Public Forum about Mitigation of Natural Hazards

Tropical Storm Irene and October snowstorm Albert are recent events that caused severe damage in the region and resulted in Federal disaster declarations.  Flooding, heavy snow, wind, and downed power lines cause damage to property, disrupt our daily routines, close our schools and businesses, and jeopardize the health and safety of the citizens of southeastern Connecticut.

What can be done to minimize our vulnerabilities to natural hazards?  The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) is developing an update to the region’s natural hazard mitigation plan to identify activities that can be undertaken before natural hazards occur in order to minimize property damage, risk of life, and the costs that are shared by all.  The plan is being funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and will discuss the occurrence and consequences of floods, winter storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and tropical storms, wildfires, earthquakes, and dam failure.  The plan will outline the steps that each of the communities in the region can take to mitigate for future natural hazards.

In order to gain input to the hazard mitigation plan, the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments will host a forum on Tuesday, December 13, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at its office located at 5 Connecticut Avenue in Norwich.  Residents and business owners are invited to share their experiences with natural hazards and offer ideas for minimizing the damage that occurs and the costs that are borne by our towns and citizens. 

For further information, please contact James S. Butler, Executive Director, Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, at (860) 889-2324 or jbutler@seccog.org.