The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved a long-range plan to reduce the economic impact of natural calamities in the greater Cumberland County area.
The Cumberland-Hoke Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies the strategy to reduce the community’s vulnerability to naturally caused disasters. 
“The approval of the Hazard Mitigation Plan will certainly help us stay prepared as we’re in the middle of hurricane season,” said Gene Booth, Emergency Services director. “The plan will ensure Cumberland County will continue to be eligible for federal disaster assistance.”
Additionally, the purpose of the plan is to identify risks to better protect residents and property in the region.
FEMA officials have stated that disasters causing physical, financial and emotional losses can be significantly reduced through long-range planning, which encourages communities to improve day-to-day decisions regarding land-use planning, floodplain management, site design and other activities, according to a prepared statement released Wednesday.
When applying for certain types of non-emergency disaster assistance, counties are required to have a FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan in place.
The requirements are part of the laws, regulations and policies outlined in hazard mitigation planning, according to Wednesday’s statement.
On the state level, North Carolina and other states must have their mitigation plans approved every five years. Likewise, local and tribal mitigation plans must be approved at least once every five years. Residents can find the hazard mitigation plan at https://bit.ly/3gxIXU0.
Residents can also receive information about severe incidents by signing up for the Cumberland Alerts notification system. 
The system enables county residents to receive critical information related to incidents such as severe weather, evacuations and protective actions. Residents can receive time-sensitive messages wherever based on their choices — such as the homes, mobile or business phones, email address, text messages and more. Find more information at cumberlandcountync.gov/alerts.