National Mitigation Strategy : partnerships for building safer communities.

Cover title

Introduction -- Basic principles of the National Mitigation Strategy -- A vision for safer communities in the future -- The national mitigation goal -- Major elements and strategic objectives of the National Mitigation Strategy -- Evaluation -- Mitigation action plan

Throughout its history, the United States has experienced natural disasters which have resulted in unacceptable loss of life, injury, and property damage. During the past 6 years, the United States has been more seriously impacted by a series of large-scale hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods that have taken an extraordinary toll in human lives and suffering. Public and private resources, which are needed for the advancement of other national priorities and goals, have been diverted for recovery and reconstruction. Virtually every region of the country has been affected. In response to the unacceptable loss of life and property from recent disasters, and the awesome prospect of even greater catastrophic loss in the future, the National Mitigation Strategy has been developed to provide a conceptual framework to reduce these losses. Hazard mitigation involves recognizing and adapting to natural forces and is defined as any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to human life and property. The Strategy is intended to engender a fundamental change in the general public's perception about hazard risk and mitigation of that risk and to demonstrate that mitigation is often the most cost-effective, and environmentally sound, approach to reducing losses