Overview
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) is a collaborative process led by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) that brings together municipalities, local authorities, provincial agencies, emergency management professionals, critical infrastructure partners and subject matter experts. They all contribute local knowledge, expertise and data to the assessment.
HIRA provides a consistent way to compare risks, identify priorities for planning and preparedness, and support community resilience. Results are estimates based on available information, assumptions and expert input. They help inform planning and decision-making but are not predictions of future events.
How HIRA works
HIRA assesses how hazards could affect 6 key areas of a community:
- critical infrastructure
- environment
- governance
- healthcare
- economy
- social function
HIRA considers both the likelihood of a hazard and its potential impacts on each of these key areas to understand how disruptions can affect multiple services and systems.
Types of hazards
The specific hazards assessed will depend on relevance to the area being evaluated.
HIRA can assess a wide range of hazards, including:
Natural hazards
For example, floods, wildfires, severe weather.
Technological hazards
For example, energy service disruption, transportation system failure.
Who can use HIRA
HIRA is designed for anyone involved in understanding, managing or making decisions about disaster risk in Alberta. It can help:
- provincial, municipal and Indigenous governments and decision-makers inform policies, priorities, funding, land-use planning, infrastructure investments and risk reduction programs
- emergency management, public safety, planning and risk management professionals support mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and community resilience planning
- community organizations, businesses, infrastructure owners and service providers understand regional dependencies and vulnerabilities, strengthen continuity planning, and help protect critical services and infrastructure
- Albertans and communities better understand disaster risks and vulnerabilities and the importance of personal and community preparedness
How HIRA supports disaster planning
A completed assessment identifies hazards, assesses risk levels and highlights areas that may need further analysis. The results can help:
- identify and prioritize hazards
- inform emergency and evacuation planning
- guide preparedness and mitigation activities
- support resource allocation decisions
- identify community vulnerabilities
- support broader disaster risk-reduction activities
Understanding risk levels
Assessments rate each hazard on a risk scale ranging from one (lower risk) to 4 (higher risk). Risk levels provide guidance on how risks should be managed and reviewed over time. Assessments should be reviewed regularly and updated to reflect new information, changing conditions, evolving risks and lessons learned.
Lower risk levels (1 - 2)
Focus on monitoring and periodic review.
Higher risk levels (3 - 4)
May require enhanced monitoring, additional analysis and consideration of mitigation options.
Contact
Connect with the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) working group:
Email: [email protected]