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​April 2021: 2021 Maricopa County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan draft available for review


Maricopa County and the 25 incorporated city and towns and two tribes located within the county have joined forces to review and update the existing 2015 Maricopa County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.  The goal of mitigation planning is to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property from natural hazard events.  Mitigation is not how we respond to emergencies like floods and wildfires, but rather how we as a community prevent the impact of such things in the first place.

The mitigation planning process involves identifying and profiling the natural hazards most likely to occur in a community, assessing the vulnerability to these hazards, and establishing goals, actions, and projects that mitigate the associated risks.  The update of this mitigation plan will also ensure continued eligibility for both emergency and non-emergency, federal and state hazard mitigation grants.

The multi-jurisdictional planning team has prepared a draft of the 2021 Maricopa County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.  A digital copy of the draft plan can be obtained here.  ​



September 2020: Phoenix Updates Hazard Mitigation Plan and Asks for Public Input on Disaster Preparedness 

The city of Phoenix is requesting public input on the Hazard Mitigation plan that is in conjunction with the Maricopa County Hazard Mitigation Plan. This page is designed to obtain feedback on natural hazards you face and how better to prepare for them. ​Wildfire.jpeg

The Hazard Mitigation plan is updated every five years to keep up with changes in our city. This revision is important because it includes updates to the assets in our city, such as schools, museums, and city facilities, and how to protect them in the event of a disaster. Every major city department participates in the updates to the plan. This plan focuses on natural disasters. Natural hazards include dam failure, drought, extreme heat, fissures, flooding, severe winds, and wildfires. 

During Fall of 2020, the city of Phoenix began revising the Hazard Mitigation Plan. According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), hazard mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards.

Here is where you come in! Input from the community is vital. Your experience in your neighborhood is likely different than someone else in another neighborhood across town. The feedback you provide is included in the new Hazard Mitigation plan and helps the city to be more prepared when faced with a natural hazard. When faced with a natural hazard, a more prepared community directly equates with money and lives saved.

We welcome public comments!

• Take an Online Survey​
• Call us at 602-534-0642
• Email emergency.management@phoenix.gov​

Note when you submit an email it falls under the city's policy which states that the email message is: (1) subject to public disclosure under the Public Records Law, (2) is not private or confidential and (3) is retained for 90 days.​​

Survey

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The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) released a finding that every dollar invested in disaster mitigation by three federal agencies saves society six dollars.

This matters to the residents of the Phoenix because they are exposed to a variety of hazards including drought, extreme heat, and flash floods. While the community and the government can do little to keep these hazards from happening, we can reduce the impact hazards have when they occur. For the most part, we experience the same hazards each year in Phoenix. Mitigation actions can lessen the effects of these same hazards.  Being prepared for those hazards does not just give residents piece of mind, it saves money and lives. A well-thought-out plan elevates the community's resiliency. When these disasters occur, homes are damaged, function of critical facilities is interrupted, services are delayed, and the economy suffers—all directly affecting residents.

The goal of this plan is to reduce risk to the community.  One of the most effective ways to identify and implement risk reduction strategies is to solicit feedback from the community. in order for this plan is to be successful, it is vitally important public involvement is incorporated.​ Therefore, public support for these initiatives is crucial for successful implementation of recommendations of this plan.

The goals of the Hazard Mitigation Plan are to protect life and property, ensure continuity of operations, establish and strengthen partnerships for implementation, preserve or restore natural resources, increase public preparedness for disasters, and promote a sustainable economy.

Community Meetings

A Virtual Community Meeting was held on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. ​

History

In 2003 and 2004, two American Indian tribes and all the incorporated cities and towns In Maricopa County participated in a multi-jurisdictional planning effort that resulted in a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan with separate annexes that covered each of the participants.

Collectively and individually, these plans will be referred to as the 2004 Plan(s). The 2004 Plans received official FEMA approval on November 29, 2004. Additional planning was performed with the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation to upgrade their 2004 Plan to a “state level" plan, which was approved by FEMA and retains the November 29, 2004 approval date.

In October of 2008, Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management (MCDEM) initiated a planning process with local and tribal jurisdictions to consolidate and update the 2004 Plans into a true multi-jurisdictional plan with annexes for the tribal elements corresponding to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The resulting 2009 Maricopa County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, complete with tribal annexes and herein referred to as the 2009 Plan, was submitted to FEMA and received official approval on April 30, 2010. The 2009 Plan was at the end of the 5-year planning cycle and expired April 30, 2015.

In early 2014, MCDEM worked to successfully secure grant funding to perform the required five-year update. The planning process officially began in August 2014, with the first internal planning team meeting convening on August 26, 2014.​

FAQs

Question 1: How will this benefit the public?

Answer: By providing input about possible threats and hazards in our community, as well as ideas for helping reduce the impact should the threat occur, may lead to solutions that can be implemented, helping protect your family, your friends and your neighbors.

Question 2: When will the plan be finished? Will it be available to the public?
Answer: The plan will be finalized in early 2021 and will be available on the city of Phoenix website. 

Question 3: What is the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000? 
Answer: The federal Disaster Mitigation Act 2000 (DMA 2000) was approved by Congress on October 10, 2000. Along with other specifications, this act required state and local governments to develop hazard mitigation plans as a condition for federal grant assistance—reinforcing the importance of pre-disaster infrastructure mitigation planning to reduce disaster losses nationwide. DMA 2000 is aimed primarily at controlling and streamlining administration of federal disaster relief and programs to promote mitigation activities. Prior to 2000, federal legislation had provided funding for disaster relief, recovery, and some hazard mitigation planning; however, DMA 2000 improved upon the planning process by emphasizing the importance of community planning for disasters before they occur​.

Question 4: What is the local Hazard Mitigation Plan?
Answer: A local Hazard Mitigation Plan is prepared by local governments in response to DMA 2000. Through community involvement, plans are devised for local threats and hazards and how to protect against them while making the community prepared if they do occur. Aside from the preparedness of entire community from first responders to neighborhoods, these local plans are prerequisites for acquisition of federal funding under DMA 2000. These plans meet statutory requirements that include:

• Organizing resources

• Assessing risk

• Engaging the public

• Identifying goals and objectives

• Identifying actions

• Developing plan maintenance and implementation strategies.

Question 5: What does hazard mitigation mean?
Answer: Hazard mitigation is any sustained action to permanently eliminate or reduce long-term risks to human life and property from natural hazards. “Sustained action” is an action of long-term impact. Hazard mitigation is an important part of emergency management, along with preparedness, response, and recovery. Disasters can destroy or damage life, property, infrastructure, local economies, and the environment. Some examples are thinning trees before strong winds or building channels for water run off before a flood. 

Question 6: Who is eligible to apply?
Answer: HMGP funding is available only to applicants within a presidentially declared disaster area, and that have approved hazard mitigation plans. Eligible applicants include:

• State and local governments

• Indian tribes or other tribal organizations

• Certain non-profit organizations​

Downloads and Reference