hazard identification and vulnerability analysis - Mason County

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS
MASON COUNTY
INTRODUCTION
“Disaster” (diz-as’-ter) n. an adverse happening; sudden misfortune; catastrophe”.
The Hazard Vulnerability Analysis is an element of hazard mitigation allowing
emergency managers to set goals according to the public need for protection.
This document enhances public and private agency understanding and
awareness, influencing the adoption of hazard mitigation programs. The findings
revealed in the Hazard Vulnerability Analysis also serve as a basis for
preparedness as well as influencing effective response and recovery programs.
The most serious events are the least likely to happen, but this also means that
data about their causes and effects are often scarce or unreliable.
This analysis covers hazards most threatening to Mason County as determined
by history, geologic projections and social and technological trends.
BACKGROUND
Mason County has a long history of emergencies and disasters both manmade
and natural that range from hazardous chemical spills to earthquakes to
windstorms. Some of the potential disasters that could affect the County, like a
major earthquake, have not happened for hundreds of years, yet the result could
be catastrophic loss of life, disruption of the County's infrastructure and long term
economic devastation. Mason County has been included in several Presidential
disaster declarations. While storms and floods make up the bulk of these, there
are others, including earthquakes, the volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helens, and
the 1994 fishing disaster attributed to El Nino effects. In addition to these there
are many smaller emergencies, which can and have caused major disruption in
the past.
GEOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
Location
Mason County is located in Western Washington on the southeastern portion of
the Olympic Peninsula. Shelton, the County seat, is 25 air miles southwest of
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