How to Apply Risk Assessment Results to Planning

Capitalize on Opportunity

There are a range of options to increase the general awareness of hazards in a community. It is important to communicate hazard risk to citizens, elected officials, and other stakeholders, as well as integrate hazard mitigation principles into local plans, policies, and codes. As previously mentioned, Colorado communities are encouraged to be “opportunistic” and proactive by conducting more frequent and routine assessments of local hazards as new information or resources become available. Planners should look for opportunities to better leverage, streamline, and integrate these planning resources.

Opportunities to integrate land use and hazard planning include the development or update of an existing comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, capital improvements plan, or other relevant processes. This includes but should not be limited to the maintenance of the adopted Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, as communities should constantly be seeking ways to capitalize on establishing synergies between it and other planning processes. Another notable opportunity includes the unique but often unforeseeable period following a damaging hazard event—a time when community stakeholders are typically much more engaged in the dialogue regarding surrounding community recovery and redevelopment decisions regarding infrastructure and other repairs. Colorado planners and local officials should be proactive by preparing plans or frameworks to help prepare for potential disasters and guide the post-disaster process.

Communities should also seek to piggyback on other relevant state, regional, and local efforts to increase hazards awareness and promote risk reduction activities, such as Colorado Flood Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week, or perhaps following the release of new scientific data relating to disasters or hazards management. Often during these times, the media, elected officials, and residents are more engaged and apt to join the conversation.

Another important opportunity is to consider how redevelopment efforts following a hazard event can be implemented to be more resilient, leaving the community better off than it was before the event. This effort requires careful coordination with community leaders, city departments, and other stakeholders through the community such as business owners, residents, and developers. Following an event, the community can begin a dialogue about long-term resilience.

Communication Tips

Once preparation of the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) is complete, following the procedures outlined earlier in the chapter Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment, it is essential to use that information to the fullest extent possible. Begin by communicating the results of the HIRA and opportunities for mitigation extensively both internally and externally to the community. This will allow community members to understand and contribute to the development or refinement of mitigation actions to address identified risks. Although the risk assessment is a key component to any FEMA-approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the use of risk assessment data should not be limited to that effort. From an emergency management and hazard mitigation perspective, the HIRA should be used to formulate specific mitigation actions that respond to the risks identified. While these actions have traditionally focused on education and infrastructure projects, they should be expanded to land use programs, policies, and regulations.  

Think Comprehensively About Stakeholders

Planners and emergency managers should consider any potential impacts to other departments and other stakeholders as a result of the HIRA and start drawing connections to relevant policies, goals, or objectives of a particular audience. Make a point of regularly discussing coordination between emergency management and planning. Never assume that a department, agency, or group of individuals would not be interested in or affected by the results of the HIRA. Rather, communicate compelling synergies with their other projects or concerns. For example, alert the parks and recreation department of any spatial analysis of risk that could impact future acquisitions or trail connections, and engage representatives of potentially vulnerable populations.

Communicate Early and Often with Elected and Appointed Officials

Making an argument that a development application should be denied based on a particular hazard risk during the final approval hearing could be ineffective if the elected body is just learning of the risk. For communities with hazard risks that could impact major decisions, planners and emergency managers should make a point to regularly discuss the topic with appointed and elected officials. Keep it short, keep it interesting, and continue to ask for their support on hazard mitigation efforts. When decision-makers are well informed, they make decisions with confidence. Community leaders should also adopt policies—especially in the comprehensive plan—and regulations that clearly communicate the risk to the community, including current and future property owners. Planners should use relevant facts from the community and explain why hazard mitigation is important. For example, how does hazard mitigation tie into other policies such as economic development and public safety? Incorporate tours, guest speakers, and best practices whenever possible. Back it up with relevant facts from the community (such as how damage from hazards could affect local tourism).

Don’t Forget the Public

Hazard mitigation can be a component of any community project. Don’t wait to begin engaging the public in a conversation about risk. Proven strategies like press releases, open houses, workshops, and websites can be effective tools for informing the public and initiating community conversations. Informing the community of their risk to hazards does not have to involve scare tactics; rather, ask citizens if they are aware of the various hazards that have impacted the community in the past. Ask them what they think the local government should be doing to mitigate the risk. Strive to make the information personally relevant; ask them if hazard mitigation is important to them. Share examples of how the community is currently addressing hazards, including statistics wherever possible (such as number of properties acquired in the floodplain, or number of homes evacuated during a wildfire). Encourage them to join existing local mitigation initiatives, such as the Firewise Communities Program. Most importantly, start identifying local champions that can advocate on the community’s behalf. Building support for hazard mitigation efforts is much easier with the public on your side.