Brad G. Loar, CFM – Mitigation Division Director

• What is Mitigation?
• Mitigation's Value to Society
• Region IV Mitigation Division Organizational Structure
• Risk Analysis Branch
• Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch
• Floodplain Mitigation and Insurance Branch
• Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Branch
• Mitigation Key Contacts
  • Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch Contacts
  • Hazard Mitigation Assistance Contacts
  • Risk Analysis Branch Contacts
  • Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation (EHP) Branch Contacts

What is Mitigation?   

Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. This is achieved through risk analysis, which results in information that provides a foundation for mitigation activities that reduce risk, and flood insurance that protects financial investment.

Mitigation's Value to Society  

1. Mitigation creates safer communities by reducing losses of life and property.
2. Mitigation enables individuals and communities to recover more rapidly from disasters.
3. Mitigation lessens the financial impact of disasters on individuals, the Treasury, state, local and tribal communities.

Region IV Mitigation Division Functional Structure   

Risk Analysis Branch   

Robert Lowe – Risk Analysis Branch Chief

Risk Analysis applies engineering and planning practices in conjunction with advanced technology tools to identify hazards, assess vulnerabilities, and develop strategies to manage the risks associated with natural hazards.  Risk Analysis administers the following programs:

• Risk MAP
• Flood Map Modernization (Map Mod)
• The National Dam Safety Program (NDSP)
• Natural Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NDHRP)
• HAZUS-MH

Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch   

Jacky Bell – Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch Chief

Risk Reduction works to reduce risk to life and property through the use of land use controls, building practices, and other tools. These activities address risk in both the existing built environment and in future development, and they occur in both pre- and post-disaster environments. At the Regional level, the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch carried the objectives of Risk Reduction.

The mission of the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch is to support our State and Local partners in reducing the impact of natural hazards by funding mitigation activities that strengthen community resilience to disasters.

The Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch coordinates 5 grant programs with unique statutory authorities, program requirements and triggers for funding. The programs are the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL), and Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC). While the statutory origins of the programs differ, all share the common goal of reducing the risk of loss of life and property due to natural hazards.  (UHMA, 2011, p1)

• Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)

FMA provides funds on an annual basis so that measures can be taken to reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides grants to States and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the HMGP is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. The HMGP is authorized under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. 

• Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)

PDM provides funds on an annual basis for hazard mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation projects prior to a disaster. The goal of the PDM program is to reduce overall risk to the population and structures, while at the same time, also reducing reliance on Federal funding from actual disaster declarations.

• Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC)

RFC provides funds on an annual basis to reduce the risk of flood damage to individual properties insured under the NFIP that have had one or more claim payments for flood damages. RFC provides up to 100% federal funding for projects in communities that meet the reduced capacity requirements.

Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) Program   SRL provides funds on an annual basis to reduce the risk of flood damage to residential structures insured under the NFIP that are qualified as severe repetitive loss structures. SRL provides up to 90% federal funding for eligible projects.

Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch 

Susan Wilson, CFM - Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch Chief

Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch helps reduce flood losses by encouraging communities to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through adoption and enforcement of local floodplain management programs that mitigate the effects of flooding on new and existing development; in exchange, affordable flood insurance coverage is made available to property owners throughout the community.

The Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch administers the floodplain management and insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  These programs focus on state and local development codes and building regulations to assure that new development and substantial improvements located in an identified Special Flood Hazard Area (floodplain areas) are developed and constructed to prevent or minimize future flood damage.  The FMI Branch serves as the Region IV center of expertise on the insurance aspects of the NFIP, and provides technical assistance on NFIP underwriting, claims, and lender compliance with the provisions of the Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance Requirements.  The FMI Branch also manages the provision of floodplain management and insurance training programs and outreach efforts for State and community officials, insurance agents, lenders, property owners, and other stakeholders throughout the region. The following program areas are within the Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch:

• Floodplain Management
• NFIP Compliance
• Flood Insurance

Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Branch   

William R. Straw, PhD - Regional Environmental Officer

The Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation (EHP) Program integrates environmental/natural and historic/cultural resource protection and enhancement into FEMA's mission, Programs, goals, and activities.  Full Program and project life cycles.

EHP helps all FEMA Programs, managers, and staff members meet their legal obligations for federal executive branch employees' ethics and conduct, Public Trust, due process, due diligence, work performance, and results.

EHP does this by helping FEMA Facility Management, Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, Hazard Mitigation, Preparedness, and other Programs, Applicants, and their activities comply with federal environmental and historic preservation laws, presidential executive orders, federal regulations, and matching tribal, state, and local requirements.

EHP work helps protect and enhance Tribes, States, Communities, and Peoples' essential life- and economy-sustaining natural/environmental resources; as well as important and valuable historic properties, cultural heritage, government services continuity, and Peoples' overall quality of life.  This is particularly important in case of catastrophic and worse events.

EHP provides comprehensive, year-round environmental and historic preservation services for FEMA staff, local, state, tribal, and federal partners.  These year-round EHP services include, among others:

• Outreach early and often to FEMA staff, local, state, tribal, and federal partners
• FEMA Program EHP integration full program and project life cycles
• Empowering non-EHP staff to do project EHP reviews
• Front-Loading EHP work
• Project EHP Triages
• Technical Assistance early and often to FEMA staff, local, state, tribal, and federal partners
• Adverse EHP impact avoidance, reduction, and mitigation measures
• Public Notices and Participation
• Applied EHP Training and cross-training
• Interagency Programmatic Agreements

Mitigation Key Contacts 

For general public inquiries, please call 770-220-5406.

Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch Contacts   

Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch Contacts     

Risk Analysis Branch Contacts   

Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation (EHP) Branch Contacts