Local mitigation strategy (LMS) - Volusia County Government

SECTION 2: PLANNING PROCESSConducted two Mitigation Strategy Workshops with the Volusia Prepares LMS Working Group andinvited the general public to attend. The first meeting focused on plan section development and thesecond focused on incorporating review comments into the draft plan.Developed the Mitigation StrategyDeveloped a new tracking and scoring system for the Mitigation InitiativesUpdated the Mitigation Initiatives status and scoring of potential projectsUpdated the LMS Plan Maintenance processEach of these planning steps resulted in critical work products and outcomes that collectively make upthe Plan. These elements have been included as separate sections of the Plan (further described inSection 1: Introduction).The jurisdictions will consider using content from the LMS into other planning initiatives.2.4 VOLUSIA PREPARES LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY WORKING GROUPIn order to guide the development of this Plan, Volusia County reconvened its Volusia Prepares LMSWorking Group that was created under past planning efforts, including the most recent planamendment in 2004/2005. The LMS Working Group participants who participated in the 2009 LMSupdate are the same jurisdictions and stakeholders that participated in the 2005 LMS update. The LMSWorking Group included representatives of various public, private and non-profit organizationsthroughout county. The LMS Working Group represented a community-based planning team made upof local government officials and other key stakeholders identified to serve as critical partners in theplanning process.Opportunities were provided for all Volusia County jurisdictions, agencies, businesses, academia andother interested parties to participate in the LMS update process. All Volusia Prepares information isemailed out to over 125 city managers, business owners, chambers of commerce, agencies, non-profits,emergency managers and other county LMS coordinators.Several non-profits (e.g., American Red Cross, Volusia Interfaiths/Agencies Networking in Disaster andUnited Cerebral Palsy) participated in the LMS update process and have approved initiatives in the LMS.There is a Volusia Prepares Business group that has developed a Business Operations Center andemergency business database. They’ve also held several business planning workshops.Beginning in March 2009, the Volusia County Prepares LMS Working Group members engaged in regulardiscussions as well as local meetings and planning workshops to discuss and complete tasks associatedwith preparing the Plan. This working group coordinated together on all aspects of plan preparation andprovided valuable input to the process. In addition to regular meetings, committee members routinelycommunicated and were kept informed through a dedicated e-mail distribution list and Internet Website.Specifically, the tasks assigned to the LMS Working Group members included:Participate in LMS update meetings and workshops.Provide best available data as required for the risk assessment portion of the Plan.Volusia County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation PlanFebruary 20102:4