Schuylkill County finalizes hazard mitigation plan

Wildfires, floods, drought, dam failures and incidents involving hazardous materials. But here in northeast Pennsylvania, what’s the occurrence that causes the most damage?

Who knew? It’s the winter snowstorm, as we’ll soon experience.

“Winter storms can produce more damage than any other severe weather event, including tornadoes,” according to Schuylkill County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.

“Complications caused by winter storms can lead to road closures (especially secondary and farm roads); business losses to commercial centers built in outlying areas because of supply interruption and loss of customers; property losses and roof damages from snow and ice loading and fallen trees; utility interruptions; and loss of water supplies.”

During the Schuylkill County Commissioners meeting Wednesday, county Planning Director Susan Smith updated the board on the progress of the county’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, being updated by the county’s planning department and Emergency Management Agency.

It’s a Federal Emergency Management Agency requirement that the plan be updated every five years; the county’s update is in draft form now (www.scema.org/hazard-mitigation-plan-update-2019).

Smith said that the public is encouraged to comment on the plan.

Smith said that no matter what happens, “Schuylkill County will be resilient.” Communities which participate in the plan can apply for pre-disaster funding for projects that mitigate risks to both public and private property, such as drainage and stormwater projects.

“(Renewing) The plan demonstrates a commitment to proactive strategy by decision makers,” Smith said, adding that there were 36 members on the planning team. “The bulk of the planning process is completed.”

The draft plan will be available for review for 30 days and will then be submitted to FEMA.

The plan includes a risk assessment and hazard mitigation strategy, focusing on existing and future buildings, infrastructure and critical facilities, blight, dam and levee failure, hazardous materials and transportation, hurricane and wind, mine subsidence, nuclear incidents, radon, tornado, wildfire and winter storms.

The commissioners thanked Smith and the volunteers who worked together to update the plan.

“Thank you for taking the helm on this,” Chairman George Halcovage said. “And thank those in the community who volunteered their time.”

Some dangers are predictable, while others are not.

“I was mayor of a small town (Schuylkill Haven) when flooding took place in 2006,” said Commissioner Gary Hess.

“You never know what Mother Nature may do.”