Mitigation: a wide range of tools or a global approach?
Document Actions
Mitigation helps to reduce vulnerability in case of emergency. So mitigation is a preventive kind of action before a catastrophe happens. Technical and organisational measures have to be taken to reduce damage to people and goods. These must be taken at different levels, by the home-owners, the local authorities etc. Especially infrastructure is very exposed to potential damage, be it because they are located in potential damage zones or be it because parts of them depend on potential damage zones. In emergencies chain reactions from areas damaged on areas not damaged occur very often (domino effects) and lead to even less response power than there should theoretically be available. Technical adaptation can make sure, that certain services can also be used in certain services. A city can e.g. buy all houses in potential flooding areas and resell upper floors but keep lowest floors. Doors of old houses in potential flooding areas can be renewed and sealed as to protect the interiors against the water. Organisational measures can also help to reduce damage during an emergency, footbridges during floods can help people access there homes in order to save or rescue something etc. New buildings in potential flooding zones e.g. must be only allowed if they meet strict protection standards. The use of existing ground floors in old houses can be changed to garages instead of flats or shops etc. That way mitigation may well help to reduce damage through certain, expectable catastrophes.
Newsletter 7 on Workshop 6: Risk management and training
