Mitigation plans form the foundation for a community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage in the next disaster. The planning process is as important as the plan itself. It creates a framework for risk-based decision making to reduce damages to lives, property, and the economy from future disasters. State, Indian Tribal, and local governments are required to develop a hazard mitigation plan as a condition of receiving certain types of hazard mitigation disaster assistance, emergency and non-emergency. The requirements and procedures for State, Tribal and Local mitigation plans are found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at Title 44, Chapter 1, Part 201 (44 CFR Part 201.)

• State Hazard Mitigation Planning
• Local Hazard Mitigation Planning
• Tribal Hazard Mitigation Planning
• Planning Resources & Tools

In October 2001, Wisconsin Emergency Management reached a significant milestone with the completion of the first-ever State Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan identifies Wisconsin's most prevalent hazards and their risks and sets forth a strategy for reducing future damage. With the issuance of federal regulations 44 CFR Parts 201, Hazard Mitigation Planning and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs; Interim Final Rule dated February 26, 2002, the State Hazard Mitigation Plan was rewritten to meet the new planning requirements. The State's standard plan was approved on March 9, 2005 with the "enhanced" plan approved on December 14, 2005. Subsequently, a three-year update of the State of Wisconsin Hazard Mitigation Plan was approved on December 9, 2008 and the enhanced plan approved on June 15, 2009.

The State of Wisconsin Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies Wisconsin's major natural hazards, assesses the vulnerability to those hazards and outlines a strategy to reduce those vulnerabilities. The Plan focuses state agency resources to help protect the health, safety, property, environment and economy of Wisconsin from the effects of natural hazards.

• Executive Summary (pdf)
• State of Wisconsin Hazard Mitigation Plan (pdf)
• Planning Resources & Tools

Mitigation plans form the foundation for a community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage in the next disaster. The planning process is as important as the plan itself. It creates a framework for risk-based decision making to reduce damages to lives, property, and the economy from future disasters. Local governments are required to develop a hazard mitigation plan as a condition of receiving certain types of hazard mitigation disaster assistance, emergency and non-emergency. The requirements and procedures for local mitigation plans are found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at Title 44, Chapter 1, Part 201.6 (44 CFR Part 201.6.)

• Approved Local Plans
• Planning Resources & Tools

Mitigation plans form the foundation for a community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage in the next disaster. The planning process is as important as the plan itself. It creates a framework for risk-based decision making to reduce damages to lives, property, and the economy from future disasters. Indian Tribal governments are required to develop a hazard mitigation plan as a condition of receiving certain types of hazard mitigation disaster assistance, emergency and non-emergency. The requirements and procedures for Tribal mitigation plans are found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at Title 44, Chapter 1, Part 201.7 (44 CFR Part 201.7.)

Is flooding a problem in your community? What about straight-line winds? These are some of the hazards emergency management directors and local officials need to discuss to form the basis for a local hazard mitigation plan. All-hazards mitigation plans are now a federal requirement for communities to be eligible to receive hazard mitigation grant funds. Below is some information and guidance for developing an all-hazards mitigation plan.

Local Planning Resources

• Hazard Mitigation Planning Newsletter, Summer 2010 (pdf)
• A Resource Guide to All Hazards Mitigation Planning in Wisconsin (pdf)
• 2008 Local Plan Review Guidance (pdf)
• 2008 Plan Review Crosswalk (pdf)
• Flood-Only Portion of the Local Plan Update Guidance (pdf)
• Local Plan Review Help Sheet with Crosswalk (pdf)

Tribal Planning Resources

• 2010 Tribal Plan Review Guidance

Mitigation Resources

• Mitigation Ideas (pdf)
• Mitigation Planning Short Notes
• FEMA Mitigation Planning "How-to-Guides" (external link)
• Mitigation Planning Laws, Regulations and Guidance (external link)

2012 All-Hazards Mitigation Planning Workshop Materials

• 2012 All-Hazards Mitigation Planning Workshop Presentations & Handouts

Damage Estimation Tool

• HAZUS MH – Hazard Event Damage Estimation Tool (external link)

The Hazards U.S. Multi-Hazard (HAZUS-MH) is a nationally applicable standardized methodology that estimates potential losses from earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods. HAZUS-MH uses state-of-the art Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software to map and display hazard data the results of damage and economic loss estimates for buildings and infrastructure. It also allows users to estimate the impacts of earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods on populations. Estimating losses is essential to decision-making at all levels of government, providing a basis for development mitigation plans and policies, emergency preparedness, and response and recovery planning.

The State of Wisconsin Hazard Mitigation Plan includes a statewide HAZUS flood risk assessment. A HAZUS flood risk assessment was completed for each county.