MADERA COUNTY — The public is invited to participate in updating the plan to deal with the next disaster in Madera County.
The County is partnering with incorporated communities, districts and others to develop an update to their 2011 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Floods, drought, wildfires, earthquakes and severe weather are just a few of the natural hazards we face, and though they cannot be prevented, a Hazard Mitigation Plan forms the foundation for a long-term strategy, at the community level, to reduce disaster losses by breaking the repeated cycle of damage and reconstruction.
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) defines Hazard Mitigation as any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from natural hazards.
Importantly, only communities with a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan are eligible to apply for both pre- and post-disaster mitigation grant funding.
The process began in March with an initial public and planning meeting and the establishment of a planning committee comprised of representatives from the County, cities, special districts, and other key stakeholders. The plan is scheduled to be finalized and submitted to Cal OES and FEMA in September.
Public Review Draft –
The Public Review Draft of the LHMP Update is available online (pdf format) at http://www.madera-county.com/index.php/lhmp. It is also available (in printed copy) at the following Madera County locations:
- Madera County Library
121 N. G Street in Madera
(559)675-7871 - Chowchilla Branch Library
300 Kings Avenue in Chowchilla
(559)665-2630 - Madera Ranchos Branch Library
37167 Avenue 12, Suite 4C, in Madera
(559)645-1214 - North Fork Branch Library
32908 Road 200, in North Fork
(559)877-2387 - Oakhurst Branch Library
49044 Civic Circle Drive in Oakhurst
(559)683-4838
A final public meeting to review and provide comments on the Public Review draft LHMP will be held on Thursday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Headquarters – Emergency Operations Center, located at 2725 Falcon Drive in Madera.
Attendance and input from the public and other interested stakeholders is encouraged at this upcoming meeting.
Comments on the Public Review Draft –
There are several options for providing comments on the LHMP Update Public Review Draft:
- Email comments to Jeanine.foster@fostermorrison.com or jwilder@co.madera.ca.gov
- Drop off written comments or send by mail to: Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Services, Attention Sergeant Joseph Wilder, 2725 Falcon Drive, Madera, CA, 93637
- Bring comments to the meeting
More you can do to be prepared and stay informed –
- For Emergency and Community Alerts, text “MaderaSO” to 888777
- Follow @MaderaSheriff on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates
- Signup for the Madera County Emergency Notification System at MCAlert.org
