Watertown Mitigation Strategies
The local city of Watertown New York does have an established mitigation plan which serves as a strategic guide for the recovery and response to local disasters and emergencies. The main priorities of the plan encompasses areas such as weather, transportation routes, hazardous materials, utility preservation, logistics, personnel, search and rescue, law enforcement, communications, and evacuation (City of Watertown 2008).
Some basic mitigation strategies are derived from hazard identification suited to the local area and risk assessment of mitigation those hazards. On a scale of 44 to 400, the city conducted an analysis factoring in the probability and impact of specific hazards occurring (City of Watertown 2008). The top ten results are as
follows showing what the hazards scored on this scale. “Ice storm (230), severe storm (218), epidemic (216), terrorism (211), water contamination (200), blizzard (199), fire (195), earthquake (194), utility failure (182), and flood (181)” (City of Watertown 2008, pp 7). It is important to note that these scores do not reflect just the probability of the event occurring but incorporates the impact of the disaster into the methodology as well (City of Watertown 2008).
The City recognizes the City Manager as the individual responsible for Emergency Management and is responsible for “assuring that coordinated and effective emergency response systems are developed and maintained within the City of Watertown” (City of Watertown, p 16). Watertown’s mitigation strategy is strongly associated with preventing major emergencies and disasters from ever occurring, however five of the top ten hazards are natural resulting in a more reactive approach by ensuring adequate supplies, personnel, and resources are available during the response and recovery phases (City of Watertown 2008).
Some basic mitigation strategies are derived from hazard identification suited to the local area and risk assessment of mitigation those hazards. On a scale of 44 to 400, the city conducted an analysis factoring in the probability and impact of specific hazards occurring (City of Watertown 2008). The top ten results are as
follows showing what the hazards scored on this scale. “Ice storm (230), severe storm (218), epidemic (216), terrorism (211), water contamination (200), blizzard (199), fire (195), earthquake (194), utility failure (182), and flood (181)” (City of Watertown 2008, pp 7). It is important to note that these scores do not reflect just the probability of the event occurring but incorporates the impact of the disaster into the methodology as well (City of Watertown 2008).
The City recognizes the City Manager as the individual responsible for Emergency Management and is responsible for “assuring that coordinated and effective emergency response systems are developed and maintained within the City of Watertown” (City of Watertown, p 16). Watertown’s mitigation strategy is strongly associated with preventing major emergencies and disasters from ever occurring, however five of the top ten hazards are natural resulting in a more reactive approach by ensuring adequate supplies, personnel, and resources are available during the response and recovery phases (City of Watertown 2008).