13 - RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2017 LAMAR COUNTY MITIGATION PLAN

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Lamar County Multi- Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Chapter Two CHAPTER TWO - THE PLANNING PROCESS 2.1 BENEFITS OF MITIGATION PLANNING Hazard Mitigation plans such as this one help communities reduce their risk from hazards by identifying weaknesses and developing strategies to alleviate (if not eliminate) the effects of the hazard. The benefits of this process are numerous and are supported by reports and case studies. Benefits include but are not limited to: • Saves lives, and money • Speeds recovery following disasters. • Reduces future vulnerability through wise development and post- disaster recovery and reconstruction. • Qualifies the receipt for pre- disaster grant funding • Demonstrates a firm commitment to improving community health and safety. • Improves Inter - Jurisdictional Communication The tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri, in the late afternoon on Sunday, May 22, 2011 really brings home the need for hazard mitigation planning. This disaster is eye- opening for areas such as Lamar County which is at the southern edge of tornado alley. The need to reduce our risk from hazards such as tornadoes by identifying our weaknesses and developing strategies to alleviate the risk of such hazards is fresh in our memory. According to FEMA the benefits of mitigation planning include: 1. Increases public awareness and understanding of vulnerabilities as well as support for specific actions to reduce losses from future natural disasters. 2. Builds partnerships with diverse stakeholders increasing opportunities to leverage data and resources in reducing workloads as well as achieving shared community objectives. 3. Expands understanding of potential risk reduction measures to include structural and regulatory tools, where available, such as ordinances and building codes. 4. Informs development, prioritization, and implementation of mitigation projects. Benefits accrue over the life of the project as losses are avoided from each subsequent hazard event.6 2.2 THE MULTI - JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING PROCESS According to the Multi- Jurisdictional Mitigation Planning, State and Local Mitigation Planning How -To Guide Number Eight, FEMA 386 -8 August 2006, jurisdictions can benefit in several ways when they choose to participate in a multi - jurisdictional planning process. Among such benefits, this process: 6 http: / /www.fema.gov /plan /mitplanning /faqs.shtm 30