Berkeley County is completing its update of the county’s 2010 Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) as required every five years by FEMA. The 2014 HMP update will address how the county and its municipalities will plan for mitigation of multiple natural hazards including flood, wind, fire, earthquake, thunderstorms and winter/ice storms. The 2014 HMP Plan will also include descriptions and assessments, then prioritize the risk of each of the natural hazards.
As part of the public involvement process, there will be stakeholder meetings, public hearings and surveys involving the county, municipalities, nonprofits, state and federal agencies and interested citizens throughout the spring and summer. The updated plan is required as part of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 which requires that local jurisdictions and states have a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved hazard mitigation plan to receive funding from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, implemented under section 404 of the Stafford Act.
Additionally, the mitigation planning regulation at 44 CFR §201.6(d)(3) states: “A local jurisdiction must review and revise its plan to reflect changes in priorities, and resubmit it for approval within five (5) years in order to continue to be eligible for mitigation project grant funding” . For more information. Contact Berkeley County Emergency Preparedness Director, Tom Smith at or call 843-719-4817.
