Disaster Assistance
Mitigation: The recovery and rebuilding period following a major disaster event provides an excellent opportunity to incorporate mitigation into the projects that will rebuild the community. This opportunity affords individuals and local governments the opportunity to evaluate their losses while the lessons learned are still fresh and rebuild in such a way as to reduce losses in the future from another similar event.
Mitigation activities following a Presidentially Declared Disaster are supported primarily through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program HMGP Funds are made available following a Presidentially Declared Disaster to assist local governments with natural hazards mitigation. These Projects are funded according to the FEMA State Cost Stare Agreement (typically 75% federal funding, 15% State funding, and 10% local funding). These projects must provide a complete solution to the identified problem and must demonstrate a benefit to cost ratio of at least 1:1.
Communities should also consider including mitigation actions into recovery projects funded through the Public assistance This is done under section 406 of the Stafford act. 406 mitigation provides funding for cost effective measures that would reduce or eliminate the threat of future similar damage to a facility damaged by the disaster.