Imminent danger or threat to improved private or public property or to lives, public health, and safety as a result of an event that has a 20 percent chance of occurring in a given year is called an Immediate Threat. Debris removal, emergency protective measures, and emergency repairs to some facilities are eligible only if these actions are necessary to lessen or eliminate an immediate threat. FEMA determines the existence of an immediate threat. The following are examples of how the definition of an immediate threat applies to various disaster scenarios:
For a flood, the immediate threat exists if a 5-year flooding event could cause damage to improved property or threaten lives, public health, and safety. This is not a flood that necessarily happens within
5 years, but a flood that has a 20 percent chance of occurring in any given year.
For a landslide, an immediate threat may exist if the earth on a slope could slide as the result of a moderate amount of rainfall. A geotechnical study may be necessary to determine if an immediate threat exists (see Geotechnical Study).
For an earthquake, an immediate threat may exist if moderate ground shaking, such as might be expected during an aftershock, could cause further damage to a structure or threaten the safety of the structure’s occupants.
For a hurricane, an immediate threat may exist if a facility damaged by storm surge could be exposed to additional flooding from a subsequent 5-year event. Similarly, if a wind-damaged facility is subject to additional damage by moderate winds, such winds could be considered an immediate threat.
