Mitigation activities actually eliminate or reduce the probability of disaster occurrence, or reduce the effects of unavoidable disasters. Mitigation measures include building codes; vulnerability analyses updates; zoning and land use management; building use regulations and safety codes; preventive health care; and public education.

Mitigation will depend on the incorporation of appropriate measures in national and regional development planning. Its effectiveness will also depend on the availability of information on hazards, emergency risks, and the countermeasures to be taken. The mitigation phase, and indeed the whole disaster management cycle, includes the shaping of public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or mitigate their effects on people, property, and infrastructure.

During the mitigation phase, structural and non-structural measures are undertaken to limit the adverse impact of natural hazards, environmental degradation, and technological hazards. According to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the adverse impacts of hazards often cannot be prevented fully, but their scale or severity can be substantially lessened by various strategies and actions.

Management activities in the mitigation phase encompass engineering techniques and hazard-resistant construction as well as improved environmental policies and public awareness, as well as hazard vulnerability and risk assessment.

Measures were taken during the mitigation phase also address preventing natural or man-caused events from giving rise to disasters or any emergency situations, e.g. not allowing your child to have access to matches, gasoline, or kerosene oil.

The best way to address a disaster is by being proactive. This means identifying potential hazards and devising safeguards to mitigate their impact. Although this stage in the cycle involves putting permanent measures into place that can help minimize disaster risk, it’s important to acknowledge that disasters can’t always be prevented.

Prevention involves scenarios such as the following:

• Implementing an evacuation plan in a school, for example, showing teachers how to lead students to safety in the event of a tornado or fire
• Planning and designing a city in a way that minimizes the risk of flooding, for example, with the use of locks, dams or channels to divert water away from populous areas

Mitigation aims to minimize the loss of human life that would result from a disaster. Both structural and nonstructural measures may be taken.

• A structural measure means changing the physical characteristics of a building or an environment to curb the effects of a disaster. For example, clearing trees away from a house can ensure that dangerous storms don’t knock down the trees and send them crashing into homes and public buildings.
• Nonstructural measures involve adopting or amending building codes to optimize safety for all future building construction.

During the prevention stage, strong analytical skills help leaders identify potential threats, hazards and high-risk areas. Problem-solving abilities are also invaluable in identifying the best ways to avoid or diminish the likelihood of catastrophic events.

Planning is an important skill during the mitigation stage; the disaster-management leader will need to develop strategies and structural changes that can help mediate potential threats. Spreading awareness is also critical, as community members must be made aware of the steps they can take to prepare for all contingencies.