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1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 WHY PREPARE THIS PLAN? 1.1.1 Federal Guidance Hazard mitigation is defined as any action taken to reduce or alleviate the loss of life, personal injury, and property damage that can result from a disaster. It involves long- and short-term actions implemented before, during and after disasters. Hazard mitigation activities include planning efforts, policy changes, programs, studies, improvement projects, and other steps to reduce the impacts of hazards. The federal Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA) emphasizes planning for disasters before they occur. The DMA requires state and local governments to develop hazard mitigation plans as a condition for federal disaster grant assistance. Regulations developed to fulfill the DMA’s requirements are included in Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR). The responsibility for hazard mitigation lies with not only with local, state, and federal governments, but also with private property owners and commercial and institutional interests. The DMA encourages cooperation among state and local authorities in pre-disaster planning. The enhanced planning network called for by the DMA helps local governments to articulate accurate needs for mitigation, resulting in faster allocation of funding and more cost-effective risk-reduction projects. The DMA also promotes sustainability in hazard mitigation. To be sustainable, hazard mitigation needs to incorporate sound management of natural resources and address hazards and mitigation in the largest possible social and economic context. 1.1.2 Local Concerns Natural and human-caused hazards affect people, property, the environment, and the economy of San Mateo County. Climate change, drought, earthquakes, floods, landslides, severe weather, tsunamis, wildfires, and dam failures have exposed San Mateo County community members and businesses to the financial and emotional costs of recovering after natural disasters. Additionally, human -caused hazards such as hazardous material releases, pipeline and tank leaks, terrorism, airline incidents, and cyber threats have the potential to further affect the county. The risk associated with both natural and human-caused hazards increases as more people move to or visit areas affected by those hazards. The inevitability of hazards and the growing population and activity within San Mateo County create an urgent need to develop strategies, coordinate resources, and increase public awareness to reduce risk and prevent loss from future hazard events. Identifying risks posed by hazards and developing strategies to reduce the impact of a 1-1