[50 Test Answers] FEMA IS-318: Mitigation Planning for Local and Tribal Communities

Here are the FEMA test answers to IS-318: Mitigation Planning for Local and Tribal Communities.

The FEMA IS-318 course has been deactivated since August 2022 and was revised on November 9 2023 as IS-318.A Local Mitigation Planning Training

FEMA IS-318 test answers

Each time this test is loaded, you will receive a unique set of questions and answers. The test questions are scrambled to protect the integrity of the exam.

Question 1. From the answer choices, select the statement that is FALSE about approaches used for identifying development trends in the mitigation plan.
A. You must project growth and development for the next 50 years.✅
B. Talk to community officials to identify areas where developers are interested in building new residential or commercial structures.
C. Refer to the comprehensive plan.
D. Examine recent development trends and extend those trends over the next 5 to 10 years.

Question 2. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE?
High-priority assets, including critical facilities, should always be included in the plan as part of your inventory.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 3. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? The plan should describe vulnerability in terms of the number and type of existing and planned buildings in identified hazard areas.
A. True
B. False✅

Question 4. Several FEMA mitigation grant programs require an approved mitigation plan to apply for and/or receive funding. From the list below, select ONE of those programs.
A. Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program✅
B. Home Security Grant Program (HSGP)
C. Hurricane Relief Program (HRP)

Question 5. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE?
Mitigation planning teams should find opportunities to incorporate other planning efforts by reviewing some of the existing plans.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 6. After establishing the planning area, what should your planning team do next?
A. Assess community support.✅
B. Prepare the mitigation strategy
C. Conduct the risk assessment.
D. Prepare for the cost-benefit review.

Question 7. From the statements below, select the answer that correctly defines hazard mitigation.
A. Hazard mitigation is the same as the immediate response to a natural hazard event.
B. Hazard mitigation implements planning, ideally, just prior to any given disaster event.
C. Hazard mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to life and property from hazards.✅
D. Hazard mitigation is the short-term recovery from a specific disaster.

Question 8. Hazard mitigation plan preparers must analyze communities to determine the location of future development. What must plan authors do if no new development is anticipated? Select the correct answer.
A. They must gain sign-off from developers and city planners.
B. They can simply skip this section of the plan.
C. They must be sure to state this clearly in the plan and explain how this conclusion was drawn.✅

Question 9. Which of the following statements about determining the probability of a hazard is TRUE?
A. Probability must be described in numerical terms.
B. Past occurrences of a hazard are not necessarily valid indicators of probability.
C. You can use existing data to determine the probability for all categories of hazards.
D. The risk assessment must show how the probability was calculated.✅

Question 10. Tribal and local jurisdictions must meet FEMA planning requirements to apply for and receive mitigation grant funding. Which one of the following federal acts gives authorization to FEMA’s requirements?
A. Emergency Planning and Notification Legislation (40 CFR Part 355)
B. Federal Emergency Preparedness Act of 1997
C. Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
D. National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended✅

Question 11.Which of the following describes the BEST way to organize your risk assessment data
A. By data source, then by hazard type, then by jurisdiction
B. By hazard type, then by data source
C. By jurisdiction, then by data source
D. By hazard type, then by jurisdiction✅

Question 12. The optional Approvable Pending Adoption (APA) process is potentially time-saving for communities. If the APA process is chosen, how long do jurisdictions have to formally adopt their plans after receiving an APA notice from FEMA?
A. One calendar year from submitting the mitigation plan to FEMA.
B. Six months from submitting the mitigation plan to FEMA.
C. One calendar year after receipt of the FEMA APA notice.✅
D. Six months after receipt of the FEMA APA notice.

Question 13. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Plan preparers should focus solely on current community assets when preparing a vulnerability assessment.
A. True
B. False✅

Question 14. When developing mitigation goals and objectives, what should be one of your first steps?
A. Develop problem statements
B. Review the risk assessment✅
C. Consult stakeholders

Question 15. True Statement: A local or Tribal mitigation plan does not require manmade hazards be addressed in order to be approved. From those below, choose ONE statement that is also TRUE.
A. An Enhanced State or Tribal plan does not qualify for a higher percentage of HMGP funds.
B. An Enhanced State or Tribal Mitigation plan qualifies the applicant to receive a higher percentage of HMGP funds.✅
C. A local or Tribal mitigation plan must address manmade hazards in order to be approved.
D. A multi-jurisdictional plan requires that all participating communities formally adopt the plan within one year

Question 16. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Maps are an excellent way to illustrate location and give the reviewer a clear picture of your planning area, but are not required by regulations.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 17. From the following list, select ONE characteristic that does NOT affect the vulnerability of an asset.
A. Contents
B. Construction
C. Ownership✅
D. Location

Question 18. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE?
The three types of mitigation plans are the Tribal mitigation plan, the multi-jurisdictional plan, and the FEMA mitigation plan.
A. True
B. False✅

Question 19. At the beginning of the planning process, identify ONE task that the planning team needs to complete.
A. Decide on the scope of the planning area.✅
B. Estimate losses for vulnerable properties.
C. Identify hazards for each participating community

Question 20. TRUE or FALSE: Documentation of the planning process is one way to help those preparing the next update understand who was involved and what materials were referenced.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 21. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? The FEMA regional office is responsible for approving mitigation plans.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 22. Which of the following is NOT something you should document in your plan?
A. Sources of information
B. Maps of hazard events
C. Descriptions of each hazard event
D. The names of owners and street addresses of repetitive flood loss properties✅

Question 23. TRUE or FALSE: The planning process must include a description of what plans or studies were incorporated into the plan. Must the planning process include all THREE of the following elements?
a)Who was involved in the process
b)Documentation of the planning process
c)At what stages the public was involved
A. True✅
B. False

Question 24. When building your planning team, ideally the team will represent which ONE of the following?
A. It guarantees staffing for hazard mitigation.
B. It ensures a larger spectrum of support for mitigation planning and actions.✅
C. It eliminates the planning team’s responsibility for disgruntled community members.

Question 25. Select ONE correct statement about hazard identification from the list below.
A. It is necessary to address human-caused hazards, including terrorism and nuclear incidents in the plan.
B. The planning team should consider only hazards that occurred in the past year.
C. Writing a hazard mitigation plan is easier if plan authors break down weather events, such as hurricanes, into hazards, such as flooding and high winds.
D. When you have a list of potential hazards, you are ready to develop a mitigation plan.✅

Question 26. The hazard mitigation plan review process is intended to provide feedback on how to improve the plan, and to comment on areas of strength. Identify ONE other intent of the hazard mitigation plan review process.
A. To make sure that all plans meet the requirements of the regulations at 44 CFR Part 201✅
B. To utilize the various hazard mitigation plan review procedures, such as the direct read
C. To provide data to the federal government about natural hazards threatening the nation
D. To provide a census on participation

Question 27. Fill in the blank. _____ is an example of a scale you can use to describe the extent of a hazard event.
A. Fruita scale
B. TORRO hail scale✅
C. Richardson topographical damage scale
D. Ground-swirl scale

Question 28. TRUE or FALSE: The following THREE methods can help overcome roadblocks to hazard mitigation planning in your community.
1. Identifying community leaders successful in developing and promoting mitigation initiatives
2. Identifying potential funding and technical resources to support the planning process
3. Limit stakeholder engagement and participation
A. True
B. False✅

Question 29. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE?
For every event or meeting involving the public, you should document the specifics of that meeting, including the date and location, purpose and outcome, and attendance.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 30. Part of examining community support, is assessing which ONE of the following?
A. Assessing the community’s comprehensive plans, if applicable
B. Assessing community resources✅
C. Assessing hazards

Question 31. When prioritizing mitigation actions, each participating jurisdiction in a multi-jurisdictional plan must include which of the following?
A. A discussion of the process regarding how actions are prioritized✅
B. A cost-benefit ratio
C. An examination of flood-proofing success

Question 32. TRUE or FALSE: These steps in the hazard mitigation approval process are in the correct order.
Step 1: Submit hazard mitigation plan
Step 2: Review of plan at FEMA regional office
Step 3: Modify plan based on review feedback
Step 4: Formally adopt the plan
Step 5: Receive APA notice
Step 6: Receive final approval
A. True
B. False✅

Question 33. TRUE or FALSE: To calculate the loss associated with each hazard in the risk assessment process you need to calculate the losses to each asset, as well as the estimated damages for each hazard.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 34. From the answer choices, select the statement that is TRUE about where local and Tribal governments may obtain information on repetitive loss properties within their jurisdiction.
A. FEMA National Headquarters
B. Flood Prevention Program
C. State National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Coordinator✅
D. Flood Mitigation Assistance Program

Question 35. TRUE or FALSE: A multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan should only address hazards that will affect the entire planning area.
A. True
B. False✅

Question 36. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? When describing the history, you should indicate whether a hazard has the potential to affect the entire planning area or just a sub-area.
A. True
B. False✅

Question 37. If an Indian Tribal government is participating in a Tribal/Local Multi-jurisdictional Plan, then the entire plan including the content developed by the Tribe(s) will be submitted to whom?
A. FEMA National Office for review and approval
B. FEMA Regional Office for review and approval✅
C. State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) for review and coordination

Question 38. Which of the following BEST describes what you should include in the updated risk assessment?
A. Update the loss estimate to reflect changes to the hazard profile and/or to the inventory of structures✅
B. Include estimates of the current structure, contents, and function losses, primarily, for potentially affected historical buildings
C. Include an estimate of the potential dollar losses to all structures over $500,000 within a given area
D. Include only future buildings instead of existing buildings, which should have been covered in the previous plan

Question 39. Which of the following statements BEST describes the purpose of regularly evaluating the plan?
A. It provides additional funding for mitigation actions.
B. It can trigger updates of all other plans, if necessary.
C. It guarantees that any new ordinances correspond to identified mitigation actions.
D. It keeps the community informed of the plan’s status and progress in mitigation efforts.✅

Question 40. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. When reviewing and updating the plan maintenance processes identified in the plan, review and analyze the previously approved plan’s method and schedule for monitoring and updating the plan✅
B. When reviewing and updating the plan maintenance processes identified in the plan, determine the planning team members for the next update process

Question 41. Which of the following statements is TRUE about special considerations that can be useful in describing vulnerabilities?
A. It is sufficient to address only those facilities that house at-risk populations when describing vulnerabilities.
B. FEMA recommends you take facilities that house at-risk populations into account when describing vulnerabilities.✅
C. Regulations require you to take facilities that house at-risk populations into account when describing vulnerabilities.
D. FEMA includes private residences in its definition of facilities that house at-risk populations.

Question 42. The purpose of conducting the asset inventory for your community is to answer which of the following questions? Select the correct answer.
A. What assets will be affected by the hazard event?✅
B. What is the estimated value of the assets in the community that could be affected by the hazard event?
C. What assets exist in the community?
D. Which assets need the most protection from hazard events?

Question 43. How can the ongoing evaluation process assist with the plan update process?
A. The evaluation process culminates each year in an updated plan.
B. The evaluation process includes detailed documentation of changes made to existing regulations to support hazard mitigation.
C. The evaluation process will provide information on changes in the risk assessment, capability assessment, and priorities.✅
D. The evaluation process provides key financial data regarding grant usage.

Question 44. When deciding on mitigation actions, it may be helpful to categorize actions according to groups, such as prevention, or property protection. Select ONE other category into which you could group mitigation actions.
A. No action
B. Social services protection
C. National resource protection
D. Natural resource protection✅

Question 45. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE?
Risk is the potential loss associated with a hazard.
A. True✅
B. False

Question 46. Select ONE reason you would consult an expert when identifying alternative mitigation actions.
A. To examine your hazard mitigation plan for pending approval
B. To help evaluate whether the mitigation alternative will fulfill your objective✅
C. To provide hazard maps for your area
D. To help determine if the action provides a short-term solution

Question 47. Which ONE of the following is NOT a reason why mitigation plans must be updated and resubmitted?
A. To comply with the update requirement
B. To improve the risk assessment using new data that was not available when the previous version of the plan was submitted
C. To provide training in the update process for stakeholders new to the process✅
D. To demonstrate progress in plan implementation and risk reduction

Question 48. To determine the planning area, the planning team needs to do ONE of the following?
A. Decide on hazards potentially affecting communities.
B. Determine the planning team and stakeholders
C. Take physical measurements of the planning area.
D. Decide which communities should be involved in the planning process.✅

Question 49. From the answer choices, select the statement that correctly defines when a property is considered a repetitive loss property.
A. When more than two flood insurance claims of at least $2,000 have been made within a 10-year period since 1978.
B. When at least one flood insurance claim of at least $1,000 has been made within a 5-year period since 1978.
C. When more than one flood insurance claim of at least $1,000 has been made within a 10-year period since 1978.✅
D. When more than one flood insurance claim of at least $5,000 has been made within a 10-year period since 1978.

Question 50. From the answer choices, select ONE statement that is TRUE about risk assessment.
A. The State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) can provide a comprehensive list of relevant hazards for multi-jurisdictional risk assessments.
B. Risk assessment is the process of measuring the potential loss of life, injury, and economic and property damage resulting from natural hazards.✅
C. Risk assessment is the sole responsibility of the planning team.
D. Local and Tribal governments focus on hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks on a larger scale than States.