Loss avoidance assessment: Hurricane Matthew (DR-4283)
This report assesses hazard mitigation and loss avoidance efforts in Florida in the face of Hurricane Matthew in 2016. The Hurricane Matthew Loss Avoidance Assessment considers flood and wind mitigation projects located within the 18 counties included in the DR-4283 Presidential disaster declaration. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) evaluated the effectiveness of 136 mitigation projects within the declared counties for Hurricane Matthew, selecting projects based on the event’s area of impact.
Loss avoidance assessments demonstrate the fiscal benefits associated with mitigation activities and support sound decision making related to public funding. Moreover, this assessment provides insight that FDEM and local communities can use to identify effective mitigation, improve mitigation strategies, and increase communities’ resilience to natural hazards.