Evansville-Vanderburgh County is beginning the process to update the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan to better protect the people and property of Evansville-Vanderburgh County from the effects of natural hazard events and to obtain eligibility for mitigation funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

What Is a Hazard Mitigation Plan?

A hazard mitigation plan is the result of a planning process to determine how to reduce or eliminate the loss of life and property damage resulting from hazards.  This plan will address a comprehensive list of natural hazards – ranging from flooding and earthquakes to tornadoes, and severe winter weather.  The plan will assess the likely impacts of these hazards to Evansville-Vanderburgh County.  

This planning process is structured around four phases:  Phase 1:  Organize Resources, Phase 2:   Assess Risks, Phase 3:   Develop a Mitigation Plan, and Phase 4:  Implement the Plan and Monitor Progress.  

 These four phases are further broken down into 10 steps, shown in the box above.

Why is it Important to Me?

It is important for citizens to become involved in mitigation planning in their community.  The planning team needs your input on the types of hazards that are your priority concern.  Your opinion on ways to prevent or lessen the impacts of hazards is also valuable input for the planning team. 

What Can I do to Participate?

Planning Status

The Planning Team is in Phase 3 of the plan and has completed their Assessment and a Draft update to the plan has been completed: 

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Media Release Date:   February 2nd 2026

Public Presentation of the Vanderburgh County

Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 

Vanderburgh County, in cooperation with City of Evansville and the Town of Darmstadt have prepared an update to the Vanderburgh Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP) to address the risk and vulnerability of communities in the county which may be affected by known natural, technological, and political hazards.

The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requires communities to update their MHMP every five years in order to be eligible for any future mitigation funding through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The intent of the MHMP is to plan for a disaster before it occurs in order to reduce the physical, social and economic impact of that disaster.

The draft Vanderburgh County MHMP Update may be accessed at Document Center / 2025 Draft MHMP / City of Evansville, IN at your convenience. 

Topics covered in the update include: an overview of the planning requirements; a summary of the risk assessment and vulnerability analysis; and proposed mitigation projects for prevention, property protection, natural resource protection, emergency services, structural control projects, and public information.

Comments will be accepted through Friday February 20th 2026 

Please submit comments to EMA@evansville.in.gov, 

or contact the Emergency Management office @ 1-812-435-6020

Implementation of the Plan is the Ultimate Goal!

The ultimate goal of this planning process is implementation of mitigation actions that will prevent or lessen the impacts of hazards to people and property in your community.  An example is the elevation of structures that repeatedly flood, reducing structural damage in the event of future flooding.