Regional planner outlines Adams County hazard mitigation update; wildfire, wind and flooding top local concerns

Officials from the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission briefed the Adams County board on a required update to the county's all-hazard mitigation plan, saying FEMA requires counties to refresh mitigation plans every five years to remain eligible for some mitigation funding.

"This plan focuses on ways to mitigate the effects of severe weather and natural disasters. It's a FEMA requirement," said Darryl London, a planner with the commission, who said this will be the fifth edition of the county plan; he noted he worked on the original plan in 2004.

London summarized survey responses from the towns: wildfire-related hazards, high wind and tornado, and flooding were the most commonly cited priorities. Towns also raised gaps in cellphone service, one-way-in/one-way-out roadways that complicate evacuations, hazmat concerns near highways and impacts to agriculture. Proposed mitigation ideas included culvert and ditch inspections, additional Firewise programming, and wildfire fuels management.

Planners handed supervisors a hazard-ranking matrix and asked each member to score listed hazards (1 = low, 2 = medium, 3 = high) and return the sheet within the next weeks; planners will combine results and bring a summary to a future meeting. London said the county and participating units (towns, city, village, school districts if they choose) must adopt the plan to be eligible for certain FEMA grants.

Supervisors asked about shelter needs and participation rates. London acknowledged only nine of 17 towns returned the survey and said town participation is voluntary; he described follow-up steps, including direct invitations to townships, meetings with the City of Adams and Village of Friendship, and draft report review opportunities. Jane, county staff coordinating the update, said participation has varied across updates and that the number returning surveys this cycle was higher than in some past cycles.

Board members also asked about national-level changes and FEMA's role; London and other emergency-management participants said Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Wisconsin Emergency Management Association are tracking federal discussions about potential changes to FEMA's responsibilities and preparing contingency planning. The board did not take action on the plan at the meeting; planners requested the board complete the ranking homework and expect to return with drafts and public meetings later in the process.