FEMA recognizes tribal governments and their members as an essential part of our nation’s emergency management team. As such, the Agency is committed to supporting them in their efforts to build more resilient and better prepared communities. This includes offering expert guidance toward the development of hazard mitigation plans like that provided in the recently released Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide. It also includes a series of national and regional webinars—the first of which is scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2018, at 4 PM EST.
The new Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide, which will supersede the Tribal Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance issued in 2010, is now available for download on FEMA’s website. Its intended use is to facilitate consistent evaluation and approval of tribal mitigation plans, as well as to facilitate compliance with the mitigation planning requirements when developing or updating plans.
Per FEMA, such tribal mitigation plans “identify the natural hazards that affect the tribal government, identify actions to reduce losses from those hazards, and establish a coordinated process to implement the plan.” In other words, they are “key to breaking the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.”
It’s important to note that having a FEMA-approved tribal mitigation plan is one of the conditions of eligibility for certain FEMA assistance, such as from Public Assistance after a presidentially-declared disaster. Information about such grant programs is available online at https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-grant-program.
If you’re involved in tribal government and are looking to write (or update) your Hazard Mitigation Plan, BOLDplanning can help. The company, which serves more than 9,300 public and private sector organizations nationwide, including tribal governments, is well-versed in the process, and knows what it takes to obtain FEMA approval (often on the first review!). Call 615.469.5558, or email info@boldplanning.com to learn more about its Hazard Mitigation Planning services now.
Also, download BOLDplanning’s recently published White Paper entitled “Seven Key Reasons You Need a Current and Rock-Solid Hazard Mitigation Plan.” The contents should prove meaningful as your seek expert guidance on this important topic.
Lastly, don’t forget about FEMA’s upcoming webinar on January 23rd. It’s the first of many to come on the Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide. The new Tribal Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance will not be implemented until December 5, 2018.
