Antelope, Holt, and Knox Counties (Tri County) are continuing to lead a planning effort to develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan in coordination with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR), Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The planning area includes each community, school district, and other special districts located in Antelope, Holt, and Knox Counties.
Hazard mitigation planning is proactive and allows a jurisdiction to take actions before disasters occur to reduce or eliminate future threats. The hazard mitigation plan is a community-guided document that will identify each participating jurisdiction’s vulnerability to natural disasters such as flood, drought, earthquake, wildfire, winter storm, tornado and high wind storm, dam failure, etc. The plan will set goals for each community, establish mitigation alternatives, and prioritize projects for each jurisdiction to help alleviate potential damages to life and property when future disasters occur. Participation by each jurisdiction in this plan opens the door to additional funding mechanisms from NEMA and FEMA. A jurisdiction must have a FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan in order to receive pre-hazard and some post-disaster project grant funds. Once a hazard mitigation plan is developed and adopted locally, the jurisdiction will be eligible for any available project cost-share funds to implement the mitigation solutions identified in the plan.
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