July 22, 2004
UW helps state be first with disaster plan
Washington Sate is the first in the nation to secure federal approval for an enhanced plan to prevent and manage natural disasters, and the UW is one of the state agencies that participated in its development.
The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires state and tribal governments to plan for potential hazards as a condition of receiving federal mitigation financial assistance after Nov. 1. With the approval for the Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan, the University becomes eligible to compete for a share of the federal match of 20 percent for hazard mitigation projects after a disaster — up from 7.5 percent for a standard plan.
The plan was coordinated by the Washington State Emergency Management Division, with 27 agencies submitting annexes. The University’s annex to the plan provides the framework for natural hazard reduction within the University community through the recognition and analysis of the risks of natural hazards, mitigation of human and economic impacts of disasters, and comprehensive planning for resumption of University functions.
“We formed a hazard mitigation advisory committee made up of representatives from all across campus,” said Steve Charvat, UW’s emergency management director. “They worked with my office to create the plan and will continue to advise us.”
Calling the plan a “living document,” Charvat said it must be updated every three years and that the committee would be involved in doing that.
He said that by following the mitigation actions identified in the plan the University will “demonstrate its stewardship of major research, students, facilities, and business practices through implementing sound emergency management practices.”
It’s no accident that Washington is the first state to win approval for its plan. According to Charvat, the state has a greater diversity of disaster threats than any other except California.
“We have a lot of background and experience in dealing with natural disasters,” he said. “And we think it’s a real feather in our caps to be the first to win approval for our plan.”
