Hazard Mitigation Strategies Hazard Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Damages to Reduce Damages

from Disastersfrom Disasters

Jennifer Z. Carver, AICPJennifer Z. Carver, AICPMay 2007May 2007

Florida Department of Community AffairsFlorida Department of Community Affairs

FloridaFlorida’’s Hazardss Hazards

•• FloodingFlooding•• Coastal ZoneCoastal Zone•• KarstKarst/Sinkholes/Sinkholes•• WildfiresWildfires•• OtherOther

Flooding HazardsFlooding Hazards

•• RiverineRiverine floodingflooding•• Coastal floodingCoastal flooding

Coastal Zone HazardsCoastal Zone Hazards

•• Coastal processesCoastal processes–– ErosionErosion–– Deposition of Deposition of

sand and sand and sedimentsediment

•• Coastal storm hazardsCoastal storm hazards–– Coastal/upland Coastal/upland

floodingflooding–– WindsWinds–– Wave/tidal surgeWave/tidal surge–– Storm surgeStorm surge–– ErosionErosion–– Bluff failureBluff failure–– TornadoesTornadoes

HurricanesHurricanes

Category 1 to 5 Hurricanes 1851-2005

www.csc.noaa.gov

KarstKarst TopographyTopography(Sinkholes)(Sinkholes)

•• Created by Created by weathering of weathering of limestonelimestone

•• Vulnerability to Vulnerability to aquifer/groundwateraquifer/groundwater

WildfiresWildfires

Hazard Mitigation DefinitionsHazard Mitigation Definitions

•• HazardHazard–– Inherent danger associated with a potential Inherent danger associated with a potential

problemproblem

•• ExposureExposure–– Human population, ecological resources and Human population, ecological resources and

property exposed to a hazardproperty exposed to a hazard

•• VulnerabilityVulnerability–– The unprotected nature of the exposureThe unprotected nature of the exposure

RiskRiskProbable degree of injury & damage Probable degree of injury & damage

likely to occur from exposurelikely to occur from exposure

ExposureHazard

Vulnerability

Risk

Hazard MitigationHazard Mitigation

Hierarchy of Mitigation Strategies:Hierarchy of Mitigation Strategies:•• Avoid impactAvoid impact

•• Lessen impact by modifying locationLessen impact by modifying location

•• Lessen impact by modifying designLessen impact by modifying design

•• Offset impactOffset impact

Actions taken to reduce or eliminate Actions taken to reduce or eliminate longlong--termterm effects of natural hazard eventseffects of natural hazard events

Hazard Mitigation Planning ProcessHazard Mitigation Planning Process

•• Identify objectives: avoid, prevent, and Identify objectives: avoid, prevent, and reduce impacts from natural hazard eventsreduce impacts from natural hazard events

•• Assess situation: hazard/risk assessmentAssess situation: hazard/risk assessment

•• Develop mitigation alternativesDevelop mitigation alternatives

•• Assess options/formulate mitigation planAssess options/formulate mitigation plan

•• Implement the planImplement the plan

•• Evaluate the planEvaluate the plan

Hazard & Risk AssessmentHazard & Risk Assessment

•• Identify potential hazards & critical Identify potential hazards & critical facilitiesfacilities

•• Assess the communityAssess the community’’s exposure & s exposure & vulnerabilityvulnerability

•• Risk analysis Risk analysis –– estimate damage, injuries, estimate damage, injuries, costs, magnitude and probabilitycosts, magnitude and probability

Kinds of MitigationKinds of Mitigation

StructuralStructural

•• Alter the built environment to absorb the Alter the built environment to absorb the impacts of disaster events impacts of disaster events

•• Incorporate proper mitigation techniques Incorporate proper mitigation techniques into building practicesinto building practices

NonNon--structuralstructural

•• Policies to direct development to less Policies to direct development to less hazardous areashazardous areas

Hazard Mitigation StrategiesHazard Mitigation Strategies

•• Get Out of the WayGet Out of the Way•• Make the Environment Less HazardousMake the Environment Less Hazardous•• Make Structures More Resistant to Natural Make Structures More Resistant to Natural

Hazard ForcesHazard Forces•• Manage the Development & Manage the Development &

Redevelopment of Land in Hazardous Redevelopment of Land in Hazardous AreasAreas

•• Collaborate, Coordinate, & EducateCollaborate, Coordinate, & Educate

GET OUT OF THE WAY!GET OUT OF THE WAY!Provide evacuation and sheltering servicesProvide evacuation and sheltering services

•• Evacuation and Shelter Evacuation and Shelter PlansPlans

–– Growth outpacing ability to Growth outpacing ability to expandexpand

•• Level of Service Level of Service StandardsStandards

–– Balances growth with ability Balances growth with ability to to ““get out of the wayget out of the way””

Providing Shelter & Providing Shelter & Evacuation ServicesEvacuation Services

•• Monroe County Hurricane Evacuation Monroe County Hurricane Evacuation StandardsStandards

•• Hillsborough County Emergency Shelter Hillsborough County Emergency Shelter ExactionExaction

•• Lee County AllLee County All--Hazards Protection DistrictHazards Protection District

•• Sarasota CountySarasota County Special Assessment Special Assessment DistrictDistrict

MAKE THE ENVIRONMENT LESS MAKE THE ENVIRONMENT LESS HAZARDOUS:HAZARDOUS:

Protect & Enhance Natural Protective FeaturesProtect & Enhance Natural Protective Features

•• Drainage WaysDrainage Ways•• FloodplainsFloodplains•• Freshwater WetlandsFreshwater Wetlands•• Coastal WetlandsCoastal Wetlands•• BeachesBeaches•• DunesDunes•• VegetationVegetation

Principles for Principles for ProtectingProtecting & & MaintainingMaintaining Natural Features:Natural Features:

•• Land Use Regulations that Prevent Land Use Regulations that Prevent DisturbanceDisturbance

•• Setbacks & Buffers Setbacks & Buffers

•• Purchase of Property RightsPurchase of Property Rights

•• Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)

•• Exactions & DedicationsExactions & Dedications

Principles for Principles for EnhancingEnhancing & & RestoringRestoring Natural Features:Natural Features:

•• Subdivision and Site Development Subdivision and Site Development RegulationsRegulations–– require developers to restore degraded require developers to restore degraded

features features

•• Capital programsCapital programs–– to restore degraded/destroyed features to restore degraded/destroyed features –– to construct & maintain to construct & maintain ““hardhard”” structuresstructures

MAKE STRUCTURES MORE RESISTANT MAKE STRUCTURES MORE RESISTANT TO NATURAL HAZARD FORCESTO NATURAL HAZARD FORCES

•• Adopt & Enforce Adopt & Enforce Building CodesBuilding Codes

•• Promote Voluntary Promote Voluntary MeasuresMeasures

•• Adopt Capital Adopt Capital Expenditure Policies Expenditure Policies & Programs& Programs

Building Construction for Building Construction for Reduced Wildfire RisksReduced Wildfire Risks

Landscaping for Reduced Landscaping for Reduced Wildfire RisksWildfire Risks

www.floridadisaster.org/dem/DOCUMENTS/PDF/fswy12.pdf

Landscaping for Reduced Landscaping for Reduced Wildfire RisksWildfire Risks

MediumMediumLowLow HighHigh

www.floridadisaster.org/bpr/EMTOOLS/wildfire/fwlistsz.pdf

MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT & MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT & REDEVELOPMENT OF LAND IN REDEVELOPMENT OF LAND IN

HAZARDOUS AREASHAZARDOUS AREAS

•• Site analysis to identify flood prone areasSite analysis to identify flood prone areas•• Evaluate local government capital Evaluate local government capital

improvement programsimprovement programs•• Reduce exposure to coastal floodingReduce exposure to coastal flooding•• Direct growth away from & limit public Direct growth away from & limit public

expenditures that subsidize growth in the expenditures that subsidize growth in the Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA)Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA)

•• Zoning RegulationsZoning Regulations•• Overlay DistrictsOverlay Districts•• Capital Expenditure Capital Expenditure

PoliciesPolicies•• SetbacksSetbacks•• BuffersBuffers

Tools for Managing Growth Tools for Managing Growth in Hazardous Areasin Hazardous Areas

•• Subdivision/Planned Unit Development Subdivision/Planned Unit Development Regulations & ClusteringRegulations & Clustering

•• Site Design Regulations & Performance Site Design Regulations & Performance StandardsStandards

•• Purchase of Development Rights (PDR)Purchase of Development Rights (PDR)

•• Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)

Tools for Managing Growth Tools for Managing Growth in Hazardous Areasin Hazardous Areas

Flood Hazard MitigationFlood Hazard Mitigation

NonNon--StructuralStructural•• Floodplain Floodplain

management management •• National Flood National Flood

Insurance Program Insurance Program (NFIP)(NFIP)

•• Floodplain zoningFloodplain zoning

StructuralStructural•• RelocationRelocation•• ElevationElevation•• Construction of Construction of

BarriersBarriers•• FloodproofingFloodproofing

Mitigating Coastal HazardsMitigating Coastal Hazards

•• Smart land development practicesSmart land development practices•• Siting Siting –– away from most vulnerable areasaway from most vulnerable areas•• Design Design –– elevation, materialselevation, materials•• Construction Construction –– bracing, fasteners, bracing, fasteners,

inspectioninspection•• Maintenance Maintenance –– inspection, repair, inspection, repair,

replacementreplacement

COLLABORATE, COORDINATE COLLABORATE, COORDINATE & EDUCATE& EDUCATE

•• MultiMulti--disciplinary Approach disciplinary Approach –– planners, planners, emergency managers, public works, emergency managers, public works, etc.etc.

•• State/Regional/Local PartnershipsState/Regional/Local Partnerships

•• Public Education Public Education

•• Public & Private Mitigation EffortsPublic & Private Mitigation Efforts

GuidebooksGuidebooks

•• Protecting Florida's CommunitiesProtecting Florida's Communities•• Disaster Planning for Florida's Historic Disaster Planning for Florida's Historic

ResourcesResources•• Protecting Florida's SpringsProtecting Florida's Springs•• Wildfire Mitigation in FloridaWildfire Mitigation in Florida

www.dca.state.fl.us/fdcp/dcp/publications/index.cfm#bpwww.dca.state.fl.us/fdcp/dcp/publications/index.cfm#bp

Questions?Questions?

Contact:Contact:Sandy MeyerSandy Meyer

Hazard Mitigation Project ManagerHazard Mitigation Project Manager

850850--922922--18251825sandy.meyer@dca.state.fl.ussandy.meyer@dca.state.fl.us