Ford County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ford County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ford County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 32% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Ford County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (7), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2017 | Fire | Ford County Fire Complex |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 68 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.5 | 28 | 0 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 30.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | 30 | 0 | $610K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 96 | 167 | 0 | $2.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 67.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 70.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Ford County ranks in the 74th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 55th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 73rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 93rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 72nd | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 61st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 34.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 225 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 134 in 2016–20 vs 91 in 2021–25 (-32% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Ford County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ford County, Kansas are hail, drought, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ford County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ford County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Ford County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ford County include Severe Winter Storm (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Ford County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Gray County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Hodgeman County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Ford County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ford County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ford County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Ford County's composite score of 52 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 52% of US counties.