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• FEMA's RiskMAP: Region 8: The Value of Listening in Cache County, UT

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  After a past flood mapping project did not produce desired outcomes, the relationship between FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] and Cache County, Utah, became strained. Four years later, when it came time to begin a new Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) project in the county, both the FEMA Region VIII office and the State Division of Emergency Management office wanted to strengthen the relationship with the community, develop a collaborative partnership to foster trust and, ultimately, achieve positive results that would lead to mitigation actions. In order to improve its relationship with Cache County, FEMA regional staff and the State began to reach out to the communities and local officials before the Discovery phase began. This proactive outreach established opportunities to listen to the communities' floodplain priorities and created a stronger, more effective relationship.

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Prepare for Emergencies in Tribal Nations: Northwest Coastal and Plateau Edition

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  "In the past, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and severe winter weather have threatened the Northwest Coastal and Plateau areas. Now consider the possibility of home fires and even terrorist attacks. Are you prepared to make it on your own for a few days in the event of an emergency? Northwest Coastal and Plateau people recognize the importance of self-reliance as individuals and part of a community. Simple preparations today can keep you safe during a disaster or emergency. Have a plan. Be ready."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2011-07-15?
• Residential Condominium Building Association Policy: Standard Flood Insurnace Policy

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  "Please read the policy carefully. The flood insurance provided is subject to limitations, restrictions, and exclusions. This policy covers only a residential condominium building in a regular program community. If the community reverts to emergency program status during the policy term and remains as an emergency program community at time of renewal, this policy cannot be renewed. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides flood insurance under the terms of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and its Amendments, and Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations. We will pay you for direct physical loss by or from flood to your insured property if you: 1. Have paid the correct premium; 2. Comply with all terms and conditions of this policy; and 3. Have furnished accurate information and statements. We have the right to review the information you give us at any time and to revise your policy based on our review."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-10
• Preparing Makes Sense for People with Disabilities, Others with Access and Functional Needs, and the Whole Community: Get Ready Now.

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  "The likelihood that you and your family will recover from an emergency tomorrow often depends on the planning and preparation done today. While each person's abilities and needs are unique, every individual can take steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies from fires and floods to potential terrorist attacks. By evaluating your own personal needs and making an emergency plan that fits those needs, you and your loved ones can be better prepared. This guide outlines commonsense measures individuals with disabilities, and others with access and functional needs, and the people who assist and support them can take to start preparing for emergencies before they happen. Preparing makes sense for people with disabilities, others with access and functional needs and the whole community."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• 2015 National Preparedness Goal

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  "The purpose of this page is to provide an overview of the National Preparedness Goal. The intended audience for this page is the whole community-individuals, families, communities, the private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, and state, local, tribal, territorial, insular area and Federal governments. All sections collapsed. Click to expand all sections."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015
• Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for State Governments

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  "The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designed this planning guide to help States and territories prepare for recovery by developing pre-disaster recovery plans that follow a process to engage members of the whole community, develop recovery capabilities across State government and nongovernmental partners, and ultimately create an organizational framework for comprehensive State recovery efforts. In the United States, disasters are a regular occurrence throughout the year and all over the country, potentially impacting millions of lives and costing billions of dollars. In fact, in 2011 and 2012, there were 1,107 fatalities and up to $188 billion in economic damages as a result of extreme weather events. While different States are susceptible to different types of disasters, all States can take steps to be more resilient and prepared to begin a comprehensive, whole-community recovery effort immediately after a disaster strikes. The State plays a critical role in leading and organizing recovery and supporting communities during their disaster recovery efforts. Disaster recovery is largely a locally driven, whole community process that enables local stakeholders to determine their community's unique needs and goals for recovery and resilience. Pre-disaster planning at the State level positions the State to take a proactive stance for recovery prior to and after the disaster strikes. Developing a pre-disaster recovery plan equips States with the structure, process, roles, and policies to be well prepared to meet the unique recovery needs of each of their communities. A pre-disaster recovery plan, and the inclusive process used to develop it, establishes resilience through State-level leadership and structure, forms communication channels, and builds whole-community partnerships to support recovery efforts."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2016-11
• FEMA Region 6: Disaster Assistance Essentials

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  "Emergency management requires rigorous preparation. Thank you for taking the time to get more familiar with the role FEMA has as a partner to state, tribal and local officials. Disasters begin and end locally. They are one of the biggest challenges facing your government, businesses and your citizens. Part of being prepared for a disaster is understanding what resources are available to you. So, it's best to learn about federal assistance available during a disaster declaration before you need it. This guide provides you with information about the different types of federal disaster assistance that may be available when the president declares a major disaster. It also provides an explanation of the disaster declaration process and how we work with state and local officials to assist disaster survivors. In addition, you'll find information about the importance of planning ahead and mitigating against damage from future disasters."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2017-01-10?
• State Mitigation Planning Key Topics Bulletins: Mitigation Strategy

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  "The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released a new State Mitigation Plan Review Guide (the Guide) in March 2015. This Guide, which became effective March 6, 2016, presents FEMA's official policy on and interpretation of the natural hazard mitigation planning requirements for states established in the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR Part 201). The State Mitigation Planning Key Topics Bulletins ('Bulletins') are a series of brief documents aimed at informing states on how to meet the regulatory and policy requirements described in the Guide. The series covers all components of the mitigation planning process. The Bulletins are not intended to clarify policy, but instead to provide state officials approaches and resources for updating state hazard mitigation plans."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2016-10
• National Planning Frameworks [Website]

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  "The purpose of this page is to provide information on the National Planning Frameworks (Frameworks). The Frameworks describe how the whole community works together to achieve the National Preparedness Goal. There is one Framework for each of the five mission areas, Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. The intended audience for the page is individuals, families, communities, the private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, and local, state, tribal, territorial, insular area, and Federal governments. [...] The National Planning Frameworks, one for each preparedness mission area, describe how the whole community works together to achieve the National Preparedness Goal. The Goal is: 'A secure and resilient nation with the capabilities required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk.' The Goal is the cornerstone for the implementation of the National Preparedness System. [...] The Frameworks foster a shared understanding of our roles and responsibilities from the fire house to the White House. They help us understand how we, as a nation, coordinate, share information and work together--which ultimately results in a more secure and resilient nation. [...] Each Framework: Explains the purpose of the document, including the guiding principles and scope of mission area; Summarizes the roles and responsibilities of each part of the whole community; Defines the mission area's core capabilities, along with key examples of critical tasks; Defines coordinating structures--either new or existing--that enable the whole community to work together to deliver the core capabilities; Describes the relationships to the other mission areas; Identifies relevant information to help with operational planning; Provides information that state, local, tribal and territorial governments can use to revise their operational plans; and Uses concepts from existing preparedness efforts, such as the National Incident Management System."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2016-11-15
• You Are the Help Until Help Arrives

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  "Life-threatening emergencies can happen fast. Emergency responders aren't always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately. You Are the Help Until Help Arrives. [...] According to a recent National Academies of Science study, trauma is the leading cause of death for Americans under age 46. Life-threatening injuries require immediate action to prevent an injured person from dying. Those nearest to someone with life threatening injuries are best positioned to provide first care."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Local Government

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  "This planning guide is designed to help local governments prepare for recovery by developing pre-disaster recovery plans that follow a process to engage members of the whole community, develop recovery capabilities across governmental and nongovernmental partners, and ultimately create an organizational framework for comprehensive local recovery efforts."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2017-02
• ESF #15 Space Weather Appendix

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  "The annex captures the roles and responsibilities of a space weather incident leading up to an impending extreme space weather event and the resulting threat of prolonged power outage that impacts critical infrastructure, the private sector, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, communities, and individuals and families."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2016?
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: 3 Years Long, 3 Years Strong: New Jersey's Successful Approach to Purchasing Homes along Sandy's Flooded Path

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about storm mitigation efforts in New Jersey. "On October 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy pushed ashore New Jersey coastline: damaging or destroying 346,000 homes, cutting power to more than 2 million households, taking the lives of 37 people, and flooding a large portion of the state. As part of the recovery process, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie decided the State would purchase 1,300 properties in flood-prone communities, through its Blue Acres acquisition program, to dramatically reduce the risk of future catastrophic flood damage and to move families out of harm's way. The Blue Acres program has been able to complete, in just a few weeks for some homes, the acquisition (buyout) process which normally takes many communities months or even years to complete."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Defensible Space and Fire Resistant Building Materials Saves Property

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about wildfire mitigation efforts in California. "'When it looks like it's snowing and its 90 degrees outside, that's not a good thing,' recalled Darren Borgedalen of Mountain Ranch, a community in rural Calaveras County, California. The 'snow' Borgedalen was referring to was actually ash from the Butte Fire that swept his property in September 2015. It burned through more than 70,000 acres, mostly in Calaveras County, damaging or destroying more than 1,000 homes. [...] For years Borgedalen and his wife had maintained a defensible space around their property by keeping the underbrush cleared. With the wildfire fast approaching he brought in his bulldozer and cleared the trail he had established in the previous years. Meanwhile, Mrs. Borgedalen began to clean up any problem areas surrounding the house, garage and workshop before the fire arrived. Borgedalen had used fire resistant metal roofing and siding on his house, garage, and shop building, which withstood the extreme heat and the burning embers from the approaching wildfire."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Digs in to Help Carencro

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flood mitigation efforts in Carencro, Louisiana. "Lush, green Lafayette Parish in Louisiana is surrounded by an abundance of water from lakes, swamps, marsh basins, bayous, and other streams that require constant management. Carencro, a small suburb of Lafayette, sits on the northern tip of the Parish within the Carencro Bayou. Its excess water is drained primarily through the Coulee Beau Bassin, Lantier Coulee, the Coulee Mine (covering more than 30,000 acres) and smaller coulees through the bayou into the Vermilion River. Coulee is a French term for 'flowing' or 'running' in reference to drainage of waterways or streams. While the community is enhanced by the beauty of its natural environment, all that water plagued the more than 8,000 residents of Carencro for many years with major flooding. […] While the study's final report had found that cleaning the coulees was an absolute necessity, it would not be sufficient to alleviate the problem adequately. Ultimately it was decided that, in addition to clearing the coulees of refuse and blockage that had built up over the years, a detention pond should be constructed to hold excess water that would slowly disperse into the coulees and on to the bayou.

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Texas Water Development Board Helps Guadalupe County Safeguard Severe Repetitive Loss Properties

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flood mitigation efforts in Guadalupe County, Texas. "The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program assists states and communities. It provides federal funds for cost-effective measures to reduce or eliminate long-term risk from flood damage to Repetitive Loss (RL) and Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) structures insurable under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Guadalupe County, with assistance from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), has tapped into the FMA program to come to the rescue of homeowners of these identified properties. […] To participate in the project, homeowners were asked to provide a copy of their elevation certificate, the declaration page of their flood insurance policy, a flood loss history from their insurance agent, photos of all four sides of the home and information regarding the type of foundation."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: New Rest Areas Designed with Tornado Safety in Mind

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about tornado mitigation efforts in Texas. "The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is constructing new rest area facilities throughout the state to provide more services and a safer experience for travelers. Not only are the new facilities equipped with surveillance cameras, air-conditioned and heated restrooms, as well as an assisted-use restroom, they have tornado shelters!"

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Water Pump Protects North Little Rock Community

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flood mitigation efforts in North Little Rock, Arkansas. "Homes in the Rose City subdivision of North Little Rock were kept flood-free during the severe weather of Christmas 2015, thanks to a 1800-2200 gallon-per-minute water pump put in place by the city's Public Works Department. The pump kept floodwaters at bay during the worst flood the state had experienced since 1990."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Better Unpaved Roads for Nature and People in Arkansas

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about transportation mitigation efforts in Arkansas. "A common FEMA project in rural areas is the repair or rebuilding of unpaved roads. In 2013, the Arkansas Association of Counties, the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, the Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy and a dozen public and private partner organizations joined forces to establish the Arkansas Unpaved Roads Program. Over 85 percent of county roads in Arkansas are unpaved. Eroding unpaved roads can channel rainfall runoff, increasing erosion, and sediment delivery to streams, rivers, and lakes. This sediment can have negative effects for both people and nature. It can fill in gravel stream beds, causing the loss of in-stream habitat for game and non-gamefish and other aquatic species alike, make freshwater sources more expensive to treat for drinking water, and ultimately contribute to loss of lake capacity."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Emergency Manager's Efforts in Hard-Hit Texas Area Ensure Community Readiness

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about mitigation efforts in Buna, Texas. "For more than three decades, Emergency Management Coordinator and Floodplain Administrator Billy Ted Smith has taken a proactive approach to engaging the communities he serves in preparing for when disaster strikes. With good reason. Since 1973, according to Smith, Texas has had 72 major disaster declarations. The three counties he serves-Jasper, Newton, and Sabine-have seen more than their fair share of hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, and floods, as well as tropical and winter storms. […] Everything from identifying hazards common to the area, knowing the risks, making an emergency supply kit, developing an emergency plan, becoming familiar with evacuation routes, heeding warnings and purchasing radios. Smith also encourages homeowners to find out if they live in a floodplain. Some of the worst natural disasters in history-measured by fatalities-have been river floods."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: East Texas Community Sees Far Less Flooding with Construction of Detention Pond

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flooding mitigation efforts in Pine Forest, Texas. "Texas was hit with torrential rain during most of March, resulting in a federal disaster declaration for 11 counties including Orange. […] Since 2012, however, the city's detention pond-a mitigation project prompted by the flooding that followed Hurricane Ike in 2008- has proved a valuable investment. A detention pond is a low-lying area that temporarily holds water while slowly draining to another location. The pond provides some flood control during heavy rains."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Recovery is Built Through Partnerships

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about storm mitigation efforts in New York. "The scope of Sandy's damage reinforced a basic principle of good government: coordination among all affected applicants and agencies to achieve a common goal. Nowhere was this more vividly illustrated than with the Region II New York Sandy Recovery Office's (NYSRO) Environmental and Historic Preservation's (EHP's) collaborative efforts during Sandy's recovery. EHP worked closely with internal staff, federal partners and New York State to streamline the project review process. Their work covered projects that varied in complexity, including projects for more than 100 bridges and a Mesonet, a network of more than 100 automated environmental monitoring stations."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Programmatically Achieving Excellence in Historic Preservation Stewardship

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  FEMA's [Federal Emergency Management Agency] National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland is responsible for training emergency managers and first responders to prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from disasters. The NETC campus is also a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the site of the former St. Joseph's College, founded in 1809 by Mother Elizabeth Seton, the first American born woman beatified by the Roman Catholic Church. In 2013, with the encouragement and support of FEMA Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (OEHP), NETC executed a programmatic agreement with the Maryland State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), and other consulting parties to integrate FEMA's historic preservation compliance responsibilities outlined in Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) into the day-to-day management of the NETC facility. Based in part on FEMA's Prototype Agreement, the document provides a framework for expediting historic preservation compliance and the flexibility to address specific preservation issues and concerns."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  DiGiuseppe, Dan
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Preserving and Protecting a Community Treasure - the Historic Rosenberg Library in Galveston, Texas

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flood mitigation efforts in Galveston, Texas. "The first floor of the historic Rosenberg Library located in Galveston, Texas, a barrier island 40 miles south of Houston, was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike storm surge. Thanks to flood mitigation funds from FEMA, flood insurance reimbursements, the state of Texas and private donations, it is now fully restored and protected from future storms. FEMA funding covered repairs to flooring, walls, and other interior components, as well as emergency protective measures taken by the Library before, during, and after the storm to protect the building and its contents from further damage. These efforts included relocating all of the buildings systems (electrical distribution system, telephone system, HVAC, Internet D-mark, etc.) that could be moved to the upper floors of the building."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Niangua Darter Endangered Species Act Success Story

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  "The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) routinely consults the services under Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This requires Federal agencies to avoid jeopardizing continued existence of threatened or endangered species. However, many of us bypass Section 7(a)(1) ESA, which requires Federal agencies to use their program for conservation measures. Conservation of a species involves more than just avoiding jeopardy. Starting with a disaster in 2002, FEMA-1412-DR-MO, the Service approached FEMA Region VII with a partnership opportunity to enhance fish passage in Niangua darter critical habitat. Low water crossings provide a barrier to Niangua darter and result in habitat segmentation. In 2008, the Service identified 32 priority low water crossings in Niangua darter habitat; these priority crossings provide the most formidable barriers for the Niangua darter and gauge the magnitude of the benefit that would be realized by improving fish passage based on both proximity and the linear stream miles that would be reopened to unobstructed passage. Over many years, in a very fragmented disaster recovery approach, FEMA has contributed to replacing several of these priority low water crossings."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  Sessa, Ken
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Elevated Home along Arkansas River Survives Christmas, 2015 Flood

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flood mitigation efforts in Jefferson County, Arkansas. "The Christmas weekend of 2015 is one that many residents in Arkansas will never forget. The holiday began with up to 10 inches of rain on December 24 and Christmas Day was drenched. The downpour finally came to an end on December 26, but not before causing widespread destruction. Jefferson County was among the hardest hit areas. Hundreds of homes were inundated, roads were washed out and farmlands submerged. [...] John and Kathy Erwin live along the Arkansas River, and were prepared. They had elevated their home above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) as local code required elevating the property at least a foot above the BFE. While other homes in the neighborhood flooded, their home remained dry."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: The Curtain Goes Up...and the Building Stays Up: Seismic Retrofit Protects Historic Theater

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about earthquake mitigation efforts in Charleston, South Carolina. "Nestled in the middle of downtown Charleston, South Carolina, sits a little piece of history. The Dock Street Theatre originally opened in 1736, and was the first building constructed in the 13 colonies with the express purpose of serving as a venue for the performing arts. After numerous reconstructions and different uses over the years, the current theater facility underwent a major retrofit in 2010 that offers significant protection from both seismic and high wind damages."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Higher Standards Mean Lower Flood Insurance Rates for Myrtle Beach Property Owners

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flood mitigation efforts in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. "The Myrtle Beach boardwalk is a sight to see. A meandering 1.2 miles of solid oak walkway guides visitors along a scenic path that's reminiscent of a 1940s classic film. Situated along that boardwalk are boutiques, restaurants, and a pre-war replica of a 187-foot-high Ferris wheel, which harkens back to a time when World War II soldiers took their dates on evening rides, soaring through the night air beneath a well-lit sky. […] Boardwalk merchants and other property owners in this southern coastal community understand that an oceanfront lifestyle has its risks. To manage those risks, the city of Myrtle Beach joined the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1971, agreeing to adopt and enforce a flood damage prevention ordinance designed to protect property that is at high risk for flooding. In exchange, residents are allowed to purchase federally-backed flood insurance."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Richland County's Onsite Mobile Permitting Initiative: It's Never Too Late to Mitigate!

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about flood mitigation efforts in Richland County, South Carolina. "On an ordinary day, Brittany Hutcherson can be found in the comfort of an air-conditioned office, sitting in front of her computer, providing guidance on safe building practices and obtaining building permits; but on this day the Richland County Permits Supervisor is seated in a metal folding chair, behind a makeshift counter, in the front yard of a storm-ravaged home. With her feet planted in soil still damp from the remnants of October 2015's historic flood, Hutcherson is focused on helping homeowners on the road to recovery. [...] Hutcherson was asked by Richland County Housing Official, Kecia Lara, to assist with the onsite mobile permitting operation. With prior training and experience in customer service, her priority was to tend to the needs of property owners in the process of rebuilding their homes and lives from the devastation. This initiative was particularly imperative because many of the area's homeowners are elderly and have transportation challenges, which prevented them from visiting the permitting office in person to get the help they needed."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Mapping Risks and Vulnerabilities to Increase Resilience Planning

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." This Best Practice Story is about disaster mitigation efforts in Columbia, South Carolina. "As we learn more about the dynamic arena of disaster preparedness, the realities of just how little we understand about the potential hazards we face reveal a need for increased focus on the educational front of this evolving field. The University of South Carolina's (USC) Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute (HVRI) is working to advance theories and promote practical uses of geospatial mapping and analysis. They strive to develop and maintain powerful analytical tools with the purpose of planning for - and protecting against - potential disasters. [...] To qualify for certain forms of assistance in the wake of a presidentially declared disaster, communities must have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) on file. Part of the requirements of such a plan involves identifying the hazard risks present within a community and formulating strategies to deal with such threats."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency