San Mateo County Seeks Public's Input on Hazard Mitigation Plan

By Michelle Durand, County of San Mateo:

The County of San Mateo and several partnering agencies working together on a countywide Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) are seeking public input at an upcoming community meeting where residents can learn about the process and gather personal preparedness information.

• WHAT: Hazard Mitigation Plan Community Meeting (held in conjunction with the Emergency Services Council Meeting)
  
• WHEN: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21, 2016
  
• WHERE: Board of Supervisors Chambers, 400 County Center, Redwood City Residents, local officials, industry representatives, educators and others are encouraged to attend.
  

BACKGROUND: The County, its cities and special districts are federally mandated by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 to create a detailed plan to prepare for and respond to local natural disasters.

Communities with a plan approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may apply for pre-disaster mitigation funding for projects like home elevations and local flood control. The planning process will take approximately eight months to complete. The community meeting is an opportunity for the public to learn about the planning process and ask questions of staff about hazards like earthquakes and floods. Attendees can also take home personal preparedness materials.

This planning process to ensure sustainable and resilient communities is being managed by the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services, Redwood Fire Department, and Central County Fire Department with support from a technical consultant.

Along with the upcoming meeting, the public engagement process includes posting information at http://planning.smcgov.org/local-hazard-mitigation-plan and asking residents to complete a survey about thei concerns and the impact of natural disasters on them and their loved ones. The survey remains open at www.surveymonkey.com/r/SMPublic.