Brevard County Emergency Management Mitigation
In mitigation, you can take sustained actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects. Since mitigation involves reducing risk, it can occur before or after an emergency, when plans are put into action
to minimize or eliminate damage.
Cost-effective mitigation measures are the key to reducing disaster losses in the long term. In hazard-prone areas, mitigation can break the cycle of having to rebuild and rebuild again with every recurrence. There is also a need for planning to take
advantage of mitigation opportunities in the aftermath of an emergency or disaster, when hazard awareness is high, funds may become available, and disruption of the status quo makes it possible to rethink design and location of some facilities and
infrastructure.
Attention to mitigation opportunities can make safer communities for us all.
Brevard Prepares
In the spring of 1998, the Florida Department of Community Affairs initiated a program to assist local government in developing plans to reduce or eliminate risks to people and property from natural and man-made hazards known as the Local Mitigation Strategy
(LMS).
The primary objective of the Local Mitigation Strategy is to remove, if possible, or otherwise to limit the losses of life and property due to a disaster. In 1998, Brevard County created an LMS Taskforce called Brevard Prepares. Brevard Prepares is composed
of a number of local government agencies, businesses, community organizations, and institutions. Brevard Prepares, supported by Brevard County Emergency Management, has been responsible for developing all work products for the Local Mitigation Strategy
including the development of a set of guiding principles, identification of potential hazards affecting the community; identification of people and infrastructure which are vulnerable to hazards; identification of critical facilities which are necessary
for maintaining health, safety and welfare of residents before, during, and after a catastrophic event; and the development of a prioritized list of pre- and post-hazard mitigation initiatives (projects) eligible for funding. The Local Mitigation
Strategy is intended to provide one unified program for Brevard County and its incorporated municipalities.
Mitigation Makes Brevard More Resilient!
Brevard County Emergency Management is working with Brevard Public School District to make schools more resilient! On August 24, 2021, the School Board approved an agenda item to work with Brevard County to submit a grant application to the Rebuild
Florida General Infrastructure Grant Program, which is administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and is federally funded. The competitive program focuses on "high impact activities to minimize or eliminate risks and reduce
losses from future disasters...the funds provide an opportunity to improve state and local planning protocols and procedures.
Deficiencies of the public safety radio communication were identified as a "significant factor in the delayed response times" in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission's initial report. By applying to the Rebuild Florida Mitigation
General Infrastructure Program, Brevard County, as the eligible entity and in partnership with the School District, can contribute to the enhancements of the public safety radio system inside the schools to provide the proper in-building radio coverage
to the first responders. The requested grant amount is estimated at $5 million.
The application process requires a public notice and comment period. The public notice will be posted on the District website with an opportunity to submit comments during the comment period, August 25 through September 10. Please respond to a brief
survey regarding the project no later than September 10th.
For more information, please contact Karen Black at Black.Karen@BrevardSchools.org
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