FEMA defines a Hazard Mitigation Plan as the documentation of a state or local government's evaluation of natural hazards and the strategies to mitigate such hazards.

Hazard mitigation planning is the process of determining how to reduce or eliminate the loss of life and property damage resulting from natural hazards. Section 322 of the DMA 2000 specifically addresses mitigation planning at the state and local levels. FEMA has promulgated hazard mitigation planning regulations pursuant to the DMA 2000. These regulations identify four essential phases to mitigation planning: 1) organize resources, 2) assess risks, 3) develop mitigation plan, and 4) implement mitigation plan and monitor progress.

The City of New Rochelle is in the process of developing a Hazard Mitigation Plan that will demonstrate the area’s commitment to reducing risk and serve as a guide for decision makers as they commit resources to minimize the effects of natural hazards.

How Does the Plan Benefit the City of New Rochelle?

A hazard mitigation plan will assist the City with the following:

• An increased understanding of natural hazards the area faces.
• Development of more sustainable and disaster-resistant communities.
• Eligibility for federal funds for pre-disaster mitigation planning (DMA 2000).
• Partnerships that support planning and mitigation efforts and may offer potential financial savings:
  • Flood Insurance premium reductions
  • Broader resources for funding of mitigation projects
  • Enhanced benefit-cost ratios for Corps of Engineer projects.
• Reduced long-term impacts and damages to human health and structures, and reduced repair costs.

Proactive mitigation leads to sustainable, more cost-effective projects. By contrast, reactive mitigation tends to lead to the "quick fix" alternatives; it simply costs too much to address the effects of disasters only after they happen. A surprising amount of damage can be prevented if the City can anticipate where and how disasters will occur, and takes steps to mitigate those damages.

New Rochelle Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee

The City of New Rochelle has formed a Planning Committee made up of members from the Office of Emergency Management, Police Department, Fire Department, and Department of Public Works.

Hazard Mitigation Plan – Westchester County, NY 2021 (Section 9.3: City of New Rochelle)