Franklin County HMP Jurisdiction Hazard Ranking

Hazard mitigation aims to reduce the negative impacts of natural or man-made disasters on our community. This is achieved by taking action before a disaster occurs to lessen its effects on people, property, and essential services. Mitigation efforts aim to make our community more resilient, potentially saving lives, reducing property damage, and minimizing disruption to daily life when hazards occur. Benefits of hazard mitigation include:

Protects human life and prevents damage or loss of property.
Ensures continuity of government/business.
Promotes inter-agency coordination and response.
Increases public awareness and preparedness about hazards within the community.
Maintains eligibility for certain types of federal mitigation funding. Plans must be updated and approved every five years.

There are two categories of mitigation actions: Structural and Non-Structural.

Structural mitigation focuses on engineered systems and improvements to protect the built environment. Some examples include dams and levees, elevating roads and buildings, installing culverts, retrofitting buildings for earthquake protection, and installing air filtration systems.
Non-structural mitigation involves developing public education and awareness programs, creating and adopting building codes, smart growth community planning, and protecting natural areas that create hazard buffers (such as wetlands, wildfire protection boundaries, et cetera).

Mitigation protects life and property and helps ensure continuity of operations, continued interagency coordination, increased public preparedness, and protects the local economy from failures due to business, housing, and utility disruptions. Ten years ago, the standard mitigation benefit was $1 in spending, which equaled $3 in savings in recovery costs. With the increase in the number and severity of disasters, the benefit of hazard mitigation is $1 in spending equals $6 in savings in disaster recovery costs. Some examples of hazard mitigation include:

Strengthening buildings to withstand earthquakes
Improving drainage systems to reduce flooding
Creating firebreaks to slow the spread of wildfires
Developing early warning systems for severe weather

Several federal and state grant programs help fund community mitigation efforts. To be eligible for these mitigation grant funds, communities must prepare and maintain an approved hazard mitigation plan. The hazard mitigation plan must be approved by the State and FEMA and be updated every five years.

By investing in hazard mitigation, we work to create a safer, more resilient community for all residents.

We have introduced hazard mitigation, and we need your help prioritizing our efforts. This survey is essential because it helps us compare risks from different hazards, guides the selection of mitigation actions, sets priorities for our community, and ensures we do not overlook less apparent risks.

Your local knowledge and perspective are crucial. Even if you're not an expert, your experiences and concerns provide valuable insights that will shape our mitigation plan.

By participating, you're helping to build a safer, more resilient Franklin County.

Thank you for your time and thoughtful input!

What is your connection to the County of Franklin? (Please select all that apply)

*This question is required.

I live in the county
I attend school in the county
I work in the county
I frequently visit the county (for shopping, recreation, etc.)
I own land in Franklin County but live outside of the county
None of the above

How would you prioritize the following potential hazards in our community? Please rank them from most concerning to least concerning, taking into account:

Risk to human life and safety
Potential damage to property
Environmental impact
Disruption to essential community services and operations

Your input will help us understand our community's perception of various risks and inform our emergency preparedness efforts.

Note 1: A hazard is any source of potential danger, harm, or adverse effects on people, property, or the environment.

Note 2: If you are completing this survey on a paper copy, Please rank the 14 hazards listed below. Use numbers 1 through 14, with 1 being the highest priority and 14 being the lowest priority. Each number should be used only once.

*This question is required. Order the items from the following list. First select an item with the spacebar to show a menu of possible ranking positions. Next, click a ranking position to order it in the ranked list. Note the menu will display more ordering options as you add items to the ranked list.

Flooding (Riverine & Flash) ~ Flooding is an overflow of water onto normally dry land. Riverine flooding occurs when rivers or streams overflow their banks, while flash flooding is a rapid rise of water in a short time, usually caused by intense rainfall.
Structural Fire ~ A structural fire is a blaze that occurs within and affects buildings or other constructed facilities. It involves the burning of both the building materials and contents, posing significant risks to occupants, firefighters, and property.
Severe Summer Storms (Extreme Heat, Hail, High Winds, Lightning) ~ Severe Summer Storms are intense weather events occurring in warm months, which may include extreme heat, hail, high winds, and lightning. These conditions can pose risks to people, property, and the environment.
Air Quality Incidents ~ Air quality incidents refer to events or situations where the air becomes contaminated with pollutants or harmful substances, potentially posing risks to human health and the environment. These can range from localized issues like industrial accidents to widespread problems such as severe smog or wildfire smoke.
High Hazard Dams and Levees ~ High hazard dams and levees are structures that pose significant risks to human life and property if they fail. The primary hazards associated with these structures include catastrophic flooding, erosion, and potential loss of life in downstream communities if a breach or collapse occurs.
Earthquake ~ Earthquakes are sudden, rapid shaking of the ground caused by the movement of tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface. They can cause widespread damage through ground shaking, surface rupture, liquefaction, and triggered hazards like landslides.
Solar Flare ~ Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation from the Sun's surface. They can disrupt Earth's magnetic field, potentially causing widespread electrical grid failures, communication blackouts, and damage to satellites.
Wildfire ~ A Wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that spreads quickly through vegetation in rural or wilderness areas, potentially threatening lives, property, and natural resources.
Volcano ~ Volcanoes are openings in the Earth's crust through which molten rock, gases, and ash erupt. Their primary hazards include lava flows, pyroclastic flows, ash fall, lahars (mudflows), and toxic gas emissions.
Tornado ~ Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. They can produce devastating winds, causing severe damage to structures and posing extreme danger to people and property in their path.
Drought ~ A Drought is a prolonged period of unusually dry weather that causes water shortages and can harm crops, wildlife, and human activities.
Invasive Species ~ Invasive Species are plants ( algae blooms), animals, or other organisms (zebra mussels) that are not native to an area and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health when introduced.
Severe Winter Weather (Extreme Cold, Heavy Snow) ~ Severe Winter Weather involves dangerous cold temperatures and heavy snowfall. It can include extreme cold that risks health and safety, and heavy snow that disrupts travel and daily activities.
Landslide ~ A Landslide is the downward movement of soil, rocks, or debris on a slope, often triggered by heavy rain, earthquakes, or human activities. It can happen suddenly or slowly, potentially damaging property and infrastructure.

3. From the list of hazards provided, which ONE concerns you the most? *This question is required.

4. Are there any hazards on the list that you feel are NOT a significant concern for our community?

(Please select all that apply)

*This question is required.

5. What is your PRIMARY concern regarding your chosen hazard? *This question is required.

Please enter an 'other' value for this selection.

6. For your chosen hazard, what do you think is the most likely outcome you would personally experience if an event were to occur? *This question is required.

Please enter an 'other' value for this selection.

8. Would you be interested in participating in future phases of our community's hazard mitigation planning process? *This question is required.

Yes, I'd like to be actively involved
I'm interested, but would like more information first
I'd prefer to stay informed, but not actively participate
No, I'm not interested in further participation

We appreciate your input on our hazard mitigation planning. Please provide your contact information if you'd like to stay informed or participate further. This is entirely optional.

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Franklin County HMP Jurisdiction Hazard Ranking

Franklin County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2024