The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is embarking on the fourth update of the regional Hazards Mitigation Plan, last updated in 2017.
Land Use and Housing Planner Erika Smith-Erickson and Planning Manager Brad Medrud facilitated the plan’s discussion with Tumwater’s Planning Commission at a meeting yesterday, July 25.
“The city of Tumwater is prone to multiple natural hazards. The Hazard Mitigation Plan is part of the multi-jurisdictional process to mitigate and reduce the risks of destructive hazards that threaten the region specifically,” said Smith-Erickson.
The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 specifies federal hazard mitigation requirements, and jurisdictions must update their plan every five years to maintain eligibility for federal mitigation grant programs.
“These are the three types of mitigation, There's preparedness, response, and mitigation. The Hazards mitigation plan contains the city's strategies for preparedness response and mitigation,” Smith-Erickson added.
Preparedness includes supplies, training, and equipment; response refers to actions taken during an emergency; and mitigation includes actions taken before an emergency to reduce impacts, damage, or severity.
During the meeting, Hazards were explained to be classified as high, medium, and low risks. Tumwater’s risks are high for earthquakes; medium for landslides, severe weather, and wildfires; and low for dam failure, flooding, sea level rise, tsunami, and volcano.
“We're gonna dive into some of the initiatives. The first one we are doing is earthquake– our only high-ranking risk out of all the hazards,” Smith-Erickson said. “Conduct a voluntary non-structural earthquake readiness inspection for all critical facilities on an annual basis.”
The hazard initiatives are summarized here. The county encourages the general public to visit the online open house and take surveys on draft actions by August 25.
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BobJacobs
To my knowledge, no jurisdiction has seriously addressed survival of a subduction zone earthquake. The projected damages for our area, going by memory, are extreme, like 2 years without water or electricity. and this WILL happen one of these days.
Bob Jacobs
Thursday, July 27, 2023 Report this
Citizen
Reduce Hazards by eliminating Tumwater's recent ordinance allowing OPEN BURNING in the City and supporting the Hopkins Drainage District. OPEN BURNING in the midst of climate change is an invitation to creating a fire hazard. HOPKINS DRAINAGE DISTRICT upgrade could prevent flooding, Tumwater should not advocate for eliminating the district.
THURSTON COUNTY Please look at OPEN BURNING IN THE CITY OF TUMWATER and enforcing compliance with the HOPKINS DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
Thursday, July 27, 2023 Report this
Yeti1981
You know what would be really useful in getting the required supplies needed to survive after a massive disaster in this county? A Port with a Marine Terminal.
Thursday, July 27, 2023 Report this