Hazard Mitigation Tools and Techniques: Strategies Applied in Forsyth County

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Hazard mitigation is “any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from natural hazards”. Natural hazards are naturally occurring events that can threaten lives and property. Examples of natural hazards include: fire, hurricanes, storm surges, high winds, tornadoes, heavy rain, waterspouts, floods, severe thunderstorms, hail storms, lightning storms, drought, heat wave, fog, Nor’easters, severe winter weather, snowstorms, blizzards, freezing rain, wind chill, and extreme cold. There will always be some level of risk of natural hazards occurring and in some locations there is the potential for these hazards to reoccur based on weather patterns or physical characteristics.

Each year thousands of people and communities are affected by flooding, wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes and windstorms. Many of these hazards can have devastating impacts on communities leaving mass destruction of property and infrastructures as well as injuries and deaths. Through identification of the hazard type, location and frequency, some natural hazards are predictable. By knowing our level of risk from natural hazards, we can better protect ourselves by taking precautionary measures.

Forsyth County located in the central portion of the North Carolina Piedmont region is no exception to this rule. With a total land area of 412.96 square miles, Forsyth County is divided into 14 townships along with eight cities and towns with Winston-Salem being the county seat. With over 350,000 residents, Forsyth County has the fourth highest population of any county in the state. Land use within the county varies from rural to industrial with residential development centered in or near the city of Winston-Salem. Winsto...

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