GEMA/HS Hazard Mitigation to submit
By Julia Regeski
N
atural disasters can be
“It creates a win-win scenario for
doesn’t plan for hurricanes on a
costly, no matter if the
everybody. States do a better job
daily basis. “Our overarching goal
response is local, state or
of managing the program due to
is making sure the state is open for
federal, but recovery funding can
the increased metrics, and states
business. It’s our top priority,” she
be rendered useless if agencies
get more money to do hazard
said.
involved aren’t equipped to put it
mitigation projects.”
She attended the hazard
to good use. It’s up to the Georgia
The lengthy planning process
mitigation workshops after
Emergency Management and
begins with an assessment of the
seeing the importance of public
Homeland Security Agency’s
risks facing Georgia. Through a
messaging during Hurricane Irma.
Hazard Mitigation department to
partnership with the Carl Vinson
“There’s a lot of good strategy
prove to the Federal Emergency
Institute of Government at the
being discussed and promoted,”
Management Agency that the
University of Georgia, the agency
she said. “We frequently
state of Georgia is qualified and
learns exactly what risks Georgia
communicate with the public, and
capable of accepting federally
has historically faced and then
that includes the travelers that may
awarded money.
ranks them in accordance to their
not understand our weather and its
As ruled by the Disaster
impact on the state overall.
risks that those of us around here
Mitigation Act of 2000, each
Despite the fact that in the
know about and take for granted.”
individual state is required to
five years since GEMA/HS last
State agencies aren’t the only
submit their hazard mitigation
submitted their plan to FEMA
ones whose perspectives are
strategy to FEMA, where it will
the state has faced two major
considered when drafting the
be reviewed and approved so
hurricanes, the top-ranked hazard
plan, even though bringing in a
that states can be entrusted with
for the 2019 plan is actually
diverse planning group was one
financial assistance.
of Hazard Mitigation’s
“It
creates
a
win-win
scenario
for
Without federal approval,
top priorities. Since all
state emergency
everybody. States do a better job 159 Georgia counties
management agencies
are also required by
of managing the program due to
become ineligible to
FEMA to maintain data
receive the funding
the increased metrics, and states get driven, risk based hazard
specifically allocated to
mitigation plans, the
more money to do hazard mitigation GEMA/HS state level
them as a result of the
Stafford Act, such as
plan must take those into
projects.”
individual assistance,
consideration, acting as
public assistance, as well as
tornadoes, since they impact more
a sort of umbrella document for all
fire management and hazard
people, more frequently. These
of Georgia. GEMA/HS Hazard
mitigation grants.
hazards and their rankings were
Mitigation regularly provides
While there are standard metrics
discussed at length in a series
technical support to these counties,
each state must meet, GEMA/HS
of workshops attended by not
but ensuring that all of their own
takes it one step further, joining
only the partners that GEMA/
hazards are recognized and
only 12 other states as they