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Bay County, Florida Local Mitigation Strategy Update, 2009/2010 Section 1. Executive Summary Bay County is threatened by a variety of natural hazards which endanger the health and safety of its citizens, jeopardize its economic vitality, and imperil the quality of its environment. Historical experience has demonstrated that the County and its municipalities can be affected by flooding, winds associated with tropical storms/hurricanes, tornados, and wildfires. Recognizing the potential impacts of these hazards, Bay County has updated the Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) to guide its local governments in mitigating these impacts and in turn protecting the health and welfare of the County’s communities. Bay County’s Local Mitigation Strategy identifies these natural hazards and assesses their potential impacts on each of Bay County’s incorporated jurisdictions and unincorporated areas, focusing primarily on existing land uses and critical facilities. Based on these hazard identifications and risk assessments, the LMS proposes appropriate hazard mitigation projects to reduce damage or impairment to the homes, businesses, schools, and government offices. Hazard mitigation is any sustained action taken to minimize long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards and their effects. This definition distinguishes actions that have a long-term impact from those that are more closely associated with immediate preparedness, response, and recovery activities. Hazard mitigation is the only phase of emergency management specifically intended to breaking the cycle of damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. As such, the governments and communities of Bay County are encouraged to take advantage of funding made available by Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) programs in both the pre- and post-disaster conditions. As a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation study, the Bay County LMS has been completed through the coordinated cooperative effort of several local governmental entities including unincorporated Bay County and the municipalities of Callaway, Lynn Haven, Mexico Beach, Panama City, Panama City Beach, Parker, and Springfield. In 2004, a task force consisting of representatives from each of these entities conducted detailed studies to identify the hazards threatening the jurisdictions of Bay County and to estimate the relative risks posed to the community where those hazards may occur. In 2009 a new Local Mitigation Strategy Team has been formed to update the information gathered in this process and reassess the vulnerabilities of the facilities and communities of Bay County relative to the potential impacts of future disasters involving those hazards. Once the specific vulnerabilities and hazard areas were identified, the LMS Team worked to justify and prioritize particular projects, proposals, and programs that would address those vulnerabilities. Chart 3 of this plan (Chart 3: Bay County Mitigation Initiative Prioritization List) provides the current list of all projects that have been identified as priorities in Bay County’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of the hazards identified throughout the Local Mitigation Strategy. For quick reference the current top 5 mitigation projects and funds needed are presented below: ---PAGE BREAK--- CHART 1 Ranking Project Name Sponsor Required Funds 1 Police Department Wind Retrofit Panama City $40,000 2 PD Substation Wind Retrofit – MLK Rd Panama City $15,000 3 Sheriff’s Office Wind Retrofit Bay County $200,000 4 CR 2300 – Flood Retrofit Bay County $500,000 5 Bear Creek Drainage Project Bay County $375,000 The priority for funding is based first upon submission of a completed characterization form, and, where no form has been completed, the age of the facility with the higher priority given to the oldest facility. As the LMS process continues, necessary funds will be identified for the projects from within current budgets or will be sought from state and federal sources. Through the efforts of the 2004 LMS Team and subsequent members, 58 mitigation projects were identified and over $32 million in funding was awarded over the planning period between 2004 and 2009. During this next 5-year planning period, the 2010 LMS will guide a new set of mitigation projects to aid in further protecting the health, safety, and welfare of Bay County’s communities. The development and update of the Bay County LMS was the result of effort and cooperation between the County, the seven municipalities, and local citizens. This collaboration could not have been accomplished without the support of the Bay County Board of County Commissioners and the City Councils/Commissions of Panama City Beach, Panama City, Springfield, Callaway, Parker, Lynn Haven, Mexico Beach, the Department of Emergency Management and the Northwest Florida Regional Planning Council. ---PAGE BREAK--- FEMA Plan / Approval and Crosswalk ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK---