Disasters, also referred to as threats and hazards, can happen in Kitsap County. It is important to know what these disasters are and how bad each could be. The Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management (KCDEM) uses a tool called the Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Assessment (HIVA) to do this. The HIVA shows what these emergencies could do to people, property, the economy, and the environment.

The HIVA puts emergencies into high, moderate, and low risk groups, and sorts each into natural emergencies or those caused by people and/or technology. KCDEM then makes plans by looking at the risk of each emergency and by what resources are available to the county.  The county does not have resources to fully handle each emergency, so it is important for everyone to get prepared!

Disasters come in different levels of severity and will impact areas in different ways.

• High Risk means there is strong potential for a major disaster during the next 25 years. 
• Moderate Risk means there is moderate potential for a disaster of less than major proportions during the next 25 years.
• Low Risk means there is little potential for a disaster during the next 25 years.

Threats and hazards impact areas in different ways. Where possible, maps will be provided.

• Local Impact means that an event is limited to a small population or area of concern.
• Wide Impact means that an event will impact a larger population or area of concern.  A wide impact event can impact people and places differently.

KCDEM serves as a management agency, and our role changes depending on the threat or hazard. Check each emergency page for details. There are some things that KCDEM always does in an emergency:

• Act to secure resources
• Provide structure to emergency proceedings
• Bring people and agencies together
• Make recommendations to the county commissioners about local emergency proclamations
• Secure funding

If there is a catastrophic event in Kitsap County, KCDEM will help with life safety issues. During the first 72 hours, we will:

• Open an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate efforts. The EOC will work to put needed resources towards the most urgent problems.
• Work with local responders to make sure people have shelter, access to safe water, and basic medical care.
• Use plans from the Kitsap County’s Catastrophic Event Playbook.
• Contact volunteers from the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), or other programs. See a full list of volunteer programs here.

After life safety issues, KCDEM will help stabilize the incident and secure resources.  These activities include:

• Create a supply chain for emergency pharmacies, personal protective equipment, etc.
• Evacuate people who need a higher level of care
• Establish a common operating picture.

KCDEM also plays a part in a return to normalcy. These activities would include:

• Secure grant money and other funding
• Help businesses reopen

• 2019 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (PDF)
• 2021 Family Assistance Center Annex (PDF)
• Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (source: FEMA) 
• Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment in Spanish (source: FEMA)