Disaster mitigation planning meeting set

The SEMO Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission is in the process of gathering emergency personnel from around the county to come up with a county-wide hazard mitigation plan.

Chauncy Buchheit, deputy director of the planning commission, appeared before the Cape Girardeau county commission Thursday to set up a committee.

The mitigation plan is a requirement of both federal and state emergency management agencies and is aimed at making an area less susceptible to natural disasters.

The presiding commissioner, Gerald Jones, suggested that the county's Emergency Management Action Committee also serve as the committee Buchheit was wanting to set up. EMAC consists of more than 20 emergency-oriented organizations.

Buchheit said the committee might look at topics such as warning sirens, evacuation plans and shelters. Buchheit said he would attend the next EMAC meeting and hopes to have some plan set up by next spring.