Laguna Beach Prepares Local Disaster - Hazard Mitigation Plan

It's National Emergency Preparedness Month, and in Laguna Beach, your police and fire department are working to keep residents safe and prepared for any circumstance. In SoCal, the four seasons of Fire, Mudslides, Earthquakes and Drought are no joke to Laguna Beach as the city works to make strong plans for any and all disaster.

"The City of Laguna Beach has begun preparation of a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), a five-year strategic plan to improve local resilience to hazard events,"LBFD Emergency Operations Coodinator Jordan Villwock said.

Development of the plan, the first such plan for Laguna Beach, is being funded through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"The plan is being prepared by public safety officials and City staff, with support from members of the Laguna Beach Emergency & Disaster Preparedness Committee, other affected agencies, and technical consultants," Villwock said. "It will also incorporate regular feedback from key Laguna Beach community members."

The City plans to release a draft of the plan for public review in January of 2018, with final adoption planned for the summer of 2018, following approval from the California Office of Emergency Services and FEMA.

The Laguna Beach LHMP will summarize the natural and human-caused hazards that pose a threat to the community, including drought, flooding, earthquakes, and wildfires. The City would like your input and encourage you to join us for the following workshops:

• Community Kick-off Meeting September 14, 2017 6:00 p.m.Susi Q Center - 380 3rd St
• Hazard Profiles Open House October 18, 2017 6:00 p.m. Susi Q Center - 380 3rd St

In addition to protecting Laguna Beach from current and future hazards, having an LHMP will allow Laguna Beach to be eligible for grants from FEMA for additional hazard mitigation efforts. It will also make Laguna Beach eligible to receive additional disaster relief funding from the State of California, per California Government Code Section 8685.9.

If you are not able to attend the workshops and would like to provide input please take our survey: http://bit.ly/2iH7eLY To learn more about the Hazard Mitigation Plan visit: http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/cityhall/police/emergprep/local_hazard_mitigation_plan.htm

Any questions please contact Jordan Villwock, Emergency Operations Coordinator, jvillwock@lagunabeachcity.netor (949) 497-0389.

Laguna Beach Fire Department photo