Officials Discuss County Effort To Revamp Hazard Mitigation Plan

SOUTHOLD, NY — Southold Town officials will be joining a countywide effort to update and revamp the area's hazard mitigation plan.

Southold Town Asst. Deputy Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Lloyd Reisenberg said he and Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley recently attended a kickoff meeting with Suffolk County's hazard mitigation team.

Issues discussed included how to handle things such as vegetative debris after a hurricane; heavy snow and other concerns.

Russell said the time was right to "clarify public misunderstanding about what 'state of emergency' means." Some people think that when a state of emergency is declared, it automatically means you "can't drive to the store. In many instances, it doesn't mean a travel ban," he said. "A lot of times, we declare a state of emergency out of necessity." Other times, Russell said, a state of emergency is declared for public safety reasons and in other instances, a state of emergency is declared to the town can qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements." One a state of emergency is declared, the supervisor added, FEMA reimburses "forced labor, property damage" and other costs. "Not always 100 percent, but you have to get to that state to qualify," Russell said.

The board also discussed FEMA reimbursements; in the past, Russell said, FEMA would reimburse individuals but homes and other damaged properties had to be replaced in kind, leading to "repetitive losses," he said. After Sandy, Russell said, FEMA "wisely put together a plan" that would change the way homes are replaced.

The plan, Russell said, also promotes inter-municipal agreements with other towns and villages for equipment sharing and other initiatives, with an eye toward new areas for overlay.

Reisenberg said much needs to be done and an "aggressive" approach needs to be taken; other issues have cropped up that need to be added into the mitigation plan, he said.