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Cusseta–Chattahoochee County adopts Hazard Mitigation Plan required for FEMA funding
Summary
The commission unanimously adopted the county’s updated Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024 to maintain eligibility for FEMA mitigation grants and to guide future hazard-reduction projects; the plan was prepared with local, state and federal input and will be updated every five years.
The Cusseta–Chattahoochee County Commission unanimously adopted the Cusseta–Chattahoochee County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024 at its Aug. 5 regular meeting, a required step to keep the county eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation funding.
The county manager said the plan update, prepared with a 21‑member planning committee and reviewed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and FEMA, identifies natural and technological threats and recommends mitigation strategies. The executive summary attached to the plan lists nine natural hazards (including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, drought and wildfire) and four technological or manmade hazards. The plan also lists 79 mitigation strategies county officials can use as a blueprint for reducing future damage.
County officials said adopting the plan allows the county to submit projects for reimbursement through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The plan notes it will be updated every five years to remain compliant with FEMA’s regulation at 44 CFR 201.6.
The motion to amend the agenda so staff could obtain GEMA approval and reimbursement was made by Commissioner Timothy Biddle and seconded by Commissioner Jason Frost; Biddle later moved to adopt the plan, a motion seconded by Commissioner Gerald Douglas and approved unanimously. The county manager said staff will use the plan to prioritize projects when applying for mitigation or resilience grants.
The plan’s executive summary also lists completed actions since the prior plan (2018), such as initial shelter and critical‑facility assessments, and new strategies the committee recommended, such as acquiring portable generators for water utilities, improving radio communications, and studying locations for outdoor warning sirens.
