The mitigation plan is a living document that guides actions. As conditions change, new details become available, or actions progress over time, the plan will need to change to stay up to date. This is called plan maintenance. Key components of this process include:
- Monitoring: Tracking implementation of the plan over time.
- Evaluating: Assessing how well the plan meets its stated purpose and goals.
- Updating: Reviewing and revising the plan at least once every 5 years.
During the planning process, there is a lot of interaction among planning team members and other community partners. These interactions create a drive for action. After the plan is finished, that energy can fade. You worked hard to build and foster relationships with both internal and external planning partners; don’t let those efforts go to waste! Plan maintenance keeps the plan relevant and up to date. It is also a helpful way to keep community partners and the public engaged, involved and motivated to reduce risk. You should keep engaging with planning team members, partners and the public as you celebrate successes, carry out mitigation actions, and prepare for the next plan update. Sustained maintenance keeps mitigation goals and actions moving forward. It also keeps key stakeholders and partners in the loop. Carrying out a plan maintenance process can:
- Keep up momentum through continued engagement and accountability in the plan’s progress.
- Build mitigation into the daily job responsibilities and department roles of community officials and staff.
- Account for changing conditions such as new development, changes in hazard frequency, intensity and types (such as ice and freezing rain instead of snow), or recent disasters.
- Build on the successes of recent mitigation activities.
- Secure funding to implement, develop and update the plan.
Plan maintenance requires an explanation of who will carry out each step, as well as when and how each step will occur. The plan must include the title of the individual, or the name of the department or agency, responsible for the maintenance effort.