What’s in the Updated Warren County, N.Y., Hazard Plan?

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(TNS) – Warren County’s updated Hazard Mitigation Plan was updated last year and approved by FEMA in January. The aim of the plan is to help with flood relief and create stronger measures to help vulnerable communities.

Capital projects, policies, education programs, and environmental protection are all incorporated in the hazard mitigation plan to protect infrastructure and people by reducing long-term risks of disaster emergencies including flooding, earthquakes, wildfires, and snowstorms.

Other measures include the deployment of warning systems, drainage system upgrades, and the protection of critical facilities and infrastructure from future hazard events. The plan also establishes a coordinated effort between state and county agencies when a disaster arises.

“Our updated Warren County Hazard Mitigation Plan is an important document to help us prepare for any potential hazards that might affect those who live in or visit Warren County,” said Ann Marie Mason, Warren County Director of Emergency Services. “Updating our plan allows Warren County and participating jurisdictions to be eligible for future mitigation funding from FEMA as disasters occur.”

“We are very thankful for the public feedback we received during the planning process, and for the efforts of our partners at Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District in assisting in the development of this plan,” Mason told The Post-Star.

The continual maintenance of roadways, culverts, and dams, as well as the enforcement of building and floodplain management codes, are some of the public safety measures included in Warren County’s 2023 Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Flooding is the number one natural hazard in Warren County, and the deadliest in the United States. These sorts of natural disasters are major focuses in a Hazard Mitigation Plan, according to Jim Lieberum, District Manager of Warren County Soil and Water Conservation.

Flooding is not the only concern.

“Around here we’re starting to see more issues with the effects of wind” including downed power lines and trees tipped over, Lieberum added. “We’re seeing high-intensity, short-duration rainfalls.”

“The Hazard Mitigation Plan allows communities to address issues related to natural disasters,” Lieberum told The Post-Star.

These issues can range from improving stream and drainage culverts, to making sure roads are passable, that backup power is provided at community facilities for continuity of operations, and maintaining emergency shelters, Lieberum said.

Last December, the Warren County Finance Committee approved about $4 million to fund road repairs due to rainstorm and flood damage that washed out roads and ruined culverts under the roads.

The idea behind mitigation actions is to protect first responders by reducing the need to respond, reduce economic disruption, reduce recovery time and costs, and reduce personal heartache. This plan acts as a roadmap to implement these actions in the event of a crisis.

For every $1 spent on mitigation, Warren County could save $6 on future disaster losses, according to the National Institute of Building Sciences.

Lieberum serves as the Hazard Mitigation Coordinator for the county, working closely with the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to create and maintain the mitigation plan.

The plan must be updated every five years to keep in compliance with FEMA for several funding opportunities, according to Lieberum.

“Funding is available for many types of projects and although the process is not always simple, it is worth trying for. I would encourage the public to look at their community’s annex in the plan,” Lieberum told The Post-Star.

To qualify for a disaster declaration, Warren County must show damages that reach the required threshold of $291,872. That amount is determined by multiplying the county’s population of 65,737 by the County per capita threshold of $4.44, according to Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

Since 1954, Warren County has had 13 presidential disaster declarations. The most recent disaster declaration occurred on March 15, 2023, due to the impacts of a severe winter snowstorm during the period of Dec. 23 to Dec. 28, 2022, according to FEMA.

Beyond simply mitigating the effects of natural disasters, the plan also focuses on serving vulnerable populations, for instance, evacuating or transporting disabled people who may have special needs.

The team behind the plan consulted with organizations such as Silver Bay YMCA, Glens Falls Hospital, and several area schools throughout the process, according to Lieberum.

Lieberum used an example of responding to an emergency situation with a van with a lifting gate as opposed to a pickup truck.

“What do you do if you have four or five people in wheelchairs or with walkers, and how do you accommodate getting them out the same as everybody?” he said.

A recent example of a preparedness plan being put into action was the I-87 Northway bus crash incident that occurred earlier in the year where there was a fatality and several passenger injuries.

During the mitigation plan meeting on Jan. 31, Ashley Rivers of Warren County OES said that “response activities went smoothly, and communications system worked well.”

At that same meeting, Laura Stebbins, Director of Emergency Preparedness at Glens Falls Hospital, thanked “multiple agencies that provided excellent response services for the injured.”

For those interested, the 2023 Hazard Mitigation Plan can be found at warrencountynewyorkhmp.com.