Fremont County, in collaboration with its municipalities, has released the final draft of the recently updated Hazard Mitigation Plan. They will be accepting public comment until Friday, June 18.
The Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA) is federal legislation that requires proactive, pre-disaster hazard mitigation planning as a prerequisite for some funding available under the Robert T. Stafford Act. The DMA encourages state and local authorities to work together on pre-disaster planning. The planning network called for by the DMA helps local governments articulate accurate needs for mitigation, resulting in faster allocation of funding and more cost-effective risk reduction projects.
Image courtesy of the Fremont County Hazard Mitigation Draft Plan.
Hazard mitigation is the use of long and short-term strategies to reduce or alleviate the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage that can result from a disaster. It involves strategies such as planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other actions that can mitigate the impacts of hazards.
It is impossible to predict exactly when and where disasters will occur or the extent to which they will impact an area. But with careful planning and collaboration among public agencies, stakeholders, and citizens, it is possible to minimize losses that disasters can cause. The responsibility for hazard mitigation lies with many entities; including private property owners, business and industry; and local, state, and federal government.
Image courtesy of the Fremont County Hazard Mitigation Draft Plan.
Fremont County and a partnership of local governments and organizations within the county have developed and continue to maintain a hazard mitigation plan (HMP) to reduce risks from natural disasters and to comply with the DMA. Having come through the Hayden Pass Fire, and with flooding dangers from post-fire debris fields, the county has recent awareness of the need to mitigate risks.
This 2021 plan update builds upon the community’s previous efforts and identifies the mitigation strategy that Fremont County and its municipalities will follow over the next five years.
The public can download a copy of the draft plan by clicking here or here.
Comments can be submitted via an online survey here.
The local steering committee has publically acknowledged that it appreciates all the public input that has been received during this planning process. This updated plan will remain active for five years, once approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
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