Chapter ED Intelligence · Chapter Report
ARC of Mid-South Tennessee
Southeast and Caribbean Division · Tennessee Region
AR, MS, TN · 10 counties · HQ Memphis, TN · FEMA Region VI
1,379,885
People
538,266
Households
44.9%
Households below the ALICE survival threshold
10
Counties · 5,362 sq mi
Nearly 45% of households across this chapter live below the ALICE survival threshold — the working families one disaster away from crisis.
In this report · Economic vulnerability · Who lives here · Home fire mission (FLARE) · mission delivery & the bespoke relationship strategy to follow
Sources: American Red Cross geography + 2023 demographics reference table; United Way ALICE + poverty (latest county year).
Geography & Footprint
The chapter's footprint.
10
Counties
5,362
Square miles
1,379,885
People
Tennessee Region
Southeast and Caribbean Division
| County | People | Sq mi | % of chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 925,410 | 785 | 67.1% |
| DeSoto | 194,138 | 497 | 14.1% |
| Tipton | 61,390 | 473 | 4.4% |
| Crittenden | 47,356 | 636 | 3.4% |
| Fayette | 43,530 | 706 | 3.2% |
| Dyer | 36,381 | 526 | 2.6% |
| Obion | 30,415 | 556 | 2.2% |
| Lauderdale | 24,755 | 508 | 1.8% |
| Tunica | 9,566 | 481 | 0.7% |
| Lake | 6,944 | 194 | 0.5% |
HQ: Memphis, TN · FEMA Region VI. Counties sorted by population.
Who Lives Here
The people of this chapter.
38
Median age
$59,726
Median household income
14.3%
Age 65+
39.8%
Renter households
Age distribution
Race & ethnicity
Hispanic / Latino (any race): 7.7% of residents.
Source: American Red Cross 2023 demographics reference table. Chapter figures aggregate the 10 counties; median age and income are population-weighted.
Economic Vulnerability
Where the need is greatest.
| County | People | Median HH income | ALICE | Poverty | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake | 6,944 | $36,470 | 28.9% | 39.7% | 68.5% |
| Tunica | 9,566 | $38,717 | 33.8% | 30.7% | 64.4% |
| Lauderdale | 24,755 | $46,212 | 32.8% | 20.7% | 53.5% |
| Crittenden | 47,356 | $49,895 | 32.0% | 19.8% | 51.8% |
| Obion | 30,415 | $48,088 | 30.1% | 16.3% | 46.5% |
| Shelby | 925,410 | $57,315 | 29.1% | 17.0% | 46.1% |
| Dyer | 36,381 | $53,682 | 26.7% | 18.2% | 45.0% |
| Tipton | 61,390 | $64,323 | 30.9% | 12.6% | 43.4% |
| Fayette | 43,530 | $76,092 | 25.5% | 11.0% | 36.5% |
| DeSoto | 194,138 | $75,043 | 25.4% | 11.1% | 36.4% |
Combined = households in poverty plus ALICE households (above poverty, below the cost of basics), as a share of all county households. Source: United Way ALICE, latest county year.
Risk & Disaster History
What this chapter is up against.
$863.0M
Expected annual loss, all hazards
Shelby
Highest-risk county
69.9%
Avg social vulnerability (SVI)
9
FEMA declarations, 5 yr (top county)
| County | NRI risk | Exp. annual loss | SVI %ile | FEMA 5yr | FEMA all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | Relatively High | $554.7M | 87.1% | 8 | 28 |
| DeSoto | Relatively Moderate | $85.9M | 35.6% | 4 | 16 |
| Dyer | Relatively Moderate | $47.3M | 63.3% | 6 | 24 |
| Crittenden | Relatively Moderate | $38.8M | 92.0% | 3 | 21 |
| Obion | Relatively Moderate | $34.9M | 60.6% | 7 | 22 |
| Tipton | Relatively Moderate | $34.3M | 41.6% | 9 | 25 |
| Fayette | Relatively Low | $29.7M | 36.7% | 7 | 21 |
| Lauderdale | Relatively Low | $20.3M | 92.5% | 6 | 24 |
| Lake | Relatively Low | $9.6M | 93.5% | 6 | 22 |
| Tunica | Very Low | $7.5M | 96.0% | 4 | 18 |
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index 2025 (risk rating, expected annual loss), CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022 (social-vulnerability percentile), FEMA disaster declarations — via the Red Cross national county database.
Disaster History
A chapter shaped by disaster.
88
Federal disaster declarations
7
Hurricanes
Severe Storm
Most common type
2026
Most recent
By incident type
Most recent declarations
| FY | Disaster | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Flood |
| 2025 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm |
| 2023 | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds | Severe Storm |
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 — county-level, deduplicated to unique disasters.
Home Fire Mission · FLARE 2024
Every home fire is a Red Cross moment.
845
Home fires (2024)
44.5%
Red Cross care rate
389
Fires with no Red Cross notification
6.1
Fires per 10,000 residents
Red Cross cared for 44% of home fires — but 389 (46%) happened with no Red Cross notification: the prevention, smoke-alarm, and response opportunity, county by county.
Source: FLARE Fire Incidents 2024 (American Red Cross, public layer). “With care” = Red Cross provided assistance; “no notification” = the Red Cross was never alerted to the fire.
Home Fire · Respond & Prevent
Red Cross shows up — and prevents.
7,862
Home-fire calls answered (RC response)
6,633
Single-family fire responses
4,439
Free smoke alarms installed
1,223
Multi-family fire responses
Red Cross answered 7,862 home-fire calls and installed 4,439 free smoke alarms across the chapter — response and prevention, county by county.
Sources: DRO National 800-RedCross Calls by County (RC fire responses); Smoke Alarm Installs FY15–FY24 (American Red Cross).
Blood & BioMed
The blood mission's local footprint.
6,038
Blood units collected (FY22–26)
314
Blood drives held
21
Drives in FY2026
4
Counties with drives
Blood drives are active in 4 of the chapter's 10 counties — every county without one is an employer or civic opening: a host site, a sponsored drive, a standing partnership.
Source: BioMed Collections FY22–FY26 (American Red Cross). Drives = collection events; units = products collected.
Red Cross Facilities
The chapter's physical footprint.
1
Red Cross facilities
1
Owned
0
Leased / licensed
0
BioMed sites
By type / function
BioMed facilities
No BioMed fixed sites in this chapter.
Sources: Red Cross real-estate portfolio (reintel.jbf.com) + BioMed facilities (biomed.jbf.com).
Locations, types and functions only — no cost, square footage, or lease terms are disclosed.
Red Cross Philanthropy · Major Donors
Who gives here.
Major-donor giving across the chapter — three fiscal years. Internal planning data.
$7,642,876
Total giving, 3-year
63
Major donors
$307,134
Current FY · ▼ 89% vs prior FY
$7,622,694
Top: Shelby
| County | Major donors | Total giving, 3-year |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 59 | $7,622,694 |
| Dyer | 2 | $10,000 |
| Crittenden | 1 | $5,181 |
| DeSoto | 1 | $5,000 |
Source: Red Cross major-donor giving by county, three fiscal years.
Internal / executive-director planning use — not donor-facing.
County Deep Dive
Shelby County
925,410
People
$57,315
Median HH income
46.1%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively High
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age37.2
ALICE households105,516
Poverty households61,564
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$554.7M
Social vulnerability (SVI)87.1%
FEMA declarations (all time)28
Home fires, CY2024646
Fires, no RC notification311
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$7,622,694
Shelby County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
DeSoto County
194,138
People
$75,043
Median HH income
36.4%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age37.3
ALICE households17,917
Poverty households7,834
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$85.9M
Social vulnerability (SVI)35.6%
FEMA declarations (all time)16
Home fires, CY202429
Fires, no RC notification11
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$5,000
DeSoto County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Tipton County
61,390
People
$64,323
Median HH income
43.4%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age38.7
ALICE households6,955
Poverty households2,839
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$34.3M
Social vulnerability (SVI)41.6%
FEMA declarations (all time)25
Home fires, CY202431
Fires, no RC notification21
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr—
Tipton County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Crittenden County
47,356
People
$49,895
Median HH income
51.8%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age36.9
ALICE households5,870
Poverty households3,633
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$38.8M
Social vulnerability (SVI)92.0%
FEMA declarations (all time)21
Home fires, CY202448
Fires, no RC notification10
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$5,181
Crittenden County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Fayette County
43,530
People
$76,092
Median HH income
36.5%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age43.8
ALICE households4,263
Poverty households1,838
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$29.7M
Social vulnerability (SVI)36.7%
FEMA declarations (all time)21
Home fires, CY202418
Fires, no RC notification5
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr—
Fayette County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Dyer County
36,381
People
$53,682
Median HH income
45.0%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age42
ALICE households3,980
Poverty households2,714
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$47.3M
Social vulnerability (SVI)63.3%
FEMA declarations (all time)24
Home fires, CY202420
Fires, no RC notification13
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$10,000
Dyer County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Obion County
30,415
People
$48,088
Median HH income
46.5%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age43.9
ALICE households3,769
Poverty households2,046
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$34.9M
Social vulnerability (SVI)60.6%
FEMA declarations (all time)22
Home fires, CY202416
Fires, no RC notification6
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr—
Obion County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Lauderdale County
24,755
People
$46,212
Median HH income
53.5%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age39.1
ALICE households3,021
Poverty households1,908
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$20.3M
Social vulnerability (SVI)92.5%
FEMA declarations (all time)24
Home fires, CY202418
Fires, no RC notification2
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr—
Lauderdale County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Tunica County
9,566
People
$38,717
Median HH income
64.4%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age34.3
ALICE households1,216
Poverty households1,104
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$7.5M
Social vulnerability (SVI)96.0%
FEMA declarations (all time)18
Home fires, CY202417
Fires, no RC notification9
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr—
Tunica County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Lake County
6,944
People
$36,470
Median HH income
68.5%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age39.6
ALICE households584
Poverty households802
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$9.6M
Social vulnerability (SVI)93.5%
FEMA declarations (all time)22
Home fires, CY20242
Fires, no RC notification1
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr—
Lake County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
Your Live Tools
The chapter's Experience Builder apps & federal tools.
Red Cross Intelligence Briefing
Chapter risk, hardship, hazards & county drilldowns
experience.arcgis.com
Disaster Response Intelligence
Spatial disaster-response intelligence
Experience Builder app
Red Cross Real Estate
Facilities & market intelligence
experience.arcgis.com
Service Area Planning
Service-area geography & planning
Experience Builder app
Community Mobilization V
Local resource & mobilization map
experience.arcgis.com
Biomed
Blood & BioMed footprint
experience.arcgis.com
FEMA RAPT
Resilience analysis & planning
www.fema.gov
Census Community Resilience
People & resilience context
www.census.gov
Red Cross Experience Builder apps give the live, drill-down companion to this report; federal tools add official context.
Sources & Methodology
Every number, traceable.
Tools produce facts; humans own decisions. Each figure in this report traces to a named source and vintage.
| Metric | Source | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| geography + 2023 demographics | ALICE master / Red Cross reference table | 2023 |
| ALICE + poverty households | MASTER counties ALICE+demographics | 2023 |
| flare | flare_fire_incidents (public AGOL, CY24) | CY2024 |
| smoke_alarms | GIS_MAP_FY15_to_FY24 (AGOL item b09f21d9…) | FY15–24 |
| lives_saved | Lives_Saved_Map_30_Apr_2026 (AGOL item ff313330…) | 2026 |
| blood | Biomed Collections 22-26 by chapter/county | FY22–26 |
| risk + disaster history | FEMA NRI 2025 · CDC SVI 2022 · FEMA declarations (red-cross-data county master) | FEMA NRI 2025 · SVI 2022 |
| fema disaster history | FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 | 2026 |
| facilities / real estate (no costs) | Red Cross facilities portfolio — reintel.jbf.com (locations, types & ownership only; no cost/lease terms) | FY25 |
| home-fire RC responses (SFF/MFF) | DRO National 800-RedCross Calls by County (org AGOL) | FY24–26 |
Geography: American Red Cross chapter↔county reference. The full machine-readable source ledger ships with the data bundle.
Appendix · County Data
Full county table.
| County | Pop | Households | Hardship | NRI risk | Exp. annual loss | Fires '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 925,410 | 365,627 | 46.1% | Relatively High | $554.7M | 646 |
| DeSoto | 194,138 | 70,754 | 36.4% | Relatively Moderate | $85.9M | 29 |
| Tipton | 61,390 | 22,833 | 43.4% | Relatively Moderate | $34.3M | 31 |
| Crittenden | 47,356 | 18,659 | 51.8% | Relatively Moderate | $38.8M | 48 |
| Fayette | 43,530 | 17,416 | 36.5% | Relatively Low | $29.7M | 18 |
| Dyer | 36,381 | 14,690 | 45.0% | Relatively Moderate | $47.3M | 20 |
| Obion | 30,415 | 12,855 | 46.5% | Relatively Moderate | $34.9M | 16 |
| Lauderdale | 24,755 | 9,490 | 53.5% | Relatively Low | $20.3M | 18 |
| Tunica | 9,566 | 3,773 | 64.4% | Very Low | $7.5M | 17 |
| Lake | 6,944 | 2,169 | 68.5% | Relatively Low | $9.6M | 2 |
One row per county. Combined hardship = poverty + ALICE households. Fires = FLARE CY2024.