Residents of Round Rock are being called to action as the city seeks to refresh its defense strategy against the acts of God that can, without a moment's notice, turn lives upside down. As floods, fires, and storms grow more unpredictable, the City's Emergency Management Division urges the public to weigh in on the Hazard Mitigation Action Plan (HMAP) update. Every five years, a new plan must be crafted and approved by FEMA to not just ensure eligibility for crucial grant funds but also to sharpen the city's edge for other grant aid, according to Round Rock Texas.
To kickstart this vital cycle of renewal, Round Rock is dangling a carrot of opportunity – a chance to directly impact its resilience against disaster. The city has laid out a roadmap of public meetings where citizens can, simply put, help to shape possibly life-saving strategies. A manual for survival in the hands of those it seeks to protect, these gatherings coupled with an online survey aim to gather an array of public perspectives.
The initial call to arms is scheduled for Monday, April 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Public Safety Training Center, as noted in Round Rock Texas. Additional assemblies will unfold across a span of weeks with a second meeting on Wednesday, May 22, at the Round Rock Public Library, and a final gathering on Tuesday, June 18, back at the Public Safety Training Center.
Engagement doesn't end in public discourse. The city administration has also provided a digital platform through a survey quickly completed in just five minutes, giving the planning team critical data to carefully consider through the planning phase. Stevie Ann Hodgson-O’Donnell of H2O Partners, Inc. and Round Rock's own Emergency Management Coordinator Cheree Smith stand ready to field questions through phone or email, as reported by the Round Rock Texas.
