During the month of
March the Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) division is commemorating its
30-year anniversary.
Over the past three decades, HMA has obligated more than $15
billion in funding from Congress. HMA has used these funds to provide
communities assistance mitigating the effects of natural hazards.
Mitigation projects include home elevations to prevent
flooding, safe rooms to decrease tornado-related injuries, structural
reinforcements to brace buildings in the event of earthquakes, and more.
To learn more about the projects and other HMA milestones from the
past 30 years visit the Hazard
Mitigation Assistance 30 Year Anniversary webpage. View a detailed timeline showcasing some defining events and
advancements in the history of FEMA’s mitigation assistance program and read the press release.
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Aquifer Storage and Recovery Video Debuts at HMA Workshop
This week during the Annual Hazard Mitigation Workshop,
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance division debuted an informational video about
Salinas, Puerto Rico’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) mitigation project.
In 2015, Salinas suffered from a drought. But
through receipt of a hazard mitigation grant, the town has received funding to route
overflow water for its use from a nearby reservoir via a canal in the coming
years. The ASR project will help provide Salinas with an increased supply of
drinking water and water for the agricultural, business, health and education
sectors.
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 Sonny Beauchamp of the Caribbean Area Division Hazard Mitigation office discusses the Salinas Aquifer Storage and Recovery project (August 7, 2017, San Juan, Puerto Rico).
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Annual Hazard Mitigation Workshop Focuses on “Building Tomorrow’s Resilient Communities”
FEMA is hosting the Annual Hazard Mitigation Workshop March
12 through March 16, 2018 at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg,
Maryland.
This workshop provides an environment for information
exchange and discussion of success stories and challenges associated with the
delivery of the Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) programs. It also promotes enhanced
understanding of and capacity to address floodplain management and HMA program
requirements, and provide tools and guidance to support decision making at all
levels.
This year’s workshop theme – “Building Tomorrow’s Resilient
Communities” – reflects the partnerships between HMA and Floodplain Management
stakeholders.
The workshop includes five day sessions related to critical
elements and best practices of mitigation, partnerships and inter-agency
coordination, and HMA processes. Participation in the workshop is by invitation
only.
Next year’s
workshop will be held April 1-5, 2019.
 Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), addresses the audience during her keynote speech at this year's Hazard Mitigation Workshop (March 12, 2018, Emmitsburg, Maryland).
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FEMA and Emergency Management Partner Organizations Release PrepTalks Video Series
Over time, FEMA has partnered with state emergency
management officials to constantly improve the standards for building
structures that can withstand the forces of Mother Nature.
Check out this
this video published in November 2017, titled “The Evolution of Mitigation,”
which highlights the value of mitigation during recent disaster events in the
Florida Keys.
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Building Codes for Mitigation: Using ASCE 24
In
January, the National Institute of Building Sciences presented a
webinar about ASCE 24 flood-specific building code requirements related to
Hazard Mitigation Assistance. Example mitigation project types included
elevations, floodproofing, and mitigation reconstruction.
To
review the presentation, technical resources, and questions and answers, please
download the
information.
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