Emergency Management Emergency Management Risk Assessment and Mitigation Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal framework provides guidelines for conducting a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)?
- National Preparedness Goal (Correct answer)
- Stafford Act
- Homeland Security Act
- Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
Correct answer: National Preparedness Goal
The National Preparedness Goal establishes the THIRA process to help communities identify and assess risks.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a vulnerability assessment in emergency management?
- To identify weaknesses that could be exploited by hazards (Correct answer)
- To calculate insurance premiums for critical infrastructure
- To assign blame after a disaster occurs
- To determine staffing levels for emergency operations centers
Correct answer: To identify weaknesses that could be exploited by hazards
A vulnerability assessment identifies weaknesses in systems, infrastructure, or populations that hazards could exploit.
Question 3: In a quantitative risk assessment, how is risk most commonly calculated?
- Probability multiplied by consequence (Correct answer)
- Hazard divided by vulnerability
- Exposure plus sensitivity
- Frequency minus mitigation cost
Correct answer: Probability multiplied by consequence
Quantitative risk is typically expressed as the product of the probability of an event and its expected consequences.
Question 4: Which mitigation strategy involves modifying structures to reduce damage from natural hazards?
- Structural retrofitting (Correct answer)
- Land use planning
- Public education campaigns
- Insurance incentives
Correct answer: Structural retrofitting
Structural retrofitting physically strengthens existing buildings and infrastructure to better withstand hazard impacts.
Question 5: What does a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) determine in the context of FEMA mitigation grants?
- Whether the expected benefits of a project exceed its costs (Correct answer)
- The total number of residents protected by a mitigation project
- How quickly a community can recover after a disaster
- The ranking of hazards by historical frequency
Correct answer: Whether the expected benefits of a project exceed its costs
FEMA requires a BCA to ensure that the anticipated benefits of a mitigation project justify the investment of federal funds.
Question 6: Which type of mitigation measure is the adoption of updated building codes by a local jurisdiction?
- Regulatory mitigation (Correct answer)
- Structural mitigation
- Natural systems protection
- Emergency services mitigation
Correct answer: Regulatory mitigation
Adopting updated building codes is a regulatory mitigation measure that sets minimum construction standards to reduce future losses.
Which federal framework provides guidelines for conducting a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)?