The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) joined with Santa Monica College in a multi-jurisdictional, resources-saving planning process to complete a Disaster Mitigation Plan (DMA 2000) in compliance with new Federal Regulations.
A Hazard Mitigation Plan is a pre-disaster plan outlining strategies and an implementation process that will lower the District's risk and exposure to a disaster. This plan relies on information supplied by the District's community members, students, teachers, vendors, and government agencies.
After many meetings and gathering of relevant data, the plan was completed and adopted by the Board of Education on August 18, 2005. It was submitted to the California Office of Emergency Services on September 2, 2005, who, in turn forwarded it on to FEMA for final approval.
On October 26, 2005, the District received notification from FEMA that the submitted plan was found to be in compliance. The letter went on to add, "The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and Santa Monica College can be commended for their planning process, community participation efforts and the clear direction that this Plan gives for long-term planning to reduce the impacts of future disasters."
With these approvals the District is in a position to apply for needed funds to implement strategies outlined in the adopted plan.
The four hundred page plan is available for review in the school district's Business and Fiscal Services Office.
Detailed information about hazard mitigation planning is available at
