FEMA Records
18
Below median
Pennsylvania · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Fayette County, PA
18 FEMA disaster declarations (1971-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Snowstorm.
- 18
- FEMA declarations
- 12
- Major disasters
- 82
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Snowstorm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Fayette County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 18 declarations, more than 37% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 3% below the Pennsylvania county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county in the riskiest 18%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Riskiest 18%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 18
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 722
- 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 Fayette County compare?
Fayette County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
18 37th percentile higher than 37% 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
Fayette County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Pennsylvania county average
What does Fayette County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 722 claims and $10.1M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $13.9K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
Start with the state benchmark: a Pennsylvania county averages 18.6 federal declaration records, while Fayette County has 18. The gap is 3% 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
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 82.2/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $37.1M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively High and community resilience Relatively High, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Riverine Flooding carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 3.5 times per year here, based on 99 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
Nationally, Fayette County's 18 FEMA records form a high-volume history; within Pennsylvania, however, the count is 3% below the county mean. 12 entries carry the Major Disaster classification. The largest incident group is Snowstorm, appearing 5 times. The full 49-year record averages 0.4 declarations annually. A DR label alone does not say whether Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both followed.
55 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Fayette County, PA · 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
13/30
18 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.9x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
12/25
18 declarations (1.0x state county average of 19)
Major Disaster Share High
17/25
12 of 18 declarations are major disasters (67%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Fayette County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Pennsylvania Avg
-3%
State avg: 18.6
vs. National Avg
-13%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.4
Over 49 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Fayette 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
67%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
82
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Fayette 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.5 times per year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | an average of 1.3 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | an average of 43 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2.6 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 5 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2.3 times per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1,754 years |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | roughly once every 36 years |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 19 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 13,453 years |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 1.3 modeled event-days per year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 0.8 modeled event-days per year |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | an average of 3.6 times per year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Snowstorm 5
Severe Storm 4
Flood 4
Hurricane 3
Biological 2
What Snowstorm declarations mean here
Snowstorm is the most frequent declaration type on Fayette County's record, 28% of its declarations. Snow-related declarations work on a narrower basis than most other hazards: they are generally issued to reimburse the cost of snow removal and emergency protective measures, rather than to repair destroyed property.
The qualifying test is unusual too. FEMA assesses snowfall against record levels for the affected area, so the same storm total can qualify in a county where it is historically extreme and not qualify a few hundred miles north where it is an ordinary winter. A low snowstorm declaration count is therefore not evidence of mild winters.
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 - 12 66.7%
of all 18 declarations
Emergency - 6 33.3%
of all 18 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 2 | |
| 1994 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1986 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
| 1972 | 1 | |
| 1971 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 18 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 18 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4506 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-30 |
| 3441 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4267 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Snowstorm | 2016-03-23 |
| 4149 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-10-01 |
| 3356 | HURRICANE SANDY | EM | Hurricane | 2012-10-29 |
| 1898 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND SNOWSTORMS | DR | Snowstorm | 2010-04-16 |
| 3235 | HURRICANE KATRINA | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-10 |
| 1555 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL DEPRESSION FRANCES | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-09-19 |
| 1557 | TROPICAL DEPRESSION IVAN | DR | Hurricane | 2004-09-19 |
| 3180 | SNOW | EM | Severe Storm | 2003-03-14 |
| 1093 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1996-01-21 |
| 1085 | BLIZZARD OF 96 | DR | Snowstorm | 1996-01-13 |
| 1015 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR | Severe Storm | 1994-03-10 |
| 3105 | SEVERE SNOWFALL & WINTER STORM | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-16 |
| 754 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1985-11-09 |
| 3026 | SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1977-01-29 |
| 340 | TROPICAL STORM AGNES | DR | Flood | 1972-06-23 |
| 312 | FLOODS | DR | Flood | 1971-09-18 |
Storm Events in Pennsylvania
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Fayette County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 9,976 | 18 | 114 | $115.5M |
| Flash Flood | 2,288 | 23 | 8 | $463.2M |
| Winter Weather | 1,670 | 23 | 268 | $566.0K |
| Hail | 1,400 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Winter Storm | 881 | 14 | 17 | $2.9M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
722
Total Paid
$10.1M
Avg Per Claim
$13.9K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 82.2/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$37.1M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Relatively High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Landslide Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Moderate
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Relatively Low
Hurricane Relatively Low
Avalanche Very Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Wildfire Very Low
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Low
Cold Wave 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: Riverine Flooding
Riverine Flooding is the model's measure of a watershed draining more water than its channel can carry. Unlike flash flooding it usually builds over days and is forecast in advance, which makes it the hazard where warning time most reliably converts into reduced harm.
Worth noting for Fayette County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Riverine Flooding carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Moderate), while the county's declaration history is led by Snowstorm. 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
Fayette County's closest FEMA peer: Valencia County, NM
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Fayette County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Fayette County: NRI composite 82.2 (Relatively Moderate).
Similar Major-disaster share
Fayette County: 12 of 18 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Fayette County shows 18 FEMA declarations, led by Snowstorm.
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 Fayette County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Fayette County's NFIP claims file (722 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 Fayette County?
The most common disaster type in Fayette County is Snowstorm, with 5 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (4), Flood (4), Hurricane (3).
How does Fayette County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Pennsylvania average?
The typical Pennsylvania county has 18.6 FEMA declaration records; Fayette County has 18, or 3% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 13% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Fayette County received?
Fayette County has received 12 major disaster declarations, representing 67% of all 18 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Fayette County filed?
Fayette County has 722 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $10.1M in payments, with an average of $13.9K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Fayette County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Fayette County was 1996, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1971 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Fayette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Fayette County, Pennsylvania has an overall risk score of 82.2 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). Social vulnerability here rates Relatively High, while community resilience comes in at Relatively High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $37.1M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Fayette County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Fayette County as of the latest release is Riverine Flooding (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Landslide (Relatively Low) and Lightning (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts riverine flooding here at an average of 3.5 times per year, drawn from 99 historical events on record. The underlying methodology weighs historical event frequency against 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.
What this means for Fayette County
Against a Pennsylvania county mean of 19 declarations, Fayette County, PA records 18, or 3% fewer. PlainHazard classifies that historical total as high activity.
- Major Disaster is the largest group (12 of 18) in a declaration history that remains below its state benchmark; frequency here is not a forecast. Pennsylvania overview
- Nationally the county exceeds 37% of recorded county totals, but its own Pennsylvania benchmark is higher. The ranking keeps those two contexts separate. Most-disaster rankings
- The large NFIP claims file and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records; the guide explains where they overlap and where they do not. 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.