FEMA Records
16
Below median
South Dakota · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Fall River County, SD
16 FEMA disaster declarations (1997-2026), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Severe Storm.
- 16
- FEMA declarations
- 11
- Major disasters
- 31
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Severe Storm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Fall River County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 16 declarations, more than 27% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 16% below the South Dakota county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county safer than 31%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Safer than 31%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 16
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 1
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Fire Management Assistance (FM) records, which are not presidential disaster declarations, alongside Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 46047 · Fall River County 16 declarations · rank 2302/3,266
DECL-MID · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-BELOW
- DECL-MID 16
- MAJOR-MID 69%
- RANK-LOWER #2,302
- PHOTO-FINISH Greene
- NRI-LOW Very Low
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Severe Storm
- VS-ST-BELOW -16%
Nearest declaration peer: Greene, GA (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · South Dakota state profile
Fall River County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Fall River County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Fall River · this county 16
Fall River · this county
16 declarations
- Frontier · near 16
Frontier · near
16 declarations
- Greene · near 16
Greene · near
16 declarations
- Terrell · near 16
Terrell · near
16 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Fall River County carries 16 FEMA declaration records, ranked 2302 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Fall River County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Fall River County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Fall River County
16 27th percentile higher than 27% 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 · 2026-08-25
Fall River County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Fall River County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $3.4M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively High), while Wildfire carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate). 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 Fall River County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 30.9/100 for this county (Very Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Very Low (roughly $6.8M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Very High) and community resilience (Relatively High) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Wildfire carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 159 years here.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 1 claim and $25 paid in total. PlainHazard calls 1-49 claims a light registry record, a label for this dataset rather than a finding that flood exposure is low. A short claims history can also reflect insurance take-up, the period covered, or losses that were never insured.
Start with the state benchmark: a South Dakota county averages 19.0 federal declaration records, while Fall River County has 16. The gap is 16% 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.
55 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Fall River County, SD · 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) Moderate
12/30
16 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.8x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
11/25
16 declarations (0.8x state county average of 19)
Major Disaster Share High
17/25
11 of 16 declarations are major disasters (69%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Fall River County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Fall River 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
69%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
31
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Fall River 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 159 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 13 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 5.3 times per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 44 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 4.3 times per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 1,410 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | an average of 1.9 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Drought | Very Low | 74 modeled event-days per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 1 modeled event-day per year |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 67 years |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Severe Storm 6
Flood 3
Fire 3
Biological 2
Straight-Line Winds 1
Coastal Storm 1
What Severe Storm declarations mean here
Severe Storm is the most frequent declaration type on Fall River County's record, 38% of its declarations. In FEMA's vocabulary this covers convective weather: thunderstorm straight-line winds, large hail, and the multi-day outbreaks that often carry embedded tornadoes. Activity is heaviest in spring and summer, though the season varies by region.
These events behave differently from a hurricane on paper. Damage tends to be distributed along a storm track rather than concentrated on a coastline, and a declaration typically follows an outbreak that crossed several counties over a few days, not a single point of impact. Because the qualifying threshold is the cost of uninsured public and individual losses rather than storm intensity, two similar storms can produce a declaration in one year and none in another.
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).
Major Disaster - 11 68.8%
of all 16 declarations
Fire Management - 3 18.8%
of all 16 declarations
Emergency - 2 12.5%
of all 16 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 2 | |
| 1997 | 2 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 16 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 16 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4903 | STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Straight-Line Winds | 2026-04-07 |
| 4527 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-05 |
| 3475 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4463 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2019-09-23 |
| 4440 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2019-06-07 |
| 5272 | VINEYARD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2018-08-12 |
| 4298 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2017-02-01 |
| 4233 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2015-07-30 |
| 4155 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-11-08 |
| 1938 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2010-09-23 |
| 2710 | ALABAUGH CANYON FIRE | FM | Fire | 2007-07-08 |
| 3234 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Coastal Storm | 2005-09-10 |
| 2319 | FLAGPOLE FIRE COMPLEX | FM | Fire | 2000-08-13 |
| 1330 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2000-05-19 |
| 1173 | SEVERE FLOODING, SEVER WINTER STORMS,HEAVY RAINS HIGH WINDS | DR | Flood | 1997-04-07 |
| 1156 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS | DR | Severe Storm | 1997-01-10 |
Storm Events in South Dakota
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Fall River County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 5,388 | 7 | 21 | $10.7M |
| Hail | 4,801 | 0 | 3 | $4.5M |
| High Wind | 2,277 | 0 | 1 | $35.0K |
| Winter Weather | 2,125 | 20 | 50 | $133.0K |
| Flood | 1,523 | 5 | 0 | $196.2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
1
Total Paid
$25
Avg Per Claim
$25
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 30.9/100
Expected Annual Loss
Very Low
$6.8M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very High
Community Resilience
Relatively High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Drought Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Ice Storm Very Low
Avalanche 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: Wildfire
Wildfire risk in the model reflects fuel, terrain, weather and how much development sits in the wildland-urban interface. It is one of the few hazards where the exposure is materially changed by land management and building choices, not only by where the county happens to be.
Worth noting for Fall River County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Wildfire carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Moderate), while the county's declaration history is led by Severe Storm. 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
Fall River County's closest FEMA peer: Kane County, IL
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Fall River County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Fall River County shows 16 FEMA declarations, led by Severe Storm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Fall River County: 11 of 16 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Fall River County: NRI composite 30.9 (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 Fall River County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Fall River County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 30.9 (Very Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 16. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Most disaster-prone counties
With 16 FEMA declarations, Fall River County sits in the high-volume declaration band - see how that count ranks against other U.S. counties.
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).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Fall River County?
The most common disaster type in Fall River County is Severe Storm, with 6 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (3), Fire (3), Biological (2).
How does Fall River County's FEMA declaration record compare with the South Dakota average?
The typical South Dakota county has 19.0 FEMA declaration records; Fall River County has 16, or 16% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 23% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Fall River County received?
Fall River County has received 11 major disaster declarations, representing 69% of all 16 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Fall River County filed?
Fall River County has 1 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $25 in payments, with an average of $25 per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Fall River County?
No. In Fall River County, Wildfire has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $3.4M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Fall River County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Fall River County was 1997, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1997 to 2026.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Fall River County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Fall River County, South Dakota has an overall risk score of 30.9 out of 100 (Very Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Very High and community resilience is Relatively High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Very Low, representing $6.8M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Fall River County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Fall River County as of the latest release is Wildfire (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Winter Weather (Relatively Moderate) and Hail (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts wildfire here at roughly once every 159 years. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
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.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Fall River County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · South Dakota profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events