Jones County holds final public hearing on pre-disaster mitigation plan

Jones County held a final public hearing on Oct. 7, 2025, to review updates to its pre-disaster mitigation plan and describe next steps for state and federal review.

The plan update, presented by Greg (county staff member), consolidates natural and technological hazards into a single hazards chapter, adds earthquakes, dam failure coordination with the Macon Water Authority, cyberattack strategies and pandemic planning, and identifies priority actions such as incident-command training, generator inventories and evacuation planning. "We are here for the final public hearing, we'll say, on the Jones County pre disaster mitigation plan," Greg said at the start of the presentation.

The county emphasized that completing this plan is required to preserve eligibility for federal disaster assistance. The presentation noted that the plan identifies hazards, assesses vulnerabilities and lists projects intended to reduce future disaster impacts. Greg said the county has met monthly with a seven-member stakeholder planning committee since March and will send the draft plan to committee members and neighboring jurisdictions for review before submitting it…