All Hazard Mitigation

Across the United States, natural and man made disasters have led to increasing levels of deaths, injuries, property damage and interruption of business and government services. The time, money and efforts to recover from these disasters exhaust resources, diverting attention from important public programs and private agendas. With 573 major disaster declarations and 91 emergency declarations in the US since 1992, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority located in the Erie and Niagara Counties, New York, recognizes the impact of disasters on their community-center operations. The NFTA has concluded that proactive efforts are needed to reduce the impact of natural and man-made hazards.

Hazards mitigation is a phrase that describes actions taken to prevent or reduce the long-term risks to life and property from hazards. Pre-disaster mitigation actions are taken in advance of a hazard event and are essential to breaking the typical disaster cycle of damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. With careful selection, mitigation actions can be long-term, cost-effective means of reducing the risk of loss.

Accordingly, the NFTA has determined it is in the best interest of all concerned to develop this All Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Plan is the result of the NFTA's work to develop a pre-disaster multi-hazard mitigation plan that will not only guide the NFTA towards greater disaster resistance, but will also respect the character and the needs of the community.

In order to qualify for federal aid for technical assistance and post-disaster funding, local jurisdiction must comply with the Disaster mitigation Act of 2000 and its implementing regulations (44 CFR Section 201.6, published February 26, 2002.) The NFTA's All Hazard Mitigation Plan has been prepared to meet FEMA and New York State requirements in order for the NFTA to be eligible for funding and technical assistance from federal and state hazards mitigations programs.

For more information, visit http://www.fema.gov or e-mail the NFTA at AHMP@nfta.com.