Across the United States, natural and human-caused disasters have led to increasing levels of death, injuries, property damage, and interruption of business and government services. The time, money, and efforts to recover from these disasters exhaust resources, diverting attention from important public programs and private agendas. With several statewide or county-specific gubernatorial and presidential disaster declarations in recent history, Schuylkill County recognized the impact of disasters on their community and concluded that proactive efforts needed to be taken to reduce the impact of natural and human-caused hazards.

In accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, Schuylkill County has prepared a Hazard Mitigation Plan with active participation by the municipalities of the County. This project will not only guide Schuylkill County towards greater disaster resistance, but is part of on-going efforts to create a more sustainable county.

Hazard mitigation is a phrase that describes actions taken to prevent or reduce the long-term risks to life and property from hazards. Pre-disaster mitigation actions are taken in advance of a hazard event and are essential to breaking the typical disaster cycle of damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. With careful selection, mitigation actions can be long-term, cost effective means of reducing the risk of loss. The hazard mitigation planning process consisted of:

• Formation of a Steering Committee
• Participation by each municipality
• Identification of hazards that could affect the County
• Assessment of the County’s vulnerability to these hazards
• Identification of mitigation actions that can reduce the risk
from these hazards
• Development of an implementation strategy identifying roles and responsibilities

Public comments will be accepted until August 17, 2007. For additional information, please contact the Emergency Management Agency at 570-622-3739.

Schuylkill County Hazard Mitigation Plan
Please be patient.