The primary purpose of hazard mitigation is to ensure that fewer Americans and their communities are victims of natural disasters. However, another important benefit is that current dollars spent on mitigation will significantly reduce human suffering and the demand for large amounts of future dollars when natural disasters strike. Mitigation now will reduce the economic disaster that often results from natural hazards events through destruction of property, loss or interruption of jobs, and closing or destruction of businesses. Washington A mitigation strategy is intended to bring about a major change in the general public's percepton of hazard risk and mitigation of that risk. The goal is to substatially increase public awareness of natural hazards risk and to reduce risk of loss of life, injuries, economic costs, and the disruption of lives and communities.
Mitigation is everyone's business, and it needs to be met through specific objectives.
Really, it's just a common-sense approach that has to be handled one step at a time. The National Disaster Education Coalition has developed guidelines to help communities as well as individuals and families. Read what they have to say. As a group, discuss step one.