This page describes the process to complete a hazard mitigation plan.
State, tribal, and local governments engage in hazard mitigation planning to identify risks and vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters, and develop long-term strategies for protecting people and property from future hazard events. The graphic below illustrates the core steps in completing a hazard mitigation plan.
1. Organize Resources – At the start, a state, tribe, or community should focus on assembling the resources needed for a successful mitigation planning process. This includes identifying and organizing interested stakeholders, as well as securing needed technical expertise.
2. Assess Risks – Next, the state, tribe, or community needs to identify the characteristics and potential consequences of hazards. It is important to understand what geographic areas different hazards might impact and what people, property, or other assets might be vulnerable.
3. Develop a Mitigation Plan – Based on an understanding of risk, the state, tribe, or community then needs to set priorities and develop long-term strategies for avoiding or minimizing the undesired effects of disasters. The product is a mitigation plan and implementation approach.
4. Implement Plan and Monitor Progress – The state, tribe, or community can bring the mitigation plan to life in a variety of ways, ranging from implementing specific mitigation projects to changing aspects of day-to-day organizational operations. To ensure success in ongoing implementation, it is critical that the plan remain relevant. Thus, the state, tribe, or community should conduct periodic evaluations to assess changing risks and priorities and make revisions as needed.
For more detailed guidance on the process to complete an approved mitigation plan under the Stafford Act and the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR Part 201), please see FEMA’s State Mitigation Plan Review Guide, Tribal Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance, Local Mitigation Plan Review Guide (English version; Spanish version), or Local Mitigation Planning Handbook.