Hazard Mitigation Planning FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Mitigation Planning?
Mitigation planning is a process through which communities assess risks and identify actions to reduce vulnerability to hazards through hazard mitigation.
What is a Mitigation Plan?
A Mitigation Plan is a community-driven, living document that communities use to reduce their vulnerability to hazards.
Why assess and plan for risk?
The plan and its process show the link between land-use decisions and vulnerability. It serves as a tool to be used by planners or other officials to advise and inform decision makers.
What is the Stafford Act?
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288), as amended by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, provides the legal basis for State, local, and Indian Tribal governments to undertake a risk-based approach to reducing risks to natural hazards through mitigation planning.
Why have a Mitigation Plan?
Communities must have a plan to apply for or receive a Mitigation Grant. These grants can augment local mitigation activities already being done. Ultimately, these actions reduce vulnerability, and communities are able to recover more quickly from disasters.
Additional FAQs Coming Soon.
Last Modified: Friday, 20-Mar-2009 15:57:51 EDT
Fast Facts
Benefits of Mitigation Planning
1. Increases public awareness and understanding of vulnerabilities as well as support for specific actions to reduce losses from future natural disasters.
2. Builds partnerships with diverse stakeholders increasing opportunities to leverage data and resources in reducing workloads as well as achieving shared community objectives.
3. Expands understanding of potential risk reduction measures to include structural and regulatory tools, where available, such as ordinances and building codes.
4. Informs development, prioritization, and implementation of mitigation projects. Benefits accrue over the life of the project as losses are avoided from each subsequent hazard event.