A Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) is a local government plan in the United States, typically at county level, that is designed to reduce or eliminate risks to people and property from natural and man-made hazards. Mitigation strategies are supported by state government and federal programs, in line with the Disaster Mitigation Act.
Mitigation is the cornerstone of emergency management. It's the continuing effort to lessen the impact disasters have on people and property. Mitigation is defined as "sustained action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards and their effects."
Through effective mitigation practices we can ensure that fewer people and communities become victims of natural disasters. Mitigation can take many forms. It can involve such actions as:
- Promoting sound land use planning based on known hazards
- Buying flood insurance to protect your belongings
- Relocating or elevating structures out of the floodplain
- Securing shelves and hot water heaters to walls
- Developing, adopting and enforcing building codes and standards
- Engineering roads and bridges to withstand earthquakes
- Using fire-retardant materials in new construction
- Developing and implementing a plan in your business or community to reduce your susceptibility to hazards
