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          Activities to Reduce Risk for Your Home
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Mitigation is a broad term for the long-term steps you can take to reduce the impact of natural hazard events. It reduces property risk to hazard events and allows you to return home more quickly after a disaster.



Mitigation also happens at the community level, where it can help your community thrive in the face of disasters and climate change. It is proactive risk reduction to prevent damage to what your community values.



When residents and community leaders choose to reduce their risk, they help keep their communities thriving and resilient.



FEMA’s Risk MAP program provides flood maps and other tools to better assess and mitigate your risks.



Why Invest in Mitigation?



Investing in actions to reduce risks now can mean far less impact from floods or other hazards. It can also improve property values, enhance public spaces to enjoy now and protect for tomorrow and reduce National Flood Insurance Program policy premiums.



Research from the National Institute of Building Sciences shows that every $1 of federal funding invested in mitigation saves $6 in future disaster costs.



Effective mitigation isn’t always grand and expensive. Efforts vary from person to person and are dependent on property, flood zone and many other variables. Mitigation for Homeowners explains the basics.



For example, it might not be necessary  to elevate your home. Elevating electrical appliances or using flood-resistant materials, like tile instead of carpet, can still offer financial protection for a property.



Browse Risk Reduction Resources



Whether you're integrating into current community plans or looking for ideas on how best to implement, our collection has numerous resources to support mitigation planning activities.
What mitigation activity are you interested in?
        Bring hazard mitigation into local planningCollaborate with local partners in my communityProtect my home from natural hazardsGet ideas for mitigation activities
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      Making the Connection to Agriculture
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Graphic of Tractor TrailerMaking the Connection to Agriculture



This guide shows how community officials can work with the agriculture sector to support hazard mitigation, including the planning process. This guide can help community officials initiate a conversation about mitigation investments that will make agriculture more resilient.
    Making The Connection To Cemeteries
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Illustration of a TombstoneMaking The Connection To CemeteriesCemeteries are important cultural resources. Learn how cemetery experts can help mitigation build community resilience by planning for the future while preserving the past.
    Making the Connection to Codes and Standards
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Illustration of a BookMaking the Connection to Codes and Standards Learn how updating codes and standards, across multiple sectors, can increase community disaster resilience.
    Making the Connection to Communications Systems
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Graphic of a web network of peopleMaking the Connection to Communications SystemsThis guide provides recommendations for working with the public and private sectors in telecommunications to support hazard mitigation, especially in the planning process and project development. This guide is designed to help community officials engage in a conversation about mitigation investments that can help make communications systems more resilient.
    Making the Connection to Electric Power
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Graphic of an Electric Power TowerMaking the Connection to Electric PowerThis guide can help community officials work with the public and private sectors to support hazard mitigation, especially in the planning process and project development. This guide can help community officials initiate a conversation about mitigation investments that will make electric power systems more resilient.
    Making the Connection to Equity
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Graphic of 3 Diverse People's HeadsMaking the Connection to Equity



How do we realize similar benefits in hazard mitigation? By placing equity at the center of all that we do. Although there is no one-size-fits-all definition, equity can generally be understood as policies, practices, interactions, cultures and resources that are responsive to all people.
    Making the Connection to Municipal Finance
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Graphic of a Financial BuildingMaking the Connection to Municipal Finance



This guide explores how community officials can work with finance officials to support hazard mitigation planning, and how mitigation investments can align with community budgets and financial management priorities.
    Making the Connection to Older Adults
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Illustration of 5 people of mixed races, ages & sexes (from left to right child, two adults, adult in wheelchair, elderly person) standing on a balance beam balanced.Making the Connection to Older Adults



This guide discusses how natural hazards affect older adults and gives tips to reduce that risk.
    Making the Connection to Public Health
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Graphic of a NurseMaking the Connection to Public HealthThis guide  explores how community officials can work with the public health sector to support hazard mitigation, including the planning process. This guide can help community officials initiate a conversation about mitigation investments that also address public health goals.
    Making the Connection to the Arts and Culture
The **Guides to Expanding Mitigation** are designed to highlight the connection between mitigation and potential partners.



Graphic
              Graphic of a Painting with a PaintbrushMaking the Connection to the Arts and CultureThis guide explores ways for community officials to work with the arts and culture sector to support hazard mitigation, including the planning process. This guide is a starting place for community officials to initiate a conversation with arts and culture partners about making investments in mitigation relevant and risk information accessible, while building the knowledge and capacity of the entire community.
  
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Last updated August 25, 2023

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