Holyoke residents are invited to provide comments on the update of the Holyoke Hazard Mitigation Plan Monday, December 14, 5:00 p.m. at the Holyoke Fire Department Headquarters classroom, 600 High Street. The plan is being updated by the City’s Hazard Mitigation Committee with assistance from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) and is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). All members of the public, representatives from surrounding communities, and businesses are welcome to attend the meeting.

The meeting will include a review of the hazard mitigation planning process and of existing mitigation initiatives, as well as a presentation of new proposed hazard mitigation strategies. PVPC and city staff will be available to answer questions and listen to comments from the public. As of December 7, the draft plan will be available for review on the websites of both PVPC (www.pvpc.org) and the City of Holyoke (www.holyoke.org); paper versions will also be available at the front entrance of the Fire Department headquarters (600 High Street) and in the mayor’s office at City Hall.

This planning effort is being undertaken to help the City of Holyoke assess the risks faced from natural hazards, identify action steps that can be taken to prevent damage to property and loss of life, and prioritize funding for mitigation efforts. A mitigation action is any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards.

For more information, please contact PVPC’s Jaimye Bartak at jbartak@pvpc.org or (413) 781-6045.