Running Head: Community Assessment: Dothan, AL

Community Assessment: Dothan, AL

Arizona State University

PAF 560: Community Resilience

Dr. Talmage

February 23. 2016

Community Assessment: Dothan, AL

The city of Dothan, AL and surrounding area was selected as my final paper for a

community assessment. My rationale for selecting Dothan, AL was due to my familiarization of

the area. I grew up in Dothan, AL as a child and a teenager in the area and I still visit there due

to family and friends. This paper will address the demographics, population, key industries,

emergency services, vulnerabilities, strengths, and an assessment plan for the jurisdiction of

Dothan, AL and surrounding area.

History, Geography, and Demographics

Dothan, AL is located in the Southeast corner of the State of Alabama. It is

approximately 20 miles west of the Georgia State Line and 16 miles north of the Florida State

Line. On an average business day, approximately 120, 000 people are in the Dothan, AL area to

work, shop, or conduct business. This number could potentially be more during the Spring

Break and summer months due to Dothan, AL being 70 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Most

tourists travel through Dothan, AL enroute to the beaches on the Florida Panhandle. These

include Panama City Beach, Destin, FT Walton Beach, Pensacola Beach, FL and ST George

Island, FL. Because of Dothan being in close proximity to the Florida Panhandle, the area can

be prone to flooding during the hurricane season and high winds from storms. The Dothan, AL

vicinity often experiences tornadoes that can spin off from hurricanes. Dothan, AL is 321 feet

above sea level which makes the city very susceptible to flooding. As of the 2010 US census,

the population in Dothan, AL was 65, 496 (US Census, 2010). The entire metropolitan area that

includes Geneva, Dale, Henry, and Houston Counties has a population of 145, 639 based off of

the 2010 US census.

The lower portion of the State of Alabama has a greater propensity for an earthquake as

compared to the northern portion of the state. The city of Dothan, AL is known as the

“Peanut Capital of the World”. The area is known for the production of peanuts. Approximately

25% of the US peanut crop is produced in the local area. Colloquially, the entire local

metropolitan area is known as the Wiregrass.

In terms of demographics, the city has a population density of 755 per square mile.

Approximately 79% of the residents have completed a high school diploma (City of Dothan,

2016), 23% of the population has college degrees. Racial composition of the city is 63% White,

35% Black, and 2% Hispanic. Approximately 15% of the population is 65 or older in the area.

The average size of a family is 2.9. The average commute time to work is 18 minutes. The

median family income in Dothan is approximately $52, 000 annually (Dothan, AL Profile,

2013).

Some of the key industries in the Dothan, AL area include the City of Dothan, Dothan

and Houston County City School Systems, Michelin North America, Inc., Perdue Farms, Farley

Nuclear Power Plant, AAA Cooper Transportation, and Wal-Mart. The city of Dothan, AL also

has two hospitals, which include Southeast Alabama Medical Center and Flowers Hospital.

Additionally, there are several shopping malls, department stores, grocery stores, specialty shops,

and small businesses in the local vicinity.

Dothan, AL has a fire department that has 172 personnel employed. The department

includes 80 paramedics, 8 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), and 78 basic Emergency

Medical Technicians. The department also has a Hazardous Material Team (HAZMAT).

Several major US highways are in the Dothan, AL area. US Highway 231 runs north and south

through Dothan, AL. Southward, US Highway 231 terminates in Panama City, FL. US

Highway 231 in the north direction is a hurricane evacuation route. It is a 4 lane highway that

leads to Interstates 65 and 85 in Montgomery, AL approximately 100 miles north of Dothan, AL.

US Highway 431 runs north along the Alabama-Georgia border and is also used as an evacuation

route for hurricanes. US Highway 84 runs east and west. Eastward, US Highway 84 crosses into

Georgia. The distance between Dothan, AL and Interstate 75 is 150 miles east of Dothan. In a

westward direction, US Highway 84 crosses into Mississippi and further westward into

Louisiana and Texas. Law enforcement in Dothan, AL consist of the Dothan City Police

Department and Houston County Sheriff’s Department. 25 miles northwest of Dothan, AL is FT

Rucker, AL. FT Rucker, AL is the home of Army aviation. The base is used primarily to train

helicopter pilots for the US Army.

This is a summary of the demographics, population density, key industries, and

emergency management services such as the fire department. The fire department in Dothan, AL

is very well trained and responsive. The city works diligently with the local community to

facilitate disaster awareness. Community involvement is imperative to ensure the continuity of

disaster preparedness and responsiveness. Overall, I think that the city of Dothan, AL is

prepared to deal with any disaster that may impose a threat on the local community. This is due

to the well trained first responders in the local area, collaboration with key emergency planners,

and the community resilience.

Vulnerabilities and Strengths

The jurisdiction of Dothan, AL is approximately 70 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico.

The fact that the city of Dothan is in close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico creates the propensity

for the area to be impacted by high winds from hurricanes, excessive rain water, and tornadoes

that spins off from hurricanes. Approximately 18 miles east of Dothan, AL is the Chattahoochee

River, which creates the border for the Alabama and Georgia State lines. The George W.

Andrews Lock and Dam is located on the on the Chattahoochee River at Columbia, AL. This

area has been known for flooding. There are several creeks and streams that feed into the

Chattahoochee River that could cause severe flooding in the vicinity of Dothan, AL. The worst

case scenario for flooding caused by the Chattahoochee River would be a total breach of the

George W. Andrews Lock and Dam. This could cause major flooding in the vicinity of

Columbia, AL and Gordon, AL. If flooding occurred, this could also create havoc for the

emergency management personnel and first responders in Houston County and Dothan,

AL. Another potential hazard that is near the Chattahoochee River is Joseph M. Farley Nuclear

Power Plant. I worked there as my first job as a Health Physics Technician after undergraduate

Studies. A nuclear melt down, release of gas, or radioactive material from the nuclear power

plants is also a potential hazard for the local vicinity of Dothan, AL. Farley Nuclear Power Plant

is located approximately 20 miles east of Dothan, AL along the Chattahoochee River. The lower

portion of Alabama also has a greater propensity for earthquakes as compared to other areas

of the State of Alabama. There have not been any reported earthquakes near the vicinity of

Dothan, AL. Dothan, AL is located in the Southeast corner of the State of Alabama.

The greatest potential threats to Dothan, AL and surrounding areas would be flooding

and high winds that could be generated by tornadoes and hurricanes. (Homefacts, 2016)

indicates the jurisdiction of Dothan, AL and surrounding area has a 79% higher probability for

tornadoes as compared with the rest of the United States. Since 1950, there has been 142

recorded tornadoes in the local vicinity of Dothan, AL (Homefacts, 2016). Based upon this data,

it is relatively easy to ascertain that tornadoes pose a serious hazard in the vicinity of Dothan, AL

and surrounding areas. As indicated by (Homefacts, 2016), the area of Dothan, AL has an

average of 2 tornadoes per year. The results of tornadoes that create potential hazards are the

high winds and torrential downpour of rain. High winds can damage critical infrastructure such

as businesses, bridges, and hospitals. Furthermore, the torrential rains can create dangerous

driving conditions and cause significant damage to homes and infrastructure. As indicated by

(Homefacts, 2016), 46 hurricanes have negatively impacted the city of Dothan, AL and the local

vicinity since 1930. This data is based upon a 150 mile radius of Dothan, AL (Homefacts,

2016). I specially recall Hurricane Opal that caused considerable damage to my family’s house

in 1995. Based on data from (Homefacts.2016), winds were as high as 130 knots which equates

to 150 miles per hour. The largest hurricane affecting the Dothan, AL area was Hurricane

Georges that struck in 1998 (Homefacts, 2016).

Assessment Plan

Based upon the historical data of Dothan, AL having a propensity for tornadoes and

hurricanes, my recommendation to the local government would be to conduct an analysis of all

critical infrastructure and homes to ensure that the buildings are built to standard and in

compliance with the building codes for the jurisdiction of Dothan, AL. As asserted by

(Masterson, et al, 2014), strong building codes, particularly in hazard-prone areas have

repeatedly shown they reduce damage from a range of hazards and is a valuable tool for local

communities to use to mitigate hazards. Therefore, it would be imperative to ensure that

building codes are enforced, which is an excellent form of reducing the hazards of high winds

and flooding. As a frequent traveler to Dothan, AL and surrounding areas, I noticed a significant

amount of unoccupied dwellings on the east side of town that are dilapidated. These homes

should be either repaired or destroyed. If a hurricane or tornado strikes, these homes may not

have the ability to withstand the high winds. As a result, these homes become projectiles that

can potentially injure citizens and cause damage to other viable critical infrastructure. As a

result, this could delay the response and recovery efforts during emergency operations. The east

side of Dothan, AL is a poor area of town that has a limited tax base. My personal observation is

this is due to rampant drug usage, limited education of the citizens, and lack of work ethic.

Needless to say, this is a social vulnerability that is attributed to the economic and social issues

that are negatively impacting the local community. As an emergency planner, I would also

advocate for a Web-Based Situational Awareness Program (WBSAP) for the local area of

Dothan, AL. Utilization of the WBSAP would be a tremendous asset for assisting emergency

planners and other entities that are involved in the phases of emergency management. These

phases include mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery according to (Smith, 2015).

The WBSAP is utilized to track critical resources that may be required during an actual disaster.

These resources include equipment such as vehicles that could be used to transport personnel to

temporary shelters, contingency water supply, and generators that could be used in the event of a

primary power outage. The WBSAP gives accurate and real time data so that emergency

planners can make critical decisions with the maximum amount of information that is readily

available. Emergency planners can maintain running estimates and a continuous planning

process which can assist in the decision making process. According to (Hickey, 2014), the

WBSAP technology is an excellent tool during emergency planning and during disaster

incidents. WBSAP provides situational awareness which is paramount for emergency managers

to collaborate and respond to a disaster incident. For the jurisdiction of Dothan, AL, the

WBSAP will be utilized to provide emergency planners, technical specialists, first responders,

hospitals, incident command, fire department, law enforcement, and other key nongovernmental

organizations (NGOs) with a web based program that has capabilities to conduct Geographical

Information System (GIS) mapping, incident reporting, resource management, and

administration of long term recovery efforts. The rationale is based upon the hazards of

flooding, tornadoes, and hurricanes presenting the worst case disaster scenarios based upon

hazard modeling in the Dothan, AL jurisdiction. The WBSAP application can be utilized

throughout all phases of emergency management including mitigation, preparedness, response,

and recovery efforts. All of the aforementioned phases are imperative to restore the jurisdiction

back to a state of normalcy as quickly as possible in the event of a catastrophic disaster.

In order to obtain an accurate assessment of the vulnerabilities in the Dothan, AL area, I

would recommend the conduct of local town hall meetings that involve local government,

stakeholders, emergency response personnel, and local citizens. The rationale for this approach is

to have a community holistic approach to take a critical look at all of the vulnerabilities that

impact the Dothan, AL vicinity. I would also recommend that gap analysis be done to determine

means for closing the economic disparity gap between disenfranchised citizens that reside on the

east side of Dothan, AL and the rest of the city. By closing the gap, I think that this could lead to

a stronger tax base to support better schools and reduce the amount of crime within the city.

The lack of not addressing the economic and social capital issues in Dothan, AL will further

widen the gap between low socioeconomic areas and more affluent areas in Dothan, AL.

Conclusion

In summary, the jurisdiction of Dothan, AL is definitely prone to tornadoes and

hurricanes based upon documented historical evidence. Enforcing build codes would be an

excellent start to address ensuring that buildings and homes are built to code compliance. I

would advocate for public policy that could provide funding in low socioeconomic areas to

destroy dilapidated buildings and homes that are potential hazards. Additionally, unoccupied

buildings are not of aesthetic value and could cost property value to dwindle. More importantly,

old unoccupied buildings that are not in compliance with building codes present an additional

hazard under high wind conditions. In the event of an actual disaster, utilization of a WBSAP

would be an excellent tool in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to provide planners with

a tool that can assist with providing command and control in the event of an actual disaster. The

WBSAP would provide a common operating picture (COP) of what is actually happening at the

incident site and could facilitate the transportation of additional resources during the response

phase of emergency operations. The concept of enforcing building codes and utilizing WBSAP

mitigates the risks and builds community resilience. (Wilson, 2012) asserts that social,

economic, and environmental capital are indicators of strong community resilience. I believe

that the assessment of the requirement to enforce building codes and the acquisition of a WBSAP

for the local community are essential in building cohesiveness in Dothan, AL. The utilization of

town hall meetings including key government officials, stakeholders, and citizens would be

instrumental in identifying social, economic, and environmental issues that are detrimental to the

local area.

References

City of Dothan, AL (2016). Retrieved February 23, 2016 from http://www.dothan.org/index.aspx?NID=474.

Dothan, AL Profile (2013). Retrieved February 23, 2016 from http://www.city-data.com/Dothan-Alabama.html.

Hickey, K. (2014). Free situational awareness app gaining traction among California firefighters. GCN. Retrieved from https://gcn.com/articles/2014/02/27/situational-awareness-app-aspx

Hurricane Information for Dothan, AL (2016). Retrieved February 23, 2016 from http://www.homefacts.com/hurricanes/Alabama/Houston-County/Dothan.html

Masterson, et al (2014). Planning for Community Resilience. A Handbook for Reducing Vulnerability to Disasters

US Census Bureau (2010). Retrieved February 23, 2016 from http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk

Wilson, G.A. (2012). Community Resilience and Environmental Transitions. New York: Routledge

Farley Nuclear Power Plant

City of Dothan Map and Surrounding Areas

Southeast Alabama Medical Center

Hurricane Opal Facts