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Ramsey County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2018 <br /> <br />Page | 88 <br /> <br />Program Gaps or Deficiencies <br />Vulnerable Populations – Identify and map populations vulnerable to extreme heat. <br />Heat Planning – Develop a heat emergency plan containing water cache, air-conditioned locations (day <br />shelters, night shelters), and a public education campaign covering heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat <br />stroke signs and symptoms. Shelter planning should include homeless and low-income areas. <br />Generators for Backup Power to Shelter Facilities – Not all shelter locations have backup power generators. <br />In the event of a power outage during a period of extreme heat or extreme cold, designated shelters <br />(primarily schools) must be ready to provide either temporary or extended periods of sheltering for <br />those in need if there is an extended loss of power. <br />Communications – Everbridge’s open subscription service was made available to the public in September <br />2016 (https://www.ramseycounty.us/alerts). However, not all residents have subscribed to or follow our <br />Facebook page to receive important messages. Additionally, there are translation services for only three <br />languages (Spanish, Somali, and Hmong). There are over 100 identified languages spoken in Ramsey <br />County, and more than 50 are spoken preferentially in the home. Ramsey County Emergency <br />Management and Homeland Security will, in cooperation/coordination with other partners, place an <br />emphasis on increasing citizen subscription to Everbridge. <br />4.4.9 Drought <br />A drought refers to an extended period of deficient rainfall relative to the statistical mean for a region. <br />Drought can be defined according to meteorological, hydrological, socioeconomic, and agricultural <br />criteria. Meteorological drought is qualified by any significant deficit of precipitation. Hydrological <br />drought is manifest in noticeably reduced river and stream flow and critically low groundwater tables. <br />The term agricultural drought indicates an extended dry period that results in crop stress and harvest <br />reduction. Socioeconomic drought refers to the situation that occurs when water shortages begin to <br />affect people and their lives. It associates economic goods with the elements of meteorological, <br />agricultural, and hydrological drought. Many supplies of economic goods (e.g., water, food grains, <br />hydroelectric power) are greatly dependent on the weather. Due to natural variations in climate, water <br />supplies are high in some years but low in others. Fluctuating long-term climate variations make drought <br />difficult to predict. <br />Drought History in Ramsey County <br />Ramsey County experienced its worst drought in the 1930s and again experienced drought conditions in <br />1976. To date, agricultural losses have been the primary losses associated with drought, as no critical <br />facilities have sustained any damage or functional downtime due to dry weather conditions. Because of <br />the extremely unpredictable nature of drought (including duration), reliably calculating a recurrence <br />interval is difficult. <br />Ramsey County experienced a severe drought between July 2008 and June 2010. However, the county <br />did not experience any economic or other negative impact from this drought. <br />The hazard rank for drought in Ramsey County is medium. Sustained drought can cause severe <br />economic stress to the agricultural interests in Ramsey County and the entire state. The potential <br />negative effects of sustained drought are numerous. In addition to an increased threat of wildfires,