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NJ Office of Emergency Management
Colonel Rick Fuentes Major Patrick J. Callahan
Superintendent, New Jersey State Police
State Director of Emergency Management
Commanding Officer, Emergency Management Section

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mary Goepfert (609) 963-6818 March 11, 2014

NEW JERSEY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON NJ STATE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

Plan Outlines Measures for Hazard Risk Reduction, Improved Disaster Resilience

In order to increase transparency regarding proposed disaster risk reduction strategies, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) is opening the Draft 2014 State of New Jersey Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) for public review and comment. The comment period will start March 11, 2014 and end April 11, 2014. This is the first time the NJ Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) has opened a public comment period before submitting the plan to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for approval.

"Mitigation strategies are about helping communities reducing the impact of disasters," said Colonel Rick Fuentes, State Police Superintendent and Director of the NJ Office of Emergency Management. "The plan provides guidance to aid communities in making decisions about municipal planning and development that will increase sustainability, help save lives, and protect property from future disasters."

The State HMP captures historic disaster experiences, and reflects the natural and human-caused hazards New Jersey faces. The State HMP outlines a strategy to reduce risks from hazards, and serves as the basis for prioritizing future funding.

All States are required to have a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-approved hazard mitigation plan to be eligible for disaster recovery assistance and mitigation funding. The State HMP fulfills this requirement and provides direction and guidance on launching hazard mitigation projects. The State HMP must be reviewed, updated and submitted to FEMA for approval at least once every three years in order to maintain eligibility for FEMA grant programs.

The 2014 Draft State Hazard Mitigation Plan with instructions for submitting comments can be accessed at ready.nj.gov.

 

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