Discussion Forum 4 Module 4
“Hazard Identification”
Difference Between Hazard & Threat & My Community's Top Three Hazards
Nemeth (2017) states that threats and hazards are frequently distinguished by motivation and
aim. Hazards are natural occurrences, unintended incidents devoid of political motivation or aim
(Nemeth, 2017). Nemeth (2017) highlighted that threats are frequently tied to an erroneous
objective or end, such as instigating the political downfall of a government entity or attempting a
radical change of leadership. There are various hazards and threats in the community in which I
reside in Southeast Georgia. The primary hazards identified by the Georgia Emergency
Management and Homeland Security [GEMAHS] (2021) include severe weather deriving from
hurricanes, inland flooding, thunderstorms, lightning and hail, tornadoes, and other associated
coastal hazards. Hurricanes are capable of inflicting carnage along coasts and hundreds of miles
inland (GEMAHS, 2021). Even more so, Hurricanes, tornadoes, and microbursts can produce
155 miles per hour winds (GEMAHS, 2021).
Hurricane Matthew wreaked havoc on Georgia's coastline and several Southeast inland
counties in October 2016, forcing mandatory evacuations for the first time in 20 years
(GEMAHS, 2021). Lightning strikes are also a common hazard in the Southeast Georgia region.
According to the National Weather Service (2021), lightning strikes killed 30 people in Georgia
between 1995 and 2016. Concerning threats, there is also the human factor in which someone
decides to engage in domestic terrorism or inflict violence on others, such as causing an active
shooting incident. Terrorism, as Islam and Ryan (2016) assert, has proven to be a highly
successful ideology owing this notion to its flexibility to operate in a dynamic environment.
According to McEntire (2019), ideologies are holistic perspectives that frequently advocate for
certain sorts of political activity. For example, Islam and Ryan (2016) note that right-wing
terrorist organizations usually espouse conservative or reactionary ideologies. These groups
advocate for racial superiority, are anti-government and anti-regulation, or are both (Islam &
Ryan, 2016).
Hazards Facing the Nation/CBRNE/Cyberspace
The nation faces various hazards from an atmospheric, geologic, and human-caused
perspective. For example, according to the Department of Homeland Security [DHS], 90 percent
of natural disasters in the United States are caused by flooding (2021). Furthermore, according
to DHS (2021), flooding in the United States caused more significant economic damage and
resulted in more deaths and property damage than any other natural hazard. Weapons of Mass
Destruction [WMDs], according to McEntire (2019), are intended to produce significant carnage,
destruction, and disruption when utilized. WMDs can cause significant fatalities, deteriorate
response capabilities, impair the natural environment, cause economic devastation and
psychological misery, and influence political change (McEntire, 2019). I consider the use of
chemicals as a weapon the most threatening aspect of CBRNE.
As McEntire (2019) highlights, the materials for individuals and organizations to
produce a chemical are readily available because the materials needed to create them could be
obtained feasibly from legitimate commercial suppliers. In addition, chemical weapons are
released into humans and natural environments as gases, liquids, or aerosols, causing havoc.
Cyberspace also creates challenges for federal, state, and local entities and communities. As
Nemeth (2017) points out, the virtual world affords a plethora of threat vectors for terrorists.
Additionally, the nation's information infrastructure, which includes government, education,
institutions, research centers, business, and industry, provides terrorists with many opportunities
to damage the country's cyber system (Nemeth, 2017). In preparing to fight against malevolent
forces, Ephesians 6:11 states, "Put on the whole armor of God, so that you can resist the devil's
schemes" (English Standard Version, 2016).
References
Department of Homeland Security [DHS]. (2021, December 17). Natural Disasters.
Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/natural-disasters?
msclkid=d5ea119ab44711ecac492198c73fb5e6
English Standard Version (2016). BibleGateway.com; Crossway Bibles. English Standard
Version (2016). BibleGateway.com; Crossway Bibles.
www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/#booklist
Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency [GEMAHS]. (2021, August
24). Georgia Hazard Mitigation Strategy Standard and Enhanced Plan: Effective March
18, 2019-March 17, 2024. Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Agency. https://gema.georgia.gov/document/publication/2019-georgia-hazard-
mitigation-strategypdf/download
Islam, T., & Ryan, J. (2016). Hazard Mitigation in Emergency Management (1st ed.).
Butterworth-Heinemann.
McEntire, D. A. (2019). Introduction to Homeland Security: Understanding Terrorism
Prevention and Emergency Management (2nd ed.). Wiley.
National Weather Service. (2021). Georgia severe weather preparedness week - lightning
safety. https://www.weather.gov/ffc/swaw_ltg?
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