Hillsborough officials seek residents' input on different community hazards and how to mitigate impacts

TAMPA, Fla. - Hillsborough County officials are seeking input from its communities and cities for a Vulnerability Assessment and Local Mitigation Strategy study.

While living in a coastal community can have its perks, sometimes it comes with hazards like hurricanes, tropical cyclones, extreme heat and sinkholes. The county is looking to identify which areas experience different challenges to identify how they can proactively be mitigated. 

"We're working on two projects. Our local mitigation strategy and our vulnerability assessment," said Troy Salisbury, the manager for Hillsborough County Hazard Mitigation, Resiliency and Sustainability. "Both of those are extremely important and required by the state."

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Tuesday evening, the county hosted its second public input meeting at the Riverview Public Library. 

"I can make plans all day as an Urban Planner, but when it comes to something that actually works, we have to have the public involved. I really want to encourage the public to be involved in these types of efforts," he said.

Experts showed a presentation to the residents who attended. 

"Local mitigation strategy is probably the most important. That is a document that shows us and tells us how to deal with some of these challenges that the county faces," he said. "... Hurricanes, daily thunderstorms, sinkholes, terrorist attacks, threats, those types of things, bioterrorism."

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Salisbury said the County is also seeking public input for the Vulnerability Assessment. 

"We're looking at the vulnerabilities around the county. That includes flooding, drainage issues, sidewalk gaps, tree gaps, urban heat," he said. 

Flooding is a major vulnerability to residents. After the presentation, attendees were asked to use Post-it notes to mark off areas on a giant map of the county where they see frequent flooding. 

"We've done a study in Palm River, we're also doing a study in Ruskin and Wimauma," he said.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, there is a virtual vulnerability map and survey available to residents through August. Click here for more information.

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