- Home
- Departments & Offices
- Department of Emergency Management
- Plans & Documents
- Island County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
Island County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
Island County Department of Emergency Management is in the process of updating its Hazard Mitigation Plan. Please check back here to review drafts of the document and to learn about upcoming planning meetings, meeting minutes, and agendas.
Documents:
- Island County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2020 Vol. 1 (pdf)
- Island County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2020 Vol. 2 (pdf)
Historical Documents
Island County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update:
- Volume 1: Planning-Area-Wide Elements (3/10/2015) (pdf)
- Volume 2: Planning Partner Annexes (3/10/2015) (pdf)
- Previous Mitigation Plan (2009-12) (pdf)
- What is the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000?
-
The federal Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA) of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), commonly known as the 2000 Stafford Act amendments, was approved by Congress on October 10, 2000. This act required state and local governments to develop hazard mitigation plans as a condition for federal grant assistance. Among other things, this legislation reinforces the importance of pre-disaster infrastructure mitigation planning to reduce disaster losses nationwide. DMA 2000 is aimed primarily at the control and streamlining of the administration of federal disaster relief and programs to promote mitigation activities. Prior to 2000, federal legislation provided funding for disaster relief, recovery, and some hazard mitigation planning. The DMA improves upon the planning process by emphasizing the importance of communities planning for disasters before they occur.
- What is a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan?
-
A Local Hazard mitigation Plan is prepared by local governments in response to the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390). Local governments as defined by the Disaster Mitigation Act include special purpose districts such as fire, hospital, water, sewer and school districts. These plans act as a keyway to federal funding afforded under the Robert T. Stafford Act. These plans meet statutory requirements that include:
-- Organizing resources -- Assessing Risk -- Engaging the public -- Identifying Goals and Objectives -- Identifying actions -- Developing plan maintenance and implementation strategies
- Who is involved?
-
The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 has defined a “local government” as:
Any county, municipality, city, town, public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; any Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or Alaska Native village or organization; and any rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity.
Any local government wishing to pursue funding afforded under FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs must have an approved hazard mitigation plan in order to be eligible to apply for these funds.
- What is meant by hazard mitigation?
-
Hazard mitigation is defined as any sustained action taken to permanently eliminate or reduce long-term risks to human life and property from natural hazards. Sustained action means an action that is long term in its impact. This is an essential component of emergency management, along with preparedness, protection, response and recovery. Disasters can have significant impacts on communities. They can destroy or damage life, property infrastructure, local economies, and the environment.
- What hazards will the mitigation plan address?
-
At a minimum, the plan must address the natural hazards of concern that could impact the County planning area. It may also include a select number of technological or human caused hazards. It should also be noted that there are many secondary hazards that are directly attributable to these primary hazards that will also be addressed by the plan as part of the analysis of the primary hazard of concern.
- Will Global Warming/Climate Change be addressed in the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan?
-
Yes. While climate change will not be viewed as a stand alone hazard in this plan, there will be detailed discussions of the potential impact of climate change on those applicable hazards of concern.