Oconee County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Kickoff Meeting

1. G E M A Georgia Emergency Management Agency Office of Homeland Security OconeeCounty Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Kickoff Meeting Brian Laughlin Hazard Mitigation Planner WELCOME!! Please sign in on one of the attendance rosters

2. What is Hazard Mitigation? Defined: Any sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards. • Continuous, on-going process • Pre- and post-disaster

3. What is Hazard Mitigation? A few examples: • Elevating homes in floodplains • Levees and floodwalls • Stronger building codes • Land use planning • Safe rooms

4. Why are we doing this?Long Term Goal • Reduce disaster losses: • Loss of Life • Damage to Property • Economic impacts • Social impacts

5. Why are we doing this?Hazard Mitigation Benefits • Mitigation saves money • Every $1 invested will save $4 • Mitigation creates safer, more resilient communities • Break the cycle of disaster damage • Mitigation speeds disaster recovery

6. Why are we doing this?Required for Federal Grant Eligibility • Annually: • Pre-Disaster Mitigation Competitive (PDM-C) • Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) • Post Disaster: • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) • One of the first questions you will be asked: “Do you have a hazard mitigation plan?” • Others • Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA2K) requires a local plan to be in place for the above programs • Emphasizes a proactive approach to emergency management – prevent damages before the disaster

7. Why are we doing this? Hazard Mitigation Plans are required by Federal law to be updated every 5 years • Oconee County’s plan approved onAugust 12, 2008 • Oconee County’s plan expires on August 12, 2013

8. What does this plan do? • Identify and profile the Hazards • Tornados, floods, lightning, etc. • Requirement is natural hazards • Can also include technological, or man-made hazards • Determine the Risk (Threat) • A real, quantifiable number that is based on past hazard history, or advanced statistical modeling • Determine the Vulnerability • How bad could the damages get? (dollars, numbers, etc.) • Develop goals & strategies to reduce long-term risks and/or vulnerabilities

9. How do we do this?Updating Your Local Hazard Mitigation Plan – Getting Started • OrganizeResources • Determine who needs to be part of the process • Thank you for being part of this!!! • Identify resources for information

10. How do we do this?Updating Your Local Hazard Mitigation Plan – The plan itself • Update Risk Assessment • How have the hazards changed? • Has development increased, decreased or remained the same? • Are there any changes in your critical facilities? • Update Goals & Objectives • What projects have been accomplished? • Are there some that have not been accomplished? Why? • Are there new and better ideas?

11. How do we do this?Updating Your Local Hazard Mitigation Plan – The plan itself cont’d • Update the Planning Process • Describe the process used to update the plan. • Who was involved? • How was each section reviewed and how was it determined if revisions were necessary? • Update the intended plan maintenance process • What process and criteria will be used for evaluation and monitoring?

12. How do we do this?Updating Your Local Hazard Mitigation Plan – Follow-up • Submit for GEMA/FEMA Review • Adopt Plan • Implement the Plan & Monitor Progress • Ongoing after local adoption and FEMA approval

13. Changes • Planning Process • Must includetwodocumentable opportunities for public participation during drafting stage & to comment onfinal draftprior to adoption • Can be public hearings, website, etc. • Risk Assessment • NFIP repetitive loss structures vulnerability must be described in terms of types and numbers of structures. • Goals & Objectives • Must have strategy for NFIP compliance spelled out, or a specific statement of why jurisdiction is not going to participate in program

14. Changes • New FEMA mitigation plan guidance • For all plans submitted after October 1, 2012 • No new regulations • New interpretations of certain regulations • Available online

15. County Point of Contact • Submit quarterly reports on time • Submit for reimbursement as needed • Coordinate with GEMA , consultant, participants • County, Cities & Towns • Participate in planning process • Plan adoption and implementation • Everyone • Will ensure your input into the planning process • Will help the County meet the25%grant match requirement What is my part?

16. The best plans are the ones with diverse group of stakeholder participation • Local government • Non-government organizations • Businesses and private sector • Special districts and authorities • Schools and colleges/universities • Residents • Others • Each has an important role in this process What is my part?

17. Questions ... Discussion

18. Contact Information Brian Laughlin Hazard Mitigation Planner Georgia Emergency Management AgencyPhone: (404) 635-7307E-mail:brian.laughlin@gema.ga.gov

19. PDM Planning Milestones Form Planning Committee Kickoff Meeting Form Steering Committee Update Critical Facilities, Hazards, and Risk Assessment Update Mitigation Strategy GEMA / FEMA Review and Approval Adoption by Resolution

20. Timetable Plan schedule Accelerated: 9 months, complete August 2012 Standard: 18 months, complete May 2013 (Due date: August 2013)

21. Responsibilities

22. Labor Match Document all hours spent Use provided form Will be available through NEGRC website Meeting attendance, homework, and research should be included Use one form per work session Bring completed forms to meetings

23. Homework Create steering committee Identify regular meeting schedule Review critical facilities (see handout)

24. NEGRC Contact Information Dave Van De Weghe – Principal Planner dvandeweghe@negrc.org (706) 369-5650