Mitigation

Mitigation is the cornerstone of emergency management. It is the ongoing efforts to lessen the impact disasters have on people and property. Mitigation involves keeping homes away from floodplains, engineering bridges to withstand earthquakes, creating and enforcing effective building codes to protect property from hurricanes—and more.

The Mitigation Division at FEMA is the organization responsible for working with communities to encourage them to adopt and enforce ordinances that meet or exceed the minimum floodplain management requirements of the NFIP.

In response to the unacceptable loss of life and property from recent disasters, and the prospect of even greater catastrophic loss in the future, the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires states and communities to develop a conceptual framework to reduce these losses. For information on all hazards and what you should know, click here, All Hazards.

Hazard Mitigation involves recognizing and adaptation to natural forces and is defined as any sustained action taken to reduce and eliminate long-term risk to human life and property. Through measures such as, building safely within the floodplain or removing homes altogether; engineering buildings and infrastructures to withstand earthquakes: and creating and enforcing effective building codes to protect property from floods, hurricanes and other natural hazards, the impact on lives and communities is lessened.

Mitigation is defined as any sustained action taken to reduce and eliminate long-term risk to human life and property. Mitigation practices, such as floodproofing or retrofitting a flood prone building, can reduce flood damages and protect your neighborhood.

Floodproofing:

Floodproofing can reduce the impact of flooding whether it is from riverine or flash flooding. There are several ways to floodproof and even the simplest action could reduce food damages. An easy floodproofing technique is to elevate your belongs. For instance, electrical boxes, furnaces, water heaters, and washer/dryers can be elevated a floor or two above the flood level.

• “Dry floodproofing” measures are designed to keep water from entering a building.
• “Wet floodproofing” measures minimize damage to a structure and its contents from water that is allowed into a building.

As a public service, MSD staff offers a variety of technical services for floodproofing and drainage problems. Ask staff about regrading, berms, barriers, sewer backup protection, and backwater valves. Also, inquire about sump pumps and emergency generators.

Protecting Your Property from Flooding

Follow these links for ideas on how to mitigate:

• Backwater Projects
• Steps for Floodprone Areas
• Stormwater Flooding Brochure
• Service Programs
• Floodproofing Material

Please phone or visit MSD.

Flood Mitigation Actions Checklist

Protecting Your Home From Future Flood Damage

You can reduce the risk of future flood damage to your property by taking common-sense steps when making repairs to your home or property. These steps are known as hazard mitigation. Mitigation techniques can be designed for your home to minimize the effects of floodwaters on your property and your family.

Many Mitigation Measures Are Low-Cost

Mitigation measures don't have to be expensive. There are low-cost measures you can take to reduce your risk from future flooding.

Heating and hot-water systems, washers, and dryers can be elevated on a platform at least 12 inches above the flood level. Electrical panels and utilities also should be relocated to an area above the flood level. If the space is not high enough to allow elevation of the utility, the utility may be moved to an upper floor or attic space.

Other measures include building a floodwall around basement windows to protect the basement from low-level flooding and anchoring fuel tanks to prevent them from floating and over-turning.

Before any alterations or repairs are made, contact MSD to obtain a floodplain permits