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Lamar County Multi- jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan <br />Chapter Three <br />"Death & damage totals were event wide. <br />5. Probability of Future Events <br />Based on Previous Occurrences, 6 snow and /or ice events have occurred in the last 15 years. <br />This would indicate that the probability of a winter storm occurring within the County is highly <br />likely with an average of 2.5 events a year. <br />6. Vulnerability <br />Cold waves pose a variety of threats to individuals and communities. These threats are <br />sometimes compounded by accumulations of ice or snow. The delivery of public services and <br />maintenance of infrastructure are often disrupted by cold waves. Frozen and burst water lines <br />are a common problem. Increased consumption of heating fuel can lead to energy shortages <br />and higher prices. People and animals are subject to health risks from extended exposure to <br />cold air. <br />All populations, buildings, critical facilities, and infrastructure in Lamar County are vulnerable to <br />severe winter events. The elderly in Lamar County, however, are at greater risk of death from <br />hypothermia during these events. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, every year <br />hypothermia kills about 600 Americans, half of who are 65 years of age or older. Hypothermia <br />occurs when a person's normal body temperature drops from 98.6 degrees to 95 degrees. <br />7. Secondary Hazards <br />Secondary Hazards can include traffic accidents due to snow and ice covered roads, and death <br />from hypothermia due to prolonged exposure to cold. Wind- driven snow can result in "whiteout" <br />conditions which can also make driving extremely dangerous. House fires and resulting deaths <br />tend to occur more frequently from increased and improper use of alternate heating sources. <br />Fires during winter storms also present a greater danger because water supplies may freeze <br />and impede firefighting efforts. <br />Carbon monoxide Poisoning can be a secondary hazard with any cold weather evetn. With <br />power outages there is need for alternative sources of heat such as generators, woodfires, gas <br />114 <br />Date <br />Lamar County <br />1982 <br />Ice Storm /Cold Front <br />Lamar County <br />1983 <br />Ice Storm <br />Lamar County <br />1985 <br />Snow Storm <br />Lamar County <br />1988 <br />Ice Storm <br />Lamar County <br />1989 <br />Ice Storm <br />Presidential Declaration of Disaster <br />Lamar County <br />2001 <br />Severe Winter Storm <br />Presidential Declaration of Disaster <br />Lamar County <br />2011 <br />Ice Storm With Snow <br />"Death & damage totals were event wide. <br />5. Probability of Future Events <br />Based on Previous Occurrences, 6 snow and /or ice events have occurred in the last 15 years. <br />This would indicate that the probability of a winter storm occurring within the County is highly <br />likely with an average of 2.5 events a year. <br />6. Vulnerability <br />Cold waves pose a variety of threats to individuals and communities. These threats are <br />sometimes compounded by accumulations of ice or snow. The delivery of public services and <br />maintenance of infrastructure are often disrupted by cold waves. Frozen and burst water lines <br />are a common problem. Increased consumption of heating fuel can lead to energy shortages <br />and higher prices. People and animals are subject to health risks from extended exposure to <br />cold air. <br />All populations, buildings, critical facilities, and infrastructure in Lamar County are vulnerable to <br />severe winter events. The elderly in Lamar County, however, are at greater risk of death from <br />hypothermia during these events. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, every year <br />hypothermia kills about 600 Americans, half of who are 65 years of age or older. Hypothermia <br />occurs when a person's normal body temperature drops from 98.6 degrees to 95 degrees. <br />7. Secondary Hazards <br />Secondary Hazards can include traffic accidents due to snow and ice covered roads, and death <br />from hypothermia due to prolonged exposure to cold. Wind- driven snow can result in "whiteout" <br />conditions which can also make driving extremely dangerous. House fires and resulting deaths <br />tend to occur more frequently from increased and improper use of alternate heating sources. <br />Fires during winter storms also present a greater danger because water supplies may freeze <br />and impede firefighting efforts. <br />Carbon monoxide Poisoning can be a secondary hazard with any cold weather evetn. With <br />power outages there is need for alternative sources of heat such as generators, woodfires, gas <br />114 <br />