Hazard Mitigation

Mitigation refers to any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property. Mitigation is an integral part of CRESA's comprehensive emergency management program. We coordinate the efforts of Clark County, it's cities, and other stakeholders in planning and implementing hazard mitigation. We don't have to live in fear of disasters. There are practical things we can do now to reduce their impacts. Through public education, responsible development, building retrofits, property buy-outs, and other strategies we can make our community safer so that when disasters happen they are less likely to result in death, damage, and disruption.

A hazard mitigation plan is the foundation of a community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.

2023 Clark County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan

Learn more about hazard mitigation grants.

Planning Partners

• Clark County
• City of Battle Ground
• City of Camas
• City of La Center
• City of Ridgefield
• City of Vancouver
• City of Washougal
• Town of Yacolt
• Vancouver School District
• Clark Public Utilities
• Port of Vancouver
• C-TRAN
• Clark Regional Wastewater District
• Battle Ground Public Schools
• Evergreen Public Schools
• Ridgefield School District
• Clark County Fire District 3

Planning Process

1. Organize stakeholders - Identify the best representatives from local government, non-profits, private sector, the public, and other stakeholders.
2. Involve the public - Provide multiple pathways for the public to get involved including messaging CRESA directly, through planning partners or via social media
3. Assess risks - Develop a hazard profile for the hazards of concern such as floods, earthquakes, and storms. Where do they occur? How often? Identify resources and people at risk.
4. Develop mitigation goals, objectives, and actions - Determine how we will reduce the risks that were identified in the risk assessment.
5. Assemble the plan and get approvals - The plan must be approved by the Washington State Emergency Management Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and then be adopted by local jurisdictions.
6. Implement the plan and monitor progress - Put the plan into action.