The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Offers State Assistance for Earthquake Hazard Reduction Activities

Mitigation involves developing and implementing strategies for reducing losses from earthquakes by incorporating principles of seismic safety in public and private decisions regarding the siting, design, and construction of structures (i.e. the adoption, enforcement, and updating of building and zoning codes and ordinances to enhance seismic safety), and regarding building’s nonstructural elements, contents, and furnishings. Activities that support mitigation include preparing inventories of and conducting seismic safety assessments, evaluations, inspections of critical structures and lifelines, and developing or updating hazard mitigation plans for identifying and retrofitting existing structures that pose threats to life or would suffer major damage in the event of a serious earthquake.

Public awareness/earthquake education activities are designed to increase public awareness of earthquakes and their associated risks, and to stimulate behavioral changes to foster a self-help approach to earthquake preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Other activities, in support of those listed in the Introduction may include, but are not limited to: hazard identification which defines the potential for earthquakes and their related geological hazards in a particular area; vulnerability assessments, also known as loss estimation studies, which provide information on the impacts and consequences of an earthquake on an area’s resources, as well as opportunities for earthquake hazard mitigation, attendance and participation in the State Earthquake Program Managers meeting held nationally and annually.