| What is “Mitigation”, you ask?
Mitigation is the effort to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury and damage, to both people and property, against potential disaster events. This mitigation can be done through construction type projects or through educational outreach programs to our community and our citizens.
In August 1998, a Nassau County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) task force was formed. The members were a cross section of the public and private sector county departments, municipalities, local businesses, and citizens.
The Task force developed the original LMS, which included guiding principles, identification of potential hazards that affect Nassau County and identification of people and infrastructure that is vulnerable to hazards either man-made or natural. In addition, a list pf potential mitigation projects was developed.
The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA2000), revision of the Robert T. Stafford Act, has significantly expanded the mitigation planning requirements. The new requirements were imposed on both the state and local jurisdictions in order to maintain eligibility for federal mitigation funds. This act requires that each local jurisdiction have its own local Mitigation plan, or actively join and participate in a multi-jurisdictional County Local Mitigation Strategy Plan.
The following brief summary is just a few of the key points to be addressed under the new DMA2000 criteria.
- Every jurisdiction must officially adopt the Local Mitigation Plan.
- The new plan must have documentation on meetings, government, public, private and public attendance and how they are involved.
- The plan must base its projects on a comprehensive hazards and vulnerability assessment.
- The Plan must have a Local Mitigation Strategy Coordinator and a maintenance process and the plan must be updated on a five (5) year cycle.
How Can You Help?
Residents of Nassau County are encouraged to participate in the mitigation planning process by:
- Attending an LMS meeting.
- Submitting information regarding a repetitive hazard in their neighborhood (i.e. flooding of homes or wash- out of roads, inadequate drainage, and areas vulnerable to wildfire).
- Schedule a disaster preparedness presentation by Nassau County Emergency Management.
For additional information call:
Nassau County Emergency Management at (904) 548-4980
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