(5/21) In a unanimous vote the Town Council adopted the Frederick County Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaption Plan. "Without such a plan," said Barnes, "the Town would not be able to receive funding from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) if the Town was hit with a natural disaster."
"While the Town could have developed their own plan," noted Barnes in introducing the motion to adopt the Frederick County plan, "it would be a herculean effort costing the Town boat loads of money." Barnes pointed out that all the municipalities in Frederick County have chosen to adopt the County Plan.
"Frederick County contracted out the development of the plan to an experienced consulting firm to update last year’s plan; all we have to do is adopt it," Barnes said.
The Hazard Mitigation Plan guides the actions Frederick County will take to reduce risk from disasters over the next five years and beyond. It is meant to work with new and existing plans, building and zoning regulations, and environmental projects. The Plan allows the County to be better prepared and more able to quickly resume normal operations after a disaster by identifying projects that will reduce impacts from hazards.
As noted by Barnes, the Hazard Mitigation Plan also allows the County to receive funding from FEMA to reduce its vulnerability to disasters.
Prior to the vote, Commissioner Crum asked if there was any thing in particular the plan required of the Town, to which Barnes replied that in an emergency the Town would be required to work with County’s Department of Emergency Preparedness as it coordinates emergency mitigation, response, and recovery efforts.
"We would be required to report to the County and take actions as directed, other than that, no additional actions are required of the Town, nor does the adoption of the plan result in a cost to the Town… If anything, it saves us money." Barnes said,
The Department of Emergency Preparedness is responsible to funding the development and maintaining emergency response plans, conducting training and exercises and offering outreach to the communities like Woodsboro on preparedness.
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