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Probability of Future Occurrences
This hazards CPRI probability is ‘Likely’ within a 3 year time period, and could very well get
worse. The EPA has projected that with climate changes in the plain states, temperatures will
continue to increase and affect all of Kansas to include Region L. A repercussion of this is that
people will tend to stay in air conditioned environments to stay cool, or heated environments to
stay warm, thus outdoor recreational activities will decline. Another concern is as people move
to urban areas, older residents in rural areas may be particularly susceptible to the extreme
temperatures as they are isolated from younger family members to assist them in times of need.
Region L is particularly vulnerable due to the heat indices that it experiences during the warmer
weather.
Impact and Vulnerability
Specific groups of the population such as people aged 65 and older, infants and children,
people with chronic medical conditions, low income, outdoor workers and athletes are more at
risk because of the heightened vulnerability of this segment of the population. Two specific
segments have been looked at closely which are the people aged 65 and older and children
under the age of 5 that may be more at risk. The greatest population of under age 5 resides in
the counties of Johnson, Sedgwick and Wyandotte in Kansas. According to the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment, from 2000 to 2011, Region L experience 21 fatalities
with extreme heat as the underlying cause of death. Seventeen of those decedents were male.
The youngest was 11 months old, and the oldest was 95 years old. The average age of the
decedents were 50.8 years old. The year with the highest number of deaths was 2011 which
had 5.
From 2000 – 2011, in Wyandotte, Johnson, and Leavenworth counties, there were 12 deaths
with exposure to natural cold as the underlying cause. Eight of those decedents were female.
The youngest was 23 years old and the oldest was 90 years old. The average age of the
decedents was 66.17 years old. The year with the highest number of deaths was 2010 with
four.
Extreme cold often accompanies a winter storm or is left in its wake. Prolonged exposure to the
cold can cause frostbite or hypothermia and become life-threatening. Infants and elderly people
are most susceptible. Freezing temperatures can cause severe damage to crops and other
critical vegetation. Pipes may freeze and burst in homes or businesses that are poorly insulated
or without heat. Structure fires occur more frequently in the winter due to lack of proper safety
precautions and present a greater danger because water supplies may freeze, and impede
firefighting efforts. People die of hypothermia from prolonged exposure to the cold. Indigent and
elderly people are most vulnerable to winter storms and account for the largest percentage of
hypothermia victims largely due to improperly or unheated homes. The leading cause of death
during winter storms is from automobile or other transportation accidents.
According to the USDA Risk Management Agency’s insured crop losses as a result of heat and
hot wind conditions and freeze and frost conditions during the ten-year period of 2002 – 2011,
3.93