CHR is currently working on a Hazard Mitigation and Disaster Preparedness plan for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS).

Timeframe:             February, 2010 - February, 2012

Project Faculty:       David M. Simpson - PhD, AICP (UofL)

                            Josh Human - Project Manager

Other Participants:   KYEM and KCTCS Stakeholders

The KCTCS Hazard Mitigation Plan will follow the standard local crosswalk for developing a Local (University) Mitigation Plan. This process includes completing five basic steps: performing a thorough planning process, completing a comprehensive risk assessment, developing a university wide mitigation strategy, providing a plan maintenance process for the future of the plan and adopting the plan.

The System Director of KCTCS Crisis Management Environmental Health and Safety will manage this grant for KCTCS. KCTCS will partner with the Center for Hazards Research and Policy Development at the University of Louisville (CHR) on this project. CHR has authored the State Hazard Mitigation Plan and has also completed local and university plans throughout the state and other regions. KCTCS emergency management staff will utilize the expertise and resources of CHR staff, faculty, and students throughout this project. CHR is tasked with providing guidance and technical assistance throughout every step of the creation of the plan and will be responsible for the development of the final document.

As a multi-campus university system, KCTCS will have representation from each location on the steering committee insuring every campus have involvement in the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The risk assessment will be completed by both CHR and KCTCS staff. CHR will provide the expertise and KCTCS will help provide the Geographic Information System (GIS) data collection for this process. For this plan, a building by building level risk assessment will be completed at each campus. This will be a daunting task considering the multiple jurisdictions and total number of buildings. Again CHR will rely heavily on KCTCS to help gather and manipulate the data into the proper formats.

The plan will eventually go through the plan adoption stage. KCTCS (steering committee/ KCTCS emergency management staff) along with CHR will prepare the local/university crosswalk and submit the plan to KyEM for their initial review. KCTCS and CHR will review and correct any suggested changes and then re-submit the plan onto FEMA for their review. Once FEMA has approved the plan KCTCS’s Board of Director’s will adopt the plan.