The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) will develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan to reduce potential losses resulting from disasters. Hazard mitigation is the use of long- term actions to reduce the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage that can result from a disaster. It involves planning efforts, policy changes, capital projects, and other activities that can mitigate the impacts of hazards to district facilities. The 2019 HMP will cover each of the major natural and manmade hazards that pose risks to SBCUSD infrastructure, faculty, staff and students.
HMP Update Requirements and DMA 2000
The Robert T. Stafford Act constitutes the statutory authority for most Federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and FEMA programs and created the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The HMGP assists states and local communities in implementing long term hazard mitigation measures following a major disaster declaration.
On October 30, 2000, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act was amended by Public Law 106-390 and is referred to as the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000). As a DMA 2000 requirement, the HMP must be updated every five (5) years to remain in compliance with regulations and Federal mitigation grant conditions. Federal regulations require hazard mitigation plans to include a plan for monitoring, evaluating, and updating the hazard mitigation plan. A current and approved hazard mitigation plan is a prerequisite for jurisdictions wishing to pursue funding under the Robert T. Stafford Act. More at www.mitigatehazards.com/grant-framework
Project Purpose
The overall purpose of the Unified School District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan is to reduce the impacts of future natural and manmade hazard disasters on K–12 schools and admin facilities within the district. It will be the first mitigation plan for the district to focus specifically on district facilities. Completely eliminating risk to K–12 schools in San Bernardino from future natural disasters is neither technologically possible nor economically feasible. However, substantially reducing the negative impacts of future disasters is achievable with ongoing implementation of risk reduction measures. School districts applying for a FEMA mitigation grant must have a FEMA-approved local hazard mitigation plan.
Risk Assessment
A facility level risk assessment will be conducted to provide natural hazard exposure (what buildings reside in hazard area) and damage estimates. Damage estimates for earthquake will be accomplished with FEMA’s Hazus-MH software. Hazus is a nationally applicable standardized methodology that estimates potential losses from earthquakes and other hazards. A risk assessment is essential to decision-making for developing the mitigation plan for the district.
For the facility level risk assessment, 40 buildings will be evaluated in the field using FEMA’s Rapid Visual Screening Techniques (FEMA pub. 154) for buildings showing significant damage potential. Each school building with student population / gathering populations will be screened for non-structural earthquake risk as well.
Benefit- Cost Analysis (BCA)
A BCA of mitigation actions for priority projects will be developed. Benefit-cost analysis is required for almost all FEMA hazard mitigation grants and is also a powerful tool for evaluating and prioritizing mitigation projects regardless of the funding source.
Project Funding Information
This hazard mitigation planning effort is solely funded by the San Bernardino City Unified School District.
