E LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY WALTON COUNTY 2020 Update Local Mitigation Strategy Table of Contents LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION 7 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY 8 1.2 BENEFITS 8 2.0 LMS PLANNING PROCESS 9 2.1 STRATEGY PREPARATION AND ORGANIZATION 10 2.2 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 11 2.3 COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES 12 2.4 PLANNING PROCESS 13 2.4.1 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISK ESTIMATION 13 2.4.2 VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT 13 2.4.3 DEVELOPING HAZARD MITIGATION INITIATIVES 14 2.4.4 DEVELOPING THE LOCAL MITIGATION ACTION PLAN 14 2.4.5 APPROVAL OF THE CURRENT EDITION OF THE STRATEGY 14 2.4.6 IMPLEMENTATION OF APPROVED MITIGATION INITIATIVES 14 3.0 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISK ASSESSMENT 15 3.1 COUNTY PROFILE 16 3.2 SUMMARY OF CHANGES 18 3.3 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION 19 3.3.1 FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATIONS 20 3.3.2 NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION: STORM EVENTS DATA 21 3.4 VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW 22 3.4.1 ASSETS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND CRITICAL FACILITIES 22 3.4.2 CRITICAL FACILITIES 22 3.4.3 BUILDING DATA 23 3.4.4 HAZARD RANKING 24 3.5 HAZARD PROFILES 26 3.5.1 DAM FAILURE 26 DESCRIPTION 26 LOCATION 27 EXTENT 29 2 NOTE: * INDICATES THAT FDEP CLASSIFIES THESE DAMS AS HIGH HAZARD DAMS. N/A INDICATES THE INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. 33 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 33 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 34 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 34 3.5.2 EPIDEMIC / PANDEMIC 36 DESCRIPTION 36 LOCATION AND EXTENT 37 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 38 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 39 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 40 3.5.3 DISEASE OUTBREAK – ANIMAL & PLANT DISEASES 41 DESCRIPTION 41 LOCATION AND EXTENT 43 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 43 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 44 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 45 3.5.4 DROUGHT 48 DESCRIPTION 48 LOCATION AND EXTENT 48 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 52 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 53 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 53 3.5.5 COASTAL EROSION 56 DESCRIPTION 56 LOCATION AND EXTENT 56 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 59 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 59 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 60 3.5.6 FLOOD 62 DESCRIPTION 62 LOCATION AND EXTENT 63 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 68 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 71 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 72 3.5.7 GEOLOGICAL HAZARDS 78 DESCRIPTION 78 LOCATION AND EXTENT 80 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 84 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 89 3 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 89 3.5.8 SEVERE WEATHER 91 DESCRIPTION 91 LOCATION AND EXTENT 93 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 100 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 105 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 105 3.5.9 WILDFIRE AND URBAN FIRE 108 DESCRIPTION 108 LOCATION AND EXTENT 108 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 116 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 118 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 118 3.5.10 WINTER STORM 121 DESCRIPTION 121 LOCATION AND EXTENT 123 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 126 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 127 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 128 3.5.11 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS 130 DESCRIPTION 130 LOCATION AND EXTENT 130 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 133 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 135 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 135 3.5.12 TRANSPORTATION INCIDENTS 137 DESCRIPTION 137 LOCATION AND EXTENT 140 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 142 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 144 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 145 3.5.13 UTILITY OUTAGES 148 DESCRIPTION 148 LOCATION AND EXTENT 148 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 150 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 151 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 152 3.5.14 TERRORISM 153 DESCRIPTION 153 LOCATION AND EXTENT 155 4 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 157 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 158 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 158 3.5.15 WORKPLACE AND SCHOOL VIOLENCE 161 DESCRIPTION 161 LOCATION AND EXTENT 162 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES 162 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE EVENTS 162 VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT 162 4.0 MITIGATION STRATEGY 164 4.1 GUIDING PRINCIPLES 165 4.2 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 166 GOAL 1 166 GOAL 2 166 GOAL 3 166 GOAL 4 167 4.3 EXISTING AUTHORITIES, POLICIES AND PROGRAMS 167 4.4 NFIP AND CRS PARTICIPATION 167 4.5 UPDATE OF PRIOR MITIGATION PROJECTS 168 4.6 DETERMINING AND RANKING NEW MITIGATION INITIATIVES 174 4.7 RANKING MITIGATION INITIATIVES 174 4.8 MITIGATION INITIATIVES 175 5.0 PLAN MAINTENANCE 181 5.1 STRATEGY MONITORING, EVALUATION AND UPDATE 182 5.2 ANNUAL UPDATE PROCESS 182 5.3 FIVE YEAR UPDATE PROCESS 183 5.4 INCORPORATION INTO OTHER PLANNING MECHANISMS 184 5.5 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LMS INTO OTHER PLANNING MECHANISMS 185 5.6 CONTINUED PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 186 5.7 MONITORING, EVALUATING AND UPDATING THE LMS 187 APPENDICES A: WALTON COUNTY CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT B: CITY OF DEFUNIAK SPRINGS CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT C: CITY OF FREEPORT CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT 5 D: CITY OF PAXTON CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT E: DEVELOPMENT TRENDS F: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND MEETING MATERIALS G: SURVEY RESULTS H: VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY I: LMS REVIEW TOOL J: ADOPTION RESOLUTIONS 6 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of the Local Mitigation Strategy Hazard mitigation is defined as any action taken to reduce or alleviate the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage that can result from a disaster. It involves long- and short-term actions implemented before, during and after disasters. Hazard mitigation activities include planning efforts, policy changes, programs, studies, improvement projects, and other steps to reduce the impacts of hazards. For many years, federal disaster funding focused on relief and recovery after disasters occurred, with limited funding for hazard mitigation planning in advance. The Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA), passed in 2000, shifted the federal emphasis toward planning for disasters before they occur. The DMA requires state and local governments to develop hazard mitigation plans as a condition for federal disaster grant assistance. Regulations developed to fulfill the DMA’s requirements are included in Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR). The responsibility for hazard mitigation lies with many, including private property owners, commercial interests, and local, state and federal governments. The DMA encourages cooperation among state and local authorities in pre- disaster planning. The enhanced planning network called for by the DMA helps local governments to articulate accurate needs for mitigation, resulting in faster allocation of funding and more cost-effective risk-reduction projects. The DMA also promotes sustainability in hazard mitigation. To be sustainable, hazard mitigation needs to incorporate sound management of natural resources and address hazards and mitigation in the largest possible social and economic context. 1.2 Benefits Hazard mitigation planning helps to identify strategies and actions that will reduce risk for those who live in, work in, and visit the county. In addition, hazard mitigation planning provides a viable planning framework for all foreseeable natural hazards that may impact the county. Furthermore, participation in the development of the plan by key stakeholders in the county helps to ensure that outcomes will be mutually beneficial. Benefits of hazard mitigation planning includes: Reduce the loss of life, property, essential services, critical facilities, and economic hardship Reduce short-term and long-term recovery and reconstruction costs Increase cooperation and communication within the community through the planning process Increase potential for state and federal funding for pre- and post-disaster projects. Walton County prepared a local mitigation strategy in compliance with the DMA in 2015. Cities within the county participated as planning partners in the plan. The LMS identified resources, information, and strategies for reducing risk from natural hazards. It called for ongoing updates. This Walton County Local Mitigation Strategy fulfills the ongoing update requirement. 8 2.0 LMS PLANNING PROCESS Walton County Local Mitigation Strategy 2020 Update 2.1 Strategy Preparation and Organization Walton County hired Tetra Tech, Inc. to assist with development and implementation of the LMS update. Tetra Tech staff coordinated with County, City and State stakeholders to facilitate meetings, collect data and update the LMS. The Tetra Tech Project Manager and Planner reported directly to the Walton County Director of Emergency Management who served as the Client Project Manager. In addition, Walton County has an LMS Working Group that regularly meets on a quarterly basis. The mission of the work group is to plan for a decrease in the vulnerability of the citizens, governments, businesses and institutions of Walton County from the future human, economic and environmental costs of natural, technological, and human caused disasters. The LMS Working Group was actively involved in attending meetings, either in person, online, or via phone, providing input on plan drafts, and completion of hazard mitigation work sheets to collect data on jurisdiction capabilities, development, plan integration with other plans and initiatives, and updates regarding previous mitigation projects.. The LMS Working Group consists of representatives from the following organizations: City of DeFuniak Springs City of Freeport City of Paxton Florida Department of Health, Walton County Florida Division of Emergency Management Muscogee Nation of Florida Regional Utilities South Walton Fire District South Walton Utility Company, Inc. Walton Area Chamber of Commerce Walton County Fire and Rescue Walton County Government Walton County School District Walton County Sheriff’s Department Walton County Tourist Development Council Each jurisdiction maintains a liaison in the LMS Working Group who participated in the quarterly meetings as well as the 5-year