Payne County Seeks Public Input for Disaster Preparedness Plan
Officials encourage residents to complete survey and attend meetings to shape county's hazard mitigation strategy
Payne County Emegency Management
Civic engagement opportunity: If you live anywhere in Payne County, please take the 5-minute survey at the end of this report.
Payne County is updating its Hazard Mitigation Action Plan to keep federal disaster funding and reduce risks from natural and man-made hazards.
The plan needs renewal every five years to maintain FEMA approval. It aims to protect public health and safety while building local capacity for hazard mitigation.
Christian Cole from H2O Partners, the consulting firm helping with the planning, explained the plan's goals at a recent public meeting.
"We want to promote community resilience," Cole said. "We want to prevent loss of life and reduce the financial impact of disasters on the community each year."
The updated plan will cover natural hazards like tornadoes, floods, and wildfires, as well as man-made threats including cyber attacks, hazardous materials incidents, and terrorism.
Cole highlighted the plan's new focus on nature-based solutions and protecting vulnerable populations, in line with current FEMA priorities.
"We're pushing for nature-based solutions," Cole said. "It's about working with the environment to protect against hazard events."
The county is seeking public input through surveys and meetings to develop comprehensive disaster preparedness strategies. More public meetings are set for April 23 and June 25.
Five-year plan renewal process includes risk assessment, capability evaluation, and development of actionable strategies. – Photos by Chris Peters
Several Payne County school districts, including Cushing, Glencoe, and Yale, are involved in the plan update to improve safety measures for schools.
Cole encouraged residents to complete the public survey and share it widely, as planners will use the responses to guide project development.
"If you have ideas for community improvements, the survey is a great place to share them. I can assure you they'll be seen," Cole said.
The initial draft plan will go to the state in October, with a two-week public review in November before FEMA submission in December.
📺 Watch the 19-minute meeting
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Payne County Emergency Management’s Facebook page will hosted a Facebook Live stream on Feb. 27, 2025.
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