Hazard Mitigation Plan Approved by Smith County

TYLER – The Smith County Commissioners Court has approved the Smith County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan, which was approved at Tuesday’s meeting, has been worked on for over a year. The 393-page document has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, pending adoption by the Commissioners Court. The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires proactive, pre-disaster planning as a prerequisite for some funding, and encourages state and local authorities to work together on pre-disaster planning. Hazard mitigation is the use of long- and short-term strategies to reduce or alleviate the loss of life, personal injury and property damage that can result from a disaster. It involves strategies such as planning, policy changes, programs, projects and other activities that can lessen the impacts of hazards.

Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson said, “Smith County and all the cities within the county have worked diligently together to make this plan the best for the citizens of Smith County and all of the participating cities.” Smith County has worked with Arp, Bullard, Hideaway, Lindale, New Chapel Hill, Noonday, Troup, Tyler, Whitehouse and Winona to develop and maintain the plan. The participating cities are in the process of having their plans adopted.

You can go to http://smith-county.com/NewCountyIntranet/Fire%20Marshal/MASTER_Smith_HMPUpdate_DraftClient%2003.05.18.pdf to view the entire plan.