Town of East Bridgewater Seeks Committee Members to Help Update Hazard Mitigation Plan

EAST BRIDGEWATER — The Town of East Bridgewater is in the process of updating its Hazard Mitigation Plan in a joint effort with three other communities, and is seeking residents to serve on a committee to help the process proceed.

The Towns of East Bridgewater, Abington, Easton and Stoughton were all participants in the 2015 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Old Colony Region. That plan expired in November 2020, and the four towns are now pursuing a stand-alone multi-jurisdictional plan to evaluate risk and propose mitigation strategies specific to the four communities. 

The Hazard Mitigation Plan update process is expected to take place over the next 12 months.

FEMA defines hazard mitigation as a series of actions and policies designed to reduce and/or eliminate the impacts of naturally occurring disasters on people and property.

East Bridgewater’s Hazard Mitigation Plan is a living document that must grow and adapt, keeping pace with the community’s growth and change. The Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA) of 2000 places high priority on the continuation of the planning process after the initial submittal, requiring communities to seek and receive re-approval from FEMA to remain eligible for assistance.

This most recent Hazard Mitigation Plan update process will aim to increase awareness and involvement in hazard mitigation as part of daily activities. The approach for this update is premised on four primary methods outlined in the requirements of the DMA 2000:

• Planning Process – Outreach and Stakeholder Coordination
• Risk Assessment – Identifying Hazards and Estimating Losses
• Mitigation Strategy – Identifying Mitigation Actions and Implementation Strategies
• Plan Maintenance – Implementation, Evaluation and Revision/Update

As part of this process, the Town will have a short-term Hazard Mitigation Plan committee that will serve as the working advisory body supporting the update. 

Anyone interested in serving on the Committee should contact the Board of Selectmen’s Office at 508-378-1601 or email rjohnson@eastbridgewaterma.gov.

For more information on the committee, as well as a specific list of responsibilities, click here. For additional information or with questions, contact Town Administrator Charlie Seelig at 508-378-1601 or email cseelig@eastbridgewaterma.gov.

For a Hazard Mitigation Plan task list, click here.

East Bridgewater residents and property owners will also be encouraged to participate in a survey later this year on participating in the process. A separate announcement will be sent out at a later date.

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