Identify Hazards Which Threaten Your Community

One of the first things you will need to do to be more prepared is to identify what hazards exist in your community. It seems easy enough, and really it is. Let’s take a look at some of the most common hazards to Etowah County, and north-central Alabama.

Tornadoes-According to the National Weather Service’s tornado database, Etowah County has not had a tornado-related fatality since 1913. Etowah County has had 24 documented tornadoes since 1908; however that number is almost certainly higher due to non-reported tornadoes in rural areas of the county. The most recent was in 2003. Two destructive tornadoes occured within a year of each other in 2000 and 2001. The best known of these was the tornado that struck Coates Bend on December 16, 2000. It caused 14 injuries and damage to 250 homes. Despite the common myth, Etowah County is not protected from tornadoes from the surrounding mountains.

Thunderstorms-A way of life in the south is dealing with thunderstorms. Late spring and late autumn are generally the stormiest times for Etowah County. Of course, we are all familiar with the pop-up thunderstorms of summer as well. The main threats from thunderstorms are lightning, high winds, hail, and tornadoes. This year, the Gadsden/Etowah County EMA has received hundreds of reports of damage due to thunderstorm winds and lightning strikes.

Floods-Many communities in Etowah County lie inside the Coosa River’s floodplain. In addition, Etowah County is also downstream from Weiss Dam in Cherokee County. It has been a long time since Etowah County has experience a truly catastrophic flood. However, it is inevitable that it will happen again.

Hazardous Materials Accident-The next time you are out on a major highway, look and see how many placards you see pass before you. Placards are the diamond-shaped signs on trucks or rail cars which indicate that a hazardous material is being transported. Etowah County has several major highways, and a major railroad which traverses it. These transportation routes routinely have vehicles which pass over them with hazardous materials in their cargo. While these trucking companies and railroads take great precautions to protect these shipments, accidents do occur.

Anniston Army Depot-Hopefully, everyone is aware of the chemicals being incinerated at the Anniston Army Depot. Currently, the final chemical, HD Mustard is being destroyed. Due to the nature of Mustard, the direct threat to Etowah County has been greatly reduced. However, if an incident occurs at the Anniston Army Depot, Etowah County could play a supporting role to Calhoun County in response. Due to this, it is still important that everyone keep the Anniston Army Depot in their minds and on their lists.

Winter Storms-Etowah County is in one of the best locations in Etowah County to be affected by winter storms. The highest reported total for snowfall during the Blizzard of 1993 was in Walnut Grove. While Etowah County has not been affected by a severe winter storm is several years, it is once again important to keep this in your plans.

These are some of the first that come to mind. These are not the only ones. It is important for yourself and your family to identify all of the things that you think can cause harm to you. Write them down. The next step will be to make a family emergency plan. We will discuss this next week. If you have questions regarding the identification of hazards, contact the EMA at 549-4575 or at ema@cityofgadsden.com.