Hazard Mitigation Planning Project
| Public Engagement | Hazard Maps | Resource Library | FAQ |
Mitigation refers to any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property. Mitigation is an integral part of CRESA’s comprehensive emergency management program. We coordinate the efforts of Clark County, it’s cities, and other stakeholders in planning and implementing hazard mitigation.We don’t have to live in fear of disasters. There are practical things we can do now to reduce their impacts. Through public education, responsible development, building retrofits, property buy-outs, and other strategies we can make our community safer so that when disasters happen they are less likely to result in death, damage, and disruption.
A hazard mitigation plan is the foundation of a community’s long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.
CRESA is working with our partners to update the Hazard Mitigation Plan for Clark County, its seven cities, and other participating agencies. This plan identifies how each agency will take action in advance of a disaster to reduce disaster risks. This project was formally started on July 9, 2015 and is expected to continue until approximately September 2016.
Learn more about hazard mitigation.
Planning Partners
| Clark County City of Battle Ground City of Camas City of La Center City of Ridgefield City of Vancouver City of Washougal City of Woodland Town of Yacolt |
Clark Public Utilities Port of Vancouver C-TRAN Clark Regional Wastewater District Battle Ground Public Schools Camas School District Ridgefield School District Clark County Fire District 3 |
Planning Process
When it’s complete, a hazard mitigation plan should reflect a community consensus on how we will work together over several years to reduce our risks from natural disasters. Here are the key steps in the planning process that ensure that we achieve consensus, involve stakeholders, and meet planning requirements:
1. Organize stakeholders – Identify the best representatives from local government, non-profits, private sector, the public, and other stakeholders.
2. Involve the public – Provide multiple pathways for the public to get involved including public meetings, planning workshops, and surveys.
3. Assess risks – Develop a hazard profile for the hazards of concern such as floods, earthquakes, and storms. Where do they occur? How often? Identify resources and people at risk.
4. Develop mitigation goals, objectives, and actions – Determine how we will reduce the risks that were identified in the risk assessment.
5. Assemble the plan and get approvals – The plan must be approved by the Washington State Emergency Management Division and FEMA and then be adopted by local jurisdictions.
6. Implement the plan and monitor progress – Put the plan into action.
