Hazard Mitigation Planning Katie Sommers State Hazard Mitigation Officer Roxanne Gray Mitigation Section Supervisor
What is Mitigation? According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): “Mitigation is any sustained action taken Photo from Kenosha County to eliminate or reduce the long-term risk to human life and property from natural and technological hazards” Photo from Soldiers Grove, WI
Break the Cycle Disaster
Why Do We Mitigate? • Disasters cost society too much • State and federal aid insufficient • Can prevent future damages • Less impact and speed response and recovery process • Mitigation happens at the local level
Why Do We Mitigate? Nationwide Trends • $80 Billion 2004-2011 (GAO) responding to disasters • $6 Billion per year in flood damages • Costs continue to rise • People continue to build and live in high- risk areas
Why Do We Mitigate? In Wisconsin • $3 billion in disaster-related damages last 3 decades • 12 Federal Disaster Declarations in the 90’s compared to 6 in the 80’s • 2000, 2001, two in 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, two in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 • 2 snow emergencies (2000 and 2008)
Value of Mitigation Gays Mills, WI For every $1 spent on mitigation, $4 is saved in future damages. (Per the National Institute of Building Sciences -2005)
Examples of Mitigation
Acquisition/Demolition Communities acquire land, demolish structures, and keep the land in open space. Images from Darlington, WI
Elevation Elevation raises a structure out of the floodplain. Wisconsin has specific regulations to follow with elevation projects. See DNR for more information. Images from Soldiers Grove, WI
Floodwall Floodwalls can prevent water from inundating structures that cannot be elevated, relocated, or demolished. Image from Darlington, WI
Community Safe Room Community safe rooms built to FEMA-361 standards can withstand winds up to 250 MPH. Image from Town of Dunn, WI
Stormwater Detention Detention ponds can store stormwater runoff, decreasing flash flooding in urban areas. Image from MMSD Stormwater Detention Project (Wauwatosa, WI)
Stormwater Stream restoration allows watersheds to better manage flooding. Image from Theinsville, WI
River Warning Systems River warning systems installed on conservation dams to warn county officials about expected dam breaching. Images from Vernon County
Other Projects • Raise appliances and utilities • Install back-flow NOAA Weather valves Radios • Retrofit for wind Mobile Home Tie-Downs resistance • Education and public awareness • Insurance (flood and sewer backup) • Land use planning Proper Landscaping
Benefits of Mitigation • Enhance recreation and tourism Parks Trails • Increase community Darlington, WI pride & improve quality of life • Save tax dollars Chaseburg, WI
Mitigation Planning
Benefits of Pre-Disaster Planning • Use skills, experience, and expertise of wide range of groups • Address broad range of hazards • Involve and educate citizens • Identify the best mitigation projects • Gain public and political support Soldiers Grove, WI
Benefits of Pre-Disaster Planning • Mitigation can support other goals of the community • Capitalize on mitigation opportunities after a disaster • Identify sources of technical and financial assistance • Fewer constraints on time and resources vs. post- disaster Darlington, WI
Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 • Public Law 106-390 signed into law 10/30/00 • Establishes a national disaster hazard mitigation program Section 203: Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program Section 322: Mitigation Planning Requirement
Vision of DMA 2000 • To reduce disaster losses thru pre-disaster mitigation planning by pre-identifying, cost- effective mitigation • Mitigation planning would then streamline and speed up the recovery process
Mitigation Planning • Describe actions to mitigate hazards, risks, and vulnerabilities • Establish strategy to implement those actions • Pre-identify projects to ensure comprehensive, integrated approach to hazard reduction
Local/Tribal Mitigation Plan Criteria • Local Planning – 44 CFR Part 201.6 • Tribal Planning – 44 CFR Part 201.7 • Components Planning Process Risk Assessment Mitigation Strategy Plan Maintenance Process Plan Adoption Plan Review
Comprehensive Planning • Economic • Issues and Development Opportunities • Intergovernmental • Housing Cooperation • Transportation • Land Use • Utilities and • Implementation Community Facilities • Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources
Planning Deadlines • Must have an approved All-Hazards Mitigation Plan to receive PDM, HMGP, FMA • Local plans have to be reviewed, updated, and re-approved every 5 years
Plan Updates • Should allow one year to 18 months for update • Plan expires 5 years from approval date Vernon County, WI
Planning Process
Planning Process 1. Determine the planning area and resources 2. Form and organize the team 3. First steps 4. Engage the public 5. Document the process
3. First Steps • Establish responsibilities • Confirm the purpose of the plan • Review the current mitigation plan • Refine the plan scope and schedule • Develop an outreach strategy
3. First Steps • Review Existing Plans, Studies, and Laws – Stormwater studies – Engineering reports – Floodplain ordinances – State Hazard Mitigation Plan – Comprehensive plans – Local hazard analysis – Land use plans – Building codes
4. Engage the Public • Tell your story. Educate the public about the progress and the results of the planning process. • Publish progress in a newspaper. • Publish newsletters or brochures. • Host public-input workshops and/or focus groups. • Open planning meetings to the public.
4. Engage the Public • Consider outreach activities at local festivals, fairs, or other public events. • Post progress and results on the internet. Allow electronic feedback submissions. • Have the draft plan available for review at county and municipal buildings, libraries, etc. Display the final plan once it’s approved. • Be creative!!
5. Document the Process • Documentation of the planning process is a requirement! • Plan adoption is a requirement! • Document time and expenses for local match for FEMA grants.
5. Document the Process Include copies of… • Meeting agendas, sign-in sheets, minutes • Public notices • Media articles • Public comments or input • Surveys • Correspondence
Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment: What is it? • A process that produces a specific section of your plan that answers these questions: What hazards could What areas of your affect your jurisdiction are jurisdiction? vulnerable to hazards? To what degree will What assets could be these assets be affected? affected?
Risk Assessment: Why? • Better-understand which hazards affect your community – Previous occurrences – Probability of future events • Estimate potential impacts and losses • Consider how future development impacts hazards, risk, and potential losses
Risk Assessment: Outcomes • Provide sufficient information to develop and prioritize mitigation actions to reduce the risk from identified hazards • Information from local risk assessments is integrated into the State Plan to help establish statewide goals and policies
Process • Identify hazards that occur – Which ones are most prevalent? – Natural hazards required, technological hazards optional • Describe the hazards – Type, extent, previous occurrences, severity, duration • Estimate losses and impacts to your community
Describe the Hazards Item Examples High, medium, low (define) • Hazard Extent Enhanced Fujita Scale • Water depth • (strength, magnitude) Wind speed • Past damages • Previous Severity • Occurrences Duration • Dates • Unlikely, likely, highly likely (define) • Probability of Historical frequencies • Future Events Statistical probability (1% in any given year) • Hazard probability maps •
Identify Community Needs People • Visiting (students, second homeowners, migrant farm workers, special events) • Access/functional needs (children, elderly, people with physical/mental disabilities, non-English speaking) Economy • Direct and indirect losses • Loss of function • Key economic sectors (agriculture, major employers, industries, etc.)
Assess the Built Environment • Structures • Infrastructure • Utilities • Cultural resources • Critical facilities Source: Google Earth; generated by Robyn Wiseman, (15 May 2014)
Assess the Natural Environment • Assets important to the community such as tourism/ recreation • Clean air/water • Wetlands and floodplains Sources (Above) Google Earth; generated by Robyn Wiseman (15 May 2014) (Below) FEMA Map Service Center; ” generated by Robyn Wiseman, http://msc.fema.gov (15 May 2014)
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