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Montebello adopts updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan to preserve FEMA grant eligibility
Summary
The council adopted a FEMA‑recognized Local Hazard Mitigation Plan that updates risk assessments and mitigation actions and restores the city's eligibility for FEMA mitigation grants. The plan, prepared under grant funding, reflects public outreach and will remain in force for five years.
Fire Chief Pelaez presented the updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) to the Montebello City Council on Aug. 27 and asked the council to adopt a resolution authorizing submission to FEMA. Chief Pelaez said the plan — a 260‑page document created with a grant that covered costs — identifies natural and human‑caused hazards, assesses vulnerabilities, and sets mitigation strategies to reduce loss of life and property.
"It is required to be updated every 5 years," Pelaez said, adding that the plan had expired about a year earlier and the update restores eligibility for FEMA hazard mitigation grant programs. The plan, Pelaez said, included community outreach in English and Spanish, online surveys, public meetings in June and July and direct mail to more than 11,000 households and businesses.
Councilmembers noted the plan lists priority hazards including extreme heat, drought, earthquakes, high wind storms, wildfire, power outages and cyber/IT disruptions. Chief Pelaez said the fire department has already moved to address several identified threats, including hazardous‑materials technician training and expanded urban search and rescue enrollment.
Council adopted the resolution unanimously. Staff will send the signed resolution to FEMA to complete the plan approval process, which will restore the city's eligibility for FEMA mitigation grants for the next five years.
