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11. The public media are key to gaining and maintaining public interest, involvement and support of the disaster mitigation planning effort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12. Thoughtful planning should help counter the crises-seeking attitude of the media. Planners must anticipate this conflict. They must strongly encourage the media to use properly phrased information and demand that the media be responsive to the entire planning process. G. Research Both basic and applied (practical) research is of interest to three major groups: 1. legislators; 2. mitigation planners; and, 3. opponents to mitigation, who seek support of their opinions. On the whole, research provides an endorsement for positive mitigation options. 1. Research involves scientific investigations into the prevention or mitigation of disasters and the cause of hazards. It includes applied research or demonstrations which illustrate the feasibility of implementing new techniques or findings on mitigation. 2. The mitigation manager should create a "user group" to advise on appropriate aspects of research. A user group should be concerned with user research needs and variations for affected parties. They should not be concerned in research designs or other technical content. 3. The manager should develop public information and education advisory groups, to enhance dissemination opportunities and to improve the use of research findings. 4. The manager should obtain commitments from government that research results will be given full consideration. 5. The manager should keep interested groups involved throughout the research project. 6. A fundamental dilemma exists between basic mitigation research and its application, due to the difficulty in distinguishing one from the other. This dilemma is reflected in the continuing frustration of mitigation practitioners with mitigation research. 7. Effective mitigation requires that researchers and users work together to resolve these tensions. H. Structural Structural mitigation solutions encompass actual engineering and mechanical devices or methodologies which enhance mitigation. Examples include anti-hurricane structures, avalanche control, community protective tornado shelters, flood diversion measures, more reliable siren warning systems, prescribed burning of forests to reduce combustible matter, seeding thunderstorm clouds with silver iodide crystals, stream bank stabilization, and windbreak restoration. 124