Mitigation Best Practices

Mitigation Best Practices are stories, articles or case studies about individuals, businesses or communities that undertook successful efforts to reduce or eliminate disaster risks.

They demonstrate that disaster preparedness decreases repetitive losses, financial hardship and loss of life.

FEMA seeks to inspire and educate citizens to consider mitigation options by highlighting proven practices implemented by others in their homes and communities. It is our hope that visitors to this library find relatable and informative techniques to reduce their risk and eliminate hazards.

Explore mitigation planning examples on the Mitigation Planning Success Stories story map. It highlights success stories on plan implementation, plan integration, outreach, engagement and equity. If you have a success story worth sharing, please email us.

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In 2012, Larimer County, Colorado experienced a major wildfire, followed by a major flood in 2013. Many residents were isolated by these events, either through damage to infrastructure or communications systems. These two disasters showed gaps in the county’s emergency capabilities and public safety information outreach.
Although the land Paul Jackson purchased was in a low-risk zone on the community’s current flood maps, he understood the risk of living in a coastal area. With a mitigation mindset, he decided to build a resilient home and purchased a flood insurance policy to protect his investment.
When communicating life safety and preparedness messaging, cultural differences need to be considered.  In Amish communities, there is a minimalist lifestyle. They do not typically use electricity and don’t adopt or use the conveniences of modern technology. There are many pockets of Amish communities across the country A warning coordination meteorologist and an emergency management director teamed up to initiate a project which has become far reaching beyond the bounds of Eastern Kentucky.
The year 2017 was difficult for most Puerto Ricans. The island was already going through a financial crisis, when in September, Hurricane María, a Category 4 storm, brought flooding that wreaked havoc on the island.  There were areas impacted that had never flooded before. Millions in real and personal property losses. Without flood insurance, the cost to recover can be extensive. Most residents and businesses must pay out of pocket or take out loans to replace damaged items.
When rain and a high tide event in 1999 brought significant damage to their properties, residents of Oakland Park, Florida realized their current drainage system needed serious improvement. With nearly 400 home sites in the Lloyd Estates and Sleepy Hollow neighborhoods affected, city officials researched solutions to prevent future flooding.
Kathy Valentine Hall, a marine biologist, and expert in sea turtles, decided to build back stronger after losing her wood-framed home to Hurricane María in September 2017. With help from FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program, a U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loan, her life savings and help from friends, Kathy built a hurricane-resistant home. She used mitigation measures in the new concrete structure, following building codes and using proper materials.
In 2008, Pontilly neighborhood homeowners brought forth ideas and designs for a new flood management system to New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and the city. The new design would hold water where it falls, giving the existing drainage system time to follow its natural drainage process without flooding the neighborhood.
Flooding sparked the need to design and develop the Cedar River Corridor Plan. As part of the plan, King County completed restoration at Rainbow Bend.
The City of Mandeville, located in St. Tammany Parish, decided to commit to helping residents escape troublesome flood waters. Finally tiring of the constant issue of a repeated damage-repair cycle, city officials decided to act by adopting high regulatory standards for the elevation of homes and businesses.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, has a long history with flood-related disasters and hazard mitigation planning. Decades ago, a George Washington University study identified Tulsa as the most frequently flooded city in the United States.
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