Public Asked to Identify Most Serious Hazards

Riverside is asking residents and businesses to list the hazards, both natural and man-made, that most concern them.

The survey, which began Monday and will take one month to complete, is part of Riverside’s effort to update its Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, said Mark Annas, Riverside’s emergency operations coordinator.

Twenty five hazards, including earthquakes, floods, wilderness fires, cybersecurity and power outages, are listed on the survey, which can be accessed at riversideca.gov/fire/oem/hazard.asp.

The survey is also available at the Riverside Public Library and at the community meetings the city is holding to publicize the program.

The plan is updated every five years. Wherever possible, it identifies ways to avoid or lessen the fallout from various disasters.

Respondents are asked to rank the hazards from most to least important and to list the risks associated with each of them. City officials will use the data to help map out response strategies and to obtain grants from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Annas said.