Hazard Mitigation Plan

Background

The Robert T. Stafford Act, Section 404, allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide hazard mitigation assistance. The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 amended the Stafford Act to require communities to have a Hazard Mitigation Plan approved in order to receive funding assistance from FEMA. To facilitate the preparation of Hazard Mitigation Plans, FEMA established the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). FEMA provided money to the Emergency Management Division of the Michigan Department of State Police (EMD/MSP), which in-turn provides assistance to counties and major municipalities for plan preparation. By November 2004 , a community will need to have an adopted plan in order to access financial assistance from FEMA.

Washtenaw County partnered with the City of Ann Arbor and received a FEMA grant from the EMD/MSP for preparation of Hazard Mitigation Plans for each Local Unit of Government. The partnership brought together the two emergency management programs within the County – the Washtenaw County Emergency Management Division and the City of Ann Arbor Office of Emergency Management.

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Why Prepare a Plan?

Although a Plan is not a mandated activity, having an adopted Plan would best position Washtenaw County and County communities to mitigate hazards, as well as receive funding for mitigation projects. Local Units of Government can be eligible to receive funding for projects if the LUG: