Blue and gold gradient background with text overlay.

 

Every five years, the local Hazard Mitigation Plan is updated and submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The plan addresses threats from potential natural hazards and identifies possible strategies to reduce impacts. The purpose of hazard mitigation planning is to reduce loss of life and property damage by minimizing the impact of natural disasters. Cities and Special Districts must have either their own Hazard Mitigation Plan on file with FEMA or be a participating entity in a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan to be eligible for many federal funding opportunities, including Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program.

The current San Joaquin County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was updated in 2022, as required by FEMA, and approved by FEMA and the County Board of Supervisors in April 2023. San Joaquin County was awarded funding through the Hazard Mitigation Program Grant to update the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan for the entire Operational Area. Planning for a Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan was kicked off in January 2024, to include cities and special districts within the County. This planning effort is being supported by a contract consultant, Black & Veatch. The plan will identify hazards, assess risk from those hazards, and come up with hazard mitigation strategies to reduce or eliminate future risk.

 

What is hazard mitigation?

Hazard mitigation is any sustainable action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. The best way to do this is to create a thorough plan well in advance, before any disasters happen.

Phases of Emergency Management

Emergency management focuses on reducing or avoiding potential losses from hazards, assuring prompt and appropriate assistance from damages, and achieving rapid and effective recovery measures.

This process is divided into four phases: mitigation (preventing future damages and losses), preparedness (getting ready for a disaster before it happens), response (actions taken during and immediately after a disaster), and recovery (bouncing back after the disaster). Communities need to think about these steps to lessen the effects of disasters, respond effectively when they happen, and recover afterwards.

The mitigation phase is all about finding ways to prevent disasters or lessen their impact. It involves thinking of long-term solutions to help reduce the effects of disasters before they happen.

Emergency Management phases cycle.

 

What is a Hazard Mitigation Plan?

A Hazard Mitigation Plan is a comprehensive strategy that assesses the risks and vulnerabilities associated with various hazards, such as droughts, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, flooding, and wildfires. It identifies actions and measures to reduce the impacts of these hazards, protect lives, buildings, infrastructure, and property, and strengthen abilities to recover from these types of events.

Hazard Mitigation Planning Process

The County and its Planning Partners will be using a phased process to prepare the Multi-Jurisdiction Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, which follows FEMA and Cal OES requirements, along with the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit and the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric) Climate Resilience: Steps to Resilience practitioners’ methodologies

Colorful MJHMP Planning Process chart which begins with organizing resources, assessing risk, engaging with the pulic developing the mitigation strategy, planning maintenance strategy, and assembling and adopting the plan.

 

How Does the Plan Benefit the San Joaquin County Planning Area?

The Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan will assist the County and its Planning Partners with the following:

  • An increased understanding of the hazards faced locally
  • Development of more sustainable and resilient communities
  • Eligibility for FEMA pre- and post-disaster mitigation funding for activities and planning before disasters strike
  • Reducing long-term impacts and damages to human health and structures, as well as reduced repair costs

 

San Joaquin County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan

The County’s Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan will identify hazards that pose a risk to our communities and will identify actions the County and its Planning Partners can take to reduce the impacts from the hazards. This plan will guide local governments to implement the mitigation strategies identified in the plan. By having a plan in place, the County and it’s Planning Partners are eligible for FEMA HMA funding.

The 2026 Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan is being led by the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services in partnership with the following Planning Partners:

  • San Joaquin County
  • City of Escalon
  • City of Lathrop
  • City of Lodi
  • City of Manteca
  • City of Mountain House
  • City of Ripon
  • City of Stockton
  • City of Tracy
  • San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency (SJAFCA)
  • Waterloo-Morada Rural County Fire Protection District
  • Linden-Peters Rural County Fire Protection District
  • Mokelumne Rural County Fire District
  • Port of Stockton
  • Reclamation District 2085 (Kasson)
  • Reclamation District 348 (New Hope)
  • Reclamation District 2095 (Paradise Junction)
  • Reclamation District 2094 (Walthall)
  • San Joaquin County Office of Education
  • Woodbridge Rural County Fire Protection District

Participation

The public is welcome and encouraged to participate during the planning process! Upcoming meeting information and materials will be shared on this page and all meetings are open to the public.

If you live or work in the County, please take a moment to fill out a short survey. This survey aims to collect your thoughts on any hazards and risks we face locally. Results from the survey will help us better coordinate future mitigation activities to create more resilient communities!

If you have any questions or want to share your ideas, please email OES Duty Officer at oesdutyofficer@sjgov.org. 

 

Meetings

The Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee (SC) meets monthly as needed to work on the HMP for the County and it’s Planning Partners. SC meetings are open to the public and held virtually. Check back for meeting information and to review past meeting agendas and summaries.

  • SC Kickoff Meeting – October 10, 2024
    • Agenda
    • Summary

 

Draft Plan

Future opportunities to comment on the draft plan will be posted here.