Reducing Future Damage Residents Can Help
Release Date: July 7, 2006
Release Number: 1642-019
» More Information on Massachusetts Severe Storms and Flooding
ANDOVER, Mass. -- The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is encouraging residents to assist local governments to produce or update a FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation Plan for their community. These plans document how communities can reduce or eliminate future damage from natural disaster events.
The recent flooding provides an opportunity for citizens to work with their city or town officials to identify potential mitigation projects and include these projects in the local plan, according to FEMA and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Each Hazard Mitigation Plan must be developed with input from local officials and citizens followed by state review, formal municipal adoption, and FEMA approval. Local governments may develop a plan individually or in conjunction with other communities through regional planning agencies.
In Essex, Middlesex, and Suffolk Counties, 47 municipalities are working on their Hazard Mitigation Plans or awaiting federal approval by FEMA. Twenty communities currently have FEMA-approved plans.
Communities who participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and also have a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan may be eligible for additional FEMA mitigation grant funding assistance. 332 Massachusetts communities currently participate in the NFIP to make flood insurance available to their residents.
FEMA grants under the Pre-Disaster Mitigation program (PDM) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) can provide financial assistance to reduce or eliminate chronic damages to town roads, public water systems, flooded neighborhoods and various public structures. The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program provides grants for projects to protect structures insured by the NFIP. Massachusetts municipalities are eligible to apply for these federal grants through MEMA.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 06-Dec-2006 09:29:15