Mitigation plan will help CCU better prepare for disasters
The plan is designed to protect CCU students, faculty, staff and property from the impacts of an array of possible hazards and threats. Mitigation projects outlined in the plan include the expansion of the outdoor mass notification system and public education campaigns for all-hazards preparedness. Campus officials believe these steps will lessen the impact of future disasters and the costly expenses associated with them.
History shows that the physical, financial and emotional losses caused by disasters can be reduced significantly through hazard mitigation planning, according to Carissa Medeiros, director of emergency management at CCU. The planning process encourages campus constituencies to integrate mitigation with day-to-day decision-making regarding land-use planning, site design and other activities.
In November 2014, CCU received a pre-disaster mitigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) to develop the plan. CCU's all-hazards mitigation planning team developed the plan with input from local and state officials and other stakeholders.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reviews and approves state, tribal and local hazard mitigation plans, which are required as a condition for states and communities to receive certain types of disaster assistance. In compliance with the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, adopting an all-hazards mitigation plan will qualify CCU to apply for federal mitigation grants.
State mitigation plans must be reviewed every five years, and local and tribal mitigation plans must be reviewed at least once every five years.