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What is Hazard Mitigation?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) defines hazard mitigation as any sustained action taken to reduce
or eliminate long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards. Another way to understand hazard mitigation is as the
prevention component of the emergency management process.
- Mitigation activities are actions that will prevent, reduce or eliminate losses. Mitigation can reduce or eliminate the need for an emergency response and greatly reduce the recovery period.
- Preparedness activities are the emergency plans, training, drills, and exercises that individuals, communities and first responders participate in on almost daily basis. These are things done to get ready for an emergency or disaster before it happens.
- Response is the short-term, emergency actions taken to address the immediate impacts of a hazard.
- Recovery is the longer-term process of restoring the community back to normal or pre-disaster conditions.
Why is Natural Hazard Mitigation Important?
Most people have been affected by natural hazards in some way. Blue Earth County and its residents are vulnerable to a variety of hazards including tornadoes, floods, extreme temperatures and severe winter weather. While these hazards cannot be prevented from occurring, mitigation planning focuses on reducing the impact of such events when they do occur. Mitigation strategies include actions taken in the form of projects that will substantially reduce or eliminate repetitive losses due to the occurrence of the same hazard. Examples may include but are not limited to such actions as purchasing and relocating property in flood plains, steps to eliminate power interruption during storms, upgrades of storm water systems and water treatment facilities, or storm shelters.
The rising costs associated with disaster response and recovery have focused attention of federal, state, and local governments on addressing natural hazards before they occur. Federal laws require State and local governments coordinate mitigation planning and implementation efforts and require State and local mitigation plans as a condition of pre- and post-disaster assistance. Local governments must have a FEMA-approved local Mitigation Plan in order to apply for and/or receive project grants under the following hazard mitigation assistance programs:
- Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
- Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)
- Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
- Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL)
Blue Earth County Hazard Mitigation Planning
Through a planning effort that began in 2003, Blue Earth County and local units of government within the County developed the first Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan was prepared by the Region 9 Development Commission staff under the direction of Blue Earth County Emergency Management and a designated task force.Blue Earth County is currently working on reviewing and updating the existing Hazard Mitigation Plan. In to have a successful mitigation plan Blue Earth County has formed a task force comprised of a wide range of stakeholders who have a role in identifying and implementing mitigation actions. Blue Earth County staff from Emergency Management and Environmental Services Departments and Region 9 are coordinating plan development.
Prepared By Region 9 Development Commission (Click to Open PDF Files on Region 9 Website):
- Cover, Table of
Contents, and Planning Process
- Blue Earth County
Overview
- Priority Natural
Hazards
- Flooding
- Secondary Natural
Hazards
- Infectious Disease and
Primary Unnatural Hazards
- Pipelines, Hazardous
Materials and Water Treatment
- Secondary Unnatural
Hazards
- Action Plan
- Plan Evaluation and
Program Maintenance
- Appendix - Survey of
Hazards (Good Thunder, Lake Crystal, Madison Lake, and Mankato)
- Appendix - Survey of
Hazards (Mapleton, Pemberton, Skyline, and Vernon Center)
- Appendix - Maps
