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breakdown of law and order in a focalized area. Communities <br />with racial mixtures, gang violence, and drug trafficking are <br />increasingly aware of the need to plan for civil disturbance <br />emergencies (Indian River County Department of Emergency <br />Services, 2002). Although they can occur at any time, civil <br />disturbances are often preceded by periods of increased <br />tension caused by questionable social and/or political events <br />such as controversial jury trials or law enforcement actions <br />(Indian River County Department of Emergency Services, <br />2002). Police services are responsible for the restoration of <br />law and order in any area of the County. <br />Vulnerability Assessment. Civil disturbance can have the <br />following potential impacts within a community: <br />• Surface and air transportation disruption; <br />• Human health and safety; <br />• Psychological hardship; <br />• Economic disruption; <br />• Disruption of community services; <br />• Damage to identified historical resources; and <br />• Fire. <br />The potential for civil disturbances in Indian River County is <br />considered very low. The City of Vero Beach has a moderate <br />vulnerability in this area, but in general, civil disturbance is not <br />a significant hazard faced by Indian River County. <br />Extent. Due to the low probability of occurrence, this hazard <br />will not be fully profiled. <br />C. Immigration Crisis — Hazard Identification. <br />Florida's location as the nearest U.S. landmass bordering the <br />Caribbean basin makes it a chosen point of entry for many <br />migrants attempting to enter the country illegally. A major <br />consequence of a mass arrival of illegal immigrants could be <br />disruptive to the routine functioning of the impacted <br />community, resulting in significant expenditures related to the <br />situation. An example of this threat occurred in 1994, when <br />the state responded to two mass migration incidents. In May <br />1994, there was an unexpected migration of approximately 100 <br />Haitian refugees, while in August 1994, there was in influx of <br />700 Cubans (Florida Department of Community Affairs, 1998). <br />These events are typically preceded by periods of increasing <br />Indian River County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Basic Page 81 <br />