Revised mitigation plan gets final public session

The final public meeting about an update of the Whitman County Hazard Mitigation Plan, a key part of setting responses and recovery from natural disasters as well as getting emergency funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was held Thursday, Dec. 13, in the Public Service Building auditorium.

The review was presented by Rob Flaner of Tetra Tech, Inc., a technical consultant from Eagle, Idaho, hired by the county to renew the plan. The new plan will take the place of the first county plan which expired in June of 2011.

The plan outlines what each county organization will do in the face of natural disasters defined by the plan. It also establishes eligibility for grants when disasters strike.

The new draft Hazard Mitigation Plan totals 470 pages in two volumes and contains more than 50 maps. The plan will be updated in about five years.

Residents can review the plan on the county’s website, under Emergency Management, starting Dec. 28.

The initial county plan was developed in 2005, with 21 local government agencies participating. FEMA officials approved the first plan in May 2006.

Sixteen entities participated in the updated verson. People representing businesses, government workers, educators and emergency management personnel participated in the plan update, Flaner said.

All the partners must approve the plan, a process that will begin in February. After all the partners approve it, it will be sent to FEMA for approval.

Flaner said part of the delay in renewing the plan was trying to get all of the county entities to participate. He said letters were sent to every city, rural fire district, hospital district and school district encouraging participation, but only 10 cities, three rural fire districts and two hospital districts decided to participate.

Flaner said towns which opted not to participate were invited several times. Those cities not participating in the plan will not be eligible for FEMA funds, he pointed out.

Current planning partners besides the county include the towns of Colton, Endicott, Farmington, Garfield, LaCrosse, Malden, Oakesdale, Palouse, Pullman and St. John along with Pullman Regional Medical Center and Whitman Hospital and Medical Center, and Rosalia and Colfax Rural Fire Districts.

When FEMA assistance is required after natural disasters, the plans help the agency direct the funds to where it will be needed, Flaner explained.

The mitigation plans must be updated every five years according to federal law.

Although the plan covers natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, dam failure, drought, liquifaction, severe weather, volcanoes and wildfires, Flaner said the biggest risk in Whitman County is flooding.

Eight flood disasters have been declared in Whitman County since 1955. Although drought is gradual and one dry year doesn’t constitute a drought, Whitman County has experienced drought at least 15 percent of the time from 1895 to 1995. Vulnerability to drought, landslides, severe weather and wildfires is deemed low in the plan.