Southold seeks community input on hazard mitigation survey

Southold Town is seeking community input on Suffolk County Office of Emergency Management’s Hazard Mitigation Plan survey by Feb. 20. 

Having an established Hazard Mitigation Plan is crucial to local municipalities’ eligibility for Federal Emergency Management Agency grant funding, which can be used to pay for infrastructure improvements, disaster recovery projects and preventative measures that protect the community.

“We spend a lot of time on emergency management,” Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski told The Suffolk Times.

He commended the county’s Office of Emergency Management, noting how the county assisted the town during a cyber attack last November. 

The plan will identify and evaluate risks and vulnerabilities associated with natural hazards and resulting disasters to develop long-term strategies for risk reduction and increased resiliency.

Recommended actions in the plan may include improvements to drainage systems, infrastructure upgrades and measures to reduce flood risk — issues that have affected North Fork communities during recent severe weather events.

“Mitigation plans are key to breaking the cycle of disaster damage and reconstruction,” the survey states. 

Through participation, community members can share their personal experiences with hazards and offer input for community preparedness and resilience. 

“It’s important that somebody fills that out,” Mr. Krupski said of the survey. “It’s part of our ongoing process and of course reaching out to people is helpful.”

Southold Town Police Chief Steven Grattan said that while town officials record items of hazard mitigation concern, “it is important to get the residents’ perspective as well” to hear their first-hand experience and what they view as priorities. 

For more information on the survey, visit southoldtownny.gov.