Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Fairfield County, OH

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
39045
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2028-01-15. Plan: Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758), approved 2023-01-16.

Since the plan was approved on 2023-01-16: no new hazard declaration and 85 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($26,575,575 a year), Tornado ($3,297,928) and Heat Wave ($1,824,136).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2028-01-15
Plan:
Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)
Approved:
2023-01-16
Days to expiry:
472

What changed since your last plan (approved 2023-01-16)

New federal declarations:
none
Storm Events records since approval:
85 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 0, SRL 2 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 21
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county: 19 rows, in the section "Plan clock: Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county" on the following pages.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Plan clock

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Fairfield CountyCountyApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Amanda villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Baltimore villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472this jurisdiction approved 2024-10-17
Bremen villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Carroll villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Lancaster cityCityApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Lithopolis villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Millersport villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Pickerington cityCityApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-29
Pleasantville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Rushville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-29
Stoutsville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Sugar Grove villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-29
Thurston villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
West Rushville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Violet townshipTownshipApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472this jurisdiction approved 2024-11-18
Hunter's Run Conservation DistrictConservation DistrictApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
Rushcreek Conservancy DistrictConservation DistrictApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472
South Licking Watershed Conservancy DistrictConservation DistrictApproved, expires 2028-01-15Fairfield County (FEMA plan 108758)2023-01-162028-01-15472

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$25,503,353$327$1,071,895$26,575,57592
2TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$2,323,304$917$973,707$3,297,92814
3Heat WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$234$2$1,823,901$1,824,1365
4Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$712,975$4,070$730,597$1,447,642244Includes 13 High Wind records (a NOAA non-thunderstorm wind type, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
5HailRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,284,342$3,404$5,175$1,292,92099
6LightningRelatively HighRelatively High$22,314n/a$971,279$993,5931
7DroughtRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderaten/a$982,339n/a$982,3392
8Ice StormRelatively HighRelatively High$900,372n/a$75,656$976,0285
9Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$9,227$34,082$714,379$757,6884Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
10EarthquakeVery LowRelatively Low$395,637n/a$94,544$490,181Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
11Winter WeatherRelatively ModerateRelatively High$176,421$514$89,818$266,753117
12LandslideRelatively LowRelatively Low$2,198n/a$45,967$48,1650Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.
13HurricaneVery LowVery Low$10,539$5,811$303$16,6530Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.
14WildfireVery LowVery Low$11,356$7$2,988$14,3510No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide and wildfire records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 316 (Relatively Low, 49.0); tract 313 (Relatively Low, 46.6); tract 320 (Relatively Low, 44.7)
Hurricanetract 311 (Very Low, 34.9); tract 302 (Very Low, 34.1); tract 326.02 (Very Low, 33.6)
Landslidetract 312 (Relatively Moderate, 98.6); tract 325.01 (Relatively Moderate, 97.2); tract 311 (Relatively Moderate, 97.1)
Tornadotract 313 (Relatively Moderate, 68.5); tract 330 (Relatively Moderate, 64.0); tract 316 (Relatively Moderate, 63.6)
Wildfiretract 325.02 (Relatively Low, 70.9); tract 311 (Relatively Low, 70.6); tract 306.01 (Very Low, 67.2)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 316 is Census Tract 316). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill3 records, 1996 to 2022 (3 zone-level)1 day to 5 days (median 3 days); 3 with a recorded value5 consecutive days, 1996-02-01 to 1996-02-05, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage1 record, 2007 (1 zone-level)Frost/Freeze, 2007-04-06, $540,000 crop damage (2007 dollars); NWS zone OHZ065Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)2 records, 1999 (2 zone-level)62 days; 1 with a recorded value62 days (2 months), 1999-07-01 to 1999-08-31, a run of 2 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)114 records, 1961 to 20260.75 in to 2.75 in (median 0.88 in); 114 with a recorded value2.75 in hail, 1980-05-11Hail, 2022-05-03, $200,000 property; $0 crops (2022 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lancaster city (32 records), Baltimore village (16 records), Pickerington city (11 records), Carroll village (5 records), Stoutsville village (4 records), Sugar Grove village (4 records), Amanda village (3 records), Millersport village (2 records), Rushville village (2 records), Bremen village (1 record); and 2 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)5 records, 1999 to 2019 (5 zone-level)2 days to 12 days (median 10 days); 3 with a recorded value12 consecutive days, 1999-07-20 to 1999-07-31, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson0Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)5 records, 1996 to 2011 (5 zone-level)No damage reported in 5 records.Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)92 records, 1996 to 2026 (12 zone-level)Flash Flood, 1996-05-08, $1,000,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lancaster city (16 records), Bremen village (5 records), Millersport village (5 records), Amanda village (4 records), Stoutsville village (4 records), Lithopolis village (2 records), Pickerington city (2 records), Thurston village (2 records), Pleasantville village (1 record), Rushville village (1 record); and 2 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file). Zone-level records (12) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)1 record, 2017Lightning, 2017-07-22, $0 property; $0 crops (2017 dollars), 1 direct injuryEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lancaster city (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)13 records, 2000 to 2026 (13 zone-level)41 kt (47 mph) to 58 kt (67 mph) (median 51 kt (59 mph)); 13 with a recorded value58 kt (67 mph) measured, High Wind, 2000-12-11; NWS zone OHZ065High Wind, 2008-09-14, $16,500,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2008 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)284 records, 1968 to 202640 kt (46 mph) to 70 kt (81 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 235 with a recorded value70 kt (81 mph) measured gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2012-06-29Thunderstorm Wind, 1994-06-21, $500,000 property; crops not recorded (1994 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lancaster city (49 records), Baltimore village (24 records), Bremen village (17 records), Millersport village (16 records), Sugar Grove village (16 records), Pickerington city (13 records), Amanda village (9 records), Pleasantville village (8 records), Rushville village (5 records), Stoutsville village (5 records); and 4 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)24 records, 1963 to 2024F/EF0 to F/EF3 (median F/EF1); 24 with a recorded valueF3 tornado, 1973-05-10, 15.8 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 300 yd wide, $2,500 property; crops not recorded (1973 dollars)Tornado, 1973-12-26, $250,000 property; crops not recorded (1973 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Bremen village (2 records), Lancaster city (2 records), Stoutsville village (2 records), Thurston village (2 records), Baltimore village (1 record), Pleasantville village (1 record), Rushville village (1 record), West Rushville village (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)117 records, 1996 to 2026 (117 zone-level)Winter Storm, 1996-01-06, $500,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars); NWS zone OHZ065Countywide (zone-level records).

Where a hazard names more than 10 jurisdictions, the table lists the 10 with the most records; every one is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-c Extent".

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 13 declarations covering 8 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsNotes
2020-03-312020-01-20DR-4507-OHMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$9,701,505.30
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3457-OHEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4507
2012-08-202012-06-29DR-4077-OHMajor disasterSevere Storms and Straight-Line WindsStrong Wind$370,481.80
2012-06-302012-06-29EM-3346-OHEmergencySevere StormsHazard not mapped (severe storm title names no single hazard); not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4077
2008-10-242008-09-14DR-1805-OHMajor disasterSevere Wind Storm Associated with Tropical Depression IkeHurricane; Strong Wind$1,265,733.89
2008-04-242008-03-07EM-3286-OHEmergencyRecord Snow and Near Record SnowWinter Weather$260,535.60
2005-09-132005-08-29EM-3250-OHEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2005-02-152004-12-22DR-1580-OHMajor disasterSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Winter Weather$9,232,944.22
2004-09-192004-08-27DR-1556-OHMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding: designated for Hazard Mitigation only (no Public or Individual Assistance for this county); not countedPA not declared for this county
1992-08-041992-07-12DR-951-OHMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1990-06-061990-05-28DR-870-OHMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1978-01-261978-01-26EM-3055-OHEmergencyBlizzards & SnowstormsWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1968-06-051968-06-05DR-243-OHMajor disasterHeavy Rains & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1964-03-241964-03-24DR-167-OHMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Flooding
1959-01-231959-01-23DR-90-OHMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding
1956-05-171956-05-17DR-57-OHMajor disasterWind StormOther, not an NRI hazard; not counted

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 1 row, $1,080

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-1453-OH2003-03-14Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record SnowPickerington, City of$1,080

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Public Assistance not placed in any Ohio county: 1 row, $3,080,910.74; listed on the Ohio state page.

Source: 3

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave4011001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record.
Drought2000001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail11413720001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave5000001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane0000101996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Ice Storm5000001996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding9226329401996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000101996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Lightning1000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind297321449201955 to 2026-06-30Includes 13 High Wind records.
Tornado24314201950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather11711517301996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationWhy listed
2017-07-22Lightning$0 property; $0 crops (2017 dollars)0, 1LANCASTERB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2012-06-29Thunderstorm Wind70 kt (81 mph) measured gustdamage not reported0, 0LANCASTERB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2008-09-14High Wind56 kt (64 mph) measured gust$16,500,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2008 dollars)1, 0NWS zone OHZ065 (FAIRFIELD), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
2000-12-11High Wind58 kt (67 mph) measureddamage not reported0, 0NWS zone OHZ065 (FAIRFIELD), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
1999-07-20Heatdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone OHZ065 (FAIRFIELD), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
1999-07-01Droughtdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone OHZ065 (FAIRFIELD), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Drought
1999-01-21Flash Flooddamage not reported2, 1PLEASANTVILLEdeaths or injuries recorded
1996-05-08Flash Flood$1,000,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)0, 0BUCKEYE LAKEB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
1996-02-01Cold/Wind Chill$20,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 1996 dollars)0, 0NWS zone OHZ065 (FAIRFIELD), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
1980-05-11Hail2.75 indamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Hail
1973-05-10TornadoF3, 15.8 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 300 yd wide$2,500 property; crops not recorded (1973 dollars)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Tornado
1963-09-12TornadoF1, 33 yd wide$25,000 property; crops not recorded (1963 dollars)0, 9location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (661 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

FEMA's declaration data list no tribal or special-area declarations for this state.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave3.32event-days per yearabout 3.32 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 3 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (10%)632005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought3.74event-days per yearabout 3.74 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)1752000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00112annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.112%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail2.82events per yearabout 2.82 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)107.2 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave4.11event-days per yearabout 4.11 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 3 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (10%)662005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.00575events per yearabout 1 in 174 yearsUnlikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)21851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.858event-days per yearabout 0.858 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)581946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding1.93event-days per yearabout 1.93 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 24 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (80%)541996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.207events per year (modeled)about 1 in 5 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning46days per year with a strikeabout 46 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind1.55events per yearabout 1.55 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)591986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.218events per yearabout 1 in 5 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.0000692annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.00692%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather12.2event-days per yearabout 12.2 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 25 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (83.3%)2312005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202544301.47
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20252300.0667
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025205306.83
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20259300.3
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20257300.233
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202514300.467
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20250300
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave36 of 3625.229.742.6Relatively Low 36
Drought32 of 3667.487.196.7Relatively Moderate 9, Relatively Low 14, Very Low 9, No Rating 4
Earthquake36 of 3612.628.349.0Relatively Low 5, Very Low 31
Hail36 of 3662.175.488.7Relatively Moderate 33, Relatively Low 3
Heat Wave36 of 3640.154.077.5Relatively Moderate 14, Relatively Low 22
Hurricane36 of 3622.427.134.9Very Low 36
Ice Storm36 of 3673.086.194.8Relatively High 5, Relatively Moderate 31
Inland Flooding36 of 367.653.586.8Relatively High 3, Relatively Moderate 16, Relatively Low 16, Very Low 1
Landslide36 of 3618.764.298.6Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 3, Very Low 29
Lightning36 of 3659.873.392.3Relatively High 13, Relatively Moderate 23
Strong Wind36 of 3657.368.982.8Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 34
Tornado36 of 3642.153.668.5Relatively Moderate 18, Relatively Low 18
Wildfire36 of 3621.946.270.9Relatively Low 2, Very Low 34
Winter Weather36 of 3660.171.188.0Relatively High 4, Relatively Moderate 32

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Fairfield CountyCountyApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 7$277,465.070 total; 0 since its planIncludes $273,799.62 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4507-OH).
Amanda villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$2,612.1716 total; 1 since its plan
Baltimore villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$48,577.9841 total; 4 since its plan
Bremen villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$55,331.2425 total; 4 since its plan
Carroll villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,638.049 total; 1 since its plan
Lancaster cityCityApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 10$415,208.03100 total; 12 since its plan
Lithopolis villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$20,493.816 total; 3 since its plan
Millersport villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$22,344.3423 total; 1 since its plan
Pickerington cityCityApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$109,237.3526 total; 0 since its plan
Pleasantville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$4,777.5610 total; 1 since its plan
Rushville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,572.419 total; 1 since its plan
Stoutsville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded15 total; 2 since its plan
Sugar Grove villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$100,290.2321 total; 3 since its plan
Thurston villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded10 total; 2 since its plan
West Rushville villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-01-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded7 total; 1 since its plan
Violet townshipTownshipApproved, expires 2028-01-15$86,245.980 total; 0 since its planNo NFIP community ID on this jurisdiction's plan row.

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

School districts and special districts get a plan clock row only.

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2023-01-16county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$33,332,752,700$128,439,183158,878$9,227$34,082$714,379under 0.0001%
Droughtn/a$76,473,603n/an/a$982,339n/a1.28% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$56,688,986,085n/a158,921$395,637n/a$94,5440.000698%
Hail$33,332,752,700$128,439,183158,878$1,284,342$3,404$5,1750.00385%$0
Heat Wave$33,332,752,700$128,439,183158,878$234$2$1,823,901under 0.0001%
Hurricane$33,313,389,518$127,408,777158,756$10,539$5,811$303under 0.0001%
Ice Storm$33,328,197,301n/a158,856$900,372n/a$75,6560.0027%
Inland Flooding$33,294,906,044$7,713,6335,156$25,503,353$327$1,071,895n/a (see note)$395,000NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$672,529,419n/a3,802$2,198n/a$45,9670.000327%
Lightning$33,332,752,700n/a158,878$22,314n/a$971,279under 0.0001%
Strong Wind$33,332,752,700$128,439,183158,878$712,975$4,070$730,5970.00214%$173,500
Tornado$33,332,752,700$128,439,183158,878$2,323,304$917$973,7070.00697%$510,000
Wildfire$2,678,138,033$12,756,73621,293$11,356$7$2,9880.000424%
Winter Weather$33,332,752,700$128,439,183158,878$176,421$514$89,8180.000529%$0

Totals since 2023-01-16 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 72 county-coded records, 72 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $1,078,500; 13 zone-level records, 1 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: no counted declaration since the plan.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population158,878
Building value (total, not at risk)$33,332,752,700
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$128,439,183
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$32,383,745
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$6,600,208
Social vulnerability ratingVery Low
Community resilience ratingVery High
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)2
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition21Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition2

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total022122108
of which: Fairfield County (unincorporated area)0171703
of which: Lancaster city011011003
of which: Pickerington city0010100
of which: Columbus city (plan jurisdiction listed on the Franklin County page)0020202
of which: Buckeye Lake village (plan jurisdiction listed on the Licking County page)0010100
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0010100

3 of the county's repeat-flood properties belong to NFIP communities whose plan jurisdiction is not listed on this page (the community rows above name the page that lists it).

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Fairfield County3901580171703
Amanda village3906880000000
Baltimore village3901590000000
Bremen village3901600000000
Carroll village3908170000000
Lancaster city390161011011003
Lithopolis village3900440000000
Millersport village3906890000000
Pickerington city3901620010100
Pleasantville village3910970000000
Rushville village3909970000000
Stoutsville village3909980000000
Sugar Grove village3901630000000
Thurston village3906900000000
West Rushville village3910980000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential011711706
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0020202
non-residential0121200
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 21 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Fairfield County, OH: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 39045). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/oh/39045/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]