Master Plan, CRA/SOC
Town of Southington, CT
Figure 24. Income Distribution of Southington
Those living below the poverty line are the most at-risk. Unfortunately, those at risk due to income often represent additional “at-risk” categories. Examples where the low-income category often combines with other factors includes education, disability, and work status. Of the citizens living in Southington, 3.9% live in poverty, well below the state’s average of 10.0%, and even more so below the percentage of all Americans at 11.8%. Contributing to the lower poverty rates is the education level and the employment rate in the town and county. Nevertheless, the impoverished should be the focus of many of the programs and services of the fire department. These citizens benefit at greater levels from fire and fall prevention programs, emergency planning activities, supply distribution programs, and from materials targeting the risks they face routinely.
Natural Hazards Although axiomatic, it is impossible to predict or prevent risks from naturally occurring hazards on a community. It is possible, however, to prepare and improve resiliency, which historically has led to improved recovery and reduced effects or impacts to the extent feasible. Preparatory examples include levee systems, elevating or burying critical infrastructure, training systems, policy reform, early warning and mass notification systems, interlocal agreements, and related efforts. For fire departments, these preparatory efforts also include identifying, staffing, equipping, training, specializing, planning, and coordinating the emergency response system to reduce the impacts of natural hazards. The following natural hazards are considered viable threats for the Town of Southington. Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a specific location. Southington’s climate is widely considered comfortable for most of the year.
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