Dynamic Planning + Science partnered with SBCUSD to develop its first FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP), focused exclusively on reducing risks to District facilities and protecting over 53,000 students and staff. The HMP outlines strategies to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards such as wildfires, flooding, drought, extreme heat, and seismic activity across a 160-square-mile service area.
This standalone plan enhances the District’s ability to directly compete for FEMA mitigation funding, enabling targeted, cost-effective investments in school safety and resiliency. The planning process incorporated detailed campus-level risk assessments, robust regulatory alignment with SB 379 and the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, and significant input from district departments, school sites, and community stakeholders.
Through this plan, SBCUSD is establishing a forward-looking framework to protect its aging infrastructure, improve emergency preparedness, and guide future capital investments—ensuring schools remain safe, accessible, and operational during and after disaster events.
- First FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan focused solely on SBCUSD facilities
- Supports direct eligibility for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) funding
- Risk assessment covers 160 square miles and 70+ school sites
- Prioritizes retrofits for older school buildings and climate-resilient design
- Aligns with California SB 379, Field Act standards, and CEQA mitigation requirements
- Includes district-specific hazard profiles for wildfire, flooding, drought, extreme heat, and seismic risk
- Developed with input from the District’s Emergency Management Office and Facilities/Operations Division
- Informs long-range capital planning and safe school siting decisions
- Establishes a foundation for future benefit-cost analysis of mitigation projects
