Hazard Mitigation staff have a variety of FEMA resources available to help educate the public on tornado and high-wind mitigation techniques. Other resources are intended for the enrichment of building and emergency management professionals. Spend the time needed to become familiar with the purpose of and audience for the resources and publications that are included in this lesson.

At a disaster, the Hazard Mitigation Community Education and Outreach (CEO) group, in collaboration with the state, will decide which of these approved publications and resources support the Hazard Mitigation Strategy for the disaster.

In this lesson you will learn:

• Why it is important to direct members of the public to local building officials before they begin repairs or rebuilding
• How FEMA addresses the topic of disaster-related mold with the public
• Which FEMA publications are available to help the public understand tornado mitigation
• Which organizations offer mitigation information on their websites that complements the information provided by FEMA

At the end of this lesson you will:

• Identify why the public should be directed to local building officials before repairing or rebuilding structures damaged in a tornado or by high winds
• Recognize the information and advice to provide regarding mold
• Select websites that contain FEMA mitigation publications and FEMA partner organizations that promote tornado and wind mitigation

When advising members of the public about reducing the risk of future hazard damages, always tell them to visit the local building official before beginning any repairs or rebuilding because:

• Building codes, permits, inspection requirements, and zoning ordinances may be involved
• A floodplain ordinance will affect rebuilding when the structure has sustained substantial damage and is situated in a floodplain
• Building officials will reinforce the point that only licensed professionals are qualified to perform structural repair or structural mitigation work

Heavy rains often accompany tornadoes and high wind events. If water enters a damaged structure and there is sufficient moisture left inside, conditions will be favorable for mold to grow.

Some basic facts about mold that can be shared with the public are:

• Mold grows where there is sufficient moisture.
• Musty or earthy odors may indicate mold.
• Walls that are not completely dry may allow mold spores to grow quickly.
• Mold exposure may cause or aggravate asthma or respiratory problems in adults and children.
• Mold can cause structural damage to buildings – the longer it grows the more damage it can cause.
• Cleaning to remove the mold without fixing the moisture problem will most likely result in the mold coming back.

Clean-up of mold does not protect a building from mold recurring in future hazard events. However, it does reduce the risk of illness and additional damage from the mold conditions created by the flooding.

Several federal agencies also publish information about mold, including:

• Centers for Disease Control
• Environmental Protection Agency
• FEMA
• U.S. Public Health Service

Hazard Mitigation staff distribute ONLY the mold publication provided by the Hazard Mitigation Community Education and Outreach Group.

FEMA has one post-disaster mitigation grant program to assist communities in reducing long-term hazard risk.

Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants but may participate in a community initiative. This is one of the reasons for directing individuals to local officials to discuss hazard mitigation options.

If local officials have questions about mitigation grant programs direct them to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer or a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Specialist at the Joint Field Office (JFO). Ask your supervisor for the correct contact information.

NFIP has provisions for financial relief to individual policy holders whose homes:

• Were built prior to the current floodplain ordinance
• Are located in a Special Flood Hazard Area and are substantially damaged by flooding

Refer individuals who may meet these criteria to their flood insurance agent or a Hazard Mitigation Insurance Specialist to find out how to file a claim for Increased Cost of Compliance.

Below are several FEMA publications on reducing the risks related to tornado damage. These can also be accessed from the FEMA website.

• Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business Design
• Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guide for Community and Residential Safe Rooms
• 2007 Tornado Recovery Advisories
• Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings

This publication will help members of the public decide how best to provide near-absolute protection for themselves, their families, or employees, and answers many questions concerning safe rooms.

Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business Design is available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1418837471752-920f09bb8187ee15436712a3e82ce709/FEMA_P-320_2014_508.pdf

This publication offers important information about the design and construction of community safe rooms for twelve to several hundred people. Note that this document is for local governments and other groups intending to build community safe rooms, not individual homeowners.

Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guide for Community and Residential Safe Rooms is available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1467990808182-0272256cba8a35a4e8c35eeff53dd547/fema_p361_July2016_508.pdf

These fact sheets cover a variety of tornado mitigation topics.

• Recovery Advisories from the Tornado MATs for Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri (2011) webpage available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/22024 has links to eight (8) new Recovery Advisories (RAs) from the Tornado Mitigation Assessment Teams (MATs) for Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri.


• Tornado Risk and Hazards in the Southeaster United States, February 2007 available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1604-20490-5503/2007_tornado_recoveries1.pdf includes:
• Storm Shelters: Selecting Design Criteria
• Residential Sheltering: In-Residence and Stand-Alone Shelters
• Understanding and Improving Performance of Older Manufactured Homes During High-Wind Events
• Understanding and Improving Performance of New Manufactured Homes During High-Wind Events


• Tornado Risk and Hazards in the Midwest United States, February 2007  available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1619-20490-0806/ra1_tornado_risks_in_midwest_us_final_9_14_07.pdf

This publication presents information that will aid qualified architects and engineers in identifying the best available refuge area in existing buildings

Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings is available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1456-20490-4099/fema_p_431.pdf

Some of FEMA’s hurricane mitigation publications also contain information and illustrations that reinforce principles of wind mitigation. Be sure to differentiate between measures that are effective against tornado vortex winds and those effective against straight-line winds.

• FEMA's Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) reports
• FEMA’s Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series
• The How-To Series: Protecting Your Property from Wind
• Avoiding Hurricane Damage: A Checklist for Homeowners

After especially large and destructive disasters, FEMA’s Building Science Branch may send a Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) to review the damage patterns and to list possible changes in construction and regulations that could mitigate future losses.

To find tornado-related MAT reports, go to the FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) Reports web page available at https://www.fema.gov/fema-mitigation-assessment-team-mat-reports and expand the Natural Disaster Reports and Presentations option.

Scroll down until you see the Tornadoes header. The publications listed have been developed by the Building Science Branch of FEMA's Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA). They cover natural and man-made disasters.

This publication is designed for building contractors and trades involved in coastal construction. Several of the fact sheets illustrate measures to reduce the impact of high winds on residential buildings.

High-wind related fact sheets include:

• Siding Installation in High-Wind Regions available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1537-20490-5098/fema499_5_3.pdf
• Attachment of Brick Veneer in High-Wind Regions available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1537-20490-2673/fema499_5_4.pdf

These publications provide information to homeowners and construction professionals on securing and protecting windows, doors, roofing, garage doors, and Exterior Insulation Finishing System (EIFS) walls.

The Protect Your Property from High Winds How to Series is available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/13270. From there you can select one or more of the topic areas.

This publication provides the homeowner with an action item fact sheet for what can be done to protect the home from damage due to high winds and flooding. Hurricanes are often accompanied by tornadoes. A property may not be in the path of a tornado but still damaged by the high winds of the storm.

Avoiding Hurricane Damage: Action Items for Homeowners fact sheet is available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1502885361653-0192e680f333456f9037081bd0e320b9/Avoiding-Hurricane-Damage-2017_508.pdf.

There are several websites that contain tornado mitigation information. Aside from official FEMA websites, there are FEMA-partner organizations that provide comprehensive, user-friendly information and guidance on tornado mitigation.

• FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Disaster Workforce Website (located behind the FEMA firewall)
• Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
• Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc. (FLASH)
• National Association of Home Builders

FEMA has one post-disaster mitigation grant program to assist communities in reducing long-term hazard risk.

Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants but may participate in a community initiative. This is one of the reasons for directing individuals to local officials to discuss hazard mitigation options.

If local officials have questions about mitigation grant programs direct them to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer or a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Specialist at the Joint Field Office (JFO). Ask your supervisor for the correct contact information.

The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) represents the building industry for members and affiliated state and local builders’ organizations. The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) website is available at www.nahb.org.

The site includes recommended mitigation strategies for most types of natural hazards.

When speaking with members of the public about reducing the risk of future hazard damages:

1. Explain the risk and the mitigation activities clearly and at a level of detail appropriate to the listener.
2. Refer to publications and websites that reinforce or provide additional information about rebuilding or repairing to reduce future risk of damages.
3. Do not give specific repair directions. ALWLAYS direct people to local building officials when they are planning repairs or mitigation.

Remember that you are THE face and voice of hazard mitigation. What you say and do makes a real difference in people’s lives!