Hancock County’s natural hazard mitigation plan committee looking at community risks

CARTHAGE, Ill. — Hancock County is updating its multi-jurisdictional natural hazard mitigation plan.

Hancock County ESDA coordinator Jack Curfman says the current plan — adopted in 2018 — will be expiring in 2023.

“The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires that each jurisdiction have an approved Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan to be eligible for several funding streams,“ Curfman said in a press release. “By beginning the process now, we will not have any lapse in coverage.”

The county has received a grant from FEMA, through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, to hire University of Illinois Extension and Illinois State Water Survey to work with the planning committee to update the plan.

The second of four planning meetings is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Hancock County Emergency Management Office at 1006 Wabash.

University of Illinois educator Carrie McKillip says this meeting will focus on assessing the risks in each community.

“As part of the planning process, each participating jurisdiction will have the opportunity to look at the risks they feel they are most likely to experience and rate the risk from that hazard,” McKillip said in a press release. McKillip also mentioned that the Illinois State Water Survey will be present to discuss flood risks and vulnerabilities within each jurisdiction.

McKillip said each incorporated jurisdiction in the county will have the opportunity to participate in the process and submit projects for the plan. McKillip also encouraged other public and nonprofit organizations to participate. Schools, hospitals, health departments and social service agencies can all submit mitigation projects to reduce the impact of disasters.

Many mitigation activities do not cost anything. Having a family or office emergency plan reduces the risk to your family and co-workers. The Illinois Extension has many educational programs that can assist the community, organizations and families in becoming more disaster resilient.

For more information about the Hancock County hazard mitigation planning process, contact Curfman at esda@hancockcounty-il.gov or McKillip at mckillip@illinois.edu. For information regarding Illinois Extension programs, contact the Hancock County Extension office at (217)357-2150 or uie-abhps@illinois.edu.