Hazard Mitigation Planning

Hazard Mitigation Planning
Description:

In 2000, the 106th United States Congress enacted the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA2K), amending the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. DMA2K aims to reduce citizens’ vulnerability to natural hazards across the United States by enhancing mitigation efforts at state and local levels. To qualify for Public Assistance Categories C – G and Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance (UHMA), every local, county, and state government must maintain an updated and formally adopted hazard mitigation plan.

FEMA provides specific guidance and requirements for state and local hazard mitigation planning, which must be met to obtain FEMA approval. These requirements include identifying natural hazards at the local level, assessing risks, setting mitigation goals and strategies, and preparing a mitigation action plan tailored to each jurisdiction.

The planning process outlined in FEMA’s guidance documents must be strictly followed and thoroughly documented. Once drafted, the plan is reviewed by the relevant state agency before being submitted to the appropriate FEMA Regional Office for approval. Both state and local plans must be reviewed, updated, and comprehensively revised every five years to maintain compliance and eligibility.

Although this process may seem complex and demanding, Insight brings over two decades of expertise in developing FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plans. Our team coordinates all aspects of the planning process to ensure the final plan meets FEMA’s standards, alleviating the burden on municipalities to meet the stringent requirements within the five-year timeframe.