Overview
Stated Objective: Risk, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience
Owner: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
URL: https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/products-tools/national-risk-index
Coverage: Continental US, Alaska, & Hawaii
Granularity: County and Census Tract
Index Release Date: 2020
Last Update: 2023
Description
The FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) is an online tool to help illustrate the nation's communities most at risk of natural hazards. It incorporates three datasets (SVI, BRIC, and Expected Annual Loss) to determine an overall risk percentage as well as risk percentages for 18 of the USA's most common natural hazards.
Analysis
The NRI uses social impact data from the CDC's SVI index and the University of South Carolina's BRIC index for community resilience with potential economic loss impact estimates related to the built environment and/or agricultural properties to display each community's risk from 18 of the most impactful natural hazards.
For what level of government would this index be most useful?
Due to its level of granularity (census tract), this data should be useful at all levels of government:
*Note that in rural communities census tracts tend to be quite large and may encompass multiple communities. In some regions, multiple municipalities may be included within the census tract, which will not yield meaningful results.
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Click on the map to the right to explore NRI in your community.
Data Access
Downloadable: Yes; and you may open the feature layer in ArcGIS Pro.
Download Location: https://hazards.geoplatform.gov/portal/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=ddf915a24fb24dc8863eed96bc3345f8
Available on AGOL: Yes, the Census Tract Feature Layer is available here:
https://hazards.geoplatform.gov/portal/home/item.html?id=e632a0478bfb4df3987ce9bec88605d2
The County Feature Layer is available here:
https://hazards.geoplatform.gov/portal/home/item.html?id=cf60c608803e4ccd87ca13cbe40d9151
National Risk Index Counties (October 2020)
Feature Layer by carson.hauck_CTR
Context
Why was the index developed?
To help illustrate the nation's communities most at risk of natural hazards.
Who is the data steward's intended audience?
Local, State, and Federal Government, Emergency Planning Personnel
How does the data steward envision that data be used?
The FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) is easy to use and can support prioritizing resilience efforts by providing an at-a-glance overview of multiple risk factors. The NRI can assist communities in:
What are the known limitations of this index?
National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation