In 2023, SCIPP collaborated with the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management on the 2-page resource Why Hazard Mitigation Matters to Your Community. This resulted from previous SCIPP research that identified challenges local decision-makers face when implementing hazard mitigation planning and action, including the need for buy-in from elected officials, the public, and others. This document described the benefits of local hazard mitigation plans and why they matter to communities, including: a description of what hazard mitigation is and the hazards Oklahoma faces, costs of weather and climate events in Oklahoma, the benefits of hazard mitigation plans, examples of projects communities can implement with funding from the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, cost savings from mitigation actions, and hazard mitigation success stories in Oklahoma.
Darrian Bertrand, SCIPP’s Climate Assessment Specialist, recently collaborated with Chris Rippetoe at the LSU Stephenson Disaster Management Institute on the Louisiana version of this resource. With a continued need for the promotion of hazard mitigation planning and action, the goal of this resource is to be a communication tool to share its importance. This document built off of the Oklahoma version with Louisiana-specific information and success stories. A version for Arkansas and Texas will be completed in the future.