Canadian Disaster Database Reference - Reference Table for Symbols and Definitions

Reference Table for Symbols and Definitions

Hazard Group	Hazard Sub-Group	Type		Abbreviation	Symbol	Definition
Natural	Biological	Epidemic		EP		A disease of high morbidity (rate of occurrence of disease) causing illness in a large number of those affected, which is only present occasionally in a human community. (Usually, an epidemic occurs when cases of a certain disease or symptom complex exceed what we would "expect" for a given population in a given geographic area over a specified time period. Lots of common cold in the winter does not equal an epidemic (even though many people are affected) because we expect it. Alternatively, one case of measles in Canada is usually considered an outbreak. Diseases that are epidemic are not required to be communicable, but different terminology is usually applied for non-communicable diseases (e.g. cancer cluster).
		Infestation		IN*		A habitat or environmental invasion by a dramatic spread of an organism (plant or animal) that may cause problems or damages. Can also refer to bacterial invasions (e.g. mold).
		Pandemic		PA		A worldwide outbreak of a specific disease to which people have little or no immunity.
	Meteorological - Hydrological	Avalanche		AV*		A mass of loosened snow, ice, and/or earth suddenly and swiftly sliding down a slope. In practice, assumed to be a snow avalanche unless another term such as ice, rock, mud, etc is used.
		Cold Event		CE		A period of significantly colder than normal temperatures lasting from days to weeks or longer and can occur at any time of the year.
		Drought		DR		A prolonged period of abnormally dry weather that depletes water resources.
		Flood		FL*		Floods results when natural drainage channels, or human made facsimiles, cannot convey all the water supplied to them; excess water spills over the banks and inundates the surroundings. Overflow may be caused by many things, including ice jamming, snowmelt (spring freshet) or snowmelt plus rain. Flooding caused by hurricanes or tropical storms should be identified as a Hurricane (HU). Coastal flooding caused by storm surges should be identifies as Storm Surge (SS). Intense localized precipitation, typically of short duration (heavy rainstorm, with or without hail, over a smaller region, especially in urban/developed environments) which exceeds the drainage capacity of local infrastructure (sewer capacity, etc.) should be identified as Storms and Severe Thunderstorms (ST).
		Geomagnetic Storm		GS		A disturbance or fluctuation in the earth's magnetic field, associated with solar flares.
		Heat Event		HE		A period of significantly warmer than normal temperatures lasting from days to weeks or longer and can occur at any time of the year. These events may accompanied by high humidity and/or poor air quality.
		Hurricane/ Typhoon/ Tropical Storm		HU*		Cyclonic storms (large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns in Atlantic, Caribbean or eastern Pacific (Hurricane) and western North Pacific (Typhoon)) which produce high, often damaging winds, heavy rain and flooding.
		Storm Surge		SS		A deviation (either positive or negative) in the height of the sea surface from normal tidal levels. Triggered by wind stress and low atmospheric pressure. Often associated with tropical cyclones. Positive storm surges often cause coastal area flooding.
		Storm-Unspecified/Other		SO		A type generally not used except in cases when supporting information on the nature of the storm is not available (generally the first to historical events).
		Storm – Winter		SW		A large scale storm having solid or mixed precipitation types occurring generally from the late Fall through the early Spring. These storms are accompanied by one or more of the following: Heavy Snowfall/Blizzard Heavy Rainfall Prolonged Period of Freezing Rain High Winds
		Storms and Severe Thunderstorms		ST		Large scale storms accompanied by high winds and/or heavy rainfall. Severe thunderstorms, which are smaller scale storms typically occurring in the Spring through early Fall, are included. Severe thunderstorms are normally accompanied by one or more of the following: Large Hail Damaging Winds Heavy Rainfall
		Tornado		TO		A violent, rapidly rotating column of air that extends downwards from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud and reaches the ground. Generally associated with hail/thunderstorm events however, may develop directly from a rain free base or from a rotating wall cloud.
		Wildfire		WF*		A naturally triggered fire which affects forested or grassland regions. Wildfire in the wildland-urban interface can cause significant damage in developed areas, although it is an important natural component of ecosystem renewal.
	Geological	Earthquake		EQ		A release of stress from within the earth's crust, resulting in ground shaking.
		Landslide		LS		Downslope movement of soil, rock and debris.
		Tsunami		TS		A destructive wave, often many meters high, produced by a violent vertical motion of the sea floor (displacements).
		Volcano		VO		The ejection of volcanic materials (lava, pyroclastics and volcanic gases) from a vent or fissure in the earth's crust.
Conflict	Arson	Non-Residential		AI*		The willful destruction of non-residential property by fire.
		Residential		AR*		The willful destruction of residential property by fire.
		Vehicle		VE*		The willful destruction of a vehicle by fire.
	Civil Incidents	Disturbances/ Demonstrations		CD		A tumultuous disturbance of the peace by three or more persons, assembling together of their own authority, with the intent to mutually assist each other against any who might oppose them in the execution of some enterprise of a private nature.
		Rioting		CR		A public disturbance involving (1) an act or acts of violence by one or more persons part of an assemblage of three or more persons, which act or acts shall constitute a clear and present danger of, or shall result in, damage or injury to the property of any other person or to the person of any other individual or (2) a threat or threats of the commission of an act or acts of violence by one or more persons part of an assemblage of three or more persons having, individually or collectively, the ability of immediate execution of such threat or threats, where the performance of the threatened act or acts of violence would constitute a clear and present danger of, or would result in, damage or injury to the property of any other person or to the person of any other individual.
	Hijackings	Air		HA*		The unexpected, unlawful and forceful seizure of control aboard an aircraft by an individual or group of individuals resulting in passenger and crew endangerment, injury or death, and/or the redirection of flight destination.
		Marine		HM*		The unexpected, unlawful and forceful seizure of control aboard a boat or ship by an individual or group of individuals resulting in passenger and crew endangerment, injury or death, and/or the redirection of destination.
		Rail		HR*		The unexpected, unlawful and forceful seizure of control aboard a wheeled or tracked vehicle by an individual or group of individuals resulting in passenger and crew endangerment, injury or death, and/or the redirection of destination.
		Vehicle		HV*		The unexpected, unlawful and forceful seizure of control aboard a vehicle by an individual or group of individuals resulting in passenger and crew endangerment, injury or death, and/or the redirection of destination.
	Terrorist	Biological		TB*		terrorism using germ warfare, an intentional human release of a naturally-occurring or human-modified toxin or biological agent
		Bomb Attacks		TA		Attacks using an explosive weapon detonated by impact, proximity to an object, a timing mechanism, or other means.
		Chemical		TC*		Attacks meant to cause massive devastation in which terrorist organizations release toxins; chemical attacks are meant primarily to terrorize, blackmail, or cause economic damage.
		False Alarm		TF		A false alarm is a report of a perceived emergency that brings resources to a place that ultimately are determined to be unnecessary.
		Hoax		TH		A plan to deceive others into believing a fabricated item or circumstance is authentic or has actually occurred
		Kidnapping/ Murder		TK		The unlawful act of capturing and carrying away a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment. The intentional killing of a human being. It includes causing serious physical injury leading to the deal of a human being.
		Nuclear		TN		The use of a nuclear device to cause massive devastation
		Radiological		TR*		Method of warfare through which massive damage would be caused to persons through the dissemination of radioactive substances.
		Shootings		TT		Use of a firearm to kill or injure or to damage property.
Techno-logical	Explosion	Non-Residential		EI*		An explosion affecting a non-residential area, resulting in partial or total destruction of the structure and/or bodily injury, smoke inhalation or death.
		Residential		ER		An explosion affecting a home or housing complex, resulting in partial or total destruction of the structure and/or bodily injury, smoke inhalation or death.
	Fire		Non-Residential	FI*		A fire affecting a non-residential area, resulting in partial or total destruction of the structure and/or bodily injury, smoke inhalation or death.
			Residential	FE*		A fire affecting a home or housing complex, resulting in partial or total destruction of the structure and/or bodily injury, smoke inhalation or death.
			Vehicle	FV*		A fire affecting a vehicle, resulting in partial or total destruction of the vehicle and/or bodily injury, smoke inhalation or death.
	Hazardous Chemicals		Fire	ZF*		A fire which causes a release of a chemical which poses a danger to human or ecosystem health.
			Leak/Spill (Release)	ZL		An accidental leak, spill or release of a chemical which poses a danger to human or ecosystem health.
			Derailment/ Release	ZD		A sudden, unexpected event involving a wheeled or tracked vehicle resulting in derailment, the release of hazardous chemicals, bodily injury, death and/or the disruption of transportation service.
			Vehicle/Release	ZV		A sudden, unexpected event involving a vehicle resulting in damage, the release of hazardous chemicals, bodily injury, death and/or the disruption of transportation service.
			Marine/Release	ZM*		A sudden, unexpected event involving a boat or ship, resulting in, the release of hazardous chemicals, vessel submerging, damage, bodily injury, death and/or the disruption of transportation service.
	Infrastructure Failure		Communications	IC		The unavailability of services provided by the communications infrastructure resulting in significant inconvenience or disaster caused by human error, equipment malfunction or breakdown.
			Energy	IE		The unavailability of services provided by the energy infrastructure resulting in significant inconvenience or disaster caused by human error, equipment malfunction or breakdown.
			Industry/ Manufacturing	IM*		The unavailability of services provided by the industry/manufacturing infrastructure resulting in significant inconvenience or disaster caused by human error, equipment malfunction or breakdown.
			Transportation	IT		The unavailability of services provided by the transportation infrastructure resulting in significant inconvenience or disaster caused by human error, equipment malfunction or breakdown.
			Water	IW		The unavailability of services provided by the water infrastructure resulting in significant inconvenience or disaster caused by human error, equipment malfunction or breakdown.
	Accident-Transportation	Air		AA		A sudden, unexpected event involving aircraft resulting in fuselage damage, bodily injury, death and/or the disruption of transportation service; prompting emergency landing procedures or uncontrolled impact with the ground.
		Marine		MA		A sudden, unexpected event involving a boat or ship resulting in vessel submerging, damage, bodily injury, death and/or the disruption of transportation service.
		Rail		RA		A sudden, unexpected event involving a wheeled or tracked vehicle resulting in derailment, damage, bodily injury, death and/or the disruption of transportation service.
		Vehicle		VA		A sudden, unexpected event involving a vehicle resulting in damage, bodily injury, death and/or the disruption of transportation service.
	Space Events/ Incidents	Space Debris		SD		Debris from satellites and space vehicles, as well as natural objects like meteorites and planetary particles that travel through the solar system.
		Space Launch		SL		The act of releasing a self-propelled vehicle into Earth's upper atmosphere (with intent to reach a sustained orbit).

Please note that all boxes with an asterisk in the corner indicate symbols that were inspired or borrowed in part from the United States Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Homeland Security Working Group Symbology Reference Table.

Date modified:

2023-11-20