The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is announcing key initiatives to enhance accessibility to vital hazard mitigation information for all Californians. In an effort to increase the state’s resiliency, Cal OES is now providing webinar information sessions and multilingual documents to introduce Californians and emergency managers to the 2023 State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP).
Hazard Webinars
In a pioneering effort, Cal OES has produced 10 Hazard Webinars, now available on Cal OES’s State Mitigation Planning website. These webinars provide audio/visual presentations of hazard profiles from the 2023 SHMP, allowing residents to better understand the risks impacting our state. This initiative represents a first-in-the-nation approach to delivering SHMP-related content through focused, prerecorded videos.
The initial release covers the following hazards:
Additionally, four overarching theme videos are included:
Translations to Increase Accessibility
Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, Cal OES has translated key SHMP documents into California’s eight most spoken languages:
- Eastern Armenian
- Hmong
- Korean
- Simplified Chinese
- Spanish
- Tagalog
- Traditional Chinese
- Vietnamese
Translated documents include:
- 2023 SHMP Primer
- 2023 SHMP Executive Summary
These translations ensure that critical hazard information is accessible to a broader audience, empowering all Californians to engage with the state’s hazard mitigation efforts.
To learn more about the SHMP or to request technical assistance, please contact us at SHMP@CalOES.ca.gov.
Background
Cal OES is the lead state agency to update the SHMP every five years as required by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. California’s SHMP has been approved and awarded as an “enhanced plan” by FEMA. The “enhanced” status is earned with demonstration of a proven commitment to hazard mitigation and allows access to 20% of eligible Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds, a 5% increase from a “standard plan.” California has successfully held an “enhanced” status since 2007 and is one of only 14 states to earn the status in 2024.
