The Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is currently working with the Middle Georgia Regional Commission and community partners on its Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan, and a public forum will be held June 25, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. in the Government Center Commission Chambers (700 Poplar Street) to let people know about the plan and seek their feedback.

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan helps Macon-Bibb identify what hazards the community is susceptible to, where its vulnerabilities are, and what needs to be done to stop or lessen the impact from them. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires it be updated every five years in order for communities to be eligible for post-disaster financial reimbursement.

“We want to let people know about the plans we have in place to mitigate potential disasters and to respond quickly and effectively to those that occur,” says EMA Director Donald Druitt. “It also gives us a chance to learn more about the community we’re serving, hear about the concerns they have, and better identify ways to prepare and respond.”

Residents and business owners can provide first-hand experience about how their neighborhoods are affected by issues like severe weather. For example, EMA and first responders will want to know which streets flood regularly after heavy rains because that will help them determine where they can drive after a storm and where people may need to be rescued from.

The current plan (which can be viewed by clicking here) allowed EMA to identify homes that were continually flooding, triggering a funding source from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and FEMA to purchase property and convert them to greenspace.

A kickoff meeting has already been held with Macon-Bibb County leaders, first responders, and other disaster response partners, and there will be one more forum scheduled for a later date. The updated Plan should be ready in the Spring of 2016.