Prevention & Adaptation
Strategies to mitigate or reduce specific hazard risks are developed during the hazard mitigation plan update process and may vary from very simple to complex. Typically hazard mitigation strategies are classified into six broad categories. Below are the six (6) categories used for hazard prevention and adaptation.
Prevention
Government administrative or regulatory actions or processes that influence the way land and buildings are developed and built. These actions also include public activities to reduce hazard losses. Examples include planning and zoning, building codes, capital improvement programs, open space preservation, and storm water management regulations.
Public Education & Awareness
Actions to inform and educate citizens, elected officials, and property owners about potential ways to mitigate for hazards that can occur in the County. Such actions include outreach programs, projects, real estate disclosure, hazard information centers, and school-age and adult education programs.
Emergency Services
Actions that protect people and property during and immediately after a disaster or hazard event. Services include warning systems and emergency response services.
Property Protection
Actions that involve the modification of existing critical and public facilities, buildings, structures, and public infrastructure to protect them from hazards. Examples include acquisition, elevation, relocation, structural retrofits, storm shutters, and infrastructure modification.
Natural Resource Protection
Actions that, in addition to minimizing hazard losses also preserve or restore the functions of natural protection systems. These actions include sediment and erosion control, stream corridor restoration, watershed management, forest and vegetation management, and wetland restoration preservation.
Structural Projects
Actions that involve the construction of structures to reduce the impact of a hazard event. Such structures include dams, levees, floodwalls, seawalls, retaining walls, barrier islands, and safe rooms.
In 2021 the Core Planning Team (CPT) was formed to assist in the update of both the Dorchester County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan and the Flood Mitigation Plan. As part of the Hazard Mitigation Plan update process, a Mitigation Status Report was completed. Members of the CPT assisted in the completion of this report. The Mitigation Status Report is available on the project website.
To review the 2017 Mitigation Action Status Update Report, click below.
Maryland Historical Trust:
Cultural Resources Hazard Mitigation Planning Program
The Architectural Survey Form for Hazard Mitigation Planning, developed by the Maryland Historical Trust, was created to help communities to conduct a risk assessment for historic structures that are important to the community and vulnerable to flooding.
The Maryland Historic Trust also promotes a planning framework based on FEMA's hazard mitigation planning for historic and cultural resources. To learn about integrating historic and cultural resources, please click below to review FEMA's guide.
To learn more about protecting historic places, archeological sites, and cultural landscapes, please visit Maryland Historic Trust's Cultural Resources Hazard Mitigation Planning Program site.