Natural hazards can severely impact the health, welfare, and security of Brown County residents. Residents are affected by storms, extreme temperatures, drought, flooding, tornados, high winds, and hail. Mitigation reduces the impact and costs of hazards. Brown County, working with South Dakota Office for Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Northeast Council of Governments (NECOG) prepared this Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (plan) to guide natural hazard mitigation activities in the county. This plan details the specific vulnerabilities and limits Brown County has to natural hazards. Shifting the focus from reaction to prevention can reduce harm to life and property. This plan identifies solutions to reduce the impact of natural hazards. The ideas are based on the principle that hazard mitigation works. Many mitigation actions can be implemented for minimal cost. Mitigation planning analyzes and identifies the specific risks and the impact on residents. Addressing hazards before they occur can reduce the impact. It can have minimal costs but can prevent higher costs in the future, even up to the loss of lives. Mitigation is preventative actions based on analyzing historical events and finding solutions to the challenges created, it is not an emergency response or preparedness. The plan can and should be used with other types of planning processes to identify weaknesses and/or refocus emergency response. However, the focus of the plan is for local leaders to discuss and implement strategies that avoid future risks caused by natural hazards. This is not an emergency response or emergency management plan. Section headings and subheadings follow the organization of the Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool. Several appendices accompany this plan. They contain surveys, technical data, and other relevant information.