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Sherburne County Multi -Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2020 Section 1- Introduction 1.3. Introduction Hazard mitigation is defined as any sustained action to reduce ore I iminate long-term risk to human life and property from hazards. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made reducing hazards one of its primary goals; hazard mitigation planning and the subsequent implementation of resulting projects, measures, and policies is a primary mechanism in achieving FEMA's goal. From 198o-2oi8, the cost of damages due to natural disasters in the U.S. has exceeded $i.6 trillion. 2017 was a record year with $306 billion in damage (NOAA, n.d.). While the costliest disasters may occur in the coastal states, in 2oi8, wildfires, hailstorms, drought, and tornadoes caused many billion - dollar disasters across the nation. Hazard mitigation planning and preparedness will be the most effective instrument to diminish losses by reducing the impact of disasters upon people and property. Although mitigation efforts will not eliminate all disasters, each county shall endeavorto be as prepared as possible for a disaster. The Multi -Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP) is a requirement of the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000). The development of a local government plan is required in order to maintain eligibility for federal hazard mitigation grant funding programs. In order for communities to be eligible for future mitigation funds, they must adopt an MHMP. Researchers at the National Institute of Building Sciences looked at the results of 23 years of federally funded mitigation grants provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and found mitigation funding can save the nation $6 in future disaster costs, for every $i spent on hazard mitigation (National Institute of Building Sciences, 2017). Sherburne County is vulnerable to a variety of potential natural disasters, which threaten the loss of life and property in the county. Hazards such as tornadoes, flooding, wildfires, blizzards, straight-line winds, ice storms and droughts have the potential for inflicting vast economic loss and personal hardship. In 2013, Minnesota had some of the highest weather -related disaster claims in the country (MN Environmental Quality Board, 2014). This Multi -Hazard Mitigation Plan represents the efforts of Sherburne County and its local governments to fulfill the responsibility for hazard mitigation planning. The intent of the plan is to reduce the actual threat of specific hazards by limiting the impact of damages and losses. i.s.i Scope The Sherburne County Emergency Management Director and U-SpatialQa UMD have combined efforts to update the 203.3 Sherburne County Multi -Hazard Mitigation Plan. U-SpatialQa UMD contracted with Hundrieser Consulting LLC for additional emergency management planning expertise and facilitation. Page18