Your address, your hazards
FEMA's National Risk Index at hazards.fema.gov maps 18 natural hazard types at the county and census tract level. Enter your address and see the expected annual loss, social vulnerability score, and community resilience rating for each hazard.
This is the fastest way to answer: "What am I most likely to face?" A coastal household and a plains household face completely different hazard profiles. Your preparedness priorities should reflect your actual risks, not generic national advice.
Going deeper
FEMA flood maps (msc.fema.gov) show whether your property is in a floodplain. USGS earthquake hazard maps show seismic risk by region. Your state emergency management agency publishes hazard mitigation plans with detailed local data.
Your county's emergency management office often publishes the most locally relevant information, including historical disaster data and local evacuation routes.
Prioritize by probability
Once you know your top two or three hazards, focus your preparedness on those. A household in tornado alley needs a shelter plan and weather radio. A household in earthquake country needs securing heavy furniture and practicing drop-cover-hold. Generic preparedness matters, but hazard-specific preparation saves lives.
- hazards.fema.gov maps 18 hazard types at your address
- Check FEMA flood maps at msc.fema.gov
- State emergency management agency publishes local hazard plans
- Focus preparedness on your top 2-3 actual hazards
- Generic advice matters less than hazard-specific preparation
- National Risk Index — FEMA hazard mapping by county and census tract.