Northern Kentucky is better prepared for disasters, according to the Northern Kentucky Area Development District after its local hazard mitigation plan, a long-term strategy to reduce the 8-county area’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
The plan identifies hazards and potential hazards in the Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen, and Pendleton counties. It also creates a framework to help community officials make decisions that may ultimately protect lives and property, a news release said.
This plan, approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), expires in August 2022.
The approval letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which reviews and approves all state, local and tribal hazard mitigation plans, commends NKADD “for development of a solid workable plan that will guide hazard mitigation activities over the coming years.”
The plan outlines a strategy for implementing mitigation projects in the NKADD region, such as the Pendleton County Generator Project, a $50,825 project completed in 2014. By identifying needs, such as a new generator for the North Pendleton Fire District, the Hazard Mitigation Plan helps communities take proactive steps to lessen the impact of future disasters and the costly expenses associated with them.
FEMA’s approval of all state, tribal and local hazard mitigation plans is required as a condition for states and communities to receive certain types of disaster assistance, including funding for mitigation projects. State mitigation plans must be approved every five years, as are local and tribal mitigation plans.
-Staff report
