Officials want the public to contribute today during a hearing on the Denton County Hazard Mitigation Action Plan, and we urge area residents to accept their invitation.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments and Denton County have planned the public hearing for 1 p.m. today at the Denton County Emergency Services Building, 9060 Teasley Lane.
Denton County’s five-year plan identifies hazards such as flash flooding, tornadoes and wildfires and what measures the cities and the county should take to lessen the impact of potential hazards.
Jody Gonzalez, director of Denton County Emergency Services, said the biggest difference in the latest plan will be the community wildfire protection portion, which identifies the most hazardous areas for wildfire in relation to their proximity to houses and businesses.
That item alone should be enough to boost attendance. The ongoing drought that has turned many parts of the North Texas landscape into kindling is fueling fears about wildfire potential, and with good reason.
Few of us are immune from this particular risk. Rapid development across much of Denton County’s once-rural landscape has placed many homes within easy reach of flames driven by high winds, which are common much of the year.
The Hazard Mitigation Action Plan covers many other threats to public safety, as well, and today’s meeting will provide an excellent opportunity to provide information on ways to lessen hazards.
This year’s proposed plan will also expand its jurisdiction to include 16 cities across the county. The last five-year plan covered only Denton, Corinth, The Colony, Lewisville and unincorporated portions of the county.
We think it’s a good idea to invite public input and widen the plan’s scope to include more of the county so officials can consider the needs and ideas of as many residents as possible. The more people involved, the better equipped officials will be to deal with emergencies.
Certain parts of the county may have special needs, and emergency response teams should have such information before disaster strikes.
For example, certain areas may be more prone to flooding than others, Gonzalez said, so officials may need to look at widening certain culverts to reduce the impact of flooding.
Mike Penaluna, coordinator of emergency management for the city of Denton, said the first part of the mitigation plan documents the history of hazards Denton County has faced, including hailstorms, tornadoes and drought. The second part of the document establishes ways to lessen the impact of these potential hazards.
This is one document that should interest every Denton County resident, and you’ll have an opportunity to learn more and even contribute to its development at today’s meeting.
Please plan to attend.
