Local Hazard Mitigation Plan

Plan Update

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the last Humboldt Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan on March 20, 2014. The hazard plan includes an assessment of the planning area’s risks from hazard events such as earthquake, flood, tsunami, and wildfire, and identifies initiatives and projects intended to minimize future hazard-related damage.

Jurisdictions with FEMA-approved and formally adopted mitigation plans are eligible to apply for funding under FEMA’s hazard mitigation assistance programs, including Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation and Flood Mitigation Assistance grant programs.

The County of Humboldt secured a Hazard Mitigation Grant to facilitate the update for 23 planning partners, including the County, all incorporated cities in the Humboldt Operational Area, and special districts.

This hazard plan serves as a coordinating document for the risk reduction efforts of participating planning partners for the next five years. The draft update in process is scheduled to be released in August 2019, for review and comment by Humboldt County residents, planning partners, and agency participants. 

Following the review and public comment period and any resulting changes to the draft plan, the 2019 update will be submitted to the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and FEMA for review and approval. When the new plan is approved, it will be formally adopted by the County Board of Supervisors and each planning partner's governing body.

Reason for a Hazard Mitigation Plan

Hazard mitigation is the use of long- and short-term strategies to reduce or alleviate the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage that can result from a disaster. It involves strategies that can mitigate the impacts of hazards such as:

• Planning
• Policy Changes
• Programs
• Projects

It is impossible to predict exactly when and where all disasters will occur or the extent to which they will impact an area, but with careful planning and collaboration among public agencies, stakeholders and citizens, it is possible to minimize losses.