Local Hazard Mitigation Plan

The City of Huntington Beach Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was approved on December 20, 2022.  The plan will not be up for review until 2027. The City would like to thank the public for providing feedback during the public review process. To see the final plan click on this link:  

HB-Local-Hazard-Mitigation-Plan-2022

Why have an LHMP?

An LHMP will let Huntington Beach better plan for future emergencies. Usually, after a disaster occurs, communities take steps to recover from the emergency and rebuild. An LHMP is a way for the City to better prepare in advance of these disasters, so when they do occur, less damage occurs and recovery is easier. Our community can use LHMP strategies to reduce instances of property damage, injury, and loss of life from disasters. Besides protecting public health and safety, this approach can save money. Studies estimate that every dollar spent on mitigation saves an average of four dollars on response and recovery costs. An LHMP can also help strengthen the mission of public safety officers, such as police and fire department staff, providing them with clear roles and responsibilities to build a safer community.

Besides helping to protect Huntington Beach, our LHMP will make the City eligible for grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that can be used to further improve safety and preparedness in the community. Having an adopted LHMP can also make Huntington Beach eligible to receive more financial assistance from the State when disasters do occur.

What is in our LHMP?

The City of Huntington Beach LHMP includes four main sections:

1. A summary of the natural and human-caused hazards that pose a risk to our community. This includes descriptions of past disaster events and the chances of these disasters occurring in the future.
2. An assessment of the threat to Huntington Beach, which describes how our community is vulnerable to future disasters. The plan looks at the threat to important buildings and infrastructure, such as police and fire stations, hospitals, roads, and utility lines. It will looks at the threat to community members, particularly vulnerable populations.
3. A hazard mitigation strategy, which lays out specific policy recommendations for Huntington Beach to carry out over the next five years. These recommendations will help reduce the threat that our community faces from hazard events.
4. A section on maintaining the plan, which helps ensure that our LHMP is kept up-to-date. This makes it easier for us to continue to proactively protect ourselves, and keeps the City eligible for additional funding.

What hazards will our LHMP help protect against?

The City plan includes the following natural hazards in our LHMP:

• Coastal Hazards: Coastal Erosion, Sea Level Rise, and Tsunamis
• Dam Failure
• Drought
• Flooding
• Geologic Hazards: Landslides, Methane Containing Soils, and Subsidence
• Human-Caused Hazards: Hazardous Materials Release and Terrorism
• Seismic Hazards: Fault Rupture, Ground Shaking, and Liquefaction
• Severe Weather: Tornados and Windstorms

Our LHMP also looks at how climate change may affect these hazards and includes other hazards that pose a threat to our community.

How was our LHMP being prepared?

The City assembled a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC), which included representatives from City Departments and supported by key stakeholders, and technical consultants. Together, these participants formed the project team responsible for guiding the overall development of our LHMP.

What can I do now to be better prepared for disasters?

• Know the hazards that may affect you at your home, work, or school. You can find out more at http://myhazards.caloes.ca.gov/.
• Assemble an emergency kit for your home. In a disaster, you may have to rely on supplies in your emergency kit for at least three days. Be sure to include supplies for any pets and anyone in your home with special needs. Learn more at https://www.ready.gov/kit.
• Have a disaster plan for your household, including how people should contact each other if a disaster occurs and where you should meet.
• Learn about your neighbors and how to help them. In a disaster, emergency responders may not be able to reach your neighborhood for a while. Know if your neighbors have any special needs, and be sure to check on them as soon as you can.
• Make sure your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance covers you from disasters such as earthquakes and floods. If these disasters occur, having good insurance coverage will help you recover easier.
• Volunteer with an emergency response or community service organization that does work on disaster education and preparation.
• Speak to your employer about creating a disaster recovery, workforce communication, and/or business continuity plan. If they already have one or more of these plans in place, make sure you and your co-workers know it.
• Join Huntington Beach CERT (HB CERT), a group of volunteers trained by the City to assist emergency responders during disasters. Training is free and offered at times throughout the year.