In order to address the university’s multi-hazard mitigation project needs, ODU Emergency Management has begun a planning process that will result in an addendum to the 2022 Hampton Roads Hazard Mitigation Plan. The addendum will treat ODU as a “Special District” within the larger, regional planning area.
Purpose and Need
Since 2007, ODU Emergency Management has sought opportunities and funding to update the university’s existing hazard mitigation plan in order to attain eligibility for various grant programs and to carefully develop and prioritize mitigation activities on campus. Simultaneously, ODU has expanded its footprint in Hampton Roads with campuses in Suffolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Hampton, and the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk. ODU recognizes that the need is urgent for an up-to-date hazard mitigation plan that outlines a mitigation strategy tailored to the university’s vulnerabilities across all campuses, and identified the Special District addendum to the regional plan as a way to cost effectively fulfill this need in accordance with FEMA guidance.
Scope
ODU Emergency Management has contracted with Salter’s Creek Consulting, Inc. to execute an abbreviated mitigation planning process and develop a brief written addendum to the 2022 Hampton Roads Hazard Mitigation Plan. The addendum will reference existing vulnerability assessments and highlight where ODU vulnerabilities may differ from the overall region. The addendum to the Hampton Roads plan will include summary information on all phases of the planning process, and focus on the prioritized mitigation strategies to be appended to the region’s plan. The addendum is expected to be reviewed by VDEM and FEMA prior to the ODU Board of Visitors adoption.
Project Schedule
The project is expected to take approximately nine (9) months to complete, beginning in September 2025. Keeping to this timeline will allow ODU to maintain their regular required emergency operations planning cadence as required by the Code of Virginia, including adding new hazard mitigation content into their 2026 Crisis and Emergency Management Plan, which will go in front of the ODU Board of Visitors for quadrennial adoption in mid-late 2026. The first phase of the process involves a committee meeting to review components of the regional plan (October), and a workshop to formulate mitigation actions for the future (November). The second phase involves obtaining feedback on the mitigation actions from various stakeholders and State and Federal reviewers.
ODU will host an Open House in mid-January 2026 to share and discuss plan components with stakeholders and the public. Feedback obtained through the Open House will be used to prepare the final addendum.
Open House date and location will be announced on this web site!
Helpful Links
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
2022 Hampton Roads Hazard Mitigation Plan
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Planning
How to Participate and Provide Input
Reach out to Jared Hoernig, Director, ODU Emergency Management, who will add your name to the appropriate notification list. Mr. Hoernig can be reached by telephone at 757-683-5116, or by email at