Mitigation In Action - The Success Story Yet To Be Written
Release Date: November 21, 2003
Release Number: FNF-03-19
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FEMA Mitigation Specialist Gary Witt explains the concept of mitigation to a victim of Hurricane Isabel at the North Carolina State Fair.
Photo by Mark Wolfe/FEMA News Photo
At the North Carolina State Fair, FEMA Mitigation Specialist Gary Witt (center) uses a scale model to explain how to build a saferoom to a father and son affected by Hurricane Isabel. Photo by Mark Wolfe/FEMA News Photo
FEMA mitigation personnel discuss mitigation techniques with victims of Hurricane Isabel at the North Carolina State Fair. Photo by Mark Wolfe/FEMA News Photo |
One problem with protecting oneself from natural disasters is knowing what threats are most likely, and what to do to protect against them.
Another problem is thinking, "Disasters only happen to other people. It won't happen to me."
Background
Throughout the 1990s, U.S. taxpayers spent $25 billion fighting disasters.
Insurance companies spent $106 billion over and above that in 1990s catastrophes, plus another $6.6 billion were paid through the National Flood Insurance Program, private companies uncounted billions above that, and private individuals still more beyond that.
Those figures do not even begin to account for the heartache of deaths and injuries caused by disasters, or the loss of irreplaceable elements such as established homes and neighborhoods, photographs, and family heirlooms.
Despite those facts and the frequent news accounts of disasters, many people take no steps to protect themselves. Approximately two-thirds of the almost 8 million buildings in identified flood hazard areas-the buildings most likely to be flooded-have no flood insurance. Countless others of the 105 million households in the U.S. remain vulnerable to other forms of disaster-earthquake, fire, hurricane, tornado, severe storms, mudslides, terrorist attacks and more.
But one problem has been addressed. The information about what to do is available. There is now more research about natural disasters, more tested methods for lessening damage from disasters, and more ways of getting that information to people than ever before.
Taking Action
After Hurricane Isabel went though North Carolina, mitigation specialists reached out to the public with information on making their homes and businesses safer. They found many people hungry for information.
Specialists set up information booths and passed out literature at the North Carolina State Fair, and at Lowe's Home Improvement Centers in the North Carolina communities of Washington and Elizabeth City.
More than 3000 people received about 5000 pieces of mitigation literature.
Children got more than 2000 coloring books about mitigating disaster damage, some in English and some in Spanish.
Teachers and principals asked for spokespeople to come to schools and make presentations.
Adults showed great interest in a booklet called Reducing Future Damages: A Guide for Rebuilding Safer and Stronger, which discusses techniques ranging from building safe rooms against wind damage, construction techniques to reduce hurricane damage, weather radios, and flood insurance. (The information is also available elsewhere on this Web site.)
Others asked about cleaning up mold and mildew.
Many came specifically seeking out the FEMA booth. Whether they had been damaged by Isabel or not, they wanted to know what steps to take now to protect their families and property.
The Result
One church leader from Wallace, North Carolina, stopped by the booth at the state fair. He described the action his church took after Hurricane Floyd-"adopting" a disaster family. They helped that family recover from Floyd. They helped them build a "disaster kit" of items to have ready to go in case of another disaster. And they also helped the family mitigate their property against future damage-improving their drainage, installing hurricane shutters, and buying a weather radio. The church understood that just repairing past damage is not enough. It is critical to prepare for, and protect against damage from, future disasters.
That is one success story from getting out the word about disaster mitigation.
Tens of thousands of other people have taken steps to protect their families and property.
Have you?
Last Modified: Tuesday, 20-Jan-2004 14:00:30