The Challenge of Mapping Disaster Areas During a National Emergency

Every state declared federal disaster areas during COVID-19 but other natural disasters are happening. Learn more in this story.

America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers The Challenge of Mapping Disaster Areas During a National Emergency For the first time in history, all 50 states were declared federal disaster areas due to COVID-19. At the same time, hurricanes, floods, wildfires and winter storms continued to hit communities already dealing with the pandemic. Communities were overwhelmed and so was the U.S. Census Bureau's award-winning OnTheMap for Emergency Management data tool. Read More As each state becomes a disaster or emergency declaration area, real-time data on hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and winter storms were updated but drowned out by the nationwide swath of COVID-19 disaster areas. In order to show national weather events, we had to redesign the OnTheMap for Emergency Management tool. Continue reading to learn more about: Helping to guide emergency management The 2020 hurricane and wildfire seasons FEMA disaster response resources Help us spread the word about America Counts. Share this story on social media or forward it to a friend. Share This You May Be Interested How Census Data Help the Nation Respond to Disasters: In a Community Risk Reduction Radio podcast, the co-chair of the Census's Emergency Preparedness and Response Team shows how data help when disaster strikes. Learn More About America Counts America Counts tells the stories behind the numbers in a new inviting way. It features stories on various topics such as families, housing, employment, business, education, economy, emergency preparedness, health, population, income and poverty. Contact our Public Information Office for media inquiries or interviews. Don't miss an America Counts story! Subscribe here.

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