About the Hazard Mitigation Plan

Purpose

Wyoming County Emergency Services is leading the update of the Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) for the County and its jurisdictions. This plan identifies potential hazards that could affect residents and enables the County and participating jurisdictions to qualify for future mitigation funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The goal is to pinpoint projects that reduce damages from future natural and non-natural hazards.

The plan includes a risk assessment and a hazard mitigation strategy, focusing on existing buildings, potential future development, infrastructure, and critical facilities. Critical facilities may include municipal buildings, power-generation facilities, water utilities, roadways, railroads, and communication systems.

Scope

During the planning process, the Wyoming County Hazard Mitigation Planning Partnership actively engages private sector, non-profit, and other community partners. This approach follows the “Whole Community Approach,” which involves the entire community in disaster and hazard planning.

Objectives

• Provide the public with opportunities to give input throughout the plan’s development and drafting.
• Conduct a thorough risk assessment using the latest disaster data and information.
• Develop hazard mitigation goals, objectives, and actions to reduce loss of life and property from natural and human-caused hazards.
• Obtain state and federal approval of the HMP.

Hazard Mitigation Planning Process Summary

This hazard mitigation planning process involves five phases:

PHASE 1 - Organize Resources and Build the Planning Team 

• Relevant studies, plans, and reports are collected, along with communication resources to engage the public throughout the planning process. A planning team is formed, consisting of municipal representatives and local and regional stakeholders.

PHASE 2 - Develop the Plan’s Risk Assessment

• Potential locations and geographic extent of natural and human-caused hazards are identified, along with their impacts and likelihood. Scientific and anecdotal evidence of past events is collected and evaluated, and hazards and community losses are ranked from high to low. 

phase 3 - mitigation strategy

• Local capabilities in emergency management, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), planning and regulatory authority, technical expertise, finances, and education/outreach are assessed. Goals, objectives, and actions are evaluated and updated as needed. The planning team defines mitigation techniques and selects and prioritizes actions and projects for the mitigation strategy.

phase 4 - determine plan maintenance process

• The HMP is a living document that must be regularly reviewed, updated, and maintained. A schedule is established, assigning responsible parties to monitor, evaluate, and update the plan over its five-year cycle. The process for integrating the updated Mitigation Strategy into existing plans and reports is outlined, and a plan for ongoing public outreach and participation is established.

phase 5 - obtain mitigation plan approval and adoption 

• The draft plan is released for public comment, then submitted to the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (NYS DHSES) and FEMA for review and approval. Once it meets all state and federal requirements and is officially approved, it should be adopted by all participating jurisdictions.

hazard mitigation steering committee