Now that we have learned about the range of hazards facing communities in the United States and the disaster management framework that has evolved to address these hazards, we are ready to explore the approach for assessing risk and developing preparedness, mitigation, and climate change adaptation programs to enhance resilience. Chapter 10 delves into the process of understanding the unique hazard profile of a community and assessing risk based on the physical, economic, and social characteristics of the area. Chapter 11 focuses on the role of preparedness, including major activities undertaken by government, businesses, volunteer organizations, and families and individuals. Chapter 12 describes hazard mitigation activities, emphasizing opportunities to reduce vulnerability by influencing land use decisions. In this chapter, we also lay out the foundation of the process that communities use to develop a comprehensive hazard mitigation plan Cumulatively, this section provides the building blocks to set priorities and work collaboratively with a wide range of community members and organizations to effectively plan for and become more resilient to hazards and the impacts of climate change.
Communities, states, and businesses across the United States are increasingly assessing how risk is changing as global climate change influences the distribution, variability, and intensity of many extreme weather events. For example, stormwater infrastructure can no longer rely solely on historic averages of rainfall to develop facilities with sufficient capacity for the future. Effectively managing natural hazards inherently requires us to use the best available science about how our climate and how are communities are likely to change. These chapters discuss methods and tools to meld climate information with preparedness and mitigation planning in an attempt to address both current and future risk.
Being prepared for the impacts of natural and human-made hazards is an ongoing process rather than a one-time solution. Resilient communities are those that incorporate relevant weather and climate science into nearly every aspect of decision making—from siting and design of roadways to irrigation techniques employed in agriculture. The following chapters describe the process to instill a foundation of preparedness and mitigation that allows communities to absorb and bounce back from the impacts of hazards.