Like other state, local, and tribal governments across the country, Fulton County, Georgia, is now in the process of updating its Hazard Mitigation Plan, or HMP. 

The project officially got underway last month when the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency (AFCEMA) and Tennessee-based BOLDplanning facilitated a virtual kick-off meeting for plan stakeholders on August 26, 2021. Conducted via Zoom® videoconferencing, the meeting was attended by nearly 40 participants representing various county departments and participating jurisdictions. 

Sixteen jurisdictions, including Fulton County and the cities of Alpharetta, Chattahoochee Hills, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Palmetto, Roswell, Sandy Springs, South Fulton, and Union City), are involved in the HMP update. 

Hazard mitigation plans, as the emergency management community knows, aim to reduce loss of life and property by minimizing the impact of disasters. They are also a prerequisite for receiving certain pre-disaster financial assistance through FEMA’s Flood Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant (FMA) Program, the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program, and other federal programs. As such, FEMA requires HMPs to be updated every five years. 

To further its planning efforts, Fulton County and BOLDplanning will hold an additional hazard mitigation kick-off meeting for the general public at 6:00 PM ET on Monday, October 18, 2021. Registration is open online at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckcOqqqz4tGdUueLzBtfIj-Bck7408CItu.