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Columbia County submits updated hazard plan, clarifies shelter roles with Red Cross
Summary
County emergency management told supervisors it submitted a revised hazard mitigation plan for federal review, updated a state-required domestic terrorism prevention plan, and described how Red Cross memorandums and site inspections shape local shelter availability.
Columbia County emergency management staff told the county Public Safety Committee on June 17 that the county has submitted a revised five-year hazard mitigation plan to New York State and completed a state-required domestic terrorism prevention plan update.
The hazard mitigation plan draft was returned to the county after public comment for corrections requested by the state; consultants made most changes and planning staff supplied additional data, Emergency Management said. County staff cautioned that state approval does not guarantee immediate Federal Emergency Management Agency review or approval and that that federal review can take months, as it has in the past.
Committee members heard that the domestic terrorism prevention plan — updated and submitted by the June 1 deadline cited in county discussion — adds information about how residents can report targeted violence and explains how the county's threat assessment management team operates. Emergency Management characterized the updated guidance as operational: 'the information in the plan is usable now, and the plan primarily affects grant eligibility.
Staff also summarized recent sheltering activity and the county's relationship with the American Red Cross. Emergency Management said the county activated an emergency shelter trailer and supported a shelter at an apartment building damaged by an electrical fire in Stockport; the Red Cross inspected sites and can designate them as shelters under a memorandum of understanding. Officials emphasized that an inventory of possible shelters exists but that whether a particular site opens in an event depends on the incident, the Red Cross inspection, and operational considerations such as school schedules and space availability.
Supervisors asked whether the county will publish the shelter list; Emergency Management said it can share a list with supervisors but urged caution about publishing it to the general public because availability changes year to year and designation in an actual emergency depends on the nature and location of the event. The office said it will provide supervisors a current list on request.
No formal votes were taken on the hazard mitigation or shelter planning briefings during the meeting.
Several supervisors thanked Emergency Management for its work and asked staff to continue outreach and follow up as the state and FEMA review processes proceed.
