According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 87% of the nation’s population lives in communities with current hazard mitigation plans. These communities benefit from such planning through a better understanding of natural (and oftentimes, human-caused) hazards, the development of comprehensive mitigation strategies, and, of course, eligibility for certain non-emergency FEMA grants. So, where does that leave the other 13%?
Simply put, if your hazard mitigation plan is more than five years old, it’s expired. If it’s three years old, it’s time to start updating (the process can easily take 12-18 months, and perhaps even longer given the COVID-19 pandemic). And, if the plan is non-existent, well, there is help available.
Tennessee-based BOLDplanning has extensive experience writing/updating hazard mitigation plans for state, local, and tribal governments across the country. Most recently, the company prepared the very first hazard mitigation plan for California’s Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. And, the plan received FEMA approval upon first review, which is no small achievement!
Regardless of where your community falls on the map, now is a good time to check the status of its hazard mitigation plan and initiate next steps. Consider developing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the writing/updating of the plan as soon as it’s feasible. Your community is going to get past the pandemic and will inevitably continue to face other, more common hazards, such as flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires, in the years ahead.
To learn more about BOLDplanning, call 615.469.5558 or email info@BOLDplanning today.
