Slide 1 

Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices 
and Case Studies and Communication Strategy

FEMA

Slide 2 

Principle in Practice: 

Effective mitigation is Effective mitigation is 
at the heart of success in better at the heart of success in better 
protecting lives and property protecting lives and property 
from the adverse impacts from the adverse impacts 
of disaster of disaster

Slide 3 

Why Document Mitigation Best Practices? 

Motivate by example Motivate by example 

Instill public confidence Instill public confidence 
Give hope Give hope 

Encourage community to practice mitigation Encourage community to practice 
mitigation 

Support economic development Support economic development 

Demonstrate value for the dollar Demonstrate value for the dollar 

Provide opportunities for positive media coverage Provide opportunities for 
positive media coverage 

NOTES:
* Provides an opportunity to change the way disasters impact us nationwide. 
* How? 
* Gives others ideas of what they can do before disaster strikes 
* When political leaders help build a safer community, it builds confidence in 
government. 
* Helps disaster victims know there IS something THEY can do to minimize or 
avoid pain and suffering another time. 
* Showing what has been done in your community or others, spurs additional 
projects. 
* Disasters are often seen as a negative. 
* Promoting disaster resistance demonstrates vision and responsibility on the part 
of government-ultimately better protecting citizens and businesses. 
* Promoting projects show that what's been spent has value and is making a 
difference. 
* Can generate additional funding. 
* Show triumph-over-tragedy 
* Show hope. 
* Illustrate benefits of smart choices. 
* Provide opportunities for community or state to accentuate the positive.

Slide 4 

FEMA Communication Strategy 

September 2004 

NOTES

For mitigation to be effective we have to do three things: 
1. Do the projects, either privately funded or grant funded 
2. Document the efforts 
3. Promote what has been done 
4. Demonstrate cost avoidance or cost benefit

Slide 5 

Best Practices Tell a story 

Generally use a human-interest approach 

Document a variety of mitigation Document a variety of mitigation 
ideas/techniques that will reduce ideas/techniques that will reduce 
adverse disaster impacts adverse disaster impacts 

NOTES:

By definition, Best Practices: 
* Tell a story 
* Generally use a human-interest approach 
* Document a variety of mitigation ideas/techniques that will reduce adverse 
disaster impacts.

Slide 6 

Case Studies Provide a greater in-depth, technical and/or statistical look at some 
statistical look at some of these same mitigation practices

NOTES:

By definition, Case Studies: 

* Provide greater in-depth, technical and/or statistical look at some of these 
same effective mitigation practices.

Slide 7 

Purpose
 
Develop and Promote Mitigation Best Mitigation Best Practices 
and Case Studies and Case Studies 

Increase public awareness of effective mitigation strategies 

Compel communities, individuals and businesses to take action to take action 

NOTES:
* Provides a formalized process for capturing and promoting mitigation 
stories 
* Using the stories to increase public awareness: 
* Telling what others have done to better protect themselves gives 
people the idea that something CAN be done to reduce or prevent 
damages before or after a disaster. 
* Best practice stories lead by example 
* By using other real-life examples of what has been done-especially 
if it's proven to be successful-we can spur action on the part of 
others.

Slide 8 

Benefits 

Better protect lives and property by promoting effective mitigation techniques 

Enhance national portfolio of "how-to information 

Build internal/external partnerships 

Provide framework for communication efforts 

NOTES:

* "How-to" information: also known as Best Practices Database Web page 
www.fema.gov/fima/ 
* By documenting mitigation efforts, we can build collective resources that 
anyone can assess for ideas and effectiveness of mitigation techniques, available 
funding sources, creating partnerships, etc. 
* Internal: team effort of Public Affairs and Mitigation-other program areas can 
become involved by being the eyes and ears for story leads and providing 
documentation/technical information about potential stories 
* External: enhances the state/federal relationship; brings together public 
agencies 
and private organizations for the common goal of better protecting lives and 
property. 
* Sets forth both ideas and a process that can help guide promotion efforts for 
mitigation projects and activities.

Slide 9 

Strategy Partners
 
Mitigation, Public Affairs, Recovery 

*  Multi-Hazard Multi-Hazard 

*  Utilizes Disaster Field Utilizes Disaster Field 
Office federal and state Office federal and state 
resources resources 

*  Guides regional efforts Guides regional efforts 

Notes:

* Joint effort of program areas provides additional resources for developing 
Best Practices and Case Studies

Slide 10 

Strategy 

Formalizes process of documenting mitigation 

Provides objectives, criteria, key messages, delivery plan, resources, Standard 
Operating Procedures 

Education component for federal/state staff 

NOTES:

* PowerPoint overview of Communication Strategy developed (and part of 
CD Toolkit) to raise awareness of and interest among state/federal 
disaster staff in identifying and promoting for Best Practices.

Slide 11 

CD-ROM Toolkit 

Provides essentials for developing and promoting Mitigation Best Practices and 
Case Studies 

CD Content: 

*  Communication Strategy 

*  Operational Procedures 

*  "Telling the Tale of Disaster Resistance ..." guidebook 

*  Informational tools and materials 

NOTES:

*  Sample PowerPoint Sample PowerPoint 
presentations presentations 
* User friendly information 
* Facilitates orientation of staff to Communication Strategy 
* Furthers the understanding of the importance of documentation

Slide 12 

How Strategy Works 

Begins in predeclaration stage 

Information gathering about mitigation 

Form Best Practices 

* Mitigation 
* Public Affairs 
* State counterparts 

NOTES:
* Mitigation and Public Affairs staff begin initial legwork to document Best 
Practices. 
* Data collection for story leads of potential Best Practices initiated by 
Mitigation. 
* Media outreach on past Best Practices in affected area initiated by Public 
Affairs. Photo documentation of current disaster is initiated. 
* State counterparts for both Mitigation and Public Affairs are involved in 
process.

Slide 13 

How Strategy Works 

Story Leads identified 

Transition to disaster field operation 

NOTES:
* Team establishes leads based on all input-data collection, guidance from state 
counterparts. Sets forth what Best Practices stories will be pursued first. 
* Initial work is transferred to the disaster field location and to appropriate 
staff 
for followup. Note: This takes into account that the original Mitigation/Public 
Affairs staffers may not actually end up being the key team members for the 
disaster operation.

Slide 14 

How Strategy Works

Documentation efforts begin 

*  Background material 

*  Interviews 

* Photos 

* Site visits 

NOTES:

*  ALL information and documentation related to a story. BE THOROUGH! 
*  Ex: FEMA mitigation data; info from government agencies, news media 
organizations (video, photo, 
clippings), weather service offices, public libraries, etc. 
*  Things you want to know: 
- How did project come about, i.e. result of a disaster? How many times? 
- How was mitigation measure chosen? 
- What work was done? 
- What agencies are involved? 
- What was the cost? 
- How was it funded? 
- What is the expected benefit? 
Interviews 
*  Talk to anyone and everyone connected with the project. You want to know both 
the good and the bad 
about the project. 
*  Keep an open mind during interviews - let the facts guide the story. 
*  Be thorough! 
Photos 
*  Obtain proper authorizations (interview & photo releases). 
*  Show something that matters. 
*  Put a person in it. Don't just take one or two photos of a structure or a 
mitigation technique. 
Show us WHO that work benefits. 
*  Capture action. 
*  Take plenty of photos so you know you have enough good shots. 
Site visits 
*  Provides an important first-hand look at whatever you're documenting. 
*  It's very important that you visually see the site/work. 
*  Help ensure the project is what you think it is and that there's not something 
there you can't explain. 
*  Help you provide an accurate and engaging description of work done. 
*  Help you discover pertinent material you didn't get from background material 
and/or interviews.

Slide 15 

How Strategy Works 

Choose Best Practices based on research 

Write drafts 

Submit for technical review 

Slide 16 

How Strategy Works 

Establish communication strategy 

Develop key messages 

Create and reproduce final products 

Promote Best Practices 
Post DFO - Transition to Regional Office 

NOTES:

* Provides consistency

Slide 17 

Building a Best Practice 

Three Fundamental Elements: 

*  Identify Action 

*  Determine Impact 

_ Measure Benefit 

NOTES:

* Who 
* What 
* When 
* Where 
* How 
* Why

Slide 18 

Identifying Actions 

Public Infrastructure 

Residences 

Businesses 

Environment 

Insurance 

Codes and Ordinances 

Emergency Operations Plans 

Public-private partnerships that foster disaster resistance that foster disaster 
resistance 

NOTES:

* Mitigation actions may also be referenced as structural or non-structural. 
* Structural would be mitigation such as elevation, seismic retrofitting, 
hurricane 
clips, defensible space, etc. 
* Non-structural would be legislation, code development or enforcement, 
educational programs, etc.

Slide 19 

Determining Impact 

Injury or death 

Structural damage 

Failure of critical facilities or infrastructure 

Repetitive loss 

Financial losses - citizens, businesses, government 

Loss of jobs/tax revenues 

NOTES:

* How did impact of past or present event motivate action? 
* What was the result of past mitigation action?

Slide 20 

Measuring Benefit 

Fewer injuries and deaths 

Less damage to homes and businesses and businesses 

Reduced costs - emergency protective measures 

Continued operation of critical facilities 

Preservation of historic structures 

NOTES:

* Include benefit cost as often as possible. 
* Costs avoided are also acceptable. 
* Intangible benefits or costs such as reduced emotional stress is an important 
factor. 
* Other cost benefits to consider are cost of displaced families, job losses, 
increased transportation costs

Slide 21 

Story Leads 

Guides to a specific story vs. generic type of action 

Provides basic information needed to pursue a story 

NOTES:
Guides to a specific story versus a generic type of action 
*  Ex: 
A community builds a bridge to eliminate flooding. 
That new bridge in that community is your story lead because it represents a 
specific case where action was taken, rather than the fact that building a higher 
bridge is a way to reduce flooding. 
Provides basic information needed to pursue a story 
*  Go to key people or places that could be involved in disaster resistance-
related 
projects. 
*  Look beyond your own borders ( Handout: Common Sources for Story 
Leads) 
Note: Track all story possibilities 
*  Keep a list of your leads - Helps to keep track of projects, contact people, 
etc. 
until someone has time to do the story.

Slide 22 

Story Considerations 

Consider objective, audience, message 

Show a measurable benefit 

A "face" 

A unique theme 

Strong visual support 

Interest to the audience 

Lessons Learned 

NOTES:
* What do you see in this photo? 
* Elevation 
* Happiness 
* Security 
* Etc.

Slide 23 

Setting a Game Plan 

Choose finished product 
Print 
Photo 
Audio/Video 

Identify distribution Methods, cost 

Promotion Strategy 

Choose finished product 

NOTES:

*  Print - one-pager, booklet, CD 
*  Photo - photo display, posters 
*  Audio/Video - Web page w/audio soundbites, video 
Identify distribution 
*  Methods - how will you get it out? Fax? Mail? 
*  Cost - Reproduction, distribution, personnel to handle distribution 
Promotion Strategy 
*  Sets forth how you'll get the word out

Slide 24 

Key Steps 

Story development 

Technical Review 

Approval Process 

Finalize 

Promote 

NOTES:

Draft Story 
*  Be factual but strive to make it interesting as well. 
*  Be sure you cover the bases. You don't ever want a media outlet to follow you 
and come up with 
a substantially different story. 
Editing 
*  Have both content and grammar editing done - if possible use at least 2 
different people for this 
stage. 
*  Content - someone reads the story to ensure it makes sense and covers the 
salient points. 
*  Grammar/Punctuation - someone reads the story for spelling, sentence structure, 
punctuation, etc. 
Reviews 
*  Start with local sources for your story. Have it read by everyone who 
contributed information to 
the story. 
Approval/sign offs 
*  Follow established DFO procedures for review of material prior to public 
release. 
*  Again, must be verified by mitigation technical experts prior to public release 
to ensure the 
project is properly done and is something that FEMA wants to promote 
*  Use story sign-off sheet to track reviews, approvals, edits. 
Finalize 
*  Incorporate needed edits, revisions into a final version ready for public 
release. 
*  Prepare piece for reproduction - i.e. graphic enhancements, final photo sizes, 
etc. 
Reproduce 
*  Make copies of final version in accordance with promotion strategy and 
distribution plan.

Slide25 

Getting the Word Out 

Strategy 

Key Messages 

Promotional Products 

Media Pitching 

NOTES:
Getting the Word Out 
Strategy 
*  A plan to promote Mitigation Best Practice stories. 
Key Messages 
*  To develop key messages, ask these questions: 
WHO is my target audience? 
WHAT do I want people to know? 
WHY should they take this action? 
Promotional Products 
*  News release, feature story, brochures, posters, booklets, photo collages, etc. 
Media Pitching 
*  Selling the media on the idea that THEY should help you tell the story of 
effective mitigation.