Creating Risk Mitigation Strategies

Hazard mitigation planning creates a framework for governments to reduce the negative impacts from future disasters on lives, property, the economy and the environment. When creating or updating a hazard mitigation strategy/plan a community identifies hazards and vulnerabilities, sets goals, and identifies potential mitigation projects. Effective mitigation strategies provide documentation of valuable local knowledge on the most efficient and effective ways to reduce losses from hazard events. For example, a strategy may articulate specific actions, such as acquisition or elevation of structures, to help reduce impacts from flooding. Creating and implementing hazard mitigation strategies is one of the most effective ways to protect a community’s residents and property, and is nearly always more cost effective than repairing the damage after a storm event.


* Your community needs only 500 points to qualify for reduced flood insurance premiums through the Community Rating System (CRS). For more information (including how to apply for the CRS program), see our Community Rating System (CRS) primer.

Notes from the folks at CRS:

“Identifying and reviewing possible mitigation activities, and developing a mitigation action plan can receive up to 100 points under Activity 510 Floodplain Management Planning. For each recommendation, the action plan must identify who does what, when it will be done, and how it will be financed.”