Emergency staff with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office are updating a plan to handle hazards and dangers on the Olympic Peninsula, and they are looking to peninsula citizens for assistance.

County officials host an open house meeting to update the Clallam County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, in Building J (Room J-47) at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles.

Those who are unable to attend can add comments and suggestions via an online survey at www.survey monkey.com/r/KBTQXMF.

“(Community member) attendance is very important to ensure the plan has a positive affect for all community members,” Clallam County Undersheriff Ron Cameron said in a press release. “(And citizen) input is a vital part of the successful completion of this plan.”

Hazard mitigation planning identifies the most likely hazards that may impact the community such as earthquakes, fires and floods, Cameron said. The planning also outlines activities to decrease risks posed by such hazards.

The meeting is designed to describe mitigation planning and hear citizens’ perspective on how Clallam County can better address hazards impacting the community.

In addition to setting down plans for what to do in an emergency, hazard mitigation allows Clallam County to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding in the event of a disaster.

The Clallam County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is a federally-approved plan that is updated every five years. This year, Clallam officials are pursuing a multi-jurisdictional plan that will include all peninsula cities as well as the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Other stakeholders working on the plan include area school districts, public utility districts, fire districts and others.