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<br />6-1 <br />CHAPTER 6. <br />IDENTIFIED HAZARDS OF CONCERN AND RISK <br />ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY <br /> <br />Risk assessment is the process of measuring the potential loss of life, personal injury, economic injury, and <br />property damage resulting from natural hazards. It allows emergency management personnel to establish <br />early response priorities by identifying potential hazards and vulnerable assets. The process focuses on the <br />following elements: <br />• Hazard identification—Use all available information to determine what types of disasters may <br />affect a jurisdiction, how often they can occur, and their potential severity. <br />• Vulnerability identification—Determine the impact of natural hazard events on the people, <br />property, environment, economy and lands of the region. <br />• Cost evaluation—Estimate the cost of potential damage or cost that can be avoided by <br />mitigation. <br />The risk assessment for this hazard mitigation plan evaluates the risk of natural hazards prevalent in Kittitas <br />County and meets requirements of the DMA (44 CFR, Section 201.6(c)(2)). <br />6.1. IDENTIFIED HAZARDS OF CONCERN <br />For this plan, the steering committee considered the full range of natural hazards that could impact the <br />planning area and then listed hazards that present the greatest concern. The process incorporated review of <br />state and local hazard planning documents, as well as information on the frequency, magnitude and costs <br />associated with hazards that have impacted or could impact the planning area. Anecdotal information <br />regarding natural hazards and the perceived vulnerability of the planning area’s assets to them was also <br />used. Based on the review, this plan addresses the following hazards of concern: <br />– Avalanche <br />– Dam failure <br />– Drought <br />– Earthquake <br />– Flood <br />– Landslide <br />– Severe weather <br />– Volcano <br />– Wildfire <br />With the exception of dam failure, technological hazards (e.g., hazardous material incidents) and human- <br />caused hazards (e.g., terrorist acts) are not addressed in this plan. At this time, DMA regulations do not <br />require consideration of such hazards and the planning partnership chose not to include them in this plan.