Understanding Hazards in Howard County
Preparedness begins with understanding your local hazards. A hazard is any potential source of harm or difficulty and may be natural or manmade. High-risk hazards have a high likelihood of local occurrence and may result in serious consequences to life safety, property, critical infrastructure, the environment, and the economy.
Risk = Likelihood + Consequence
Hazard Resources
For detailed information on hazard risk in Howard County, the following resources provide detailed information on hazard risk in Howard County:
- Community Hazard Handbook – An overview of local hazards and hazard risk designed for families and businesses in Howard County. Please note, the Community Hazard Handbook was updated in 2021.
Hazards in Howard County
Howard County's risk assessment includes 23 distinct hazard types.
| Natural Hazards
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Manmade Hazards
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| Drought
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Active Assailant
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| Earthquake
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Biological Hazard
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| Flood
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Chemical Hazard
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| Hurricane/Tropical Cyclone
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Civil Unrest
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| Lightning
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Cyber Hazard
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| Pest Infestation/Zoonotic Infection
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Dam Failure
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| Severe Winter Weather
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Emerging/Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases
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| Solar Storm
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Explosives Hazard
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| Tornado/Wind Storm
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Nuclear Hazard
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| Wildfires
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Radiological Hazard
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Structure Fire
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Transportation Hazard
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Utility Disruption Hazard
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HIRA Updates