Hazards & Risk Assessment
The core of emergency management is knowing about the hazards and risks that could cause emergencies in our community. Hazard identification and risk assessment produces a community risk profile that will help to set priorities and guide development of the emergency management elements: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
What is a hazard?
A hazard is an event or physical condition that has the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property damage, infrastructure damage, agricultural loss, damage to the environment, interruption of business, or other types of harm or loss.
Natural hazards are sometimes called 'Acts of God' and result from the forces of nature; for example, severe weather and extreme temperatures; geological events such as earthquakes and landslides; hydrological events such as droughts and floods; human health emergency and epidemics.
Technological hazards come from the manufacture, transportation, and use of modern technology and substances such as chemicals, explosives, flammables and radioactive materials. For example: structural fire and collapse, explosion; failure of critical infrastructure such as natural gas, power, drinking water; hazardous material spill; transportation accident
Human-caused hazards are the direct result of human actions, such as civil disorder, sabotage and terrorism
What is risk?
Risk is the chance of something happening that will impact the community or environment. It is measured in terms of probability or likelihood and consequences.
City of Barrie’s Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
The City of Barrie has identified that the following hazards pose specific risk to our community.
Natural:
- Severe winter storms: heavy snow, strong winds, freezing rain
- Severe summer storms: heavy rain and flooding, strong winds, lightning, hail, tornadoes
- Extreme heat and cold waves
- Human disease and epidemic
Technological:
- Interruption to lifelines and utilities: especially power outages
- Structure fires
- Major industrial and/or transportation accident involving hazardous materials
Human-caused
- Human error, vandalism and terrorism
Evolving hazards in the City of Barrie
- Expansion of industry and commerce in the south part of the City may increase the use or manufacture of toxic chemicals.
- Plans for highway expansions will increase traffic volume and accidents involving multiple vehicles and/or hazardous materials.
- Climate change is increasing the risk of weather extremes causing drought, flooding, heat waves, and severe storms.
- Human health emergencies, including influenza pandemic, are increasing internationally.
- Acts of terrorism may target critical infrastructure, major industries and key government facilities.
- Computer viruses are more common
Additional Information
