2.1.2 Volcano Hazard Assessment
When a normally quiet volcano begins to show signs of restless activity, people
ture eruptions USGS, 2000. Even when a volcano is not showing signs of restlessness, these answers are important for long-
planning purposes, including emergency-response planning and deciding where
sources and valuable environmental features that are within
ensure adequate data and information have been made available for use in the typically want to know what type and size of eruption might occur and
where potentially hazardous areas are located. Answers to these questions are critical to people and public officials who have to prepare for impending volcanic
activity. Volcano-hazard assessments help to provide the answers. Volcano-hazard assessments identify the location of potentially hazardous
areas and estimate the severity of fu
term to build new infrastructure, such as new buildings, power-generating
facilities, and transportation routes.
2.2 Vulnerability Assessment
When the areas vulnerable to the identified hazards have been delineated and mapped, the subcommittee is then positioned to identify the extent of the
communitys potential vulnerability to each hazard. This is done by identifying the people, property, economic re
the hazard areas, and then including this information on the hazard maps being prepared by the Working Group andor the Department. It is offering
suggestions on gathering and using available information and services to complete the vulnerability assessment.
In order to receive this vulnerability assessment information, needs to
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analysis. This information could be limited to simple data the address and legal definition of the property or, preferably, GIS produced data with property
appraisal maps which show property boundary lines e.g., cadastral coverage. The example types of local data gathering tasks that may be needed are displayed
at Figure 2.2 below.
Figure 2.2 The suggested task of vulnerability analysis to identify vulnerable people and property Source: Florida Disaster, 2008
In addition to the property appraisal data, other types of information regarding important community characteristics should be incorporated into the
vulnerability assessment when appropriate. These data include location information regarding population in the hazard zones, critical facilities, important
public buildings and facilities, Indications of known repetitive losses from floods and storms, information from modeling, valuable environmental features, as well
as historical information regarding flood prone locations outside of the designated
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flood plains Florida Disaster, 2008. Much of this information should be available in most counties from the emergency management office, the
nd other local government agencies. Each of the
eated, the population that may be e areas should also be defined. Census data are readily
availab
ent and etc
cal Mitigation Strategy. he number and type of critical facilities will depend, of course, on the
unity. Because more developed communities could h
comprehensive planning department, a type of local data gathering tasks that may be needed is discussed more
completely below.
♦ Population in The Hazard Zones
One major objective of the Local Mitigation Strategy will be to protect people from the health and safety impacts of disasters. Therefore, with the hazard
areas for specific types of threats delin threatened within thos
le to planners for this purpose, and should assess such additional population factors within the hazard areas.
♦ Critical Facilities
Every community will have facilities that are critical to important community functions, beginning with, of course emergency response and safety
operations. The example of critical facilities such as school, hospital, fire department, police department, highway patrol, electrical system, water treatm
. It is important that the potential impacts of disasters on these facilities are estimated so that can ensure that mitigation initiatives needed to protect them are
identified and given an appropriate priority in the Lo T
unique characteristics of each comm ave a very large number of critical facilities.
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♦ Locations of Repetitive Losses
Another of the objectives of the Local Mitigation Strategy will be to minimize repetitive losses from disasters. Areas experiencing such repetitive
losses its Local Mitigation Strategy and
mit t
types of disaster damages, identification of repetitive losses cou i
•
iness and industry due to repeated utility
•
ents of the infrastructure, e.g., coastal
nts such as hazardous materials
ensure that evacuation from such areas is feasible under various disaster scenarios. Another reason may be to define initiatives that could be helpful in
f their health and safety impact
should be identified to the Department for incorporation in the modeling andor considered directly as it develops
iga ion initiatives. For other
ld nclude such factors as the following: Economic damages to bus
outages, Repetitive damages to compon
roadways and bridges, etc.,
•
Repetitive public safety threats from eve accidents or civil disorder, and
•
Structures or facilities repeated damaged by high winds.
♦ Information Regarding Evacuation Zones
For several reasons, evacuation zones may also have been identified to help in the preparation of the Local Mitigation Strategy to identify these zones on
the maps being prepared. One reason is to determine if mitigation initiatives are needed to
preventing emergency incidents or lessening the severity o .
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♦ Locations of Vulnerable Environmental Resources
Assessing the hazard zones is helpful to identify whether they encompass valuable environmental, historic or cultural resources that may be vulnerable to
the hazard. Vulnerable resources could include features such as aquifer recharge zones, potable water sources, historic buildings, and other such features. If the
vulnera
vent could cause ting the damage
caused
ons or facilities at may be subject to disaster impacts. For example, it may be widely known that
ific wash out after every heavy rainstorm, or that a
certain
unity is exposed for each hazard. A judgment regarding the bility of these types of resources is known, then the Local Mitigation
Strategy can also consider mitigation initiatives to lessen the potential for damage.
♦ Hazardous Materials Facilities
Facilities where hazard materials are stored represent a unique situation regarding their vulnerability to disasters, for the impact of the e
the accidental release of dangerous materials, further exacerba by the disaster itself. It will be worthwhile to assess the vulnerabilities of
any such facilities that are located in the identified hazard zones.
♦ Historical Information Regarding Hazard Vulnerabilities
An important source of information to complete the vulnerability assessment process is local knowledge regarding specific locati
th spec
sections of roadways electrical transmission line fails often during windstorms.
2.3 Vulnerable Analysis