Step 4a: Identify areas of special consideration.

Societal vulnerability analysis identifies potential areas of special needs. These areas generally contain higher concentrations of low-to-moderate income households who would be most likely to require public assistance and services to recover from disaster impacts. These special consideration areas are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured for hazard damages and have limited financial resources for pursuing individual hazard mitigation options. These are also areas where other considerations such as mobility, literacy, or language can significantly impact disaster recovery efforts.

Demographic characteristics can be selected to help identify special consideration areas. For example, minority populations may represent areas where special cultural considerations or foreign language interpreters could be needed.

In many cases residents in special consideration areas are renters, rather than homeowners, making the pursuit of structural hazard mitigation even more difficult. The purpose for defining these special consideration areas in a vulnerability assessment is to identify locations for targeting effective hazard mitigation strategies. By focusing on these areas, communities can not only help to reduce the vulnerability of individuals, but can also help reduce the future impacts on public services.

Single parent households may indicate areas where special child care considerations could be necessary. Elderly populations and lack of vehicles may indicate special mobility needs, while low educational attainment rates may indicate the need for specialized help in dealing with disaster assistance procedures. Poverty and public assistance income may indicate areas where even moderate damages could have significant financial impacts on residents.

To determine special consideration areas in New Hanover County, publicly available census data at the block group level was used. Eight census data categories were selected as high-need determinant factors:

Census Data Categories

Percent Single Parent with Child Families		Percent Households below Poverty
Percent Population over Age 65		Percent Population Minority
Percent No High School Diploma		Percent Households with Public Assistance Income
Percent Housing Rental		Percent Housing Units with No Vehicle Available

For each category listed above, New Hanover County block groups were ranked and divided into four quantiles. Those block groups with percentages in the highest quantile were given a score of 4, the second highest quantile were given a score of 3, the third highest were given a score of 2, and the lowest were given a score of 1. After this process was completed for all categories, the scores for each block group were totaled to determine a societal risk summary score.

Figure 3.28

The map above represents the societal risk summary rankings. Block groups were again divided into four quantiles with the highest quantile defined as the special consideration areas. The map below highlights the special consideration block groups.

Figure 3.29

Step 4b: Identify intersections of special consideration areas with high-risk areas.

The identification of risk consideration areas within the special consideration block groups helps to assess the overall risks to the population and aids in targeting and prioritizing hazard mitigation options. These block groups in New Hanover County are located in and around the City of Wilmington with relatively small portions located in high hazard risk areas.

The map below shows the relationship between these
special consideration block groups and the high hazard risk areas.

Figure 3.30

Step 4c: Conduct a general inventory of special consideration/high-risk locations.

There are a number of ways to complete this type of inventory. In some cases, communities will choose to conduct a parcel-by-parcel driving survey to determine the number and type of vulnerable facilities in high-risk areas. In New Hanover County, a parcel-based land use inventory was available in a GIS format. This inventory was used to identify the number and type of residential structures located in the special consideration block groups. These residential units were then given scores corresponding to their hazard risk summary scores.

Figure 3.31

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