The Federal Emergency Management Agency is releasing three publications designed to assist local officials in the preparation of Hazard Mitigation Plans as required by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. The publications are part of the "State and Local Mitigation Planning how-to-guide" series.

The how-to series is closely related to the American Planning Association's collaboration with FEMA to develop a training course on hazard mitigation planning.

The first guide, "Getting Started: building support for mitigation planning" (FEMA 386-1), discusses the activities and issues involved in initiating the hazard mitigation process. Included in the document is a worksheet, a sample cover letter and a questionnaire that communities can use to help get the planning process started.

The second guide, "Understanding Your Risks: identifying hazards and estimating losses" (FEMA 386-2), provides detailed, step-by-step instructions on the procedures that are part of the hazard identification and risk assessment phases of the natural hazard mitigation planning process. Included are worksheets that can be used for:

• Identifying the hazard
• Profiling hazard events
• Inventorying assets
• Estimating losses

The third guide is called "Integrating Human-Caused Hazards Into Mitigation Planning" (FEMA 386-7). Unlike the earlier documents that discussed natural hazards, this one discusses technological hazards and terrorism. Again, worksheets are included on such issues as:

• Building the planning team
• Asset identification
• Assessing vulnerability

All three publications may be downloaded from the FEMA website at www.fema.gov/fima/planning. Hard copies of all three documents or CD-ROMS of publications 386-1 and 386-7 are available by calling the FEMA Warehouse at 800-480-2520.

Other guides yet to be released are:

Developing a Mitigation Plan: identifying mitigation measures and implementation strategies

Bringing the Plan to Life: ensuring the success of the hazard mitigation plan

Using Benefit-Cost Analysis in Mitigation Planning

Incorporating Historic Resources in Mitigation Planning

Multi-jurisdictional Approaches to Mitigation Planning

Securing Resources for Mitigation Planning

December 2002