Session 131 Comparative Emergency Management Session 13 Slide Deck

Session 132 Session Objectives 1.Provide a Broad Definition of Mitigation in the Context of Emergency Management 2.Explain the Three Primary and Two Secondary Goals of Mitigation 3.Describe the Obstacles to Mitigation

Session 133 Mitigation: Alternate Names Prevention Protection Hazard Reduction Risk Reduction The Cornerstone of Emergency Management

Session 134 Mitigation: Possible Problems Costly Disruptive Time consuming Socially unpalatable Associated risks May not work as intended May be a shortage of political will May be a short public attention span

Session 135 Mitigation Function Definition Any sustained effort undertaken to reduce a hazard risk through the reduction of the likelihood and/or the consequence component of that hazards risk or Any action that seeks to either make a hazard less likely to occur or to reduce the negative effects if it were to occur

Session 136 Mitigation Goals A classification of the desired risk outcome –Risk likelihood reduction –Risk consequences reduction –Risk avoidance –Risk acceptance, and –Risk transfer, sharing, or spreading

Session 137 Goal 1: Risk Likelihood Reduction Reduce the chances that a manifestation of the hazard occurs Measurable reduction in the likelihood component of risk Not always technically feasible Examples (for flooding): Dikes, Dams, Levees, Wetlands Preservation/Reclamation, Retention Ponds, Diversion, Dredging

Session 138 Goal II: Risk Consequences Reduction Reduction in the impact of a hazard to humans, structures, the environment Much greater range of mitigation options than Goal I Examples (for hurricanes): Elevation, resistant construction, public information, storm shelters, land use and activity restrictions. Manifestation of the hazard is unchanged

Session 139 Goal III: Risk Avoidance Total risk avoidance Likelihood or Consequence = ZERO Example (for floods): Buyout Program Most commonly used for technological hazards

Session 1310 Goal IV: Risk Acceptance Risk is acceptable as is Several reasons: –Limited funding –One or more undesirable consequences –Socio-cultural patterns

Session 1311 Goal V: Risk Transfer, Sharing, or Spreading Risk is not actually reduced, but its consequence or likelihood is diluted across a large group of people such that each suffers an average, and likely reduced consequence Most common: insurance and reinsurance

Session 1312 Risk Mitigation Obstacles Cost Poor political support or buy-in Socio-cultural issues Risk perception