One of the most effective means to protect your home is to take steps to reduce the impact of disaster. This is called mitigation.

Examples of mitigation are: constructing buildings away from flood plains and hurricane surge inundation areas, upgrading homes to prevent damage from wind, flooding and earthquake, and reducing hazards within the home.

Some examples of mitigation are as follows:

• Make sure your home complies with local building codes that pertain to seismic, flood, fire and wind hazards.
• Make sure your roof is firmly secured to the main frame of the house.
• Consider options for upgrading your home to sustain flooding, earthquakes and high winds.
• Consider options for flood-proofing your home. Determine whether your home can be elevated to avoid future flood damage.
• Consider installing a fire sprinkler system.
• Consider the need for purchasing storm shutters for all exterior windows and doors.
• Obtain information specific to your area and home. Sources include: local emergency management officials, zoning and building offices, hardware dealers, home inspectors, structural engineers and architects.
• Find out about the hazards your community is vulnerable to.

Pro-active mitigation measures can reduce hazards and risks before they become disasters. Contact your local emergency management office for more information about mitigation.

Prepared by the Northeast States Emergency Consortium.