Stand-alone mitigation plans and recovery costs: A study of the Florida Local Mitigation Strategies

Previous evaluation and research studies focused on planning have indicated that the incorporation of natural hazards into comprehensive plans results in a reduction in property loss following a disaster event (R. J. Burby et al., 1999, 2000; A. C. Nelson & S. P. French, 2002; R. B. Olshansky, 2001). To date, minimal research has been conducted on the efficacy of stand-alone mitigation plans to reduce disaster loss. With passage of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and its emphasis on mitigation planning, analysis of its efficacy in reducing disaster expenditures is important. The dearth of related research increases the relevancy of this study.;This current study sought to determine whether mitigation planning improves community disaster resiliency through the reduction of disaster recovery costs. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether vulnerable populations and property are protected from loss due to natural disasters by continued investment in mitigation planning under the present legislative framework. This research examines the Local Mitigation Strategies implemented within Florida and over 25 federally declared events from 1994 through 2004. The Local Mitigation Strategy served as the pilot program for the planning requirement introduced in the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. A multivariate model was applied to determine whether disaster expenditures or per capita expenditure from the natural disasters under study could have been reduced had a mitigation plan been in place. It was found that having a plan did not reduce either type of expenditure. Based upon these findings, changes are strongly recommended in the manner in which mitigation planning is conducted under the current framework to reduce the loss of life and property from natural disaster events.