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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Chatham Emergency Management Agency<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> August 4, 2009</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">K. Courtney Cunningham<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">912.201.4508<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(O)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">912.657.8671<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(C)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="mailto:kccunnin@chathamcounty.org"><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">kccunnin@chathamcounty.org</SPAN></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">CEMA TO HOLD HAZARD MITIGATION PUBLIC MEETING</SPAN></B></st1:address></st1:Street></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Savannah</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, <st1:State w:st="on">GA</st1:State></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> – <SPAN style="COLOR: blue"><FONT color=#000000>August 4, 2009</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">SAVANNAH</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Georgia</st1:country-region></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> – Chatham County Emergency Management (CEMA) has scheduled a second public meeting on the county’s hazard mitigation plan as part of a grant program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The second Steering Committee meeting will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, August 13, at <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Pooler</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">City Hall</st1:PlaceType>, 100 SW Highway 80, Pooler, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Ga.</st1:State></st1:place> The meeting will give the public an opportunity to learn more about the hazard mitigation program and to see initial plan documents.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Under the direction of CEMA, county officials have been working to update the county’s comprehensive hazard mitigation plan. The plan will include a risk assessment and a hazard mitigation strategy to identify projects that will reduce the risk of loss of life, injury, and property damage from future natural and human-caused disasters. This process includes input from a Steering Committee made up of community stakeholders. The public is encouraged to participate in the August 13 meeting. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Each year, millions of federal homeland security grant dollars are made available to eligible applicants via programs such the hazard mitigation programs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With an approved hazard mitigation plan, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Chatham</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> will be eligible for these competitive grant funds.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">FEMA awarded <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Chatham</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> a $37,500 grant to create the hazard mitigation plan. The county is collaborating with James Lee Witt Associates of Washington D.C., part of the GlobalOptions Group, to develop the plan in accordance with state and federal standards.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">For more information on the meeting or on hazard mitigation planning, contact the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) at 912/201-4500.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">K. Courtney Cunningham</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Emergency Management Specialist</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">External Affairs / Volunteer Coordination</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Chatham Emergency Management Agency</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">124 Bull Street, Suite 140</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Savannah, GA 31401</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:kccunnin@chathamcounty.org"><FONT face="Times New Roman">kccunnin@chathamcounty.org</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">912.201.4508</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">912.657.8671</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>