In November 2020, FEMA released its National Risk Index (NRI), an online mapping application that analyzes a community’s risk factors from 18 natural hazards, some of which include coastal flooding, drought, earthquake, hurricane, and wildfire. The NRI can help entities, especially those with limited mapping and risk assessment capabilities, better prepare for natural hazards by providing standardized risk data for mitigation planning and an overview of multiple risk factors. Additionally, this data can help jurisdictions develop a FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan to help increase community resilience. The NRI can also help with:
- Updating emergency operations plans
- Prioritizing and allocating resources
- Identifying the need for more refined risk assessments
- And more
