Abstract

Hazard mitigation describes sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risks to life and property from hazards and create successive benefits over time. Mitigation is effective both before and after disaster events. It is preferred to mitigate in advance of a disaster and thus avoid impact, but often mitigation finds its greatest political and community will for implementation after a disaster. Pre-disaster mitigation actions are taken in advance of a hazard event and are essential to breaking the disaster cycle of damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. Post-disaster mitigation happened during the process of recovery when rebuilding elevates and otherwise protects people and property from future risk. With careful selection, successful mitigation actions are cost-effective means of reducing risk of loss over the long-term. Mitigation will play a critical role both before and after disaster events as the Commonwealth aims to protect communities from current and future risk from climate change.

This Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed for the purpose of:

• Identifying hazards present in the Commonwealth.

• Determining the areas impacted by identified hazards that affect the lives and property of Pennsylvania citizens.

• Assessing what has been and should be done to reduce or eliminate the impact of identified hazards on Pennsylvania citizens.

• Developing and implementing a hazard mitigation action plan to make Pennsylvania citizens safer in the future.

• Qualifying for pre-disaster and post-disaster grant funding.

• Complying with state and federal legislative requirements related to state hazard mitigation planning.

• Demonstrating a firm commitment to hazard mitigation principles and building capacity to improve and complete more mitigation projects.

• Fostering collaboration and cooperation through a robust and ongoing planning process.

• Improving community resiliency following a disaster event.