FLOOD04676

• County: Statewide
• Community: All
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Colorado's Vulnerablility to Very High Risk Natural Hazards
• Date: 1/1/1983
• Prepared By: Division of Disaster Emergency Services
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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LOCAL PREPAREDNESS AND HAZARD MITIGATION

Vulnerability and the rising cost of natural disaster
in Colorado can best be reduced by limiting settlement in
hazardous areas. Mitigating the costs of disaster through
governmental and private processes which encourage settle-
ment away from historically hazardous areas not only reduces
the chance for future catastrophe, but also generates a net
benefit to the taxpayer since he does not have.to spend
money periodically on relief and recovery.

When risks cannot be avoided through efforts at miti-
gation, preparedness to effectively respond to the onset of
extreme events can also red uce disaster vu1nerabil i ty and
cost. Preparedness depends on the ability of a community to
ensure that its citizens are aware of their local vulner-
abilities; that its ci;tizens are given and recognize
adequate warning of the potential onset of extreme events;
and that they know the safety measures, escape routes or
shelter that can offer protection.

These preparations should be incorporated in a simple,
easy to understand plan. The essence of preparedness is
then to practice, publicize and test a plan based ona given
hazard, so that all are confident of their operational roles
and responses. .

Just as there is a correlation between distribution
of population, growth and the cost of disasters, there is.
also a correlation between population and the ability of
political entities to pay for mitigation and preparedness.
As population increases, additional tax revenues can be made
available to deal with commensurately increasing' vulner-
ability. A growing tax base can yield increased funding for
preparedness.

The maintenance of a balance between preparedness and
vulnerability as growth continues will yield large net
benefits over the long term. Large savings will accrue if
citizens can be adequately warned and protected. Even
larger savings will accrue to the community if development
is managed with disaster mitigation in mind. For example,
if zoning is carried on effectively, people can be diverted
or provided incentives to avoid settling in a floodplain.
Thus when periodic floods occur, repeated suffering and the
costs of relief and recovery will not be necessary,

Currently, efforts are underway in Colorado to miti-
gate and prepare for the potential impacts of natural
disaster, Most flood prone communities have entered into
some form of floodplain management either by zoning or

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