Emergency Management

Hazard Mitigation Planning

A planning team comprised of representatives from Pinal County and the incorporated jurisdictions within the County meet regularly to participate in a mitigation planning process. The purpose of this process is to review and update the existing multi-hazard mitigation plan for Pinal County and its respective jurisdictions. The planning effort is conducted in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA2K), which requires all local, county, tribal and state governments to have a FEMA approved hazard mitigation plan in order to be eligible for certain types of pre- and post-federal disaster and mitigation funds. This plan focuses on the area's most threatening natural hazards and provide a strategy to reduce or eliminate the risk from those hazards to the people and property of Apache Junction.

Mitigation is not a response to emergencies like floods and wildfires, but rather long-term solutions to eliminate or significantly reducing the impact of such hazards prior to their occurrence. The mitigation planning process involves identifying and profiling the natural hazards most likely to affect a community, assessing the vulnerability of critical community facilities and structures, as well as population, to these hazards, and establishing goals, actions and projects that mitigate the associated impacts.

Public input on the mitigation planning process is important and residents are encouraged to educate themselves about the existing plan and offer comments on the update.

For more information see the Pinal County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2022 or to comment on the plan, contact: Shane Kiesow, City of Apache Junction Public Works (480) 982-1055.