Cochise County is nearing the end of its project schedule to update the Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. 

They are asking the public to complete the Public Mitigation Strategy Survey which looks to solicit feedback from county residents on preferences relating to how hazard mitigation can be implemented within our communities. This survey will close 2/17.

Taken from Cochise County's Website:

"The term "Hazard Mitigation" describes actions that can help reduce or eliminate long-term risks caused by hazards, or disaster, such as floods, hurricanes, wildfires, landslides, tornadoes, earthquakes, dam failures, or terrorism.   As the costs of disasters continue to rise, governments and ordinary citizens must find ways to reduce hazard risks to our communities and ourselves. Efforts made to reduce hazard risks are easily made compatible with other community goals; safer communities are more attractive to employers as well as residents.  As communities plan for new development and improvements to existing infrastructure, mitigation can and should be an important component of the planning effort.

While mitigation activities can and should be taken before a disaster event has the chance to occur, after disasters hazard mitigation is essential.  Oftentimes after disasters, repairs and reconstruction are often completed in such a way as to simply restore damaged property to pre-disaster conditions. These efforts may “get things back to normal”, but the replication of pre-disaster conditions often results in a repetitive cycle of damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Hazard mitigation breaks this repetitive cycle by producing less vulnerable conditions through post-disaster repairs and reconstruction. The implementation of such hazard mitigation actions now by state and local governments means building stronger, safer and smarter communities that will be able to reduce future injuries and future damage."

Project Schedule

June 1, 2016: Project Kick-off Meeting with Large Planning Team

June - October 2016: Risk and Vulnerability Assessment

September 19, 2016: Planning Team Conference Call

November 2016: Planning Team Conference Call/Review

December 2016: Planning Team Hazard Mitigation Project Workshop

February/March 2017: Draft Plan Posted for Public Comment/Review

More information can be found on the County's Website at https://www.cochise.az.gov/emergency-services/2016-cochise-county-multi-jurisdictional-hazard-mitigation-plan-update