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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.

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Union County Facing Probation from National Flood Insurance Program

Next Meeting of National Advisory Council

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be holding the next National Advisory Council (NAC) public meeting in New Orleans, LA from March 4 – 5, 2015.

WHAT: NAC Meeting

WHERE: Jackson Barracks
6400 St. Claude Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70117

WHEN: March 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (CST)
March 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (CST)

During the meeting, the NAC will meet with the FEMA Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and leadership to receive program briefings, and it will review the progress and potential recommendations of its three subcommittees: Preparedness and Protection, Response and Recovery, and Federal Insurance and Mitigation.

The NAC will also discuss other topics to include:

•   Hurricane Katrina Recovery
•   FEMA Office of Response and Recovery Activities and Updates
•   Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration Activities and Updates
•   America’s PrepareAthon!

Members of the public are invited to provide public comments after each subcommittee report- out and between 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST on Wednesday, March 4, 2015. Directions on how to submit public comments can be found on the NAC webpage.

The NAC was established to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of Federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery, mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters. The NAC advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management and incorporates federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and non-profit and private sector partners’ input into the development and revision of FEMA policies and strategies.
For those planning to attend in person and for additional information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, please contact the Office of the NAC by email at FEMA-NAC@fema.dhs.gov.

More information on the NAC is available at www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.

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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Next Meeting of National Advisory Council

Harpeth River Watershed Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

ATLANTA– People who live in Cheatham County including Pegram, Kingston Springs; Williamson County including Fairview, Franklin, Brentwood; and Dickson County, Tenn., are invited to look at newly revised preliminary digital flood insurance rate maps at a public open house on March 3, 2015. Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding, and are used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements.

The open house will provide the residents within this watershed and its counties and municipalities with 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 March 3^rd open house will be held between 4-7 p.m. at:

Franklin City Hall
109 3rd Ave South

Franklin, TN 37064

The new maps were produced through a partnership with Harpeth Watershed counties and municipalities, the state of Tennessee, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They are more precise than older maps because better flood hazard and risk data and the latest science available have been applied to make the maps more accurate. The ultimate goal is to protect property owners and the community from the risks associated with flooding. Flood risks do change over time due to construction and development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other factors—which is why it’s important that maps are updated periodically.

Property owners—both homeowners and business owners—renters, realtors, mortgage lenders, surveyors and insurance agents are encouraged to attend the open house and take advantage of this opportunity to meet with specialists and ask questions, and learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within their communities. Residents may also visit their local community’s office to view the maps in person, or call their local floodplain manager with questions about where their property is located on the preliminary maps.

The Harpeth River Watershed preliminary maps will not be officially adopted until after a public comment period for the effected counties and municipalities takes place. This allows property owners to submit comments and appeals if they can show that any part of the maps is in error. Specialists will be available at the open houses to address questions that residents may have about this process. Once all comments are received and addressed, counties and municipalities may adopt the maps.

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Even people living outside of high-risk areas can have flooding, which is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. That’s why everyone, regardless of their flood zone, should take steps to financially protect themselves from a disaster which affects far too many communities each year. The primary way to do that is by purchasing flood insurance. It’s available at affordable rates through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary program administered by FEMA.

Standard homeowners’, business owners’, and renters’ insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, so flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone. NFIP policies can be purchased from any state licensed property and casualty insurance agents who people already deal with for other property insurance needs. When that isn’t possible, NFIP can put people in touch with another agent. Visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local agent.

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.

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Harpeth River Watershed Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

Pittsburg County, Oklahoma Flood Maps Become Final in June

DENTON, Texas –– New flood maps become effective in Pittsburgh County on June 2, 2015.

Local, state and federal officials encourage everyone to view the maps before Tuesday, June 2, 2015 in order to understand their flood risk and then consider buying flood insurance.

Most homeowner insurance policies do not cover the effects of flooding. People in the special flood hazard areas (SFHA) and with a federally backed mortgage are required to insure their structure and contents, either through a private policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This is a voluntary program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). NFIP policies are available to anyone living in a participating community, including business owners.

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “It is critical that everyone is prepared for the hazards and risks in their communities. Knowing your risk of flooding is the first step in taking the appropriate actions to prepare,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, contact your local floodplain administrator (FPA). Randy Gropp is the FPA for the Town of Kiowa and can be reached at (918) 432 5841. Richard Howry is the FPA for Pittsburg County, his phone number is (918) 423-4726.

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.
•   To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C. Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•   To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•   To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://maps.riskmap6.com/OK/Pittsburg;

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their 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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

Pittsburg County, Oklahoma Flood Maps Become Final in June

FEMA 2014 Funding for Arkansas Tops $47 Million

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided more than $47 million in 2014 funding to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and community partners for disaster recovery, mitigation and preparedness.

“FEMA, in partnership with ADEM, continues to provide funding to assist communities recovering from and mitigating against future damage,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “We are committed to helping Arkansas residents strengthen their resilience.”

The $47 million includes more than $7 million from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, $23 million in Public Assistance dollars for repair and replacement of infrastructure after a disaster, $6 million in Hazard Mitigation, and more than $11 million in Preparedness funding to mitigate damage from future disasters.

“We at Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and all Arkansans affected by disaster appreciate the partnership we have with FEMA,” said ADEM Director David Maxell. “This relationship allows governmental entities and individuals to better protect themselves before an emergency and then begin down the road to recovery if a disaster occurs.”

The 2014 federal funding covered numerous projects in Arkansas including:
•   More than $7 million to individuals for rental and lodging expenses, home repair, and replacement for those who suffered damage during the April severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding.
•   Over $3 million was used to either replace or repair bridges and low water crossings destroyed or substantially damaged during the declared events.
•   $2.2 million was provided for school safe rooms throughout the state increasing the capacity to protect students, faculty/staff and residents.

In addition to providing federal funding, FEMA’s Mitigation Division has taken steps to improve the on-line resources for communities. In 2014 the Risk Communications Guidebook was updated to include the most recent information on the National Flood Insurance Program reform.

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FEMA 2014 Funding for Arkansas Tops $47 Million

Chambers County, Texas Flood Maps Become Final in May

DENTON, Texas ––In early May, new flood maps for Chambers County will become effective.

Local, state and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps before Tuesday, May 5, 2015 in order to understand their flood risk and then consider buying flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they don’t have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.”

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, contact your local floodplain administrator.

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.

•   To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C. Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•   To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•   To see the interactive web page visit: http://goo.gl/RzvrIJ
•   To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://goo.gl/U0Yk7y

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Chambers County, Texas Flood Maps Become Final in May

FEMA Funding in New Jersey Exceeds $6.9 Billion

EATONTOWN, N.J. — In the two years and three months since Hurricane Sandy scored a direct hit on New Jersey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has remained engaged in the recovery effort, providing $6.9 billion to date to help the state recover and rebuild.

This money has helped to rebuild critical facilities, clear debris from navigable channels, restore boardwalks along the Jersey Shore, rebuild Atlantic Highlands harbor, and reimburse municipalities throughout the state for the enormous costs of clearing debris and restoring public safety in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance program has paid out more than $3.5 billion in claims to flood insurance policyholders whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm.

Through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP), the agency approved $422.9 million in payments to Sandy survivors.

FEMA Public Assistance, which provides funds for repair and rebuilding of infrastructure and public facilities as well as necessary work such as debris removal and emergency response, has contributed $1.525 billion towards repair and rebuilding projects in New Jersey. Eighty-seven percent of all PA projects in New Jersey have total project costs of over a half-million dollars.

As the immediate work of rebuilding continues, FEMA is helping to strengthen the state’s capacity to withstand a future disaster. Forty percent of all Public Assistance (PA) projects have accompanying mitigation projects attached to them. FEMA is funding projects that protect vulnerable facilities from inundation by storm waters, raise homes above the flood plain and convert neighborhoods that have experienced repeated and devastating flooding to public, open space.

To date, the FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has allotted $162 million for voluntary property acquisitions in communities subject to repetitive flooding. It has allocated $51 million for home elevations in flood-prone areas and $9.7 million for the Retail Fuel Station Program. The RFS is a voluntary grant program designed to enhance the operational resiliency of retail fuel stations statewide by funding the installation of back-up generators capable of operating fuel pumps when power outages occur.

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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FEMA Funding in New Jersey Exceeds $6.9 Billion

Sarasota County Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

ATLANTA–Preliminary flood insurance rate maps for Sarasota County, Fla., can be reviewed at three public open houses during the week of January 19, 2015. Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding, and are used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements.

The open houses provide homeowners, business owners, renters, realtors, mortgage lenders, surveyors, and insurance agents in Sarasota County and its municipalities with 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. Specialists will be available to talk about flood insurance, engineering, development permits and more.

The open houses will be held between 4 and 7 p.m. The open house dates and locations are:

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Bayfront Community Center

803 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Venice Community Center

326 Nokomis Ave S, Venice, FL 34285

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Morgan Family Center

6207 W Price Blvd, North Port, FL 34291

Residents may also visit their local community’s office to view the maps in person, or call their local floodplain administrator with questions about where their property is located on the preliminary maps.

The new maps were produced through a partnership among Sarasota County, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They are more precise than older maps because better flood hazard and risk data and the latest science available have been applied to make the maps more accurate. The ultimate goal is to protect property owners and the community from the risks associated with flooding. Flood risks also change over time due to construction and development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other factors—which is why it’s important that maps are updated periodically.

Flood maps are being updated for communities across the country. This is a collaborative process, and FEMA works closely with local communities to incorporate the latest and most accurate information into the maps so that they better reflect the risk that communities face.

Sarasota County’s preliminary maps have not yet been officially adopted and will become effective after a public comment period. This period allows property owners to submit comments and appeals, if they can provide any better technical information about their property. Specialists will be available at the open houses to address questions that residents may have about this process. Once all comments are received and resolved, Sarasota County may adopt the maps.

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. People living outside of high-risk areas can also experience flooding, which is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. That’s why everyone, regardless of their flood zone, should take steps to protect themselves financially from a disaster which affects many communities each year. The primary way to do that is by purchasing flood insurance. It’s available at affordable rates through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary program administered by FEMA.

Standard homeowners’, business owners’, and renters’ insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, so flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone. NFIP policies can be purchased from any state licensed property and casualty insurance agent who people already deal with for other property insurance needs. Visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local insurance agent.

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Sarasota County Residents Invited to See Preliminary Flood Maps

Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in El Paso County, Texas Ready for Public View

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

County officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) presented 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.

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

To view the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator who may be located at City Hall or the local courthouse. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com. 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 El Paso County, Texas Ready for Public View

FEMA Announces Launch of the Interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today announced the launch of the Interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate, led by the Acting Flood Insurance Advocate, David Stearrett. The Interim Flood Insurance Advocate office will stand up effective December 22, 2014.

The Interim Office will begin work on specialized assistance to citizens and policyholders on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) issues; as well as regional mapping outreach and education support. The Interim Office will operate until a permanent Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate is established pursuant to Section 24 of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (subject to budget resources). To best carry out its mission, duties and responsibilities, the Interim Office will be an independent office within FEMA with direct alignment to the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) Associate Administrator and the FEMA Administrator.

“Floods are the most common disaster affecting communities in America,” said David Miller, Associate Administrator for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration. “Through the National Flood Insurance Program, FEMA is working hard to ensure that families are able to protect themselves from flood damage and accelerate efforts to recover should something happen. As someone who has worked tirelessly on behalf of policyholders for many years, I know Mr. Stearrett will fight each day to ensure that policyholders have the information they need to navigate the flood insurance process and ensure any concerns are addressed.”

Until funding is available to establish the permanent office, a number of FEMA employees will be detailed to the Interim Office. FEMA spent several months developing options to implement this new provision, and met with a number of Advocate and Ombudsman offices at other federal agencies and identified areas of greatest policyholder and property owner needs. These findings were leveraged to build the interim office.

FEMA is designating an Acting Flood Insurance Advocate and an interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate as part of its commitment to immediately begin providing assistance to homeowners and policyholders. At launch, the Acting Advocate and staff will focus on assisting the public as they navigate through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) processes by leveraging FEMA resources to address specific public inquiries or concerns. The Acting Advocate will also develop a long-term regional mapping outreach and education strategy to maximize support to the public. The Interim Flood Insurance Advocate office will operate with existing resources and further expansion is subject to future funding, as FEMA is operating under a Continuing Resolution.

The Flood Insurance Advocate will be an independent office within FEMA and have direct access on an advisory basis to the FEMA Administrator.

Initially, the public can reach the Acting Flood Insurance Advocate by email, at insurance-advocate@fema.dhs.gov. In the next month, the Flood Insurance Advocate will establish a phone number to receive inquiries from the public. FEMA recommends that policyholders continue to also work with their insurance agents to resolve any questions or concerns that they have related to flood insurance, or contact Floodsmart at 1-888-379-9531.

The NFIP is a Federal program created by Congress to mitigate future flood losses nationwide through sound, community-enforced building and zoning ordinances and to provide access to affordable, federally backed flood insurance protection for property owners. The NFIP is designed to provide a way for Americans to address the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods.

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FEMA Announces Launch of the Interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate

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