FEMA Press Release
BATON ROUGE, La. – Like all natural disasters, hurricanes can cause massive destruction to homes, property and infrastructure. Typically, hurricanes cause the greatest damage to structures of light construction, including some manufactured homes and other residential dwellings.
Mitigation measures are available to improve personal safety and reduce or eliminate the risk of future damages to structures and personal property. FEMA building specialists can give you information on how to repair, retrofit, or rebuild your home to be safer and stronger before the next disaster.
Mitigation Topics to Consider
Roof Design
Roof failures are a common cause of major damage to buildings and their contents from high winds. There are mitigation measures that can be taken to reduce potential roof damage.
These mitigation measures include:
- Designing Wind-Resistant Roofs
- Reinforcing Gable Roof Ends
- Securing Sheathing Properly
- Installing Shingles Properly
flood mitigation
- PREPARE OR UPDATE A LIST OF BELONGINGS – Documenting all of your belongings will help with the insurance claims process. Consider taking photos of high-value items or doing a video walkthrough of your home to document its contents.
- GET FLOOD INSURANCE – Most homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flood damage. Protect your investment by purchasing flood insurance for your home and contents, even if you do not live in a high-risk flood zone.
- ELEVATE UTILITIES ABOVE BASE FLOOD ELEVATION (BFE) – Elevate or floodproof mechanical units, furnaces, water heaters, electrical systems, and other utilities on masonry, concrete, or pressure-treated lumber at least 12 inches above the BFE.
- REPLACE CARPETING WITH TILES – Tiles are more flood-resistant than carpet. Using tile or other flood-resistant materials in areas below the BFE can help reduce water damage.
- INSTALL FLOOD VENTS – Install flood vents in foundation walls, garages, and other enclosed areas to allow water to flow through, drain out, and lower the risk of structural damage.
- USE FLOOD-RESISTANT INSULATION AND DRYWALL – Flood-resistant insulation and drywall will help minimize damage and can be easily cleaned and sanitized.
- PREVENT SEWAGE BACK-UP – In some areas, flooding can cause sewage to back up through drainpipes in your home. Consult with a plumber and, if applicable, invest in a sewer backflow valve to prevent this potential health hazard.
- Local Building Officials
Always check with local building officials 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.
Email a Specialist
If you are unable to call, email your questions, comments, or issues to FEMA-LAMit@fema.dhs.gov to receive a written response from a Specialist.
Speak to a Specialist
- Mitigation Helpline – Available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by calling 833-FEMA-4-US or 833-336-2487.
- Not available when you call? Leave a message and a Specialist will return your call within 24 hours.
Online Resources
- Visit https://fema.cosocloud.com/lamit/ to look through various publications for useful information to use when making repairs, retrofits, and rebuilding.
- Building Science Resources After an Extreme Wind Event FEMA Building Science Resources to Assist with Reconstruction after an Extreme-Wind Event.
- Protect Your Property from Flooding While you can’t prevent a natural disaster from happening, there are ways to secure your property to minimize damage and keep your home and your future safe. This document will give you easy to follow steps and guidance.
- The ABC’s of Returning to Flooded Buildings Returning to flood damaged buildings requires careful planning. The following tips are designed to assist impacted individuals when they can reach their flooded property.
For the latest information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4817. Follow FEMA Region 6 social media at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/femaregion6.
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