Local Emergency Planning director wants public input for new disaster plan

Local Emergency Planning director wants public input for new disaster plan

‘ Hazard Risk Assessment’ survey gives residents a voice

news@theeveningtimes.com

“Be prepared” is a boy scout slogan, but it has special significance for the Local Emergency Planning office right now.

The county is preparing a new comprehensive emergency plan and the first step is collecting public opinion through a survey.

Crittenden County Emergency Manager Bud Spears rolled out a public survey this week called “The Hazard Risk Assessment,” and outlined the importance of public participation in making a new countywide comprehensive disaster plan.

“We are in the process of writing a county mitigation plan. We need as much feedback as possible from county and municipal leaders as well as the general public.”

Spears is placing a high priority on public input regarding natural disasters and asked government agencies to spread the word about the survey on social media outlets. There is a PDF available that can be returned via a link but old fashioned mail will work, too.

“I’ll take it however I can get it,” said Spears. “We need as much public input as we can get.”

The worksheet has an A-Z list of catastrophes from avalanches to wild fire asks for possible locations, probable extent, future probability and rank in significance. Extreme weather hazards are part of the survey including tornadoes, drought, lightening and high wind. Flood, earthquakes are up for consideration as well.

The data collected from survey participants forms the statistical groundwork from which emergency agencies can build response plans together.

“We’ll sit down and make a ranking,” said Spears, “We also go by statistical probability when we are planning.”

The hazard risk assessment may be found online on Google Docs at https://goo.gl/forms/o3rfk-WZnxPx3V9fe2. Visitors can then reply to the link to

submit your survey, which is linked into the form too, hazardmitigator@gmail.co

By John Rech