Mitigation is the ongoing effort to lessen the impact of natural disasters on people and property.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated mitigation as the cornerstone of emergency management. Vermont Emergency Management also believes that the best response to natural disaster is to prevent or diminish its impact before it occurs. Consequently, the State of Vermont is invested in creating mitigation opportunities in all of its emergency management initiatives. Mitigation begins with local communities assessing their risks and repetitive problems and making a plan for creating solutions to these problems and reducing the vulnerability of its citizens and property to risk. It describes the ongoing effort at the Federal, State, local, business, and individual efforts to lessen the impact of disasters upon our families, homes, communities and economy.