Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan meeting next week in Boulder

Jefferson County is currently in the process of updating their Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan.

A public meeting is scheduled Sept. 22 in Boulder to gather public input on ways to mitigate the effects of wildfire, flooding, and other hazards. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the basement of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

This project is the required five-year update of the Jefferson County Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Plan.

The purpose of the plan is to make communities more resilient and resistant to the damages caused by natural and man-made hazards (wildfire, flooding, severe weather, haz-mat incidents, etc.). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires that a PDM plan be in place for counties to receive disaster mitigation funds and apply for mitigation grants. See the following website for more information on FEMA’s PDM Grant Program (https://www.fema.gov/pre-disaster-mitigation-grant-program).

The PDM Plan will re-examine the wide range of hazards that affect Jefferson County, recent hazard events, the probability of future occurrences, and the vulnerabilities of structures and the population. From that risk assessment, a plan of action to mitigate these hazards will be developed and/or updated.

Jefferson County has contracted with Tetra Tech, Inc. to assist with the PDM Plan update. Although Tetra Tech will provide project management, technical assistance, and otherwise provide a majority of the administrative work on the Plan, public participation is important to ensure vulnerabilities are identified and the appropriate mitigation projects included in the Plan.