Service Area Overview
Your department boundary, station locations, and overall NRI risk scores by census tract. Use the sections below to explore specific hazards, fire risk indicators, and EMS demand drivers across your service area.
Service area, population, and census tract assignments are based on department boundaries from NERIS Public. Boundary accuracy varies by jurisdiction.
Natural Hazard Risk
What this means for planning: With a risk score of 96.7 (Very High nationally), landslide is your leading natural hazard. Work with emergency management to map high-risk slopes, establish technical rescue protocols, and coordinate with public works on monitoring and response during heavy rain events.
Top 5 Hazards in Your Service Area
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Landslide
96.7 Risk Score Very High
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Cold Wave
88.7 Risk Score Very High
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Lightning
87.1 Risk Score Very High
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Wildfire
78.9 Risk Score Relatively High
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Strong Wind
75.8 Risk Score Relatively High
How to read this map: Colors show absolute national risk levels (red = Very High nationally, green = Very Low nationally). These are objective hazard comparisons across all U.S. communities.
Historical Disaster Declarations
Your county has experienced 11 FEMA disaster declarations in the last 10 years, and 16 declarations in the last 25 years.
| Date | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM |
| 2024-09-28 | Tropical Storm | TROPICAL STORM HELENE |
| 2024-09-26 | Tropical Storm | HURRICANE HELENE |
| 2022-10-01 | Hurricane | HURRICANE IAN |
| 2021-09-08 | Hurricane | REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM FRED |
Demographics & Vulnerability
Why This Matters
Your community's demographics shape everything — from where you need smoke alarm programs to how many of your calls are EMS. The data below identifies who generates the most emergency demand, who faces the greatest barriers during emergencies, and who benefits most from targeted CRR outreach.
Age Distribution
Age drives EMS call volume (highest utilization: 65+ and especially 75+, with elevated rates also among children under 5), shapes fire safety education priorities, and determines evacuation assistance needs. The dark marker on each bar shows the national average.
Social Vulnerability Indicators
These indicators identify populations that need additional support during emergencies, face barriers to self-evacuation or medical access, and benefit most from proactive CRR programming.
| Vulnerability Factor | Your Community | Peer Average | National Average | vs. Peers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disability Rate Higher EMS utilization, evacuation assistance needs, accessible communication requirements |
12.2% | 11.9% | 13.4% | ≈ average |
| Poverty Rate Economic barrier to safety resources |
11.6% | 7.6% | 12.4% | 1.5x higher |
| Uninsured Rate May delay medical care, leading to emergencies |
11.7% | 7.7% | 8.2% | 1.5x higher |
| Limited English Households Language barrier to emergency communication |
2.9% | 1.9% | 4.2% | 1.5x higher |
| No Vehicle Access Transport-dependent for evacuation |
2.1% | 2.9% | 8.5% | slightly lower |
| No Internet Access Disconnected from digital emergency alerts |
8.0% | 3.9% | 6.6% | 2.0x higher |
Economic Context
Fire Risk Factors
What this means for planning: 22.8% of housing units are vacant — 2.2x higher the national average. Vacant properties have elevated fire risk due to lack of maintenance, unauthorized access, and delayed detection. Work with code enforcement on vacant property inspections and securing abandoned structures.
How to read this map: Colors show relative risk within your jurisdiction (red = highest-need tracts, green = lowest-need). Check the table below for overall levels vs. peers and national averages.
| Risk Factor | Your Community | Peer Average | National Average | vs. Peers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-1980 Housing Pre-1980 construction standards |
22.7% | 13.0% | 36.0% | 1.7x higher |
| High-Risk Heating Wood, fuel oil, coal |
9.4% | 2.7% | 5.7% | 3.4x higher |
| Vacancy Rate Vacant properties at higher fire risk |
22.8% | 5.8% | 10.3% | 3.9x higher |
| Mobile Homes Structural fire spread risk |
26.6% | 7.1% | 5.8% | 3.8x higher |
| Renter-Occupied Higher turnover, variable maintenance |
33.8% | 21.0% | 34.4% | 1.6x higher |
EMS Risk Factors
EMS typically accounts for 60-80% of fire department call volume nationally. The demographics below are the strongest predictors of where that demand comes from in your service area.
What this means for planning: Economic barriers to healthcare access (poverty: 11.6%, uninsured: 11.7%) can lead to delayed treatment and preventable emergencies. Partner with federally qualified health centers and social services to connect vulnerable residents with primary care resources.
How to read this map: Colors show relative risk within your jurisdiction (red = highest-need tracts, green = lowest-need). Check the table below for overall levels vs. peers and national averages.
| Risk Factor | Your Community | Peer Average | National Average | vs. Peers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population 65+ Highest EMS utilization group |
14.9% | 15.4% | 17.4% | ≈ average |
| Disability Rate Higher EMS utilization, specialized assistance needs |
12.2% | 11.9% | 13.4% | ≈ average |
| No Vehicle Access Transport-dependent for medical access |
2.1% | 2.9% | 8.5% | slightly lower |
| Uninsured Rate May delay care, leading to emergencies |
11.7% | 7.7% | 8.2% | 1.5x higher |
| Poverty Rate Economic barrier to healthcare access |
11.6% | 7.6% | 12.4% | 1.5x higher |
Critical Infrastructure Protected
Hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and childcare centers require pre-incident plans and specialized evacuation protocols. These counts go directly into AFG/SAFER grant narratives and CPSE/CFAI Standards of Cover documentation.
Peer Comparison
Departments similar to yours in size, type, density class, and region. Peer benchmarks contextualize your community risk profile and support “demonstrated need” narratives in grant applications.
| Department | State | Population | Risk Score | 65+ % | Poverty % | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Buncombe Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (You) | NC | 18,871 | 34.2 | 14.9% | 11.6% | 2 |
| Steele Creek Fire Department, INC | NC | 17,754 | 35.5 | 13.0% | 5.2% | 8 |
| Saint Stephens Fire Department | NC | 18,950 | 35.8 | 18.9% | 13.7% | 2 |
| City Of Mebane Fire Department | NC | 23,302 | 27 | 16.6% | 8.4% | 6 |
| Brandywine Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (Prince Georges County Fire Department) | MD | 24,700 | 25.4 | 15.2% | 6.2% | 0 |
Your Community Risk Profile Is Half the Story
This page shows what your community faces. Connecting your NERIS data shows the other half — where response is slowest in your highest-risk areas, whether you're meeting NFPA benchmarks, and how your CRR investments are performing against actual demand.
See the Response Dashboard