Purpose:
The purpose of the Santa Rosa County Local Mitigation Strategy Task Force is to decrease the vulnerability of the citizens, governments, businesses and institutions of Santa Rosa County to the future human, economic and environmental costs of natural, technological, and societal disasters. To this end, the Task Force develops, monitors, implements, and maintains a comprehensive plan for hazard mitigation. Funding for the prevention and recovery from disasters from the state and federal government is directly linked to the existence of this Task Force and the work that it accomplishes throughout the county to mitigate the impact of disasters.

Membership:
Membership in the Task Force is open to all jurisdictions, organizations and individuals supporting its purposes. Membership is accomplished through the completion of a Member Information Form. The Member Information Form should be submitted to the Task Force support staff for a signature of acknowledgement by the current Task Force Chair. A database of members and contact information will be maintained by the Task Force support staff.

Hardening/Mitigation Grant Information:
For information on hardening your home (shutters, elevation, roof strengthening) please contact the Santa Rosa County Special Projects/Grants Department at (850) 983-1848 or email us: Mitigation Task Force. The County does not currently have a grant to harden homes. We do maintain a waiting list and when a grant opens we work with the individual homeowners to help them submit applications. Most of these grants require a minimum of 25% from the homeowner. If you would like to be placed on the Residential Hardening Waiting List please complete one of the residential proposal forms. Residents may also contact Rebuild Northwest Florida at 497-7024 to check the availability of grant funds. If you are a low to moderate income resident and need help repairing or hardening your home, please call the Santa Rosa County Housing Program at (850) 981-7075.

If you are a non-profit, municipality, school or healthcare organization and wish to submit an LMS application for consideration of a hazard mitigation project, please complete the LMS Initiatives Proposal Form. Please be sure to read all of the instructions. Submission information is on the form. To view the list of current LMS Initiatives, please view Table 6.2 in Section 6 of the LMS Plan.

The Santa Rosa County LMS 2011-2016 Plan has been reviewed and approved by Federal Emergency Management Agency (F.E.M.A.) and adopted by the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners. Each municipality has adopted the 2011-2016 LMS Plan and the formal adoption letter has been received from F.E.M.A.

• Santa Rosa County LMS Plan 2011-2016 (file size 76.63 MB)

Due to the large file size associated with the plan including appendices, we have provided individual sections below for your convenience.

• Table of Contents
• Section 1 - Executive Summary
• Section 2 - Introduction and Purpose
• Section 3 - By-Laws and Operating Procedures
• Section 4 - Hazards Assessment
• Section 5 - Vulnerability Assessment
• Section 6 - Mitigation Strategies
• Appendix A - Adoption Resolutions
• Appendix B - LMS Task Force By-Laws
• Appendix C - Steering and Working Committee Meeting Agendas
• Appendix D - Steering and Working Committee Minutes
• Appendix E - Steering and Working Committee Notices
• Appendix F - HAZUS-MH Hurricane Reports and Damage and Economic Loss Estimates by Jurisdiction
• Appendix G - Storm Surge Damage Assessment
• Appendix H1 - Assessment for the City of Gulf Breeze Flood Zones
• Appendix H2 - Assessment for the Town of Jay Flood Zones
• Appendix H3 - Assessment for the City of Milton Flood Zones
• Appendix H4 - Assessment for the Unincorporated Santa Rosa County Flood Zones
• Appendix I - Dam Safety Concern Areas
• Appendix J - Erosive Soils
• Appendix K - Wildfire Risk Assessment for all Jurisdictions
• Appendix L - HAZUS-MH Earthquake Reports and GIS Assessments
• Appendix M - Mitigation Initiatives and Priorities
• Appendix N - Flood Mitigation Plan
• FEMA Letter of Plan Approval LMS
• FEMA Compliance Notification
• FEMA Letter of Plan Approval Flood Mitigation Plan
• LMS Plan Crosswalk
• Flood Mitigation Plan Crosswalk

Over the past several years, Santa Rosa County has made significant progress in its efforts to address flooding problems in the county. Seeking to build upon the progress that has already been made, a Flood Mitigation Plan Task Force, comprised of both staff members and community residents, has been assembled to develop a plan to address flooding issues.

The Flood Mitigation Plan was prepared according to a standard planning process regulated by FEMA, by following the 10 steps listed below:

1. Organize to prepare the plan
2. Involve the public
3. Coordinate with other agencies
4. Assess the hazard
5. Assess the problem
6. Set goals
7. Review possible activities
8. Draft an action plan
9. Adopt the plan
10. Implement, evaluate and revise