FEMA RESPONSE AND RECOVERY DIVISION

Online HAZARD MITIGATION HANDBOOK SERIES

This is not the FEMA official website.  For that, go to www.fema.gov

The following Handbooks were originally published in print for by FEMA Region X for use in FEMA's Public Assistance Program.  Because of their usefulness, they were adapted and expanded for publication on the FEMA website by Randolph Langenbach at FEMA Headquarters.  These Handbooks were intended to be published on the FEMA website (www.FEMA.gov) but due to administration and personnel changes, this was never done, nor was the series, which was also to include winter storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and landslides, ever completed. They are mounted on this site as a service to the public, as they are public domain documents.  These versions were completed and fully reviewed internally before being published here.  Randolph Langenbach has since retired from FEMA, so please direct inquiries to him by using the email link on this site at the bottom of the page.

	FLOOD HAZARD MITIGATION HANDBOOK
	EARTHQUAKE HAZARD MITIGATION HANDBOOK This is reworked from portions of the Region X published version, combined with information drawn from FEMA 154 and FEMA 310 publications.  Only the portions pertaining to "Buildings" and "Utilities" are to be included here.

INTRODUCTION TO THE HANDBOOKS

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continuously strives to improve the delivery of disaster assistance to states and local governments. This Flood Hazard Mitigation Handbook for Public Facilities (Handbook) is provided to assist entities that may be affected by natural catastrophic events and Presidentially-declared disasters.  The various mitigation measures discussed are intended to help identify options and mitigation ideas for local jurisdictions that can be used at any time, not only after a disaster.

FEMA is charged to provide the focal point of disaster response at the Federal level. FEMA's mission to reduce loss of life and property caused by natural disasters is accomplished through a comprehensive emergency management program.

Before a disaster strikes, FEMA has in the past provided funding and technical assistance for a range of preparedness and mitigation activities. Pre-disaster mitigation has helped build disaster-resistant communities, including the protection of facilities subject to periodic flooding, and the seismic retrofit of buildings in earthquake hazard zones.

During the disaster response, FEMA works with governmental and volunteer agencies, such as the Red Cross, to meet the immediate needs of disaster victims by providing food, shelter, and medical care. Through the Federal Response Plan, FEMA coordinates the resources of other Federal agencies to respond to emergency situations that are beyond the capabilities of State and local resources.

After a disaster, FEMA coordinates long-term recovery efforts, which include a number of mitigation programs. The Public Assistance Program has provided funding for implementing mitigation measures during the rebuilding of disaster-damaged public infrastructure. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program contributed to a number of mitigation programs that help protect communities by working to reduce or eliminate future disaster damage.

The Problem:

As disasters have grown in frequency and severity, the costs of response and recovery have escalated to unsustainable levels. It has been estimated that, nationwide, natural disasters cost approximately $50 billion each year.  This figure includes assistance paid by other Federal agencies, costs to State and local governments, insurance payments, and direct individual and business losses.

The Solution:

The most effective way to reduce excessive losses is through disaster preparedness and mitigation. To best achieve this goal, we as a society need to vigorously pursue three objectives:

OBJECTIVE 1: To break the disaster-rebuild-disaster cycle. This cycle of repetitive loss is the historical mode of disaster recovery. But merely repairing substandard facilities to their pre-disaster condition does not protect the community from future disaster damages or reduce long-term costs. Mitigation betterments should always be considered in the rebuilding process, utilizing a multi-hazard approach whenever possible.

OBJECTIVE 2: To strengthen existing infrastructure and facilities to more effectively withstand the next disaster.

OBJECTIVE 3: To ensure that communities address natural hazards. Comprehensive plans should acknowledge all hazards that pose a risk and take steps to avoid these hazards altogether, or incrementally reduce the community's exposure to its hazards.

The Savings:

The outcome of achieving these objectives will be more resilient and economically sustainable communities. Every dollar spent in damage prevention, may save as much as two to three dollars in future repairs.

PURPOSE OF THE HANDBOOKS

The FEMA Hazard Mitigation Handbooks for Public Facilities (Handbooks) are intended to aid local jurisdictions in identifying a variety of feasible mitigation ideas that can be implemented during the rebuilding process. It focuses on projects commonly eligible for hazard mitigation funding under the Public Assistance Program.

Frequently, due to the urgency to repair the facility, long-term mitigation opportunities are not fully explored. As a result, hazard mitigation funding opportunities through FEMA’s Public Assistance program are not fully utilized.

This Handbook provides local jurisdictions with mitigation ideas that have demonstrated success and can be timely implemented. These mitigation measures relate to the most common damages sustained by the subject natural hazards. These Handbooks can be a useful mitigation tool regardless whether a specific project is proposed for FEMA funding under either the Public Assistance or Mitigation programs or funded locally from other resources.

Mitigation measures in the Handbooks are presented as helpful ideas. To learn of FEMA's Section 406 Hazard Mitigation program associated with a Presidential Declaration, see FEMA’s Mitigation Policy No. 9526.1.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY

As with all Federal agencies that provide funding, FEMA requires specific criteria be met regarding eligibility before a given project is approved for Federal assistance.  The purpose of this Handbook is to provide general information to local governments and the public.  It is not intended to address the issue of FEMA funding eligibility or discuss the criteria for Federal funding decisions.  Thus it is important to note that none of the mitigation measures in these Handbooks should be considered ‘pre-approved’ or otherwise automatically eligible for FEMA funding. Only FEMA staff can determine eligibility, once they have determined that an applicant is eligible and they have reviewed a project proposal.