Disaster Mitigation Plan Update Meeting to be Held

Spink County has received a grant from FEMA to conduct an update of the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Plan. Federal Law requires that each state have a Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan and the State of South Dakota requires local jurisdictions to have individual plans in order to be eligible for Federal grant dollars in the event that a natural disaster occurs.

A meeting for the Spink County and Local Jurisdiction Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan Update will be held Tuesday, June 12, 2012 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Basement Conference Room at the Spink County Courthouse.

This meeting is the first step for Spink County in updating the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. The purpose of this meeting is to further explain the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and establish a timeline for completing the Plan Update. Additional items to be covered at the meeting include: organizing resources to help in developing the plan, establishing a meeting schedule, selecting a steering committee, assigning roles, assessing risks, and assessing vulnerability to risks.

Public Involvement is a requirement of the PDM Plan and anyone who is interested in developing the Plan is encouraged to attend.

Why Is PDM Important To Our Communities?

Why is the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant important to the communities in our county? Without an updated PDM plan communities in Spink County would no longer be eligible for federal funds to pay for various projects throughout the county. For example; as of last week several Spink County mitigation projects moved into the final stages of FEMA approval. These projects include three new storm/fire sirens, and four pumping station generators. Without an approved PDM plan our county would not have been able to even apply for these grants.

Letters have been sent out to the townships and communities throughout Spink County. To be covered under the PDM the townships and communities must approve an ordinance adopting the plan. If you have any questions call Spink County Emergency Management at 472-4591.