FEMA Announces Funding Opportunity for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants

WASHINGTON – Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is announcing $180 million in funding available through two Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs: Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM). These two grant programs assist state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in strengthening our nation’s ability to reduce the potential cost of natural disasters to communities and their citizens.

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs provide states, tribes, territories, and local governments funding for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program provides funds on an annual basis so that measures can be taken to reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The FY 2015 Flood Mitigation Assistance grants will continue to focus on reducing or eliminating claims under the NFIP with a focus on mitigation planning and the mitigation of severe repetitive loss properties.                                                                     

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant program provides funds on an annual basis for hazard mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation projects prior to a disaster. The goal of the Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant program is to reduce overall risk to the population and structures, while at the same time, also reducing reliance on Federal funding from actual disaster declarations. The FY 2015 Pre-Disaster Mitigation grants will continue to focus on implementing a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program and provide the grant funding set aside as required in the Stafford Act to states and tribes to support overall mitigation planning and projects.

Both Hazard Mitigation Assistance FY 2015 Funding Opportunity Announcements can be found at www.grants.gov. Eligible applicants must apply for funding through the Mitigation eGrants system on the FEMA Grants Portal accessible at https://portal.fema.gov. FEMA opened the application period on May 29, 2015. All applications must be submitted no later than 3:00 PM EDT on August 28, 2015.

Further information on these grant programs is available at http://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.

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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.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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FEMA Announces Funding Opportunity for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants

FEMA Announces Launch of Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims Review Process

FEMA Officials Encourage Those With Concerns about Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims to Call 866-337-4262

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) announced the start of Hurricane Sandy flood insurance claims review. The review is part of a broad process to reform NFIP claims and appeals procedures.       

FEMA opened the Hurricane Sandy claims review process and began mailing letters to approximately 142,000 NFIP policyholders, offering them an opportunity to have their claims from Hurricane Sandy reviewed. In the review, policyholders who have not pursued litigation or already received the maximum amount under their policy will have an opportunity to have their files reviewed. FEMA will contact policyholders and explain how to request this review.

“Flood insurance issues arising from Hurricane Sandy are of great concern to FEMA,” said Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance Brad Kieserman. “We are committed to administering a program that is survivor-centric and helps policyholders recover from flooding in a fair, transparent, and expeditious way. I encourage anyone who suspects they may have been treated unfairly to call 866-337-4262.”

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States. Between 1980 and 2013, the United States suffered more than $260 billion in flood-related damages. Flood insurance is a vital service that protects communities from the most common and costly disaster we face, and those who purchase insurance must be able to count on it being there when it is needed to help rebuild their lives.

Policyholders who incurred losses from Hurricane Sandy from Oct. 27, 2012, through Nov. 6, 2012, and want their claim reviewed may contact FEMA by:

  • Calling toll-free at 866-337-4262.
  • Email by downloading an application online and submitting it to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov.
  • Fax by downloading an application online and submitting it to 202-646-7970.
  • For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability using 711 or VRS, please call 1-866-337-4262.  For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585.

As FEMA reviews Hurricane Sandy claim files, the agency will also begin overhauling the claims and appeal process and improving the customer experience. FEMA’s goals are excellent customer experience, responsiveness, transparency, low risk of waste, fraud and abuse, and continuous improvement. While settling these legal matters, FEMA is instituting additional oversight of Write Your Own insurance companies to hold them accountable.

FEMA will continue to work closely with Congress and federal, state, local, tribal, and community officials to ensure policyholders are paid every dollar to which they are entitled and to improve the flood insurance program going forward.

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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.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

 

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FEMA Announces Launch of Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims Review Process

Talbot County Lowers Flood Insurance Premiums

PHILADELPHIA – Residents of Talbot County, Maryland have received a reduction in their flood insurance premiums through increase of various floodplain management measures encouraged by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) oversees the NFIP, which administers a program called the Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary, incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed minimum NFIP requirements. The program includes 10 different class rating levels based on the number and type of activities voluntarily initiated by the participating community. Each level corresponds to a percentage discount on National Flood Insurance policy premiums within the municipality.

As a member of the Community Rating System, Talbot County is within an elite group of 12 Maryland communities that have received this recognition. With the continued steps taken by Talbot County to protect its citizens and increase its resiliency, it entered into the program as a Class 8 Community Rating System participant on October 1, 2014. The Class 8 rating qualifies eligible National Flood Insurance Program policy holders in the County for an average of over $110 in savings on their annual premiums. In total, participation in the program accounts for a total savings of nearly $107,000 annually for citizens of Talbot County.

Under the CRS, local officials are asked to meet three goals: (1) reduce flood losses; (2) facilitate accurate insurance rating; and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance. Communities can earn a CRS rating by submitting an application explaining the projects they have in place or development. Once the information is verified and approved, FEMA provides flood insurance premium discounts through the NFIP. The amount of a property owner’s policy discount is based on the community’s CRS rating.

For each Class that a community moves up to, it provides its residents with an additional 5% reduction in their flood insurance premiums up to the 45% reduction that a Class 1 community receives. As a Class 8 community, Talbot County enables its residents to receive a 10% reduction on qualified flood insurance premiums.

For information about flood insurance, property owners should contact their insurance agent, visit floodsmart.gov, or call the NFIP’s toll-free information line at 800-427-4661. To learn more about the CRS, visit floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/page/crs/community_rating_system.jsp.

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. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

Media Contact: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov

Originally posted here:

Talbot County Lowers Flood Insurance Premiums

Flood Map Meeting to Take Place in Pennsauken Township on March 25, 2015

EATONTOWN, NJ  –  Camden County residents and property owners will be able ask questions and obtain information on their property’s flood hazard risk at an Open House scheduled to take place in Pennsauken Township on Wednesday, March 25 at the Camden County Boathouse , 7050 North Park Drive from 4 to 8 p.m.

During the past year and a half, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II office has released updates to the flood hazard maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), for New Jersey’s coastal communities. The FIRMs identify areas of flood risk in these coastal communities.

Community and county officials in Camden County have arranged for the Flood Risk Open House to assist residents and property owners with questions and concerns regarding flood hazards and flood insurance rate maps.

If you think you may be in a flood zone, or already know you are, feel free to attend the open house that is most convenient for you at any time between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. No formal presentation will be made and no appointment is necessary.

The preliminary flood hazard maps that will be shared at the Open House are an update of the existing FIRMs. These preliminary FIRMs and the associated Flood Insurance Study (FIS) provide the basis for flood risk education and floodplain management measures. Each community is required to adopt updated maps to continue participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which makes flood insurance available to the community.

Insurance companies use FIRMs to determine flood insurance rates for buildings, and lenders utilize this information to determine flood insurance requirements. Residents and property owners in these areas are encouraged to learn more about their flood risk and the updates shown on the preliminary flood hazard maps by entering their property’s address in the “What’s my BFE?” tool at www.region2coastal.com. 

Using interactive flood hazard maps at this Open House, representatives from the State, County, FEMA and their mapping partners, will be available to answer flood risk and insurance questions, and explain the preliminary flood hazard maps. Residents are encouraged to bring their elevation certificates and/or flood insurance policies to the event in order to get the best information about how their flood insurance rates may change as a result of the new preliminary flood maps and legislative reforms.

The Open Houses will cover flood hazard and FIRM map information only. No information will be available concerning outstanding insurance claims or disaster-related recovery efforts.

Please plan to attend this event if your property is currently mapped within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), newly mapped into an SFHA, or if you are unsure of your flood risk and/or you have any questions on flood insurance. If you cannot attend or want to learn more about your flood risk, please refer to the Preliminary FIRMs which are available on the FEMA Map Service Center website, https://msc.fema.gov/portal, call the FEMA Map Information eXchange (FMIX) at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or call your local flood plain administrator or building official.

If you are in a high-risk flood zone, known as the SFHA, you may be required by your lender to carry flood insurance. FEMA staff will be available at the Open House to talk about these changes.

Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. It is vital for property owners to understand their risk and taking advantage of tools and programs available to them. Property owners can take action by purchasing flood insurance and implementing mitigation actions to help reduce future flooding impacts.

For additional information on flood hazard risk and the mapping process, please visit www.region2coastal.com

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.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, and www.youtube.com/fema.Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.”

View original article: 

Flood Map Meeting to Take Place in Pennsauken Township on March 25, 2015

Union County Facing Probation from National Flood Insurance Program

DENVER – Union County, S.D., is scheduled to be placed on probationary status with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on May 18, 2015, unless the county is able to address program deficiencies prior to that date, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the program.

FEMA’s regional office in Denver sent a letter to the county on January 16, 2015, which identified floodplain management violations and program deficiencies that need to be corrected. This action was taken after repeated attempts were made to obtain information and documentation related to identified floodplain management violations and program deficiencies and after attempts to resolve these deficiencies through community assistance and consultation. The deficiencies and violations cited in the probation letter include failure to manage floodplain development in accordance with the county’s floodplain ordinance and lack of adequate record keeping.

Compliance with NFIP requirements is designed to help communities better protect citizens and their homes and property from flooding. Noncompliance puts Union County in danger of failing to provide an appropriate level of protection to the citizens and property owners of the county, which faces significant risk from flooding.

Union County property owners will still be able to purchase and renew flood insurance coverage during the probationary period, but a $50 surcharge will be added to each policy sold or renewed in the community beginning on May 18, 2015.  There are currently 424 flood insurance policies in Union County.

If the county fails to make progress remedying the floodplain management violations and program deficiencies, the county could be suspended from the program. The result of suspension is the loss of federally backed flood insurance in the county, meaning that residents will not be able to purchase or renew their flood insurance policies after suspension occurs. Furthermore, the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 prohibits federal agencies from making grants, loans, or guarantees for the acquisition or construction of structures located in a Special Flood Hazard Area.

Additionally, if a disaster occurs in a suspended community, most types of federal disaster assistance for structures within a Special Flood Hazard Area are not available.

FEMA remains committed to working with Union County officials to help the county achieve a good standing in the NFIP.

 

Excerpt from: 

Union County Facing Probation from National Flood Insurance Program

Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

DENTON, Texas – Homeowners, renters and business owners in Morehouse Parish are encouraged to look over newly-revised preliminary flood maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions.

Parish officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are presenting the revised preliminary maps to communities and unincorporated areas in order to help leaders and residents identify known flood risks in their area. Residents and business owners can use this information to make decisions about buying flood insurance and other building decisions. Community leaders can use this information to identify how the community should move forward with any development.    

“We have worked with our state and local partners to bring this critical information to the parish and hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand what flood risks are involved,” said Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “It is very important to have the community as an active partner in the flood mapping process.”

To view the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator who may be located at City Hall or the local parish government building. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com/LA/Morehouse/.  To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

Once a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.
    
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.
Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

Know Your Risk, Take Action & Be a Force of Nature during Flood Safety Awareness Week

DENTON, Texas – Severe weather season is just around the corner, which brings with it the possibility of tornadoes and flooding.

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States and can happen anywhere at any time. That’s why National Flood Safety Awareness Week, which runs from March 15-21, is the perfect time to know your risk, take action and be a force of nature.

“Everyone should take steps now to prepare for flooding and any potential adverse situation,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Getting ready before something happens can save your life and the lives of your loved ones. It also helps neighborhoods and communities become more resilient, recovering more quickly from disasters.”

Know Your Risk Before a Flood:

•    Do your homework. Be aware of the potential flooding risks for the particular area where you live.

Take Action Before and During a Flood:

•    Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
•    Listen to local officials and monitor your local radio or television for information.
•    Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If it does, immediately move to higher ground.  
•    Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons and other areas known to suddenly flood.
•    Do not drive into flooded areas. Turn Around; Don’t Drown. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.

Be a Force of Nature:

•    Help your community by sharing your weather and emergency preparedness story. You may inspire others to take action.
•    Write a post on Facebook or tweet about how you’ve gotten ready for floods.
•    Look for ways to help your neighborhood, town or community prepare such as joining a Community Emergency Response Team.
•    Register for America’s PrepareAthon! to learn how to stay safe during disasters.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.nws.noaa.gov for more information on preparing for floods or other disasters.

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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. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6 , and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.  
 
 

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Know Your Risk, Take Action & Be a Force of Nature during Flood Safety Awareness Week

Flood Map Meeting To Take Place in Hillsborough, NJ March 19

EATONTOWN, NJ – Somerset County residents and property owners will be able to ask questions and obtain information on their property’s flood hazard risk at an Open House scheduled to take place in Hillsborough on Thursday, March 19 at the Somerset County Training Facility, 402 Roycefield Road.

During the past year and a half, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II office has released updates to the flood hazard maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), for New Jersey’s coastal communities. The FIRMs identify areas of flood risk in these coastal communities.

Community and county officials in Somerset County have arranged for the Flood Risk Open House to assist residents and property owners with questions and concerns regarding flood hazards and flood insurance rate maps.

If you think you may be in a flood zone, or already know you are, feel free to attend the open house at any time between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. No formal presentation will be made and no appointment is necessary.

The preliminary flood hazard maps that will be shared at the Open House are an update of the existing FIRMs. These preliminary FIRMs and the associated Flood Insurance Study (FIS) provide the basis for flood risk education and floodplain management measures. Each community is required to adopt updated maps to continue participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which makes flood insurance available to the community.

Insurance companies use FIRMs to determine flood insurance rates for buildings, and lenders utilize this information to determine flood insurance requirements. Residents and property owners in these areas are encouraged to learn more about their flood risk and the updates shown on the preliminary flood hazard maps by entering their property’s address in the “What’s my BFE?” tool at www.region2coastal.com. 

Using interactive flood hazard maps at this Open House, representatives from the State, County, FEMA and their mapping partners, will be available to answer flood risk and insurance questions, and explain the preliminary flood hazard maps. Residents are encouraged to bring their elevation certificates and/or flood insurance policies to the event in order to get the best information about how their flood insurance rates may change as a result of the new preliminary flood maps and legislative reforms. 

The Open Houses will cover flood hazard and FIRM map information only. No information will

be available concerning outstanding insurance claims or disaster-related recovery efforts.

Please plan to attend this event if your property is currently mapped within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), newly mapped into an SFHA, or if you are unsure of your flood risk and/or you have any questions on flood insurance. If you cannot attend or want to learn more about your flood risk, please refer to the Preliminary FIRMs which are available on the FEMA Map Service Center website, https://msc.fema.gov/portal, call the FEMA Map Information eXchange (FMIX) at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or call your local flood plain administrator or building official.

If you are in a high-risk flood zone, known as the SFHA, you may be required by your lender to carry flood insurance. FEMA staff will be available at the Open House to talk about these changes.

Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. It is vital for property owners to understand their risk and taking advantage of tools and programs available to them. Property owners can take action by purchasing flood insurance and implementing mitigation actions to help reduce future flooding impacts.

For additional information on flood hazard risk and the mapping process, please visit www.region2coastal.com

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.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, and www.youtube.com/fema.Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.”

View original article:  

Flood Map Meeting To Take Place in Hillsborough, NJ March 19

“Spring Ahead” And Be Flood Ready

CHICAGO – You may be ready to enjoy more daylight hours after we “Spring ahead” an hour on March 8, but are you ready for the threat of flooding that warmer months can bring?

“With the change of seasons comes the risk of snow melt, heavy rains, and rising waters—we’re all at some level of flood risk,” said Andrew Velasquez III, FEMA Region V administrator.  “It is important we prepare now for the impact floods could have on our homes, our businesses and in our communities.”

Take action with these simple steps to protect what matters before a flood threatens your community:

Your Home
• Ensure you’re insured. Consider purchasing flood insurance to protect your home against the damage floodwaters can cause. Homeowners’ insurance policies do not typically cover flood losses, and most policies take 30-days to become effective.  Visit FloodSmart.gov for more information.
• Keep important papers in a safe place. Make copies of critical documents (mortgage papers, deed, passport, bank information, etc.). Keep copies in your home and store originals in a secure place outside the home, such as a bank safe deposit box.
• Elevate mechanicals off the floor of your basement—such as the water heater, washer, dryer and furnace—to avoid potential water damage.
• Caulk exterior openings where electrical wires and cables enter your home to keep water from getting inside.
• Shovel! As temperatures warm, snow melt is a real concern. Shovel snow away from your home and clean your gutters to keep your home free from potential water damage.

Your Family
• Build and maintain an emergency supply kit. Include drinking water, a first-aid kit, canned food, a radio, flashlight and blankets. Visit www.Ready.gov for a disaster supply checklist for flood safety tips and information. Don’t forget to store additional supply kits in your car and at the office too.
• Plan for your pet needs. Ensure you have pet food, bottled water, medications, cat litter/pan, newspaper, a secure pet carrier and leash included in your emergency supply kit.
• Have a family emergency plan in place. Plan and practice flood evacuation routes from home, work and school that are on higher ground. Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance: how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.

To learn more about preparing for floods, how to purchase a flood insurance policy and the benefits of protecting your home or property investment against flooding visit FloodSmart.gov  or call 1-800-427-2419. For even more readiness information follow FEMA Region V at twitter.com/femaregion5 and facebook.com/fema. Individuals can always find valuable preparedness information at www.Ready.gov or download the free FEMA app, available for Android, Apple or Blackberry devices.

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.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, (312) 408-4455

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“Spring Ahead” And Be Flood Ready

Flood Map Meeting to Take Place in Newark March 4

EATONTOWN, N.J – Residents and property owners in coastal communities in Essex County, New Jersey will be able to ask questions and obtain information on their property’s flood hazard risk at a 

Public Open House on Flood Maps

Wednesday, March 4, 2015 4 to 8 PM

Azores Social & Sports Club

142 Wilson Ave, Newark, NJ

During the past year and a half, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II office has released updates to the flood hazard maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), for New Jersey’s coastal communities. The FIRMs identify areas of flood risk in these coastal communities.

These Preliminary FIRMS identify areas of flood risk in the following Essex County communities:

North Caldwell, Borough of

Newark, City of

Township of Belleville,

Township of Bloomfield,

Township of Fairfield,

Township of Montclair,

Township of Nutley,

Township of West Caldwell,

Community and county officials in Essex County have arranged for the Flood Risk Open House to assist residents and property owners with questions and concerns regarding flood hazards and flood insurance rate maps.

If you think you may be in a flood zone, or already know you are, feel free to attend the open house between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. No formal presentation will be made and no appointment is necessary.

The preliminary flood hazard maps that will be shared at the Open House are an update of the existing FIRMs. These preliminary FIRMs and the associated Flood Insurance Study (FIS) provide the basis for flood risk education and floodplain management measures. Each community is required to adopt updated maps to continue participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which makes flood insurance available to the community.

Insurance companies use FIRMs to determine flood insurance rates for buildings, and lenders utilize this information to determine flood insurance requirements. Residents and property owners in these areas are encouraged to learn more about their flood risk and the updates shown on the preliminary flood hazard maps by entering their property’s address in the “What’s my BFE?” tool at www.region2coastal.com. 

Using interactive flood hazard maps at this Open House, representatives from the State, County, FEMA and their mapping partners, will be available to answer flood risk and insurance questions, and explain the preliminary flood hazard maps. Residents are encouraged to bring their elevation certificates and/or flood insurance policies to the event in order to get the best information about how their flood insurance rates may change as a result of the new preliminary flood maps and legislative reforms.

The Open House will cover flood hazard and FIRM map information only. No information will be available concerning outstanding insurance claims or disaster-related recovery efforts.

Please plan to attend this event if your property is currently mapped within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), newly mapped into an SFHA, or if you are unsure of your flood risk and/or you have any questions on flood insurance. If you cannot attend or want to learn more about your flood risk, please refer to the Preliminary FIRMs which are available on the FEMA Map Service Center website, https://msc.fema.gov/portal, call the FEMA Map Information eXchange (FMIX) at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or call your local flood plain administrator or building official.

If you are in a high-risk flood zone, known as the SFHA, you may be required by your lender to carry flood insurance. FEMA staff will be available at the Open House to talk about these changes.

Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. It is vital for property owners to understand their risk and taking advantage of tools and programs available to them. Property owners can take action by purchasing flood insurance and implementing mitigation actions to help reduce future flooding impacts.

For additional information on flood hazard risk and the mapping process, please visit www.region2coastal.com

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.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, and www.youtube.com/fema.Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.”

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Flood Map Meeting to Take Place in Newark March 4

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