Hazard Information
Pandemic Influenza
A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time. It is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur or how severe it will be. Wherever and whenever a pandemic starts, everyone around the world is at risk. Countries might, through measures such as border closures and travel restrictions, delay arrival of the virus, but cannot stop it. Health professionals are concerned that the continued spread of a highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus across eastern Asia and other countries represents a significant threat to human health. For more information visit the Marin County Department of Health & Human Services.
Dam Failure
Dam failures can result in the worst flood events. A dam failure is usually the result of neglect, poor design, or structural damage caused by a major event such as an earthquake. When a dam fails, a gigantic quantity of water is suddenly let loose downstream, destroying anything in its path. For more information visit the Association of Bay Area Governments Dam Failure Inundation Hazards Guide.
Rotating Electrical Outages
A power outage is disruptive to all those affected. Power outages due to rolling blackouts or caused by inclement weather may inconvenience the general public, but people with significant disabilities and others who are sensitive to cold or heat because of age or health conditions are at a greater risk when electrical power is unavailable. Many of the elements of preparing for a major disaster are directly applicable to preparing for a power outage. For the health and safety of all involved, preparation is the key. For more information visit Pacific Gas & Electric’s Power Watch.
Climate Change
For over the past 200 years, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, and deforestation have caused the concentrations of heat-trapping "greenhouse gases" to increase significantly in our atmosphere. These gases prevent heat from escaping to space, somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse. If greenhouse gases continue to increase, climate models predict that the average temperature at the Earth's surface could increase from 2.5 to 10.4ºF above 1990 levels by the end of this century. Scientists are certain that human activities are changing the composition of the atmosphere, and that increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases will change the planet's climate. But they are not sure by how much it will change, at what rate it will change, or what the exact effects will be.
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