Examining Factors Contributing to the Development of FEMA-Approved Hazard Mitigation Plans

Abstract

The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires local governments to complete pre-disaster mitigation plans, approved by FEMA, in order to be eligible for certain types of federal funding. Even with this requirement in place, many local jurisdictions in the U.S. have yet to adopt a FEMA-approved multi-hazard mitigation plan. Consequently, the percentage of a state's population covered by such plans varies substantially from state to state. This study examined staff resources, financial resources, and disaster experience of local governments by state as factors contributing to the development of FEMA-Approved Hazard Mitigation Plans. Indicators of these measures were gleaned from multiple nationwide data sets and each measure's relative importance was assessed via multiple regression analysis. Two measures of staff resources failed to affect the likelihood of completing approved hazard mitigation plans, while one measure of financial resources (Pre- Disaster Mitigation planning dollars per capita by state) and one measure of disaster experience (number of Presidential Disaster Declaration incidents per capita by state) had significant effects on the percentage of a state's population covered by approved plans. Implications for promoting the development of local governments' hazard mitigation plans are discussed.