Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
What is a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP)?
An LHMP is a plan that seeks to enhance the resilience of communities, reducing their vulnerability to damage, loss, or disruption from natural or human-caused hazards. The planning process includes assessing the risk of hazards that pose a risk to the community, identifying vulnerabilities within the community, documenting the resources for risk reduction, and identifying and developing mitigation strategies that will improve the City’s resiliency. The resulting document, the LHMP, serves as a municipality’s guide for enhancing community resilience. Municipalities are required to create, adopt, maintain, and periodically update LHMPs, subject to review by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA mandates LHMP updates every five years to ensure continued effectiveness.
View the City's current LHMP (adopted in November, 2020).
Why is the City Updating the LHMP?
The update of the City’s LHMP will not only ensure that the City is eligible to receive FEMA hazard mitigation funds but will also lead the City to develop a safer, more resilient community. While the City cannot entirely eliminate natural and human-caused risks to the community, the LHMP aims to enhance community safety. By conducting a thorough evaluation of potential threats and crafting a unified approach to address them, the LHMP fosters better coordination and collaboration among the City, public agencies, businesses, service providers, and residents. Together, these efforts strive to minimize the impacts of both natural and human-induced hazards on the community.
How is the City of Artesia’s LHMP Being Prepared?
The City has established a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC), featuring representatives from numerous City departments, and is aided by essential stakeholders and technical advisors. Together, these contributors constitute the Project Team responsible for steering the overall development of the City’s LHMP.
What are the Benefits of Updating the LHMP?
Hazard mitigation planning offers numerous benefits to the City. By identifying risks and implementing proactive measures, such as infrastructure improvements and emergency preparedness initiatives, hazard mitigation planning helps protect lives and property during disasters. Moreover, investing in mitigation efforts can lead to significant cost savings by reducing damage and recovery expenses.
What Hazards Will the LHMP Help Protect Against?
• Earthquake
• Windstorm
• Dam Failure
• Urban Fire
• Extreme Heat
• Flood
• Drought
• Cyberattack
• Unhoused Related Risk
Why Get Involved?
Your engagement in the planning process is vital as it brings diverse perspectives and experiences to the table. As community members, you have unique insights into local hazards and vulnerabilities based on your lived experiences and observations. Your input helps the City identify risks more comprehensively and develop targeted strategies that address the specific needs of the community. The City can then develop a hazard mitigation plan that reflects the collective wisdom and resilience of the community, better preparing residents to address future challenges and protect their well-being.
How You Can Get Involved:
• Share your experiences and insights on this City of Artesia Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Survey. Your input is crucial for the City to grasp the vulnerabilities of the community better.
• Join the City during public events and workshops to learn about the hazards in our area and the strategies the City is developing to address them. The City will release a draft of the completed LHMP for public review in the coming months. Please review and provide comments on this document, either at public workshops or in writing.
• Help the City reach more people! Encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to get involved in the planning process.
To learn more about upcoming events, access resources, or get involved, refer to this website for the latest information and updates or contact the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee at Client.Services@RMCPCorp.com.