MONMOUTH COUNTY CONTINUES WORK ON ALL NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

Monmouth County and its 53 municipalities are continuing to review and update the Monmouth County Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. The first county wide plan was finalized in 2009, after two years of development.

Through a grant, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Board of Chosen Freeholders contracted with URS Corp. Inc. of Clifton, N.J., to work with the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management team and representatives from municipalities to update the mitigation plan. The plan is a documented evaluation of the hazards to which a community is susceptible and the extent to which these events will occur. It includes a risk assessment and a hazard-mitigation strategy. In addition, it identifies an area’s vulnerability to the effects of natural hazards and the goals, objectives and actions required to minimize future loss.

“The revision of this plan in the wake of Superstorm Sandy is vitally important,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden, who oversees the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management. “Mitigation is preparation and planning now to reduce loss of life and property later, by lessening the impacts of future disasters.”

While the primary hazard in Monmouth County is flooding, other potential hazards that are being analyzed are droughts, extreme cold, extreme heat, snow, ice, hail, windstorms, nor’easters, hurricanes, tropical storms and tornadoes.

Once the hazards and the assets within Monmouth County are evaluated, a mitigation strategy to increase the disaster resilience of the county, along with procedures for monitoring, evaluating and updating the plan will be completed.

Residents can learn more about a comprehensive all natural hazard-mitigation plan for the county and its 53 municipalities by visiting: www.monmouthsheriff.org, click on the OEM icon and select Hazard Mitigation Planning.