PRESS RELEASE: County Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan Available for Public Review and Comment

12 January 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
County Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan Available for Public Review and Comment

 MONTESANO — In June 2023, a coalition of Grays Harbor County municipalities and special purpose districts embarked on a planning process to prepare for impacts of disasters.

Responding to federal mandates in the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), the coalition was formed to pool resources and create a uniform hazard mitigation strategy that can be consistently applied to the defined planning area. This planning coalition, made up of the County, the Cities and Special Purpose Districts within Grays Harbor County has now completed that effort. The planning process was led by Grays Harbor County Emergency Management with support from Bridgeview Consulting, LLC, the primary technical consultant. The project was funded by a planning grant from FEMA.

During this process, citizens were asked to contribute by sharing local knowledge of the region’s vulnerability to hazards based on past occurrences, as well as identify initiatives which could help reduce the level of impact of those hazards. Public involvement was solicited via a multi-media campaign that included: press releases; public council/board presentations and meetings; web-based information; Twitter and Facebook feeds; questionnaires, radio interviews, and safety fairs. Many of these efforts were live streamed or broadcasted.

That process has now culminated with the development of the Draft 2024 Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, which is now available for review and comment at the informational website established for this planning effort at: Hazard Mitigation Planning (graysharbor.us).

The public is highly encouraged to provide input on the draft plan to Grays Harbor County Emergency Management at ghcdem@graysharbor.us or via phone at (360) 249-3911. Citizens can also contact the Consultant, Bev O’Dea at Bevodea@bridgeviewconsulting.org, or via phone at (253) 301-1330. The comment period will run for 17 days beginning January 13, 2024.

END

Nicklaus Falley | Program Manager
Grays Harbor County Emergency Management
Office: (360) 249-3911
Direct: (360) 964-1579
Cell: (360) 280-1091
*New Email -  Please update default sending address to your contact list as nfalley@graysharbor.us
Emergency Management (grays-harbor.wa.us)