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<br />.. <br /> <br />-"- <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />-- <br /> <br />PROBLEM <br /> <br />In 1977 the Division of Disaster Emergency Services <br />published a study titled Colorado's Vulnerability to Hazards <br />which assessed the State - s vulnerabil i t ies to d isaster 1n <br />general terms. <br /> <br />Following the Big Thompson disaster it was apparent <br />that further study was needed to identify specific locali- <br />ties and populations vulnerable to very high risk natural <br />hazards, Potential dangers from flash and riverine flood- <br />ing, tornados, and dam failure flooding -- Colorado's very <br />high risk hazards -- were well known, but more precise <br />understanding of their potential impact was essential. <br />Additionally, new understanding .has evolved about the risks <br />which face Coloradans as a consequence of earthquakes. New <br />questions concerning vulnerability of the people of Colorado <br />were raised; primarily: who was seriously exposed to these <br />hazards, what levels of vulnerability existed, and what <br />steps could be taken to begin to reduce this vulnerability? <br /> <br />By 1982, with the strong support of Governor Lamm, <br />considerable progress had been made in assisting with the <br />improvement of the preparedness of local entities - our <br />"first line of defense" against disaster. But the answers <br />to the above questions are still only partial, New people <br />come to Colorado every day and our vulnerability to the very <br />high risk hazards discussed here is so great that much more <br />needs to be done. <br /> <br />The purpose of this study, therefore, is to assess the <br />current (1983) vulnerability of segments of the State's <br />population to very high risk threats. This assessment <br />includes identification of the greatest natural hazards, the <br />populations threatened, and methods by which vulnerability <br />might be lessened through state and local government cooper- <br />ation. The ultimate goal of this and past efforts of the <br />Division of Disaster Emergency Services is to enhance <br />preparedness at the local level. This study is focused in a <br />narrow sense on very high risk natural hazards. This study <br />also more generally aims at complementing and supplementing <br />past planning to deal with these threats to lives and <br />property. <br /> <br />The authors of this study hope to advance levels of <br />understanding of the overall preparedness problem by focus- <br />ing on specialized problem areas. In the end, local leader- <br />ship must assess their local hazards and make decisions <br /> <br />1 <br />