Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), as federal law and a program activity, began in 1997. Congress established a pilot program, which FEMA named ¿Project Impact,¿ to test the concept of investing prior to disasters to reduce the vulnerability of communities to future disasters. Contents of this report: (1) Overview of Pre-Disaster Mitigation: Program Purposes; Context and Trend; (2) PDM Legislative and Appropriations History; (3) Mitigation Funding and Studies: Post-Katrina Funding -- Competitive and Formula Grants; Grant Applications and Categories; (4) Issues for Congressional Consideration; (5) Concluding Observations. Illustrations.

This report discusses Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), as federal law and a program activity, which began in 1997. Congress established a pilot program -- Project Impact -- to test the concept of investing prior to disasters to reduce the vulnerability of communities to future disasters. From its beginnings as ¿Project Impact¿ to its current state, the PDM program has grown in its level of appropriated resources and the scope of participation nationwide. Along with that growth have come issues for Congressional consideration, including the approach for awarding grant funds, the eligibility of certain applicants, the eligibility of certain projects, the degree of commitment by state and local governments, and related questions. Illustrations.

This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), as federal law and a program activity, began in 1997. Congress established a pilot program, which FEMA named ¿Project Impact,¿ to test the concept of investing prior to disasters to reduce the vulnerability of communities to future disasters. Contents of this report: (1) Overview of Pre-Disaster Mitigation: Program Purposes; (2) PDM Legislative and Appropriations History; (3) Mitigation Funding and Studies: Post-Katrina Funding; (4) Issues for Congressional Consideration: The Pace and Breadth of PDM Funding Distribution; Terrorism and Pre-Disaster Mitigation; Methods of Awarding PDM Funds; Allocations vs. Competition. Charts and tables.

Initial priorities for U.S. participation in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, declared by the United Nations, are contained in this volume. It focuses on seven issues: hazard and risk assessment; awareness and education; mitigation; preparedness for emergency response; recovery and reconstruction; prediction and warning; learning from disasters; and U.S. participation internationally. The committee presents its philosophy of calls for broad public and private participation to reduce the toll of disasters.