My hometown of Bellwood, nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania, does not have to worry about too many natural hazards. The worst we have faced in my lifetime are winter storms that do not cause damage, other than a few broken trees and unnavigable roads. Looking at the world map of natural hazards, it is evident that my town is not in a red zone for earthquakes or tropical cyclones. However, it is in zone 2 for hailstorms and tornados, both of which could very well happen, but not often. For wildfires, it is in a zone 1. There are many forests, but enough rainfall and weather change to prevent wildfires from occurring.

From the RSOE EDIS source, I came across a biological hazard in the state of Wisconsin, where there has been an outbreak of a strange blood infection. A bacteria known as Elizabethkingia has infected 44 people so far, with the majority of them being elderly. My hometown, along with any, could experience this outbreak for it has not yet been linked to a specific source nor through person-to-person contact. Any human population is vulnerable to a new infection, since we would not be vaccinated against it. Compared to other towns, mine would also be more vulnerable since it is quite small and the bacteria could spread quickly. Currently, this event is on a local (regional) scale and has not spread outside of Wisconsin. Relative to my hometown, the scale is somewhat similar, since it is covering a small area in relation to the rest of the United State and world.  If this were to occur in my area, those living in the central part of town would be more vulnerable to the outbreak, since they are in closer proximity to each other. However, those like myself who live in the outskirts of town, would be less vulnerable. The elderly would also be at an increased risk, like those currently in Wisconsin. To reduce the vulnerability of such a disaster, the mayor could create awareness of the outbreak and education materials could be developed to better educate people.

Coming from my own knowledge, a major natural hazard that my town could face is the contamination of our local water reservoir through natural causes or chemical pollutants. As mentioned above, it is also very likely to experience biological outbreaks, such as major diseases or something as simple as the common flu due to its small population and proximity of its residents. From a meteorological point of view, major snowstorms could occur, which could result in power loss and minor destruction, as happened in the past. There is a chance we could experience a tornado, although it would be very mild in strength due to our high mountains and valleys.

To reduce vulnerability to natural hazards in my town, governance and education could both play a vital role. As mentioned previously, the mayor could promote awareness of such potential hazards and inform residents of prevention tactics (i.e. emergency responses) and what to do if a hazard would occur. Education materials could be developed to give to residents and even students at school. Personally, I could contribute by following the prevention tactics (for biological hazards) and by providing my family and friends with helpful information. Promoting awareness is a vital step in reducing vulnerability, along with having sufficient preparation before the event even occurs.