Hazard Mitigation Planning

Kutztown University to Prepare

Hazard Mitigation Plan

Across the United States, natural and human-caused disasters have led to increasing levels of deaths, injuries, property damage, and interruption of business and government services.  The time, money, and efforts to recover from these disasters exhaust resources, diverting attention from important public programs and private agendas.  With several statewide or county-specific gubernatorial and presidential disaster declarations in recent history, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and Kutztown University have recognized the impact of disasters on their campuses and concluded that proactive efforts needed to be taken to reduce the impact of natural and human-caused hazards. 

Accordingly, Kutztown University has created a Disaster-Resistant University Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (DRU/HMPC) who will assist consultants from URS Corporation in preparing our Hazard Mitigation Plan.  This project will not only guide the University towards greater disaster resistance, but is part of on-going efforts to create a more sustainable University community. 

In order to qualify for federal aid for technical assistance and post-disaster funding, the University must comply with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA) and its implementing regulations (44 CFR §§201.6, published February 26, 2002).  The University’s Hazard Mitigation Plan will be prepared to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements in order for the University to be eligible for funding and technical assistance from state and federal hazard mitigation programs. 

Hazard mitigation is a phrase that describes actions taken to prevent or reduce the long-term risks to life and property from hazards.  Pre-disaster mitigation actions are taken in advance of a hazard event and are essential to breaking the typical disaster cycle of damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.  With careful selection, mitigation actions can be long-term, cost-effective means of reducing the risk of loss.  The hazard mitigation planning process consists of: 

• Public involvement through a series of meetings;

• Identification of hazards that could affect the University;

• Assessment of the University’s vulnerability to these hazards in terms of the number of structures and people affected;

• Identification of mitigation actions that can reduce the risk from these hazards; and

• Development of an implementation strategy identifying roles and responsibilities.

Anyone that wishes to participate in the plan development or wants more information should contact Stephen Helms, Kutztown University DRU Project Manager at (610) 683-4050 or helms@kutztown.edu.