Public Comment Needed on Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan

From the City of Falls Church:

FALLS CHURCH, VA - The 2017 draft Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan is now available for public review and comment here. Email any comments to oem-hazardmitigation@fairfaxcounty.gov no later than Friday, October 2.

The plan was updated by the Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from 19 jurisdictions, including the City of Falls Church. The committee plans to have it approved by February 2017 to comply with the five year update cycle required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

What is Hazard Mitigation Planning?
Hazard mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. It is commonly defined as sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects. Hazard mitigation focuses attention and resources on community policies and actions that will produce successive benefits over time.

Developing hazard mitigation plans enables local governments to:

• Increase education and awareness around hazards, and vulnerabilities.
• Build partnerships for risk reduction.
• Identify long-term, broadly-supported strategies for risk reduction.
• Align risk reduction with other state, tribal, or community objectives.
• Identify implementation approaches that focus resources on the greatest risks and vulnerabilities.
• Communicate priorities to potential sources of funding.

Moreover, a FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan is a condition for receiving certain types of non-emergency disaster assistance, including funding for mitigation projects. Ultimately, hazard mitigation planning enables action to reduce loss of life and property, lessening the impact of disasters.

Image via the City of Falls Church.