Hazard Mitigation

Weld County Hazard Mitigation Plan

“Weld County, CO- Weld County has been updating the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan over the last year with the collaboration of local municipalities, and other community organizations.  This plan is designed to proactively reduce the risk of hazards facing Weld County and must be updated and approved be FEMA every five years to keep it current and to maintain eligibility for mitigation funding. 

Weld County will be submitting an updated Hazard Mitigation Report to identify progress on Community Mitigation Projects. 

To view the current Hazard Mitigation Plan click the link below: 2021 Hazard Mitigation PDF  

Once you have pulled up your projects from the 2021 Mitigation Plan, click the link below and follow the instructions

  1. Select the Community in the Drop Down Box ( the Community drop down box shows how many projects were identified for your community)
  2. Select the Project Number for the project you are updating
  3. Type in the Project Name
  4. Please complete the Survey for EACH project in your community
  5. OR- Screen Shot the projects for your community and email updates to dbradshaw@weldgov.com
  6. Complete the updates prior to January 6th. 

Hazard Mitigation Project update survey-  Survey Link  

Interested in reviewing the last plan and what it includes? 2016 Weld County Hazard Mitigation Plan(PDF, 24MB)

 

What is hazard mitigation?

The term “Hazard Mitigation” describes actions that can help reduce or eliminate long-term risks caused by hazards, such as floods, wildfires, tornadoes, and earthquakes. Hazard mitigation is best accomplished when based on a comprehensive, long-term plan developed before a disaster strikes.

As the costs of disaster impacts continue to rise, governments and citizens must find ways to reduce hazard risks to our communities. Oftentimes after disasters, repairs and reconstruction are often completed in such a way as to simply restore damaged property to pre-disaster conditions. These efforts may “get things back to normal,” but the replication of pre-disaster conditions often results in a repetitive cycle of damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Hazard mitigation breaks this repetitive cycle by producing less vulnerable conditions through pre- and post- disaster repairs and reconstruction. The implementation of such hazard mitigation actions now by state and local governments means building stronger, safer, and smarter communities that will be able to reduce future injuries and damages.

Why is hazard mitigation important for counties and municipalities?

  • Protect public safety and prevent loss of life and injury.
  • Reduce harm to existing and future development.
  • Maintain community continuity and strengthen the social connections that are essential for recovery.
  • Prevent damage to your community’s unique economic, cultural, and environmental assets.
  • Minimize operational downtime and accelerate recovery of government and business after disasters.
  • Reduce the costs of disaster response and recovery and the exposure to risk for first responders.
  • Help accomplish other community objectives, such as capital improvements, infrastructure protection, open space preservation, and economic resiliency.

How do Weld County and its jurisdictions benefit from this type of planning?

  • Ensuring eligibility for all sources of hazard mitigation funds made available through FEMA.
  • Increasing public awareness and understanding of vulnerabilities as well as support for specific actions to reduce losses from future disasters.
  • Ensuring community policies, programs, and goals are compatible with reducing vulnerability to all hazards and identifying those that are incompatible.
  • Building partnerships with diverse stakeholders, increasing opportunities to leverage data and resources in reducing workloads, as well as achieving shared community objectives.
  • Expanding the understanding of potential risk reduction measures to include: local plans and regulations; structure and infrastructure projects; natural systems protection; education and awareness programs; and other tools.
  • Informing the development, prioritization, and implementation of mitigation projects. Benefits accrue over the life of these projects as losses are avoided from each subsequent hazard event.
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