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–Not graded
Natural hazards in Simpson · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Simpson

Simpson isn’t graded for hazard risk: Simpson has 395 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.

Flood claims
0
paid since 1978 · $0
Disasters paid out here
4
of 26 declared for Vernon Parish
By hazard

What Simpson faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

61%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

24%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Tornadoes

7%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 77% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area
Smaller shares here
 Wildfire Strong wind Hail Earthquakes Ice storms Winter storms Cold waves Lightning Heat waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts tornadoes at 20% of Simpson’s expected losses. Tornadoes do little damage to buildings (6.8%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Simpson flood? No paid flood claims on record

FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Simpson. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.

of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Simpson isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Vernon Parish.
Disasters

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Simpson

Disasters that paid out in Simpson itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Village of Simpson), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2020Hurricane Laura122 households applied for aid$31K aid approved$42K to the Village of Simpson for repairs
  2. 2008Hurricane Ike2 households applied for aid$730 aid approved
  3. 2008Hurricane Gustav2 households applied for aid$550 aid approved
  4. 2005Hurricane Rita207 households applied for aid$157K aid approved$14K to the Village of Simpson for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in SimpsonVernon Parish only

Vernon Parish has had 26 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often hurricanes and tropical storms, then floods.

Also 4 FEMA wildfire suppression grants (Fire Management Assistance, not a disaster declaration) for fires in Vernon Parish, 2000–2023.

Were you here?

Old photos of Simpson after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Simpson archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Simpson faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Hurricane season
  • The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
  • Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
  • Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Tornado warnings
  • Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
  • A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
  • Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Simpson

Is Simpson in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Vernon Parish, 22% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.7% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Simpson?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Simpson’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Simpson?

By FEMA money that reached Simpson, Hurricane Rita (2005): 207 households applied for aid, $157K approved, and $14K to the Village of Simpson for repairs.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Simpson.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Simpson’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.