Peterborough’s newest Hazard Mitigation Plan will have to incorporate cyber events and mass casualties in addition to natural hazards, but a plan for pandemics is not required, steering committee chair Carol Ogilvie said.
Hazard mitigation plans are required in order for towns to receive federal relief money in case of an emergency, she said, and receive updates every five years to reflect relevant changes in the town.
Towns follow the structure of the state’s hazard mitigation plan, which recently incorporated protocol for cyber events and mass casualties, but despite the ongoing global pandemic, there are currently no instructions for addressing a similar scenario in the plan, Ogilvie said. “That could change, but at this point we’re not required to add anything,” she said.
Hazard mitigation plans identify the town’s most likely risks from various hazards and provide mitigation strategies, based on where problems are most likely to occur, and potential damage costs, Ogilvie said.
Peterborough’s last plan was passed in 2016, and the 2020 plan’s steering committee started meeting last week to identify areas that need updating, town planner Danica Melone said. On Friday, they met briefly via Zoom to discuss mostly minor changes and updates: a medical facility needed to be added to the town’s list, and the used oil at the town’s transfer station needed to be listed under the “hazardous materials” section. Fire Chief Ed Walker identified two major storms to add to the plan’s running history of natural disasters in town: the flooding that occurred near the end of October 2017 that affected East Mountain Road and Sharon Road, and the ice jam flooding on Jan. 13, 2018 that took out a section of Concord Street and flooded houses on Summer Street and Sharon Road. Committee member Alan Zeller suggested the group add more to the plan about brush fires, which are likely to increase along with droughts like the one the state experienced this summer, he said.
This year, for the first time, the committee reached out to major stakeholders in town for input, including New Hampshire Ball Bearings, schools, nursing homes, and the hospital. ConVal facilities director Tim Grossi responded and offered to help where he could, Ogilvie said.
Previous plans are available on the town’s website, and members of the public can tune into the steering committee’s virtual meetings on Fridays, which are listed on Peterborough’s calendar.