Risk and mitigation public meetings set next week

People have the chance next week to hear and weigh in on proposed updates to plans to mitigate problems when disasters occur in the area.

Representatives of Tetra Tech, which is managing the process to update Hill and Blaine counties’ pre-disaster mitigation plans, will hold meetings in Chinook Monday and Havre Tuesday.

The project is a required five-year update of the county pre-disaster mitigation plans. The purpose of the plan is to make communities more resilient and resistant to the damages caused by natural and man-made hazards, such as wildfire, flooding, severe weather, haz-mat incidents. The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires that a PDM plan be in place for counties to receive disaster mitigation funds and apply for mitigation grants.  

The region has seen first-hand the need for assistance in recent years, with flooding leading to federal disaster declarations in 2010, 2011 and 2013 and Gov. Steve Bullock requesting a presidential disaster declaration for this year’s flooding.

The PDM plans will re-examine the wide range of hazards that affect Blaine and Hill counties, recent hazard events, the probability of future occurrences, and the vulnerabilities of structures and the population. From that risk assessment, a plan of action to mitigate these hazards will be developed and/or updated.  

The projects have a 12-month timeframe for completion. The first public meetings kicked off the projects last November and, over the winter, officials met the PDM planning team to complete the hazard profiles and risk assessment.

Comments have been collected over the last few months, and Tetra Tech completed a plan revision and submited the updated plan to Montana DES and FEMA for review and approval. Now, people have a second opportunity to review the plan and provide comments.  

Based on further comments, Tetra Tech will complete another plan revision and submit the final document to the counties and incorporated communities within them.

Once the plan is adopted, the counties and their incorporated communities will remain eligible to receive FEMA funding for mitigation projects.

The meeting Monday starts at noon in the Disaster and Emergency Services office in the Blaine County Courthouse at 420 Ohio Street in Chinook. Lunch will be provided. For more information, people can contact Blaine County DES coordinator Haley Velk at 357-3310.

The meeting Tuesday starts at noon in the downstairs meeting room in Havre City Hall at 420 Fourth Street. Lunch will be provided. For more information, people can call Hill County DES coordinator Dave Sheppard at 265-5481.

The projects will be posted online at http://www.countypdm.com, passwords “Blaine” and “Havre,” at the time of the public meetings for review and comment through Aug. 10.