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PHASE I: GETTING STARTED THE PLANNING PROCESS Before We Started - Garnering Community and Planning Support Prior to initiating the development of this regional multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, two critical activities took place that established the foundation for the entire planning process. First, a substantial coordination effort took place to ensure the participation of all 11 counties within the Northeast Colorado Emergency Management Association (NCEM). Second, a professional Hazard Mitigation Planning consultant was hired. In Colorado, the state Office of Emergency Management (OEM) utilizes a regional support structure to assist the counties with all aspects of Emergency Management, including planning. Each region has a "Regional Coordinator." In Northeast Colorado the Regional Coordinator is a former County Emergency Manager from Morgan County, one of the NCEM counties. The Regional Coordinator contacted the County Board of Commissioners in each of the 11 counties and explained the DMA planning requirement and the leadership and coordination role that each of the 11 County Emergency Managers would be required to undertake, and that the Board of Commissioners would be expected to formally adopt the plan upon its completion. The County Emergency Managers, in turn, then contacted each of the incorporated communities and other FEMA "eligible applicants" within their own counties, offering them the opportunity to participate in the development of the NCEM plan versus having to develop their own individual plans. Every incorporated community within the 11 counties, with the exception of Greeley in Weld County, chose to participate in the development of this plan. Greeley, the largest city within the entire 21,600 square mile planning area, is developing their own DMA plan with the cities of Loveland and Fort Collins, two similar cities in terms of size and risk, both of which are outside of the NCEM planning area. For a matter of perspective, the planning area is approximately the same size as the Space Shuttle Columbia's debris field. The NCEM then determined that the actual process of facilitating and developing their multi-jurisdictional DMA plan was beyond their capability and expertise. Thus, the organization decided to contract with a professional Hazard Mitigation Planning consultant. NCEM selected The Mitigation Assistance Corporation (TMAC) of Boulder, Colorado. TMAC's role was to: · Establish a planning organization for the entire planning area and all of the parti ci pants, · Meet all of the DMA requirements as established by federal regulations, following FEMA's planning guidance, · Facilitate the entire planning process, 3