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2015 Ventura County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Tuesday, April 7th, 2015
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (OES), in cooperation with the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, and various cities and special districts within Ventura County, is launching a countywide effort to re-assess risks posed by natural and human-caused disasters and identify ways to reduce those risks. The planning process will result in the preparation of an updated Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP). The County developed their first MHMP in 2005, updated the plan in 2010 and is kicking-off the 2015 plan update process. An updated version of the plan is required under the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 in order to be eligible to continue to receive certain forms of Federal disaster assistance. OES has received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for preparation of the updated plan. Additionally, the updated 2015 MHMP will support the County’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System (CRS) program by addressing the program’s Floodplain Management Planning activities. To earn CRS credits and participate in the CRS program, communities must illustrate that they have gone beyond the minimum floodplain protection requirements and have developed extra measures to provide protection to their community from flooding. In 2011, Ventura County entered the CRS program at class 6 participation. Ventura County is the first county in California to enter the program at that level. Ventura County is vulnerable to a wide range of disasters. In the past five years, Ventura County has received multiple Presidential disaster declarations and State Emergency Proclamations due to various natural disasters including the hazards of winter storm, drought and wildfire. The risks posed by these hazards and other hazards increases as the County’s population continues to grow. The 2015 MHMP will provide the County, the participating cities and special districts with the necessary tools to identify these risks and prioritize future actions for reducing these risks. Additionally, the plan will provide a framework for future requests for Federal assistance to institute risk-reducing actions. The County’s current Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, as well as information about the CRS program can be found on the County of Ventura’s flood information webpage: http://www.vcfloodinfo.com/home. The planning process will occur from March – August 2015. For further information about the project and/or if you are interested in participating in the plan update process please contact Dale Carnathan at dale.carnathan@ventura.org or (805) 654-5152. For further information specific to CRS and the FMP appendix, please contact Brian Trushinksi at Brian.Trushinski@ventura.org or (805) 477-1967. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for public comments on a draft of the plan. The comment period is anticipated to occur in July 2015; specific details will be distributed closer to the comment period date. Nature of Event: 2015 Ventura County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Update |
