What is Mitigation?

 

Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. In order for mitigation to be effective we need to take action now—before the next disaster—to reduce human and financial consequences later (analyzing risk, reducing risk, and insuring against risk). It is important to know that disasters can happen at any time and any place and if we are not prepared, consequences can be fatal.

 

Effective mitigation requires that we all understand local risks, address the hard choices, and invest in long-term community well-being. Without mitigation actions, we jeopardize our safety, financial security and self-reliance.

 

Hazard Mitigation

 

Hazard mitigation is sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and their property from hazards. Rusk County OEM provides support to local jurisdictions in the development of local Hazard Mitigation Plans. These plans form the foundation for a community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. The planning process is as important as the plan itself. It creates a mechanism for local risk-based decision making to reduce damages to lives, property, and the economy from future disasters.

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) makes funding available to carry out certain strategies outlined in the hazard mitigation plans. However, as a condition of eligibility for that funding, local governments are required have to a FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan and those plans must be updated every 5 years.  We are supported in this role by our district and regional coordinators with the Texas Division of Emergency Management.