Departments | Emergency Management Agency | Reduce Your Risk from Natural Disasters
The term "mitigation" describes actions which can help reduce or eliminate your long-term risk from natural disasters. With mitigation, you can avoid losses and reduce your risk of becoming a disaster victim. Hazard mitigation works, and it can save you money. It helps protect your family, your business and your property from the effects of natural disasters.
There are many low-cost mitigation measures you can take to protect yourself, your home, or your business from losses. For example:
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Have hurricane straps installed in your home or business to better secure the roof to the walls and foundation. This will reduce the risk of losing your roof to high winds. |
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Install and maintain storm shutters to protect all exposed windows and glass surfaces, and use them when severe weather threatens. Besides protecting against wind, shutters also prevent damage from flying debris. |
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Have your home inspected by a building professional to ensure that roof and other building components are capable of withstanding wind effects. |
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Move valuables and appliances out of the basement of your home or business if it is prone to flooding. This will increase the chance that your belongings will remain dry when a flood occurs. |
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Have the main breaker or fuse box and the utility meters elevated above the anticipated flood level in your home or business, so that flood water won't damage your utilities. |
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Buy flood insurance to cover the value of your home and its contents. Not only will it give you greater peace of mind, but it will also greatly speed your recovery if a flood occurs. To learn more about flood insurance, contact your insurance company or agent. |
