Monday, July 13, 2009

PRINCESS ANNE, MD- An open meeting of the All-Hazards Mitigation Plan for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will be held on Thursday, July 16, from 5-7 p.m. in the Ella Fitzgerald Center for the Performing Arts.  Natural hazards that could face the university will be discussed.

“The purpose of the meeting is to introduce students, faculty and the community to the natural hazard mitigation planning process and solicit public input,” said Ed Johnson, a civil and structural engineer in the Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Department at UMES. 

As a result of a grant from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, UMES formed a Hazard Mitigation Committee comprised of university staff, faculty and municipal representatives from the Town of Princess Anne and Somerset County.  According to Johnson, the committee is developing a plan to identify and prioritize various natural hazards, to assess the campus’ vulnerability to the hazards and to develop mitigation measures to help prevent loss of life, injury and property damage.

Recommendations will be presented to address the various hazards at a second meeting slated for September.  For more information, contact Ed Johnson at 410-651-6340 or by email at ehjohnson@umes.edu.

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Gail Stephens, assistant director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-651-7580, gcstephens@umes.edu.

Suzanne Waters Street, director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-621-2355, sstreet@umes.edu.