VIDALIA &045; Citizens in Concordia Parish and surrounding towns may have a safer future if disaster strikes.

Changes are in the plan for Concordia Parish’s Disaster Mitigation Plan Steering Committee. Vidalia Fire Chief Jake Langston was appointed as chairperson for the committee at the Vidalia’s Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday. The committee has to tell the local government of changes in their plans.

&uot;We want to make sure we’re on the same wavelength,&uot; Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said.

One of the plans includes a $50,000 grant from the federal government to help families whose insurance can’t cover a large amount of damages in the event of a natural disaster, committee coordinator, Morris White said.

&uot;We reduce the impact on people and their assets,&uot; he said.

Town mayors and the Concordia Parish Police Jury approved the plan, which helps small surrounding towns outside of Concordia Parish to dip into the fund if a disaster in hits. Citizens must apply and be approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that analyzes liabilities from the disaster in order to be qualified for financial aid.

The Committee is required under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000.

The act requires the state to authorize a program for pre-disaster preparation in order to receive federal assistance. The program was set up to control federal cost of disaster aid by administrating safety procedures, provide education and training, evaluate hazards, and provide mitigation plans and other purposes.

The committee has between 12 to 15 members, which vary in professions. They meet an average of six to eight times a year. The Committee also works with the health department and other assistant organizations to aid families.

&uot;We’re all singing on the same music sheet,&uot; White said. &uot;This is all tied together.&uot;

The committee has been operating for about four years.

Louisiana also has a new region operations manual that ties regions from the state, in order to help in case a region is short handed with aid and volunteers, White said.

White said you have to have knowledge and background of in all areas to make a successful impact.

One of the Committee’s purposes is to guide victims of disasters from Concordia Parish and other particular areas.

&uot;We’re always working to decrease vulnerabilities,&uot; White said.