Natural Disasters in Rensselaer, IN

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

32.8

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

44.8

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

17.0

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

62.6

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Cold Wave70.0Strong Wind58.0Hail54.5

Hazard	Risk Score
Cold Wave	70.0
Strong Wind	58.0
Hail	54.5
Earthquake	51.7
Tornado	46.2
Landslide	41.8
Heat Wave	41.4
Hurricane	26.3
Ice Storm	20.8
Lightning	20.1
Wildfire	18.7
Winter Weather	5.1

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Winter Storm

Jan 2026

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

8 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Apr 3, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
May 4, 2018	Flood	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Apr 22, 2014	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Apr 22, 2009	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Sep 23, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Jan 30, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Mar 12, 2007	Snowstorm	SNOW
Sep 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Jan 21, 2005	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND FLOODING
Jun 3, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Jul 11, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Jan 24, 2001	Snowstorm	SNOW
Jan 15, 1999	Snowstorm	IN-WINTER STORM 12/23/98
May 8, 1998	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Mar 29, 1991	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE ICE STORM
Jan 5, 1991	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

186

Total IA Distributed

$441,286

Repair/Replace

$207,243

Rental Assistance

$68,953

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-1476	87	$209,351	$2,331
DR-4515	24	$108,573	—
DR-1740	48	$75,389	$1,128
DR-1832	14	$29,886	$1,772
DR-4363	11	$14,800	$2,612
DR-1573	1	$2,691	$1,278
DR-1520	1	$596	$596

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

112

Total Claims Paid

$1,608,739

Avg Claim Payout

$14,364

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$2,780,828

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4363	Flood	11	$1,911,931
DR-1476	Severe Storm(s)	26	$278,326
DR-4515	Biological	2	$231,944
DR-1740	Severe Storm(s)	30	$177,505
DR-4173	Severe Storm(s)	6	$55,835
DR-3135	Snow	4	$52,056
DR-3274	Snow	8	$43,719
DR-3162	Snow	4	$29,513

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$700,246

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

4.13

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	2	$0
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	1	$178,583
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine; 200.5: Acquisition of Vacant Land	1	$478,363
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	1	$43,300

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Rensselaer has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are cold wave, strong wind, hail. The area has had 18 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (8 declarations). 112 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $2,780,828 in public assistance recovery funding. $441,286 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 5 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.