higher above average. These occurrences can last several days to several weeks. They can cause sunburn, cramps, exhaustion, stroke and skin problems. The NWS puts the number of deaths in the U.S. to heat at nearly 20,000 from 1937 to 1975. Heat waves can also lead to drought which destroys crops, livestock and poultry. Some mitigation efforts include keeping the public informed and using the Health Department to facilitate supplies and help with residents. Drought is not a huge impact due to Walton County’s aquifer and