Best Practices Stories

The sampling of Best Practices below offer insight on actions taken by people to mitigate against disasters.

Previously submitted stories can be found at the Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL.org).

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New Stories

1. 3 Years Long, 3 Years Strong: New Jersey's Successful Approach to Purchasing Homes along Sandy's Flooded Path
2. A Mitigation Measure Designed to Save Lives
3. Award-Winning Team Helps Residents Recover from Disaster
4. Better Unpaved Roads for Nature and People in Arkansas
5. Brazoria County Adopts Freeboard Regulation in Combatting Flood Loss
6. Chains of Wetlands Project Reduces Flood Risks in City of Dallas 
7. City of Leon Valley Proactively Protects Citizens 
8. Collaborative Community Resilience: Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Planning
9. Defensible Space and Fire Resistant Building Materials Saves Property
10. Disaster Ready Austin 
11. Earning Points Towards Savings: Charleston County’s CRS Efforts Pay Off for Residents 
12. East Texas Community Sees Far Less Flooding with Construction of Detention Pond
13. Elevated Home along Arkansas River Survives Christmas, 2015 Flood
14. Elevation Near Blanco River Survives Historic Flood
15. Emergency Manager's Efforts in Hard-Hit Texas Area Ensure Community Readiness
16. Expansive Flood Control Project Safeguards Austin Texas Neighborhood
17. Fire-Resistant Construction and Space Save Home 
18. Greenville County “Buys Down the Risk” With Property Acquisition Program 
19. Higher Standards Mean Lower Flood Insurance Rates for Myrtle Beach Property Owners
20. Lower Onion Creek Flood Mitigation Buyout Project Gets Kudos from Homeowners
21. Mapping Risks and Vulnerabilities to Increase Resilience Planning
22. Medical University Earns High Marks for Low Country Lesson in Disaster Resistance
23. Moving to Higher Ground
24. New Rest Areas Designed with Tornado Safety in Mind
25. New York Floodplain Management Team Advances Progress through Education and Collaboration
26. Nontraditional Wildfire Mitigation in Bastrop County, Texas
27. Preserving and Protecting a Community Treasure the Historic Rosenberg Library in Galveston, Texas
28. Recovery is Built Through Partnerships
29. Richland County’s Onsite Mobile Permitting Initiative
30. Safe Room Program Offers Cooke County Texas Residents Peace of Mind
31. Texas Water Development Board Helps Guadalupe County Safeguard Severe Repetitive Loss Properties
32. The Curtain Goes Up...and the Building Stays Up: Seismic Retrofit Protects Historic Theater
33. The Southern Flow Corridor Flood Reduction and Habitat Restoration Project
34. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Digs in to Help Carencro
35. Warning System Alerts Residents in San Marcos
36. Water Pumps Mitigate Simonton’s Flood Problem
37. Water Pump Protects North Little Rock Community
38. Weathering the Storm In More Ways Than One

Assistance

• Repetitive Flood Claims Program Benefits City and Homeowners
• User Friendly Government: Town of Hempstead Seeks to Lighten the Load
• Backup Plan Provides Electrical Power for a New Jersey Community
• Computerized Warning System Alerts Pueblo Residents
• On Top of the Game in Floodplain Management
• Mass Acquisitions Ward Off Repetitive Flood Loss

Flood

• Elevation Saves Business and Provides Refuge
• Elevating a Slab-On-Grade Home
• Bay Head Elevated Home Undamaged by Sandy Surge
• Flood Vents, Elevation, and Compliance: Homeowners Protect Their Investment
• Combating Streambank Erosion in Fountain Creek
• Flood Mitigation Project Leads to Saving the Town of Wellington

Grants

• Brenton, Wyoming County Pre-Disaster Mitigation
• FEMA Grant Helps Town Rebuild Road, Improve Safety for Residents
• FEMA HMGP Funding Provides Security in Port Neches
• Grants and Forward Thinking Prevent Sewer Backup
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Pilot Provides Safe Haven for Louisiana Couple
• Multiple FEMA Grant Programs Ease Flood Worries
• Using Grants to Help Convert Overhead Electrical Lines to Underground

Wind

• Hurricane Straps Save a Roof
• Safe Room Protects Oklahoma Family
• Making Tornado Safety a Priority
• Twenty Survive in Neighbor's Safe Room
• Community Continues to Enjoy Benefits of Safe Room Investment
• Winning the Battle Against High Wind Events
• Lahouse: A Mitigation Model for Louisiana Homes

Return to Mitigation Best Practices Portfolio to learn more about Best Practices.