Help needed on All-Hazard Plan
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November 27, 2012 |
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Disasters,
either man-made or natural, don't happen
all that often in Boundary County, but
when they do occur, they can be
catastrophic, such as the October, 1998,
mudslide that took out railroad tracks,
Highway 95 and the District 2 Road on
the North Hill, disrupting travel for
weeks. Being prepared is key to
minimizing the impact, and your help is
needed. |
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The Boundary County Local Emergency Planning
Committee earlier this month began the process
of the updating of the Boundary County All
Hazard Mitigation Plan, and your help is needed
in a community survey to identify those risks
you consider most important, either natural
hazards or man-made.
The Plan was originally developed in 2005 and
covers Boundary County, the Kootenai Tribe, the
City of Bonners Ferry, and the City of Moyie
Springs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) requires that the Plan be updated every
five years.
The All Hazard Mitigation Plan is comprised of
two important components; 1) the Community
Hazard Assessment, and 2) the identification of
Mitigation Projects.
The Community Hazard Assessment identifies the
natural and man-made hazards that have a
potential to affect the greater Boundary County
Community. The mitigation projects are those
actions that are proposed to be taken to reduce
the risks presented by the hazards on the
Community.
Typical Hazards include flooding, wildfire, and
severe weather. Protection projects might
include the repair or enlargement of culverts or
bridges, creating green space around structures,
or construction wind breaks.
The Plan update will be completed by Whisper
Mountain Professional Services, Inc., Pocatello,
Idaho. Whisper Mountain recently updated the
Boundary County Emergency Operations Plan and
has developed and updated similar Hazard
Mitigation Plans in over 30 counties in Idaho
and northeastern Washington.
Whisper Mountain is conducting a community
survey seeking input from the public.
The survey is designed to identify what members
of the community consider to be the risks posed
by natural and man-made hazards. It also
measures the community’s perception of the level
of risk those hazards pose.
The survey can be done in a few short minutes
online at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BoundaryAHMPSurvey.
Paper copies of the survey are also available at
the City Halls in Bonners Ferry and Moyie
Springs and at the Kootenai Tribe’s
Administration Offices.
If you have questions regarding the survey or
would like to participate in any way in the
planning process please feel free to contact
David Kramer, the Boundary County Emergency
Services Director at (208) 255-6073 or Dr. Rick
Fawcett at Whisper Mountain Professional
Service, Inc. at (208) 478-1099.
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