FEMA Records
9
Low volume
Utah · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Summit County, UT
9 FEMA disaster declarations (1977-2021), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Flood.
- 9
- FEMA declarations
- 4
- Major disasters
- 60
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Flood
- Top hazard
The verdict
FEMA records a middle-volume declaration history for Summit County: 9 entries, 6% above its Utah county benchmark and ahead of 8% of counties nationally. The National Risk Index answers a different question. Its modeled loss, vulnerability, and resilience inputs place this county in the riskiest 40% of U.S. counties.
- Riskiest 40%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 9
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 46
- 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 49043 · Summit County 9 declarations · rank 3017/3,266
DECL-LIGHT · MAJOR-LIGHT · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-MODERATE · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-ABOVE
- DECL-LIGHT 9
- MAJOR-LIGHT 44%
- RANK-LOWER #3,017
- PHOTO-FINISH Fulton
- NRI-LOW 60
- ACT-MODERATE Moderate
- TYPE-LEAD Flood
- VS-ST-ABOVE +6%
Nearest declaration peer: Fulton, OH (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Utah state profile
Summit County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Summit County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Fulton · near 9
Fulton · near
9 declarations
- Gallatin · near 9
Gallatin · near
9 declarations
- Hillsdale · near 9
Hillsdale · near
9 declarations
- Summit · this county 9
Summit · this county
9 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Summit County carries 9 FEMA declaration records, ranked 3017 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Summit County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Summit County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Summit County
9 8th percentile higher than 8% 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
Summit County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Summit County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $11.9M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively High), while Avalanche 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 Summit County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
This county carries a high composite score on FEMA's National Risk Index, 60.1/100, rated Relatively Low. Its Expected Annual Loss rating is Relatively Low (roughly $38.6M in annualized losses), and a Very Low social-vulnerability profile combined with Very High community resilience shapes how much of that raw exposure becomes realized harm. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Avalanche stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Very High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 1.5 times per year here, based on 46 historical events on record.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 46 claims and $160.7K 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.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Summit County's 9 federal records stand 6% above the Utah county mean of 8.5. 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.
44 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Summit County, UT · 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
7/30
9 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.4x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
13/25
9 declarations (1.1x state county average of 8)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
11/25
4 of 9 declarations are major disasters (44%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Summit County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Summit 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
44%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
60
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Summit 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Very High | an average of 1.5 times per year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 224 years |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.4 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 43 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | an average of 51 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 1 years |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 142 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 5 years |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | roughly once every 10,000 years |
| Drought | Very Low | 75 modeled event-days per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 0.1 modeled event-days per year |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 67 years |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 9 years |
| Hail | Very Low | roughly once every 4 years |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | roughly once every 15 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Flood 3
Fire 2
Biological 2
Coastal Storm 1
Drought 1
What Flood declarations mean here
Flood is the most frequent declaration type on Summit County's record, 33% of its declarations. Federal flood declarations cover two mechanisms that behave very differently: riverine flooding, which builds over days as a watershed drains and is usually forecast well in advance, and flash flooding, which can arrive in under an hour from rainfall that fell somewhere upstream.
Flood is also the one hazard class where a second federal dataset exists for the same events. The National Flood Insurance Program records what was actually paid on insured losses, so it measures a narrower thing than the declaration count: uninsured damage, and flooding outside mapped special flood hazard areas, never enters it. Reading the two together is more informative than either alone.
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 - 4 44.4%
of all 9 declarations
Emergency - 3 33.3%
of all 9 declarations
Fire Management - 2 22.2%
of all 9 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 1 | |
| 1983 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 9 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 9 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5408 | PARLEYS CANYON FIRE | FM | Fire | 2021-08-14 |
| 4525 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-04 |
| 3478 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 5044 | ROCKPORT FIVE FIRE | FM | Fire | 2013-08-13 |
| 4011 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2011-08-08 |
| 3223 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Coastal Storm | 2005-09-05 |
| 720 | SEVERE STORMS, MUDSLIDES, LANDSLIDES & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1984-08-17 |
| 680 | SEVERE STORMS, LANDSLIDES & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1983-04-30 |
| 3024 | DROUGHT | EM | Drought | 1977-01-20 |
Storm Events in Utah
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Summit County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1,382 | 3 | 7 | $2.2M |
| Flash Flood | 536 | 29 | 17 | $101.2M |
| High Wind | 496 | 4 | 60 | $12.7M |
| Heavy Snow | 488 | 1 | 2 | $2.4M |
| Winter Storm | 344 | 1 | 36 | $435.0K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
46
Total Paid
$160.7K
Avg Per Claim
$3.5K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 60.1/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$38.6M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Avalanche Very High
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Landslide Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively High
Winter Weather Relatively High
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Very Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Volcanic Activity Very Low
Drought Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Ice Storm Very Low
Tornado Very Low
Hail Very 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: Avalanche
Avalanche is the most geographically restricted hazard in the model, limited to steep terrain holding seasonal snow. Its exposure concentrates on mountain roads, rail corridors and backcountry recreation rather than on the built environment generally.
Worth noting for Summit County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Avalanche carries the highest modeled rating (Very High), while the county's declaration history is led by Flood. 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
Summit County's closest FEMA peer: Cass County, IA
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Summit County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Summit County: NRI composite 60.1 (Relatively Low).
Similar Major-disaster share
Summit County: 4 of 9 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Summit County shows 9 FEMA declarations, led by Flood.
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 Summit County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Summit 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: 60.1 (Relatively Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 9. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
FEMA's National Risk Index flags Avalanche as the top modeled exposure here (Very High); the guide explains how that model differs from declaration counts.
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 Summit County?
The most common disaster type in Summit County is Flood, with 3 declarations. Other disaster types include Fire (2), Biological (2), Coastal Storm (1).
How does Summit County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Utah average?
FEMA lists 9 declaration records for Summit County. That is 6% above the Utah county mean of 8.5. Its count is also 57% below 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 Summit County received?
Summit County has received 4 major disaster declarations, representing 44% of all 9 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Summit County filed?
Summit County has 46 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $160.7K in payments, with an average of $3.5K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Summit County?
No. In Summit County, Avalanche has the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $11.9M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Summit County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Summit County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1977 to 2021.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Summit County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Summit County, Utah has an overall risk score of 60.1 out of 100 (Relatively Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Very Low; on community resilience, Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $38.6M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Summit County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Summit County is Avalanche (risk rating: Very High). Other significant hazards include Wildfire (Relatively Moderate) and Landslide (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts avalanche here at an average of 1.5 times per year, drawn from 46 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.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Summit County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Utah profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events