Flooding events like Tropical Storm Lee, damaging winds from Super Storm Sandy, near record snowfall from Winter Storm Jonas and the Hopewell wildfire are just a few of the recent hazards that have impacted Berks County.  Damage figures reached well into the millions and affected many of our residents and the communities they call home.  Pre-disaster hazard mitigation will increase the resiliency of Berks County so that our residents, businesses and communities will be less susceptible to future exposures to disastrous events.

The Berks County Department of Emergency Services along with the Berks County Planning Commission, business and industry, universities, municipalities, local hospitals, first responders and a number of other agencies, have completed the 2023 Hazard Vulnerability Assessment and Mitigation Plan and accepted by FEMA and PEMA for adoption.  The final plan is now available at the link below. Berks County municipalities are now able to adopt by resolution to remain eligible for grant funding under 44 CFR 201.6(d)(3). Request all adoption resolutions be sent to berksdes@berkspa.gov.

The mitigation planning regulation (44 CFR 201.6(d)(3)) state that a local jurisdiction must review and revise its plan to reflect development changes, progress of local efforts, and priority changes within five (5) years in order to remain eligible for grant funding.  This process was conducted over the span of a year with 100% participation and 100% adoption from all Berks County municipal governments in 2018.  It is our hope that the 2023 plan will receive the same support.

Anyone having questions or wishing to comment may do so by contacting us.  Municipal resolutions should be sent to the berksdes@berkspa.gov e-mail address for inclusion as a participant.

2023 Berks County Hazard Vulnerability Assessment and Mitigation Plan