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Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County adopts Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024 to preserve FEMA funding eligibility
Summary
The County Commission unanimously adopted the Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024, a FEMA‑aligned, five‑year plan identifying hazards and mitigation strategies that the county says will help secure reimbursement through GEMA/FEMA programs.
The Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County voted unanimously Aug. 5 to adopt the Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024. The motion to approve the plan was made by Vice‑Chairman Timothy Biddle and seconded by Commissioner Jason Frost.
The plan, prepared by the county Emergency Management Agency and a 21‑member planning committee, inventories local hazards, evaluates risk and lists mitigation strategies. County documents presented to the Commission say the update identifies nine natural hazards (including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flood and drought) and four technological or manmade hazards (including hazardous‑materials and transportation incidents). The update lists 79 mitigation strategies overall, including 27 new strategies suggested in the update.
Why the plan matters: FEMA requires local pre‑disaster mitigation plans for eligibility under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. County staff told commissioners they have been waiting for GEMA approval and that adopting the plan is necessary to pursue federal reimbursement for mitigation projects.
The plan’s recommended steps include maintaining National Flood Insurance Program compliance, installing outdoor warning sirens, purchasing portable generators for the water utility, distributing NOAA weather radios to residents, assessing critical facilities’ vulnerabilities, and studying locations for tornado shelters near mobile‑home parks. The committee’s executive summary notes the plan will be updated every five years and that mitigation actions are guidelines rather than mandatory obligations.
County Manager Thomas Weaver told the board staff will follow up with GEMA/FEMA on next steps once the resolution is filed. Chairman Charles Coffey confirmed the resolution was passed in regular session; the county’s resolution text was included in the meeting packet and will be posted to the county website as part of the public record.
The adoption clears the way for Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County to apply for hazard mitigation grants and to seek reimbursement for eligible projects tied to the plan.
