Hazards in local area

1. Extreme Heat

What is Extreme Heat?

Temperatures that hover 10 degrees or more above the average high temperature for the region and last for several weeks are defined as extreme heat. 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. Excessively dry and hot conditions can provoke dust storms and low visibility.

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2. Flood Preparedness

What is a Flood?

Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters. Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, or winter snow thaws. Floods can be slow, or fast rising but generally develop over a period of days.

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3. Hurricanes/Tropical Storms

What is a Tropical Storm?

A tropical storm is a low pressure system that has sustained winds that reach 39 mph.  It has a well defined eye of circulation and is given a name.

What is a Hurricane?

A hurricane is a tropical Storm that has sustained winds exceeding 74 mph or greater with dangerously high water and rough seas.

Hurricane Categories



Details of Catagories 1-5 with wind speeds and effects using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

pdf version or

graphic .gif version

 

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4. Technological Hazards

What are Technological Hazards?



Technological hazards originate from technological or industrial accidents, infrastructure failures or certain human activities, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.  These events come with little to no warning and the effects of the event can span many years.  Some examples are industrial pollution, nuclear activities, and dam failures.

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5. Terrorism

What is Terrorism?

Terrorism is the use of force or violence against people or property for the purpose of intimidation, force or ransom. Terrorists often use threats to create fear among the public, to try to convince citizens that their government is powerless to prevent terrorism, and to get immediate publicity for their causes.

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6. Thunderstorms and Lightning

What is a Thunderstorm?

Thunderstorms are generated by temperature imbalances in the atmosphere. Warming of the air near the earth's surface and/or cooling of the air above the earth’s surface puts warmer, lighter air layers below colder, denser layers. The result is an unstable air mass that produces a thunderstorm.

What is a Lightning?

Lightning is a powerful natural electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm.

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7. Tornadoes

What is a Tornado?

A tornado is a violent windstorm characterized by a twisting, funnel-shaped cloud. It is spawned by a thunderstorm (or sometimes as a result of a hurricane) and produced when cool air overrides a layer of warm air, forcing the warm air to rise rapidly.

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8. Winter Storms

What is a winter storm?

A winter storm can range from moderate snow over a few hours to blizzard conditions with blinding wind-driven snow that last several days. Some winter storms may be large enough to affect several states while others may affect only a single community. All winter storms are accompanied by low temperatures and blowing snow, which can severely reduce visibility. A severe winter storm is one that drops 4 or more inches of snow during a 12-hour period, or 6 or more inches during a 24-hour span.

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Advisory System:

The Homeland Security Advisory System is designed to guide our protective measures when specific information to a particular sector or geographic region is received.  It combines threat information with vulnerability assessments and provides communications to public safety officials and the public.  

• Homeland Security Threat Advisories contain actionable information about an incident involving, or a threat targeting, critical national networks or infrastructures or key assets.  They could, for example, relay newly developed procedures that, when implemented, would significantly improve security or protection.  They could also suggest a change in readiness posture, protective actions, or response. This category includes products formerly named alerts, advisories, and sector notifications.  Advisories are targeted to Federal, state, and local governments, private sector organizations, and international partners.  
• Homeland Security Information Bulletins communicate information of interest to the nation’s critical infrastructures that do not meet the timeliness, specificity, or significance thresholds of warning messages.  Such information may include statistical reports, periodic summaries, incident response or reporting guidelines, common vulnerabilities and patches, and configuration standards or tools.  It also may include preliminary requests for information.  Bulletins are targeted to Federal, state, and local governments, private sector organizations, and international partners.
• Color-coded Threat Level System is used to communicate with public safety officials and the public at-large through a threat-based, color-coded system so that protective measures can be implemented to reduce the likelihood or impact of an attack.  Raising the threat condition has economic, physical, and psychological effects on the nation; so, the Homeland Security Advisory System can  place specific geographic regions or industry sectors on a higher alert status than other regions or industries, based on specific threat information.

This system was established in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 3.