FEMA Records
5
Low volume
Wyoming · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Laramie County, WY
5 FEMA disaster declarations (1979-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Biological.
- 5
- FEMA declarations
- 3
- Major disasters
- 77
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Biological
- Top hazard
The verdict
Start with the local benchmark for Laramie County: 5 FEMA declaration records are 12% below the Wyoming county mean, even though the count is higher than 2% 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 in the riskiest 23%.
- Riskiest 23%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 5
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 192
- 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 56021 · Laramie County 5 declarations · rank 3202/3,266
DECL-LIGHT · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-MODERATE · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-BELOW
- DECL-LIGHT 5
- MAJOR-MID 60%
- RANK-LOWER #3,202
- PHOTO-FINISH Goshen
- NRI-LOW 77
- ACT-MODERATE Moderate
- TYPE-LEAD Biological
- VS-ST-BELOW -12%
Nearest declaration peer: Goshen, WY (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Wyoming state profile
Laramie County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Laramie County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Carbon · near 5
Carbon · near
5 declarations
- Goshen · near 5
Goshen · near
5 declarations
- Laramie · this county 5
Laramie · this county
5 declarations
- Niobrara · near 5
Niobrara · near
5 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Laramie County carries 5 FEMA declaration records, ranked 3202 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Laramie County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Laramie County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Laramie County
5 2nd percentile higher than 2% 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
Laramie County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Laramie County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $13.3M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Winter Weather carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High). 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 Laramie County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 192 paid claims, totaling $969.9K. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $5.1K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
Start with the state benchmark: a Wyoming county averages 5.7 federal declaration records, while Laramie County has 5. The gap is 12% 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 76.7/100 (Relatively Low). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $41.8M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively Low and community resilience Relatively Moderate, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Winter Weather stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Very High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 21 times per year here, based on 398 historical events on record.
40 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Laramie County, WY · 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
4/30
5 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.2x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
11/25
5 declarations (0.9x state county average of 6)
Major Disaster Share High
15/25
3 of 5 declarations are major disasters (60%)
Hazard Diversity High
10/20
4 different disaster types declared in Laramie County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Laramie 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
60%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
77
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Laramie 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | an average of 21 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | an average of 3.4 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | an average of 4.9 times per year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 732 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | roughly once every 31 years |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 52 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.6 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 1 years |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1,890 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | an average of 2 times per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Drought | Very Low | 54 modeled event-days per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 0.1 modeled event-days per year |
| 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
Biological 2
Fire 1
Flood 1
Tornado 1
What Biological declarations mean here
Biological is the most frequent declaration type on Laramie County's record, 40% 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 Laramie 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).
Major Disaster - 3 60.0%
of all 5 declarations
Fire Management - 1 20.0%
of all 5 declarations
Emergency - 1 20.0%
of all 5 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 1985 | 1 | |
| 1979 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 5 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 5 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5490 | HAPPY JACK FIRE | FM | Fire | 2024-03-01 |
| 4535 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-11 |
| 3479 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 740 | SEVERE STORMS, HAIL & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1985-08-07 |
| 591 | SEVERE STORMS & TORNADOES | DR | Tornado | 1979-07-19 |
Storm Events in Wyoming
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Laramie County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind | 5,115 | 0 | 21 | $1.5M |
| Winter Storm | 2,212 | 1 | 41 | $115.0K |
| Hail | 1,811 | 0 | 0 | $5.5M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1,137 | 1 | 12 | $916.3K |
| Winter Weather | 616 | 3 | 7 | $100.0K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
192
Total Paid
$969.9K
Avg Per Claim
$5.1K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 76.7/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$41.8M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Relatively Moderate
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Winter Weather Very High
Cold Wave Relatively High
Hail Relatively Moderate
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Ice Storm Relatively High
Lightning Relatively High
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Drought Very Low
Heat Wave 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: Winter Weather
Winter Weather in the model means the accumulation of snow and cold that disrupts rather than destroys: road closures, roof loads, burst pipes and lost heating. Its costs land heavily on transport and on households least able to absorb an interruption.
Worth noting for Laramie County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Winter Weather carries the highest modeled rating (Very High), 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
Laramie County's closest FEMA peer: McDowell County, WV
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Laramie County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Laramie County: NRI composite 76.7 (Relatively Low).
Similar Major-disaster share
Laramie County: 3 of 5 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Laramie County shows 5 FEMA declarations, led by Biological.
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 Laramie County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Laramie 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: 76.7 (Relatively Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 5. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Laramie County's NFIP claims file (192 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Laramie County?
The most common disaster type in Laramie County is Biological, with 2 declarations. Other disaster types include Fire (1), Flood (1), Tornado (1).
How does Laramie County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Wyoming average?
The typical Wyoming county has 5.7 FEMA declaration records; Laramie County has 5, or 12% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 76% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Laramie County received?
Laramie County has received 3 major disaster declarations, representing 60% of all 5 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Laramie County filed?
Laramie County has 192 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $969.9K in payments, with an average of $5.1K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Laramie County?
No. In Laramie County, Winter Weather has the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $13.3M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Laramie County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Laramie County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1979 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Laramie County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Laramie County, Wyoming has an overall risk score of 76.7 out of 100 (Relatively Low). Social vulnerability here rates Relatively Low, while community resilience comes in at Relatively Moderate. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $41.8M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Laramie County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Laramie County is Winter Weather (risk rating: Very High). Other significant hazards include Cold Wave (Relatively High) and Hail (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts winter weather here at an average of 21 times per year, drawn from 398 historical events on record. 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 Laramie County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Wyoming profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events