Barton County citizens are being asked to help with current hazard mitigation planning efforts by taking a survey that asks for participants opinions about hazards, funding and the current Hazard Mitigation Plan. Local participation is important in the development of emergency plans. 
Completion of the survey should only take five minutes. To take it, go to surveymonkey.com/s/CNJTGGX.
Hazard mitigation is a sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and their property from hazards, said Amy Miller, Barton County emergency management director. “Mitigation plans form the foundation for a long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.”
Miller said the planning process is as important as the plan itself because it creates a group of planning partners that work together to develop a strategy and plan that will reduce damages to lives, property, and the economy from future disasters.
The survey asks respondents to rate the level of risk and potential impact of such disasters as tornadoes, winter storms, floods, windstorms, lightning, wildfires, hail, drought, extreme temperatures and agricultural infestations. There are also questions about the National Flood Insurance Program and projects funded by Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, as well as spaces for additional comments.
The plan will be developed as a Regional Jurisdictional Mitigation Plan for Barton County, and will also include Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pratt and Stafford counties.  In addition, not only will each county government be represented but also local governments within each county with taxing authority, such as cities, townships and school districts, are planning partners. 
Also, non-government organizations, private non-profits and rural electric cooperatives may be eligible for grant funding if they are in a jurisdiction with an approved plan and their project is consistent with the plan’s goals and objectives. 
The process to develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan includes: Identifying hazards; assessing the impact of the hazards on people and property; identifying the location and the extent of hazard areas; identifying assets that are at risk; identify actions and projects for hazards; make a draft plan available for public review and comment; submit the plan for approval to the State of Kansas and the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and all participants adopt the plan.
Individuals may also go to www.bartoncounty.org, select Emergency/Risk Management under departments, and then selection Hazard Mitigation Survey to access the survey.
For more information, contact Miller at 620-793-1919 or by email at emermgnt@bartoncounty.org.