McKinley County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update

The 5-year update of the McKinley County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is under development, with participation from the County, City of Gallup, and Gallup-McKinley County Schools. Having the approved hazard mitigation plan provides each jurisdiction with a federal government approved and locally adopted plan which will support grant applications to implement natural hazard risk reduction projects. Examples of natural hazard mitigation projects are drainage improvements, utility tie-downs, cooling centers, or public outreach. The approved plan is a requirement for FEMA hazard mitigation grant funding and can serve as the planning eligibility requirement for other funding opportunities.

Contact Information


The natural hazard mitigation planning process assists McKinley County, the City of Gallup, and Gallup-McKinley County Schools to identify the natural hazards that impact each entity, analyze the risks, and prioritize actions that can be taken to reduce that risk. A Planning Team, made up of representatives from the county, city, and school district, will meet monthly to discuss and develop the update of the Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Community Involvement

An introductory Press Release was distributed on June 4, 2025, with a follow-up article in the Gallup Independent on June 7, 2025. Links to the article and Press Release are found below. More information about the input opportunities will be posted to this website.

Introductory Press Release – Hazard Mitigation Plan 6/04/2025  /DocumentCenter/View/3498

Gallup Independent article 6/07/2025  /DocumentCenter/View/3497

Gallup Independent article 6/17/2025  /DocumentCenter/View/3502

A public open house is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 4:00-6:00PM at the El Morro Event Center, 210 S 2nd Street Gallup, NM 87301.  

During the Community Open House, participants are asked to provide feedback and input on the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan and will have the opportunity to ask questions to the Project Team. McKinley County Residents, business owners, property owners, non-profit organizations, agencies, local government officials, neighboring communities, and anyone interested in Hazard Mitigation Planning are invited to participate! Public Open House Flyer: /DocumentCenter/View/3759

The Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan is available for review beginning on 10/28/2025: /DocumentCenter/View/3760

The Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan is supplemented by several appendices. Please review them here: /DocumentCenter/View/3764

Interested parties can review the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan and provide feedback (in-person or online) from October 29th until November 12th. A feedback survey will be available at the meeting and is available at: Community Feedback Survey – McKinley County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update

What is Hazard Mitigation?

According to the FEMA, hazard mitigation is “the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. It is most effective when implemented under a comprehensive, long-term mitigation plan. State, tribal, and local governments engage in hazard mitigation planning to identify risks and vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters and develop long-term strategies for protecting people and property from future hazard events.”

Typically, natural hazard mitigation describes actions that reduce or eliminate the impact of natural hazards. Wildfires, floods, thunderstorms, high winds, winter storms, and drought are all examples of natural hazards. Actions to reduce the impact of natural hazards fall into four main categories: education and awareness programs; local plans and regulations; natural system protection; and structure and infrastructure projects.

2021 McKinley County Hazard Mitigation Plan.pdf