The #MiddletownRI Town Council approves a new Hazard Mitigation & Flood Management Plan after work with Newport and Portsmouth. Believed to be the first of its kind in the state, the plan is intended to help cope with hurricanes and extreme weather.
REGIONAL APPROACH TO DISASTER PLANNING
MIDDLETOWN, RI (FEBRUARY 3, 2026) – The Town of Middletown has a new Hazard Mitigation and Flood Management Plan.
Earlier this week, the Town Council voted unanimously to adopt the lengthy document to help handle hurricanes, Nor’easters, flooding, extreme heat and cold, sea level rise and related weather.
Because Middletown is working together with the other communities on Aquidneck Island — Naval Station Newport, Newport and Portsmouth — there were a multitude of benefits.
Town Planner Ronald Wolanski said among those included a regional response during such disasters as well as improved chances for federal funding to assist both before and after storms and other events. Emergency funding would always be available to Middletown, he noted.
“There are three towns on an island with very similar concerns,” Wolanski said. “The same hazards apply to all three towns and then there’s the efficiencies and cost savings associated with doing a combined plan. It just made sense to us and it’s the first one, that I’m aware of, in the state that’s been done and it’s looked on very favorably by the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency.”
Every five years, Middletown — and other municipalities like it — are required to update the plan.
The purpose of the plan is to “[p]rovide a coordinated consistent set of goals for reducing or minimizing human and property losses; major economic disruption; degradation of ecosystems and environmental critical habitats; destruction of cultural and historical resources from natural disasters.
Wolanski said that because Middletown has a Federal Emergency Management Agency -approved and locally-adopted plan, the community is eligible for FEMA funding before and after disasters.
Of the 30 mitigation actions proposed in the 2019 version of the Hazard Mitigation and Flood Management Plan, Wolanski said six were completed. The rest were not necessary anymore or were rolled into the 2025 version of the plan.
Among the regional actions proposed in the 2025 plan included:
- Creation of a Regional Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to better coordinate emergency response when needed.
- Forming additional capacity for sheltering Aquidneck Island residents during a disaster. Gaudet Middle School serves as the regional shelter in an emergency.
- Pushing more public engagement surrounding emergency prep and response.
- Stressing the importance of improved management of stormwater and drinking water.
Work on the regional planning effort started in April 2024. This included a public survey, multiple workshops, draft review by all three communities and related work.
In addition to Wolanski, former Principal Planner/GIS Manager Anita Guo, Fire Chief Robert McCall and former Fire Chief James Peplau and Timothy Beck — Middletown Police Detective and Deputy Director of Middletown Emergency Management — represented the community in the process.
Once every community adopts the plan, efforts will focus on implementing the proposed recommended actions. There will also be annual meetings by the Regional Hazard Mitigation Committee for progress check-ins.
To view a copy of the presentation to the council, visit https://www.middletownri.gov/DocumentCenter/View/22462/Middletown-HMP-Summary---Jan-2026-Presentation for more.
To see the Hazard Mitigation Plan itself and other like efforts, go to https://mdl.town/HazardMitigationPlan online.
“It’s good we did it regionally because really, we are one body, when you think about it,” council President Paul M. Rodrigues said.
“It’s very detailed and I encourage people to read it,” Councilor Dennis Turano said. “It’s really informative and it talks about all three communities and also it identifies the projects going on currently.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Hazard
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov