FEMA Records
8
Low volume
Ohio · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Defiance County, OH
8 FEMA disaster declarations (1977-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Biological.
- 8
- FEMA declarations
- 3
- Major disasters
- 42
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Biological
- Top hazard
The verdict
Start with the local benchmark for Defiance County: 8 FEMA declaration records are 45% below the Ohio county mean, even though the count is higher than 6% of counties in the national registry. On FEMA's distinct National Risk Index model, which combines expected loss with vulnerability and resilience, the county ranks safer than 42%.
- Safer than 42%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 8
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 330
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Defiance County compare?
Defiance County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
8 6th percentile higher than 6% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Defiance County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Ohio county average
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Defiance County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $10.6M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively High), while Hail carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Low). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Defiance County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 330 paid claims, totaling $2.4M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $7.4K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
Start with the state benchmark: a Ohio county averages 14.6 federal declaration records, while Defiance County has 8. The gap is 45% below that mean. Fewer entries indicate a quieter history of recorded federal actions, not immunity from a hazard and not a prediction about what happens next.
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 41.9/100 for this county (Very Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Relatively Low (roughly $15.7M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Very Low) and community resilience (Very High) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Even the county's top-rated hazard, Hail, only reaches Relatively Low on FEMA's scale, none of the 18 modeled hazards stand out here. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 3.4 times per year here, based on 127 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
The state comparison is the clearest context for Defiance County's moderate federal record. Its 8 declarations sit 45% below the Ohio county mean, with 3 Major Disaster entries among them. 2 records concern Biological, the file's most frequent incident type. Spread across 43 years, the registry rate is 0.2 per year. FEMA reports authorized programs separately from the DR, EM, and FM codes.
35 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Defiance County, OH · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Low
6/30
8 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.4x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
7/25
8 declarations (0.5x state county average of 15)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
9/25
3 of 8 declarations are major disasters (38%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Defiance County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
Moderate
vs. Ohio Avg
-45%
State avg: 14.6
vs. National Avg
-61%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.2
Over 43 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Defiance County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
38%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
42
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Defiance County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 3.4 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 4 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | an average of 1.4 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 4.4 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 740 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 13 years |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 3.3 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 39 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 10 times per year |
| Drought | Very Low | 0.4 modeled event-days per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4.3 modeled event-days per year |
| Hurricane | Very Low | roughly once every 90 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 87,116 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Snowstorm 2
Hurricane 1
Flood 1
What Biological declarations mean here
Biological is the most frequent declaration type on Defiance County's record, 25% of its declarations. In practice this category is dominated by the COVID-19 declarations of 2020, which were issued across every US state and territory rather than in response to any local hazard event.
This has a direct consequence for how Defiance County's number should be read. Because those declarations reached essentially every county in the country, they raise every county's total by a similar amount and tell you nothing about local hazard exposure. A county whose record is led by Biological declarations is, in most cases, a county with a genuinely quiet weather-hazard history, the pandemic records are simply the largest thing in an otherwise short list.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Emergency - 5 62.5%
of all 8 declarations
Major Disaster - 3 37.5%
of all 8 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 1982 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 8 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 8 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4507 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-31 |
| 3457 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3346 | SEVERE STORMS | EM | Severe Storm | 2012-06-30 |
| 3250 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 1556 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-09-19 |
| 653 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1982-03-26 |
| 3055 | BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1978-01-26 |
| 3029 | SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1977-02-02 |
Storm Events in Ohio
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Defiance County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 6,938 | 6 | 39 | $60.4M |
| Winter Weather | 2,101 | 7 | 42 | $3.3M |
| Hail | 1,749 | 0 | 0 | $673.5K |
| Flood | 1,607 | 9 | 0 | $84.5M |
| Flash Flood | 1,089 | 9 | 7 | $112.2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
330
Total Paid
$2.4M
Avg Per Claim
$7.4K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 41.9/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$15.7M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hail Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Very Low
Landslide Very Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Drought Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Hurricane Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Hail
Hail is among the most expensive hazards in the model relative to how little it threatens life. It concentrates on roofs, vehicles and crops, and a single severe storm can generate an insurance loss across a metropolitan area without a single injury.
Worth noting for Defiance County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Hail carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Low), while the county's declaration history is led by Biological. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Defiance County's closest FEMA peer: Duchesne County, UT
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Defiance County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Defiance County shows 8 FEMA declarations, led by Biological.
Similar Major-disaster share
Defiance County: 3 of 8 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Defiance County: NRI composite 41.9 (Very Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Defiance County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Defiance County's NFIP claims file (330 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Defiance County?
The most common disaster type in Defiance County is Biological, with 2 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (2), Snowstorm (2), Hurricane (1).
How does Defiance County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Ohio average?
The typical Ohio county has 14.6 FEMA declaration records; Defiance County has 8, or 45% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 61% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Defiance County received?
Defiance County has received 3 major disaster declarations, representing 38% of all 8 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Defiance County filed?
Defiance County has 330 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $2.4M in payments, with an average of $7.4K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Defiance County?
No. In Defiance County, Hail has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Low), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $10.6M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Defiance County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Defiance County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1977 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Defiance County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Defiance County, Ohio has an overall risk score of 41.9 out of 100 (Very Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Very Low and community resilience is Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $15.7M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Defiance County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Defiance County is Hail (risk rating: Relatively Low). Other significant hazards include Tornado (Relatively Low) and Riverine Flooding (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hail here at an average of 3.4 times per year, drawn from 127 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Defiance County
Against a Ohio county mean of 15 declarations, Defiance County, OH records 8, or 45% fewer. PlainHazard classifies that historical total as moderate activity.
- Emergency is the largest group (5 of 8) in a declaration history that remains below its state benchmark; frequency here is not a forecast. Ohio overview
- Nationally the county exceeds 6% of recorded county totals, but its own Ohio benchmark is higher. The ranking keeps those two contexts separate. Most-disaster rankings
- Use the data guide to separate this mid-volume insurance-claims file from declaration counts and modeled NRI risk. Disaster-data guide
A below-average federal record is not a safety guarantee. Use National Weather Service alerts and local emergency-management notices for present conditions, not this historical comparison.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.