Risk Evaluation

1. Risk Evaluation Determines the relative seriousness of hazard risksas theyaffect the local community Session 20

2. “[The] public [is] willing to accept voluntary risks approximately 1,000 times greater than involuntary risks”Keith Smith, in Environmental Hazards: Assessing and Reducing Disaster Session 20

3. 3 Methods Used to Evaluate Risk • Creating a risk matrix • Comparing hazard risks against levels of risk estimated during the analysis process with previously established risk evaluation criteria • Evaluating risks according the SMAUG methodology Session 20

4. FEMA Risk Matrix Values • Class A: High-risk condition with highest priority for mitigation and contingency planning (immediate action) • Class B: Moderate-to-high-risk condition with risk addressed by mitigation and contingency planning (prompt action) • Class C: Risk condition sufficiently high to give consideration for further mitigation and planning (planned action) • Class D: Low-risk condition with additional mitigation contingency planning (advisory in nature) Session 20

5. Risk Matrix Example Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1997. MultiHazard: Identification and Risk Assessment. FEMA. Washington, DC. P.315 Session 20

6. Risk Register • Name of the Risk • Qualitative likelihood value • Qualitative consequences value • Level of risk as determined by evaluation on the risk matrix • Priority rating • Additional information Session 20

7. Risk Evaluation Criteria • Loss of life and harm to people’s health • Economic loss • Environmental harm • Lifeline damage • Social infrastructure damage • Loss of heritage Session 20

8. Hazards Risk Management Analysis Context • Legal requirements • Cost and equity • Risks that are clearly unacceptable • Risks that should be kept as low as reasonably practicable Session 20

9. SMAUG Prioritization Process From Lunn, John. 2003. “Community Consultation: The Foundation of Effective Risk Management.” Journal of Emergency Management. V.1, No.1, Spring. Pp. 39-48. Session 20