Chapter 10 Mitigation

Transcription

1 Emergency Management Fall 2015 Chapter 10 Mitigation School of Criminology and Justice Studies University of Massachusetts Lowell

2 Understand the general concepts and purposes behind mitigation Know the types of structural mitigation actions that can be taken for various hazards Explain the advantages and disadvantages of structural mitigation List the different types of non structural mitigation that can be undertaken to reduce hazard losses Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of non structural mitigation

3 Outline key steps that can be taken to conduct mitigation planning Identify job and volunteer opportunities in the field of mitigation Be sufficiently motivated to undertake mitigation steps in their own homes and workplaces

4 What is Mitigation? It is the efforts used to lessen the impact of a disaster Mitigation can dramatically influence: Who lives or dies Which buildings survive Length and cost of recovery Mitigation efforts can be broken down into: Structural Non Structural

5 1966: Presidential Executive Order Required federal agencies to reduce floodplain development 1980: First FEMA interagency hazard mitigation teams created 1992: FEMA Administrator makes mitigation a top priority 2001: Priority refocus to preparedness and response (Why?) 2005: Mitigation concern renewed after Katrina (Why?)

6 Centers on the built environment Creating a planned environment that can resist area hazards appropriately Dams and levees Retrofit in seismic areas Tornado safe rooms Sandbagging & elevating buildings Blast resistant windows and concrete barriers Goal is to reduce loss of life and injuries, as well as property damage

7 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in 2009 awarded the grade of "D" to our dams nation wide They define high hazard dams as those that would cause considerable risk to life and property Thousands of such locations exist across the U.S. Bulk of the responsibility for maintenance and repair exists at the state government level Estimates that billions of dollars annually would be needed for repairs Similar grades were earned for bridges, ports, roads and other critical infrastructure

8 Many communities also enact building codes Require developers, builders and homeowners to: o Secure building and other permits o Go through inspections for completed work o Comply with the building and other codes Such rules exist to increase public safety o At times, builders and developers fight them (added cost) Examples: Hurricane clamps Elevations Underground utility lines

9 Measured as a 7.0 event Far less powerful than the 8.8 earthquake that rumbled through Chile the same year Approximately 800 people died in Chile More than 300,000 perished in Haiti Considerable differences between the two nations Primary one is the ability to afford and enforce mitigation Population density in areas close to the quake also made a difference Haiti earthquake struck a highly populated capitol city

10 Many communities contain older structures that may not meet current building codes May be possible to retrofit structures However, retrofitting can range from simple to very expensive May be difficult due to interior modifications

11 Part of the FEMA Disaster Recovery University (DRU) Initiative Conducted hazard identification and loss estimation for various levels Focused on highest impact buildings and losses to the university Concentrated funds to retrofit those buildings Should save the university and the larger community considerably

12 Advantages Reduces loss of life, injuries and damage Cost of rebuilding lessened People return home faster Insurance companies don t have to raise rates Lessens psychological impact Even creates recreational opportunities Disadvantages Cost No single protection is perfect May lead to a false sense of security o People may not evacuate

13 Advantages Reduces loss of life, injuries and damage Cost of rebuilding lessened People return home faster Insurance companies don t have to raise rates Lessens psychological impact Even creates recreational opportunities Disadvantages Cost No single protection is perfect May lead to false sense of security o People may not evacuate

14 What is non-structural mitigation? The non built environment Land use planning Building codes and enforcement Public education Relocations Relocation Buyouts Insurance

15 The non built environment Actions people take to reduce the impacts of area hazards Involves choices about: o How and where we build o How we manage land o How we reduce potential losses via personal and collective actions

16 Land use planning Future oriented activity; represents proactive behavior Involves two elements: o Location limit building in potentially hazardous areas o Design determine most suitable design for structure based on hazards First step is to link land use with mitigation planning o Often the two efforts work separately

17 Building codes and enforcement Conducted by city planning offices and code inspectors Influenced by: o Residents o Builders o City officials Can be contentious, as it often limits choices People often take greater interest in codes after a disaster o Write new codes o Increase enforcement o May displace people

18 Public education Many local and state governments conduct hazard awareness events designed to catch your attention Communicating risk to the public and expecting them to take the recommended actions can be challenging Most effective way is to transmit accurate information through trusted networks o Local organizations o Faith based locations o Schools Appealing to people s altruistic nature can motivate them to pay attention to public education messages

19 Relocation When repetitive losses occur, one option is permanent relocation Advantages o People no longer lose their homes/livelihoods o Reduces future costs for governments and insurance providers Disadvantages o Permanent move away from family and friends o People s home are often tied to jobs (farms, fishing, etc.) o Places often have cultural, environmental and historical value

20 Relocation Buyouts Relocation may not be financially feasible o May mean loss of a significant economic investment In cases where people need assistance to locate, government may offer a buyout o People agree to a fair market value for their property in return for moving out of hazard area Federal government may offer up to 75% cost share with state and local governments Properties may be used for parks or other open spaces

21 Relocation Buyouts (Cont.) Relocating businesses can be challenging o Public facilities that must relocate can use funding from multiple sources o Private firms must pay their own costs Soldiers Grove, WI o Repetitive flood damage to downtown o Levees-$3.5M to build; $10K annual maintenance costs Downtown properties valued at $1M o Cost to relocate town is $6M

22 Insurance Provides a means to rebound from disasters However, many insurance policies do not cover flooding or wind damage To make up for this, the U.S. govt. offers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) o Policies cost about $500 per year (houses covered up to $250K; contents up to $100K) o To be eligible, communities must adopt and enforce floodplain building prohibitions (zoning/planning board and conservation commission) o Policy holder must pay deductible

23 Advantages Less costly than structural measures o i.e. Pandemic reduction washing hands Typically high return on investment o Reduces loss of life, injuries and property loss Disadvantages Requires attention to infrequent or unprecedented events o People may ignore pre event advice Often relies on the individual, who may have limited resources for mitigation o May not be able to afford insurance o Insurance may not cover all of or any portion of the even

24 Initiated by FEMA Administrator James Lee Witt in 1997 subsequent to Hurricane Floyd (flooding) Emphasizes non structural techniques Four-pronged program Identify/recruit PI partners in the community, such as local government, civic/volunteer groups, businesses and citizens Define community's risk and exposure to natural disasters Set priorities and target resources to reduce impact of future disasters Keep the community informed and focused on PI's ability to reduce damage and costs of future disasters.

25 Outcome Built new partnerships that reduced risks Created a grass roots based solution to mitigation Not funded during the next administration as not cost effective FEMA has many programs that provide the same benefit as Project Impact did

26 Damage caused by earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding or other events can result in enormous losses Impacts of terrorism at a major sporting event An explosion at a campus lab Initial steps: Develop a mitigation planning team Identify hazards and reduce Prioritize action areas Implementation of mesures

27 Saves lives and there are fewer injuries Less is property damage Minimizes economic disruption Lessens human impact Reduces agricultural damage Provides lifelines and infrastructure stabilized Helps with stress reduction and mental health Mitigates(?) legal liability Source: FEMA, in Godschalk 1991

28 Reduces post disaster pressure With a plan in place you know what to do With a plan in place, you have priorities The planning process can bring people together and build partnerships Allows a community to approach the problem(s) holistically, without the burden of post disaster crisis Risk reduction requires ideas from all It s a complex process Life safety! Property safeguarding! Source: FEMA #1, Intro

29 Arnold, MO Example Flood Year Sandbag sites Public Assistance $1,436,277 $71,414 $0 Individual Assistance Applications Source: FEMA 2002

30 Organize resources Interested members Technical expertise Assess risks What are the hazards? What are the consequences? Develop a mitigation plan What are your priorities? Implement the plan and monitor progress Source: FEMA #1, Foreward

31 State government Federal government Private sector Citizens Academic institutions A powerful champion (Who?) Link to other planning (What?) Source: FEMA #1, 1-12

32 Hold a kickoff meeting Set a regular schedule for meetings Assignments planning tasks based on skill sets Establish goals for the plan Use timelines and milestones Use available resources FEMA U.S. Army Corps of Engineers State, local and regional emergency agencies Volunteer organizations, like the Red Cross