Knox Co. EMA receives FEMA approved Multi Hazard Mitigation Plan

KNOX COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Those of us who lived through the recent severe weather know that every moment is important.

Deputy Director of the Knox County Emergency Management Agency Renee Schopmeyer said they are now better prepared to meet the challenges of a natural disaster or critical event.

This is because of their Multi Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan was approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday.

“It identifies the different hazards and threats in the county,” she said. “We then do an in-depth risk assessment and identify some of the vulnerable communities, the critical infrastructures and facilities to look at different aspects of how it could affect the county, the city, and the municipalities.”

Schopmeyer said it will also unlock possible funding to either prevent these events from happening or recover as quickly as possible.

“Utilizing this plan allows us to access grants and funding pre-disaster or post-event that way we can get those funding resources as well,” she said.

She said that this will constantly improve their approach to these situations moving forward.

“Having that plan in place is reassurance to know that there is a plan and that there is an opportunity to improve and build,” she said.

Schopmeyer said that nature is inevitable, but having a proper recovery plan is not.

“We can’t stop nature from happening, but we can educate the public and have better resources to be able to recover from it,” she said.

Schopmeyer added that physical, financial, and emotional losses caused by disasters can be reduced significantly through hazard mitigation planning.

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