Identifying projects and activities that can protect Vermilion County residents, property, and critical infrastructure from natural and man-made hazards while maintaining vital services when severe weather hits will be discussed at the Vermilion County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee meeting at the at the Courthouse Administration Building, 2nd Floor, 201 N. Vermilion St., Danville, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 18.
“Severe weather frequently damages buildings, crops, roads, and other critical infrastructure in this area. Since 1968, the County has been a part of eight federal disaster declarations. In addition, there have been at least seven fatalities, 39 injuries, and $128 million in verified property and crop damages caused by hazard events in the County,” said Vermilion County Emergency Management Agency Director, Russell Rudd. “Identifying preventative steps that can be taken to reduce the dollar damages as well as protect public health before a natural hazard event occurs is the goal of this planning process.”
This Committee began work in October 2022 to update the County’s All Hazards Mitigation Plan. Committee meetings are open to the public.
“Other emergency plans are directed at responding after a storm or disaster strikes. With this Plan, we will identify actions that can be taken to reduce damages caused by natural and man-made hazards for each participating jurisdiction before they occur. This Plan also helps assure each participating jurisdiction is eligible to receive federal grant money for mitigation projects,” added Rudd.
Building community safe rooms, acquiring flood prone properties, resolving drainage issues, retrofitting critical infrastructure to better withstand hazard events, installing back-up power supplies, and developing public information materials are a few of the more frequently encountered mitigation projects in Illinois.
