The Highland County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is conducting a five-year update to the Highland County All Hazard Mitigation Plan.

These plans are intended to identify hazards that pose a genuine risk to property and life, and to identify solutions which will mitigate the impacts of natural disasters (flooding, high winds, severe winter or summer storms, earthquakes, etc., according to Highland County EMA Director Dave Bushelman.

For a county or any of its local jurisdictions to qualify for any federal mitigation assistance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires communities to update their Hazard Mitigation Plans every five years, Bushelman said.

Highland County will hold a public hearing to review its revised draft Hazard Mitigation Plan on May 6 beginning at 2 p.m. at Highland County Administration Building, 119 Foraker Place, Hillsboro. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The draft report is available to view at http://www.highlandcountyema.com.

For more information, contact Bushelman [email protected] or at 937-393-5880.