Which of the following best describes emergency management mitigation measures?

Mitigation measures in emergency management refer to strategies and actions taken to reduce the impact of disasters and diminish the likelihood of their occurrence. This includes building defenses against potential threats, such as constructing levees to prevent flooding, implementing land-use planning to avoid high-risk areas, or retrofitting buildings to withstand earthquakes. By focusing on proactive measures to lessen the severity of a disaster's impact, mitigation efforts can significantly enhance community resilience.

The other options do not align with the concept of mitigation as specifically as option B does. Increasing disaster response speed pertains to preparedness and response phases rather than mitigation. Public awareness programs may contribute to overall emergency management but are not exclusively classified as mitigation measures. Lastly, plans that reduce recovery time after an event focus on recovery efforts, which come into play after a disaster occurs, rather than on preventing or reducing the disaster's impact in the first place.