1. Levy County is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida and is anywhere from 1 to 10 feet above sea level. It is bordered by Gilchrist County, Alachua County, Dixie County, Citrus County and Marion County. See LMS.
g. Flood Prone Areas in Levy County are identified as those areas within the 100-year floodplain and other areas subject to repetitive flooding along the rivers and lakes. In addition, flooding occasionally occurs in localized areas as a result of inadequate drainage. See the Levy County LMS for further information.
2. Some geographic areas of Levy County are more vulnerable to impact from specific hazards than others. The following describes these areas and the hazards to which they are vulnerable:
a. Major Development Adjacent to Waterways
All shorelines and areas adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico
and in and around the Suwannee, Waccasassa and Withlacoochee rivers are highly developed and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of tropical cyclones, environmental and technological events including:
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storm surge
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wind damage from hurricane-force winds
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winter storms
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oil spills/hazardous materials
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drought
b. Major roadways (I-75, US-19/98 (SR-500), US- 27, US-27A, US-41, SR-24, SR-121)
All major transportation systems in the County are used by passenger and commercial traffic. These roadways pass through the County’s most densely populated areas as well as environmentally sensitive lands. I-75, SR-24, SR-121, runs generally south and north through the county. Other major highways include US-19/98, US-27, and US-27A. In addition, the major roadways serve as primary hurricane evacuation routes through the county from coastal areas. See the Hurricane Evacuation Plan for further information. Hazards impacting these areas could include:
C. Vulnerability Analysis (Demographics)
1. Levy County is experiencing a fairly average rate of growth.
a. Levy County’s population is 40,156 according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau. The largest concentration of population is along the US 27 (alternate) corridors. Other concentrations are located near the municipalities.
b. The County’s population by distribution is fairly even and the distribution by age group is shown in Table 3.
Table 3:
2011 Population Distribution by Age
Age Group
|
Population by %
Percentage
|
0-5
|
5.6
|
6-17
|
15.1
|
18-64
|
59.3
|
65+
|
20.0
|
Total
|
100
|
c. The 2010 population density in Levy County is 36.5 persons per square mile.
d. The
Special Needs population varies but is approximately 170 registered primarily located throughout the county due to the number of nursing homes, home health agencies and medical facilities.
Special needs registration is coordinated through Levy County Emergency Management. Information is accumulated from the Public Health Department, Health and Medical Providers,
Fire Departments, Levy County School Board, local ministers and other sources available. Emergency Management will request all area home health agencies to contact their special needs clients and notify Levy County Emergency Management of assistance requirements. Ministers are aware of special needs of their congregations and will assist with special needs notification. The potential for Persons with Special Needs to require assistance in a major disaster event is substantial.
e. Levy County has estimated that approximately 1,700 Spanish-speaking or non-English speaking populations are located throughout the county. Many of these individuals comprehend English in either verbal or written form.
f. Levy County has an estimated 900 farm workers.
g. The number of seasonal residents in Levy County varies between 1,300 – 1,800 with most tourists to the area visiting for 2 to 3 night stays. The winter population does increase primarily in the coastal communities, RV parks, hunting lodges and campgrounds of the county.
h. Approximately 750 people within Levy County have a hearing disability. The exact number of legally deaf is not known and will be handled by the dispatch center through the TDD equipment as needed.
i. Transient populations including travelers, is very small in Levy County. Levy County does not have “homeless” or “street people”.
j. There are 38 mobile home parks in Levy County. Additionally, there are a large number of mobile homes in the rural areas of the County numbering approximately 19,619.
k. Levy County Sheriff’s Office has a jail which house approximately 126 inmates at capacity, along with the Levy County Forestry Work Camp (all female) which house approximately 280 inmates at capacity. Levy County has no state or federal prisons.
2. Population in Vulnerable Areas: The greatest concentration of population in Levy County exists in the areas most vulnerable to impact from specific hazards, such as hurricanes and transportation accidents/hazardous material spills. This is addressed in the Levy County LMS, which identifies vulnerable areas and population, and recommends specific mitigation projects to avoid, minimize or reduce damage. Awareness of potential population in vulnerable areas assists in planning for response and recovery.
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