Element C3
The hazard mitigation strategy shall include a description of mitigation goals to reduce or avoid long-term vulnerabilities to the identified hazards.
44 CFR §201.6(c)(3)(i)
The plan must include hazard mitigation goals that represent what the community seeks to achieve through implementation of its mitigation plan. Clear goals that are agreed upon by the planning team, elected officials, and the public provide the basis for prioritizing mitigation actions. Mitigation goals, such as the examples from local plans shown below, are required to be in the plan and must be consistent with the hazards identified in the risk assessment.
Whether you are updating goals or developing new ones, here are some considerations:
- Risk assessment findings. Review the findings of the risk assessment, especially the problem statements. Group the problem statements by themes, such as hazards, assets at risk, or location. Several problem statements or groups may lead to a single mitigation goal.
- Outreach findings. Consider themes that stood out during planning team meetings and outreach activities. For instance, the need for improved education and awareness about hazards may be a common theme.
- Community goals. Review existing plans and other policy documents to ensure hazard mitigation goals are consistent with the goals of other community plans, such as the comprehensive plan, and other objectives established by the governing body. Mitigation goals that complement other plans and policies may garner more support for hazard mitigation.
- State hazard mitigation goals. Because the State Hazard Mitigation Plan documents the State’s goals for reducing risk and allocating resources, it may be strategic to align your plan’s goals to the State’s plan.
Best Practices
Maricopa County, AZ Maricopa County was chosen as a best practice because its plan describes the process used to create goals for its 2009 Hazard Mitigation Plan. The County evaluated whether or not the goals of its 2004 Hazard Mitigation Plan reflected the community’s mitigation vision, led to effective and efficient mitigation actions and projects and reflected the updated risk assessment. The goals were then compared to the goals and objectives of the 2007 State Plan, which were found to be more effective and reflective of the county’s vision. The county then streamlined the state’s goals into county goals and objectives that represented the community’s vision. Pinellas County, FL The Pinellas County plan was chosen as a best practice because it illustrated how each goal identified objectives which clearly fell into one of five specific measures; prevention, property protection, public education and awareness, natural resource protection, and structural projects. The plan operationalizes each specific measure and tries to ensure that the objects cover a broad array of mitigation approaches.