Mitigation includes any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening, or lessen the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies. By investing in mitigation steps now, such as constructing barriers (levees) and purchasing flood insurance, you can effectively reduce the amount of structural damage to homes and financial loss from building and crop damage should a flood occur.
Mitigation measures don?t have to be expensive. If you live in a flood hazard area, there are many low-cost measures that you can take to reduce your risk from future flooding.
- Elevate heating and hot-water systems at least 12 inches above the flood level.
- Electrical panels and utilities should be relocated to an area above the flood level. If the space is not high enough to allow elevation, the utility may be moved to an upper floor or attic space.
- Fuel tanks should be anchored to prevent them from floating and over-turning.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program that enables property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding.
Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between local communities and the federal government that states if a community will adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood risks to new construction in special flood hazard areas, the federal government will make flood insurance available within the community as a financial protection against flood losses.