FEMA Records
13
Low volume
Ohio · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Ottawa County, OH
13 FEMA disaster declarations (1969-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Severe Storm.
- 13
- FEMA declarations
- 9
- Major disasters
- 59
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Severe Storm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Ottawa County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 13 declarations, more than 17% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 11% below the Ohio county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county in the riskiest 41%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Riskiest 41%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 13
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 1,384
- 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 Ottawa County compare?
Ottawa County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
13 17th percentile higher than 17% 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
Ottawa 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 Ottawa County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $15.4M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Low), while Strong Wind 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 Ottawa County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 1,384 claims and $9.4M 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 $6.8K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
Start with the state benchmark: a Ohio county averages 14.6 federal declaration records, while Ottawa County has 13. The gap is 11% 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 carries a high composite score on FEMA's National Risk Index, 59.2/100, rated Relatively Low. Its Expected Annual Loss rating is Relatively Low (roughly $22.1M in annualized losses), and a Relatively Low social-vulnerability profile combined with Very High community resilience shapes how much of that raw exposure becomes realized harm. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Strong Wind carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 3.4 times per year here, based on 126 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
Nationally, Ottawa County's 13 FEMA records form a high-volume history; within Ohio, however, the count is 11% below the county mean. 9 entries carry the Major Disaster classification. The largest incident group is Severe Storm, appearing 5 times. The full 51-year record averages 0.3 declarations annually. A DR label alone does not say whether Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both followed.
52 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Ottawa 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) Moderate
9/30
13 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.6x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
11/25
13 declarations (0.9x state county average of 15)
Major Disaster Share High
17/25
9 of 13 declarations are major disasters (69%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Ottawa County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Ohio Avg
-11%
State avg: 14.6
vs. National Avg
-37%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.3
Over 51 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Ottawa 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
59
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Ottawa 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.4 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 8.9 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.2 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 4 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | an average of 1.1 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 3.3 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 892 years |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 66 years |
| Hurricane | Very Low | roughly once every 58 years |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 4.2 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.9 modeled event-days per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 37 times per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 28 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 75,259 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Severe Storm 5
Flood 3
Biological 2
Hurricane 1
Snowstorm 1
Tornado 1
What Severe Storm declarations mean here
Severe Storm is the most frequent declaration type on Ottawa 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 - 9 69.2%
of all 13 declarations
Emergency - 4 30.8%
of all 13 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1974 | 1 | |
| 1973 | 2 | |
| 1969 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 13 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 13 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 |
| 1444 | SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2002-11-18 |
| 1227 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-06-30 |
| 951 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1992-08-04 |
| 3055 | BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1978-01-26 |
| 436 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1974-05-31 |
| 377 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1973-04-27 |
| 362 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1972-11-24 |
| 266 | TORNADOES, SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Tornado | 1969-07-15 |
Storm Events in Ohio
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Ottawa 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
1,384
Total Paid
$9.4M
Avg Per Claim
$6.8K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 59.2/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$22.1M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Hail Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Coastal Flooding Relatively Low
Hurricane Very Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Drought No Rating
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: Strong Wind
Strong Wind covers damaging non-thunderstorm, non-tornadic wind, the kind produced by steep pressure gradients and downslope events. It is a broad, frequent, low-drama hazard: roofs, signage, power lines and high-profile vehicles, spread across a wide area rather than concentrated on a path.
For Ottawa County the two measures on this page point the same way: Strong Wind is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively Moderate), and Severe Storm declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
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
Ottawa County's closest FEMA peer: Washington County, CO
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Ottawa County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Ottawa County shows 13 FEMA declarations, led by Severe Storm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Ottawa County: 9 of 13 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Ottawa County: NRI composite 59.2 (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 Ottawa County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Ottawa County's NFIP claims file (1,384 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 Ottawa County?
The most common disaster type in Ottawa County is Severe Storm, with 5 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (3), Biological (2), Hurricane (1).
How does Ottawa County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Ohio average?
The typical Ohio county has 14.6 FEMA declaration records; Ottawa County has 13, or 11% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 37% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Ottawa County received?
Ottawa County has received 9 major disaster declarations, representing 69% of all 13 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Ottawa County filed?
Ottawa County has 1,384 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $9.4M in payments, with an average of $6.8K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Ottawa County?
No. In Ottawa County, Strong Wind has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $15.4M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Ottawa County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Ottawa County was 1973, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1969 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Ottawa County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Ottawa County, Ohio has an overall risk score of 59.2 out of 100 (Relatively Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Relatively Low and community resilience is Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $22.1M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Ottawa County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Ottawa County is Strong Wind (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Winter Weather (Relatively Moderate) and Ice Storm (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts strong wind here at an average of 3.4 times per year, drawn from 126 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 Ottawa County
Against a Ohio county mean of 15 declarations, Ottawa County, OH records 13, or 11% fewer. PlainHazard classifies that historical total as high activity.
- Major Disaster is the largest group (9 of 13) in a declaration history that remains below its state benchmark; frequency here is not a forecast. Ohio overview
- Nationally the county exceeds 17% of recorded county totals, but its own Ohio 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.