FEMA Records
27
High volume
New York · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Otsego County, NY
27 FEMA disaster declarations (1993-2021), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Severe Storm.
- 27
- FEMA declarations
- 17
- Major disasters
- 76
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Severe Storm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Otsego County. Its 27 FEMA declarations are 10% above the New York county mean and exceed the count for 78% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 24%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 24%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 27
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 463
- 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 Otsego County compare?
Otsego County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
27 Top 22% higher than 78% 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
Otsego County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the New York county average
What does Otsego County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 463 paid claims, totaling $9.0M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $19.5K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Otsego County's 27 federal records stand 10% above the New York county mean of 24.5. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 75.8/100 (Relatively Low). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $31.5M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively Moderate and community resilience Very 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 1.5 times per year here, based on 42 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 27 entries for Otsego County, including 17 Major Disaster records, 10% above the New York county mean. Across the 28-year span, that works out to 1.0 declarations a year. Severe Storm leads the file with 12 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
70 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Otsego County, NY · 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) High
20/30
27 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.3x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
14/25
27 declarations (1.1x state county average of 25)
Major Disaster Share High
16/25
17 of 27 declarations are major disasters (63%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
20/20
8 different disaster types declared in Otsego County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. New York Avg
+10%
State avg: 24.5
vs. National Avg
+30%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
1.0
Over 28 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Otsego 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
63%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
76
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Otsego 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 1.5 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | an average of 4.8 times per year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | an average of 1.2 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 22 times per year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | roughly once every 49 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.3 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 28 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 1,099 years |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 4 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
| Hail | Very Low | an average of 2.7 times per year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 53,349 years |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 1.2 modeled event-days per year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Severe Storm 12
Hurricane 4
Snowstorm 3
Biological 2
Flood 2
Other 2
Severe Ice Storm 1
Fire 1
What Severe Storm declarations mean here
Severe Storm is the most frequent declaration type on Otsego County's record, 44% 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 - 17 63.0%
of all 27 declarations
Emergency - 10 37.0%
of all 27 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 3 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 2 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 3 | |
| 2001 | 2 | |
| 2000 | 1 | |
Show 3 earlier declaration years
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 27 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 27 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3565 | HURRICANE HENRI | EM | Hurricane | 2021-08-22 |
| 4480 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-20 |
| 3434 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4472 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2019-12-19 |
| 4322 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Snowstorm | 2017-07-12 |
| 4180 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2014-07-08 |
| 4129 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2013-07-12 |
| 3351 | HURRICANE SANDY | EM | Hurricane | 2012-10-28 |
| 4031 | REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE | DR | Severe Storm | 2011-09-13 |
| 3341 | REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE | EM | Severe Storm | 2011-09-08 |
| 4020 | HURRICANE IRENE | DR | Hurricane | 2011-08-31 |
| 1899 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2010-04-16 |
| 3299 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Severe Storm | 2008-12-18 |
| 1670 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2006-12-12 |
| 1650 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2006-07-01 |
| 3262 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-30 |
| 1589 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2005-04-19 |
| 1534 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-08-03 |
| 3186 | POWER OUTAGE | EM | Other | 2003-08-23 |
| 1467 | ICE STORM | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2003-05-12 |
Show 7 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3173 | SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 2003-02-25 |
| 1391 | FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS | DR | Fire | 2001-09-11 |
| 3155 | WEST NILE VIRUS | EM | Other | 2000-10-11 |
| 1335 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2000-07-21 |
| 1222 | SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-06-16 |
| 1095 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1996-01-24 |
| 3107 | SEVERE BLIZZARD | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-17 |
Storm Events in New York
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Otsego County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 8,295 | 6 | 45 | $45.0M |
| Winter Weather | 2,261 | 7 | 17 | $705.5K |
| Flash Flood | 1,775 | 23 | 3 | $674.3M |
| Strong Wind | 1,399 | 2 | 12 | $9.2M |
| Winter Storm | 1,228 | 13 | 2 | $4.9M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
463
Total Paid
$9.0M
Avg Per Claim
$19.5K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 75.8/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$31.5M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Moderate
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Moderate
Landslide Relatively Low
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Hurricane Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Avalanche Very Low
Hail Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Drought No Rating
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) 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 Otsego 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 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
Otsego County's closest FEMA peer: Maricao Municipio, PR
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Otsego County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Otsego County shows 27 FEMA declarations, led by Severe Storm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Otsego County: 17 of 27 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Otsego County: NRI composite 75.8 (Relatively 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 Otsego County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Otsego County's NFIP claims file (463 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 Otsego County?
The most common disaster type in Otsego County is Severe Storm, with 12 declarations. Other disaster types include Hurricane (4), Snowstorm (3), Biological (2).
How does Otsego County's FEMA declaration record compare with the New York average?
FEMA lists 27 declaration records for Otsego County. That is 10% above the New York county mean of 24.5. Its count is also 30% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Otsego County received?
Otsego County has received 17 major disaster declarations, representing 63% of all 27 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Otsego County filed?
Otsego County has 463 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $9.0M in payments, with an average of $19.5K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Otsego County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Otsego County was 2003, with 3 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1993 to 2021.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Otsego County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Otsego County, New York has an overall risk score of 75.8 out of 100 (Relatively Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Relatively Moderate and community resilience is Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $31.5M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Otsego County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Otsego County as of the latest release is Riverine Flooding (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Cold Wave (Relatively Moderate) and Landslide (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts riverine flooding here at an average of 1.5 times per year, drawn from 42 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 Otsego County
Otsego County, NY has 27 federal declaration records, 10% more than the New York county mean of 25; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 17 of 27 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. New York overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the New York mean and the totals for 78% of 3,266 U.S. counties. 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
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
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.