What is Hazard Mitigation Planning?
Hazard mitigation planning is the process of identifying and analyzing potential hazards that may impact our city - such as floods, earthquakes, and wildfires. The goal is to develop strategies to reduce the risks and minimize the damage caused by these hazards. This includes both structural measures, such as building codes, floodplain management, and hazard-resistant design, as well as non-structural measures, such as public education and emergency preparedness.
Hazard Mitigation:
DOES
- Identifies potential hazards and assesses their risks
- Develops strategies to reduce or eliminate the impact of hazards on people and property
- Promotes long-term resilience and sustainability
- Reduces vulnerability to hazards through proactive planning and implementation of measures
- Focuses on prevention and preparedness to minimize the need for response and recovery efforts
DOES NOT
- Cannot eliminate all risks associated with natural or man-made hazards
- Cannot prevent all damage or losses caused by hazards
- Is not a substitute for emergency response or disaster recovery efforts
- Does not address short-term needs or immediate crisis situations
- Is not a one-time process, but rather a continuous cycle of planning, implementation and evaluation
Why is hazard mitigation
planning important?
Hazard mitigation planning is crucial for protecting our city and its residents from the devastating effects of natural disasters. By identifying potential hazards and implementing mitigation measures, we can reduce the risks to people and property, prevent or minimize damage, and increase resilience to future events. This not only protects our community but also helps to reduce the long-term costs of disaster recovery.
What can you do?
As an individual resident, there are steps you can take to help protect yourself and your property from hazards. This includes staying informed about potential hazards, creating an emergency plan for you and your family, and taking steps to mitigate risks on your property. You can also get involved in local mitigation planning efforts and advocate for policies and initiatives that support hazard mitigation.
What is Maui County Doing?
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Capabilities Overview
Maui County has some strong capabilities and resources to mitigate the effects of natural hazards, particularly as it relates to existing planning and regulatory measures that are designed to ensure new and/or substantially improved construction is built to be more resilient to potential hazards. Capabilities for hazard mitigation fall under the categories of Planning & Regulatory, Administrative & Technical, Financial, Education & Outreach, and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) & Community Rating System (CRS). Overall, Maui County is well positioned to mitigate risks from natural hazards, and it is believed that through the implementation of this plan and other efforts it will continue to do so in a deliberate and meaningful manner.
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Planning & Regulatory
Planning and regulatory capabilities include those based on Maui County’s implementation of ordinances, policies, local laws and State statutes, and plans and programs that relate to guiding andmanaging future growth and development, in addition to those related to emergency preparedness, response and recovery.
Admin & Tech
Administrative and technical capabilities include those associated with Maui County’s existing staff and personnel resources and their skills and tools that can be used for mitigation planning and to implement specific mitigation actions. It also refers to the ability of Maui County to access and coordinate these resources effectively.
Financial
Financial capabilities refer to the fiscal resources that Maui County has access to or is eligible to us to fund hazard mitigation actions, including but not limited to capital projects.
Education & Outreach
Education and outreach capabilities refer to the educational outreach and engagement methods already in place for Maui County that could be used to implement hazard mitigation activities and communicate hazard-related information.
NFIP & CRS
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provides federally backed flood insurance in exchange for communities enacting floodplain regulations. Participation and good standing under NFIP are prerequisites for community residents to obtain policies through the NFIP and for local jurisdictions to be eligible for federal grant funding under the Robert T. Stafford Act. Maui County has participated in good standing with the NFIP since 1981 and continues to adopt regulations that meet the NFIP requirements. As of this plan writing, there are more than 12,000 NFIP policies in force in Maui County with total coverage of more than $2.6 billion and over $7.4 million in total annual premiums.
Community Rating System (CRS)
The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary, incentive-based program that recognizes and rewards floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum standards of the NFIP. Communities participating in CRS receive discounted premium rates for all resident NFIP policyholders to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from community actions. Maui County joined the CRS in 1995 and currently participates as a Class 7 community, resulting in a 15 percent reduction in flood insurance premiums for properties within Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) and a 5 percent reduction for properties outside of SFHAs. In total these discounts result in a total of nearly $1 million in annual savings on premiums paid by NFIP policyholders. The County is committed to maintaining its current CRS participation and is aiming to improve to a CRS Class 6 community in the coming years.