Mitigation Best Practices

SACRAMENTO, CA – The homeowners in a low-lying section of Rio Linda used to worry about flooding whenever the winter storm season arrived. When heavy rains hit the neighborhood, the normally benign Dry Creek overflowed its banks, threatening the row of ranch-style houses on U Street. Over the past few years, Rio Linda residents have participated in FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program, which have helped dozens of Sacramento County homeowners protect themselves against flooding.

SYLMAR, CA - On November 15, 2008, the Sayer Fire engulfed the Oakridge Mobile Home Park, a beautiful, gated community in Sylmar. Of the park’s 600 homes, 480 were destroyed. The fire was so hot that fire hoses melted into the concrete. In a press briefing the following day, Governor Schwarzenegger noted that the homes in the Oakridge community had ignited "like matches," and called for a review of fire retardant standards applicable to mobile homes and mobile home parks.

Background and Issue

In 2011, as part of a Risk MAP analysis of the Big Wood Watershed in Idaho, FEMA performed Discovery in several counties in the south central part of the state, including Blaine County. FEMA’s Discovery is an effort to more fully engage communities during the flood mapping needs evaluation process. At the close of the Big Wood River Discovery effort, an additional study of the watershed was not funded.

Background and Issue

Because accurate structure elevation information is critical in the establishment of flood insurance policy rates, the availability of reliable and geographically convenient survey monuments and benchmarks is an important element of a community’s flood mitigation and prevention infrastructure.

MOORE, OK - Charles Atchley and his wife escaped unscathed after the 1999 Oklahoma tornado, but decided not to take their good fortune lightly. They took advantage of a FEMA tornado initiative ($2,000 rebate) and installed a below-ground safe room. During the tornado of May 8, 2003, Atchley and his three grandchildren took shelter in his safe room.

NEWCASTLE, OK – One year after Ronda and Billy Johnson installed a safe room in their garage, their home was totally destroyed by a tornado. It proved a wise investment because that safe room saved their lives that day.

A powerful EF-5 tornado ripped through Newcastle, Oklahoma, and nearby communities on May 20, 2013, destroying homes and taking 24 lives. Ronda and her daughters, Kylie and Raylee, plus two family dogs, took shelter from the storm in the safe room.

BAXTER COUNTY, AR – Entrepreneurs respond differently to the question, “What is success?” The term is not so easily define. Steve and Pam McCumber, an entrepreneurial couple in Norfork, Arkansas defines the term from personal experience. Success for them is the mitigation efforts that continue to keep them afloat amid the perils of bad weather which seem to hover over the State of Arkansas.

LONG BEACH, NY – When Michael Barnett purchased his house in Long Beach in 2000, it was with the understanding that the house had sustained flooding in the past. The house sits a short distance from Reynolds Channel, which connects with the Atlantic Ocean, and at high tide the water is usually only 25 feet from the rear wall. Damage from previous flooding was obvious. Some sections of the floor were warped and some of the doors stuck due to water damage.

COOKE COUNTY, TX – Faced with a long local history of dangerous tornadoes, Cooke County officials wanted to help residents protect themselves in the future. They achieved that goal by offering homeowners financial incentives to build tornado shelters and safe rooms.