Risk Evaluation Determines the relative seriousness of hazard risks as they affect the local community Session 20

“[The] public [is] willing to accept voluntary risks approximately 1,000 times greater than involuntary risks” Keith Smith, in Environmental Hazards: Assessing and Reducing Disaster Session 20

3 Methods Used to Evaluate Risk Creating a risk matrix Comparing hazard risks against levels of risk estimated during the analysis process with previously established risk evaluation criteria Evaluating risks according the SMAUG methodology Session 20

FEMA Risk Matrix Values Class A: High-risk condition with highest priority for mitigation and contingency planning (immediate action) Class B: Moderate-to-high-risk condition with risk addressed by mitigation and contingency planning (prompt action) Class C: Risk condition sufficiently high to give consideration for further mitigation and planning (planned action) Class D: Low-risk condition with additional mitigation contingency planning (advisory in nature) Session 20

Risk Matrix Example Session 20 Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1997. MultiHazard: Identification and Risk Assessment. FEMA. Washington, DC. P.315 Session 20

Risk Register Name of the Risk Qualitative likelihood value Qualitative consequences value Level of risk as determined by evaluation on the risk matrix Priority rating Additional information Session 20

Risk Evaluation Criteria Loss of life and harm to people’s health Economic loss Environmental harm Lifeline damage Social infrastructure damage Loss of heritage Session 20

Hazards Risk Management Analysis Context Legal requirements Cost and equity Risks that are clearly unacceptable Risks that should be kept as low as reasonably practicable Session 20

SMAUG Prioritization Process The SMAUG Prioritization Process Factor Description Priority Rating S – Seriousness The risk will affect the most people and/or will cost the most money It will affect the least number of people or cost the least dollars. High Priority Low Priority M - Manageability The risk could be most affected by intervention We can do little to affect the risk. A – Acceptability The risk is the least acceptable in terms of the political, social, or economic impact It will have little political, social, or economic impact U – Urgency The risk urgently needs to be fixed It could be fixed next year G – Growth The risk will increase quickly The risk will remain static From Lunn, John. 2003. “Community Consultation: The Foundation of Effective Risk Management.” Journal of Emergency Management. V.1, No.1, Spring. Pp. 39-48. Session 20