Digital Preliminary Flood Maps for Coastal Areas of Nassau County Ready for Public Viewing

ATLANTA –Newly revised preliminary digital flood insurance rate maps for coastal areas of Nassau County, Fla., will be available for residents to review at a public open house at the Atlantic Recreation Center Auditorium on February 24, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding, and when they become effective, updated maps will be used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements.

The open house provides residents of Nassau County and its municipalities the opportunity to see the preliminary maps, learn about their risk of flooding, and ask questions about what the new maps will mean for their property. Residents can meet one-on-one with a variety of specialists who will be available to talk about flood insurance, engineering, building permits and more. 

The open house will be held between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. The open house date and location is:

February 24, 2016

Atlantic Recreation Center Auditorium

2500 Atlantic Avenue

Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

The new preliminary maps were released through a partnership among Nassau County, its municipalities, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They are more precise than older maps because better flood hazard and risk data make the maps more accurate. The ultimate goal is protecting property owners and the community from the risks associated with flooding. Over time, flood risks change due to construction and development, environmental changes, floodplains widen or shift, and other factors. Flood maps are updated periodically to reflect these changes.

Home and business owners, renters, realtors, mortgage lenders, surveyors and insurance agents are encouraged to attend the open house. All who attend can meet with specialists to ask questions and learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within their communities. 

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on buildings that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Standard homeowners’, business owners’, and renters’ insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage, so flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone. Flood insurance policies can be purchased from any state licensed property and casualty insurance agent. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 888-379-9531 for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local agent.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.