Bellaire, Texas Celebrates a Safer Community

DENTON, Texas – Residents, business and residential renters, and business owners in Bellaire, Texas can now enjoy a 5 to 15 percent reduction in flood insurance premiums because of the city’s active participation in the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS).

This means those policyholders who reside in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) will receive a 15 percent reduction on flood insurance premiums, and policyholders located outside the SFHA will enjoy a 5 percent discount.

In addition to lower premiums, the rating program helps to reduce the threat of damage from flooding, according to officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “The flood insurance program rewards communities for implementing programs and policies that protect their residents from flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Bellaire’s higher regulatory standards, public education outreach, drainage system maintenance and effort at developing additional flood data, among other activities, have earned the city lower premiums as a CRS Class 7 Community.”

The reduction in flood insurance premiums represents an annual savings in premium costs for Bellaire policy holders and will take effect at the time a new policy is written or an effective policy is renewed. Those individuals and business owners with a Preferred Risk Policy will not receive premium rate credits under the CRS because it already has a lower premium than other policies.

The city’s participation in the program has been beneficial in many respects. In addition to the reduction in insurance premiums, local officials are more knowledgeable about floodplain management and residents are more knowledgeable about mitigation and flood insurance.    The CRS program has helped make Bellaire a safer place to live, reduced the economic impact of flood hazards and saved their citizens money on flood policy premiums.

CRS is a voluntary program for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)-participating communities. The intended goals of the CRS are to reduce flood losses; facilitate accurate insurance ratings; and to promote the awareness of flood insurance.  For more information on the NFIP’s CRS program, visit http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-rating-system.

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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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6  and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Bellaire, Texas Celebrates a Safer Community

FEMA Releases Preliminary Work Maps for Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties, New Jersey

LINCROFT, N.J. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released Preliminary Work Maps for Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties, NJ that reflect the latest refinements to the ongoing analysis of coastal flood hazards.

The release of the Preliminary Work Maps is the next step in the coastal Flood Insurance Study update. This is extremely important as we work in partnership with the State of New Jersey to support sustainable disaster resilient communities; and to avoid or reduce the loss of life, loss of property, and financial impacts of coastal flood hazards.

The Preliminary Work Maps are an interim step in the process of developing preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). This information will replace the Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) maps, where applicable, that were made available to coastal counties in New Jersey as the best available data for rebuilding and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
As compared to the effective FIRMs for New Jersey, the Preliminary Work Maps show that the majority of areas will see increases in the floodplain and Base Flood Elevations (BFEs); however, some areas may see decreases.  These changes are due primarily to more precise ground elevation data and more detailed analysis.

FEMA encourages communities to use this information in instances where BFEs have increased and/or new Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are shown on the Preliminary Work Maps. This will help community members make decisions to reduce their flood risk until the preliminary FIRMs become effective.

Please visit www.Region2Coastal.com for more information on the Preliminary Work Maps.  For more information on New Jersey’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNJ, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later
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 Releases Preliminary Work Maps for Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties, New Jersey

NFIP Substantial Damage: What Does It Mean for Alaska’s Disaster Survivors?

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – As survivors of Alaska’s 2013 Spring Floods continue the process of rebuilding their lives and property, there is an issue many could face: “substantial damage,” as defined by the National Flood Insurance Program.

It’s common to think substantially damaged merely describes a structure that has sustained a large amount of damage by a flood or any other source such as fire, tornado or earthquake.

In reality, substantial damage is a specific term that applies to a damaged structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area – or floodplain – for which the total cost of repairs is 50 percent or more of the structure’s market value before the disaster occurred, regardless of the cause of damage.

For example, if a structure’s market value before the damage was $200,000 and repairs are estimated to cost $120,000, that structure is “substantially damaged.” Land value is excluded from the determination.

It’s important to know the percentage of structural damage because that information helps property owners decide whether to repair or replace a damaged dwelling, and whether additional work will be needed to comply with local codes and ordinances, such as elevating a house in a floodplain.

The decision about a structure being substantially damaged is made at a local government level, generally by a building official or floodplain manager.

For communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, substantial damage determinations generally are required by local floodplain management ordinances. These ordinances must be in place for residents of a community to purchase flood insurance.

To calculate substantial damage, the local official makes a visual inspection of a house, making notes of the impacts to the structure itself and, when possible, to the interior. These notes, coupled with other information such as property valuations and estimated costs to repair, are used to calculate the percentage of flood damage to the structure.

Once a determination on the percentage of damage is made, local officials then share that information with the property owners if their structure is substantially damaged.

If a building in a floodplain is determined to be substantially damaged, it must be brought into compliance with local floodplain management regulations:

  • Owners who decide to rebuild may need to elevate their structures, or change them in some other way to comply with those local floodplain regulations and avoid future flood losses.
  • Owners of non-residential structures may be allowed to flood proof their buildings instead of elevating.

For more information about how or why a substantial damage determination was made, property owners should contact their local building official.

All property owners should check with local building officials to determine if permits for repair are required before beginning the work. Depending on local codes and ordinances, there can be serious consequences for not complying with the permitting process.

Property owners who have a flood insurance policy and a substantially damaged building in a Special Flood Hazard Area may be able to use additional funds from their flood insurance policy (up to $30,000) to help defray the costs of elevating, relocating or demolishing a structure.

For more information on this provision – also known as Increased Cost of Compliance – contact your insurance agent.

For more information on general flood insurance, contact your local floodplain administrator, the National Flood Insurance Program at 800-427-4661 or your local insurance agent. Information also is available at www.fema.gov and www.floodsmart.gov.

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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NFIP Substantial Damage: What Does It Mean for Alaska’s Disaster Survivors?

Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $144 Million

AURORA, Ill. – Federal assistance in Illinois has reached more than $144 million, distributed among more than 58,000 individuals and households, since a major disaster was declared for storms and flooding that occurred April 16 through May 5.

The latest summary of federal assistance includes:

  • More than $144 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households;
  • Of that amount, more than $124 million has been approved for housing assistance, including temporary rental assistance and home repair costs;
  • More than $20 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and damaged personal possessions;
  • More than 87,000 home inspections have been completed to confirm disaster damage;
  • More than $49 million in loans to homeowners, renters or business owners has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

FEMA has extended the registration deadline by 15 days to August 8, 2013. Affected residents of 35 counties covered in the Illinois disaster declaration for severe storms and flooding are encouraged to register with FEMA.

Counties designated for individual assistance for this disaster declaration are: Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Clark, Cook, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago, and Woodford.

Federal assistance is only available for individuals who incurred damage in a designated county as a result of storms and flooding that occurred during the period of April 16 to May 5. Registering for assistance for damages sustained as a result of a storm in any other period   could be considered fraudulent and claimants could face recoupment of grant money received and/or fraud charges.  

To register or to ask questions about your claim, call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Residents can also register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362. All phone lines are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Those with storm damage who do not register are disqualifying themselves from any possible assistance if their insurance settlement is not enough. 

Those owning homes or businesses in areas that flood frequently may be required to elevate, relocate or demolish the structures to prevent future loss. The National Flood Insurance Program’s standard flood insurance policies will pay up to $30,000 of the eligible costs under the increased cost of compliance (ICC) coverage.

To qualify for ICC, the NFIP-insured structure must be located in a Special Flood Hazard Area and the cost to repair the structure must equal or exceed 50 percent of its market value prior to the flood damage.

Another way to qualify is if your community has a more restrictive floodplain management ordinance provision that requires damaged buildings to be brought into compliance when the cost exceeds a threshold lower than 50 percent, or by calculating the cost to repair cumulatively over a period of time, for buildings that are damaged repetitively.

The insurance agent that sold you flood insurance and your local building official can provide more information.

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/femaregion5, 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.  

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $144 Million

Help is Available if Flooding Requires You to Elevate Your Home

AURORA, Ill. – If your home or business is in an area that floods frequently and the building received substantial damage from flooding during the spring storms, local officials may require you to elevate, relocate, or demolish your structure to prevent future losses. 

This can be quite costly, but NFIP standard flood insurance policies will pay up to $30,000 of the eligible costs under the increased cost of compliance (ICC) coverage.

To qualify for ICC, the NFIP-insured structure must be located in a Special Flood Hazard Area and the cost to repair the structure must equal or exceed 50 percent of its market value prior to the flood damage. 

You may also qualify if your community has a more restrictive floodplain management ordinance provision that requires damaged buildings to be brought into compliance when the cost exceeds a threshold lower than 50 percent, or by calculating the cost to repair cumulatively over a period of time, for buildings that are damaged repetitively.

Options other than elevating do exist. The home or business can be moved to a higher elevation on the property or it can be demolished. In some instances, primarily with businesses, the structure can be flood proofed.

Claims for ICC benefits are filed separately from your claim for contents or building loss.

You will learn if you are eligible after you file for a building permit to repair the structure. A local building official will determine if your home or business is substantially or repetitively damaged. If either determination is made, contact the insurance company or agent who wrote your flood policy.

You will be assigned to a claims representative who will help you prepare your ICC claim. You will need estimates from contractors for elevating, relocating, demolishing or flood proofing the structure to accompany the claim.

You may receive a partial payment once the claims representative has a copy of the signed contract for the work, a building permit and a signed ICC Proof of Loss form.

When the work is completed, local officials will inspect the structure and issue a certificate of occupancy or a confirmation letter. Submit this document to your claims representative and the insurer will pay either the final installment or the full payment.

Buildings deemed historic structures are handled separately. Contact your local floodplain manager or building official for more information.

If you received flood damage, between April 16 and May 5, be sure to register for FEMA disaster assistance. The deadline to register is Wednesday, July 24. Several ways to register are available: online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information, visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

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: 571-408-1835

 

 

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Help is Available if Flooding Requires You to Elevate Your Home

FEMA Releases Preliminary Work Maps for New York City

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released Preliminary Work Maps for New York City that reflect the latest refinements to the ongoing analysis of coastal flood hazards. The release of the Preliminary Work Maps is the next step in the coastal Flood Insurance Study update. The Preliminary Work Maps replace the Advisory Base Flood Elevation Maps for New York City that were released earlier this year. Property owners should use these new maps to inform rebuilding and other ongoing construction.

The changes between the Advisory Base Flood Elevation Maps and the Preliminary Work Maps released today include a reduction in the area designated as a V-zone (area at risk of experiencing waves greater than 3 feet in height). The new maps are extremely important as FEMA and the City continue to work in partnership to support sustainable disaster resilient communities; and to avoid or reduce the loss of life, loss of property, and financial impacts of coastal flood hazards.

The Preliminary Work Maps are an interim step in the process of developing Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The Preliminary Work Maps precede the Preliminary FIRMs, which upon becoming effective will determine flood insurance rates, though the risks reflected in the two sets of maps will be the same. The Preliminary FIRMs are estimated to become effective sometime in2015. The Preliminary Work Maps and the Preliminary FIRMs that follow will help property owners make decisions about how high to elevate their homes and businesses to reduce their flood risk and potential future flood insurance costs.

New York City’s housing recovery program, NYC Build It Back, will help homeowners impacted by Hurricane Sandy rebuild and meet the new elevation and freeboard standards to reduce their flood risk. Information on that program is available on www.nyc.gov.

As compared to the effective FIRMs for New York City, the Preliminary Work Maps show that the majority of areas will see increases in the floodplain and Base Flood Elevations (BFEs); however some areas may see decreases.  These changes are due primarily to more precise ground elevation data and more detailed analysis.

There is an indication that the overall size of the coastal high hazard area will increase in comparison to the effective FIRMs. Estimates indicate that about 2 percent of the New York City land area is subject to high velocity wave action, which is roughly twice the area shown on the current effective FIRMs.

FEMA encourages communities to use this information in instances where BFEs have increased and/or new Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are shown on the Preliminary Work Maps. This will help community members make decisions to reduce their flood risk until the preliminary FIRMs become effective. Please visit www.Region2Coastal.com for more information on the Preliminary Work Maps.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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FEMA Releases Preliminary Work Maps for New York City

FEMA Releases Preliminary Flood Hazard Information for Modoc County

Latest study reveals increased flood risk along the Pit River

OAKLAND, Calif. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working with the city of Alturas and Modoc County, Calif., to update flood hazard risk information.  FEMA released preliminary flood maps that will help community officials, individuals and business owners identify known flood risks.  When finalized, the maps will be used for flood insurance, land use, and development decisions.  The revised maps are digital, incorporating the latest technology to identity flood risk based on detailed engineering models, decades of rainfall, storm gauge information, and current topographic data.

The preliminary flood maps propose changes to areas for structures near the Pit River, North Fork Pit River and South Fork Pit River.  Currently, there are approximately 210 structures located within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) or high risk flood zone.  The preliminary flood maps propose approximately 145 structures may be added to the SFHA, from moderate to high flood risk and 15 structures may be removed from the SFHA, from high to moderate flood risk.  The last map update was June 4, 2010.

Individuals and business owners who believe the proposed flood maps contain errors will be able to submit appeals by submitting additional scientific or technical information through their community officials to FEMA. Once all appeals are resolved, FEMA will make any necessary updates and notify community officials.  Floodplain administrators in each community have copies of the maps available for public viewing.

To view preliminary maps online visit: http://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload.

Flooding is the most common disaster in the United States.  Homeowners, renters and business owners are encouraged to look at the preliminary flood maps to become familiar with flood risks in their community.  These flood maps can help individuals and businesses make informed decisions about flood insurance options and flood protection measures.  For more information about flood insurance and to find a local agent, visit www.floodsmart.gov.

For questions about flood maps, visit http://msc.fema.gov, call 877-FEMA-MAP (877-336-2627) or email FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

 

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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.

 

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FEMA Releases Preliminary Flood Hazard Information for Modoc County

FEMA’S 2012 Community Resilience Innovation Challenge Recipients Announced – California, Hawaii, and American Samoa Organizations among Winners to…

Oakland, Calif.—Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX Office is pleased to announce that four of the 30 recipients selected to receive funding under the FEMA 2012 Community Resilience Innovation Challenge program reside in California, Hawaii and American Samoa, all within the Region IX area of responsibility.

Recipients of the award include:

Special Needs Population and Home Bound Patients Registry

American Samoa Department of Health – Pago Pago, American Samoa

Roadmap to Preparedness

United Policyholders – San Francisco, CA

Tribal Emergency Response Crossing Boarders Coordination Project

Smith River Rancheria – Smith River, CA

Hawaii Emergency Preparedness System of Support (HiPSS)

University of Hawaii, Office of Research Services – Honolulu, HI

“We applaud each of these organizations for being a model of excellence in keeping disaster preparedness in the forefront of a geographic area with a very unique set of risks,” said FEMA Region IX Administrator Nancy Ward. “It’s a fine example of how each of us can have a voice in making our communities more resilient.”

The Community Resilience Innovation Challenge program focuses on building local community resilience to man-made and natural disasters, with an emphasis on innovation, collaboration with community stakeholders, sustainability, repeatability and measurable benefits to the community.

The funding comes from The Rockefeller Foundation and is administered by the Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Foundation who acted as a third-party intermediary to encourage local communities to engage in creative activities that enhance disaster resilience. Funding levels ranged to a maximum award level of $35,000, and applications were open to most local, state, and tribal agencies and governments; business entities; associations; organizations and groups. Over 1,900 applications were received across the country.

Background of Winners in Region IX:

  • Department of Health, American Samoa Government:

Project Name: ‘Special Needs Population and Home Bound patients Registry’

Summary: The Special Needs Population and Home Bound patients Registry would collect data on address, illnesses/handicaps, special equipment/medications, types of care needed, etc. and identify the closest health centers to special needs populations. The data collected on registry will enable community health centers to determine what type of care would be needed during disasters in their communities.

  • United Policyholders:

Project Name: ‘Roadmap to Preparedness’

Summary:United Policyholders (UP) is a California-based non-profit organization that is an information resource and a voice for insurance consumers (not companies) in all 50 states. The goal of the Roadmap to Preparedness Program is to give renters and homeowners the tools and resources to make sound choices in building an insurance safety net and being disaster ready. With this grant they will educate consumers through many channels including community and employer-sponsored events, website resources, printed materials, webinars, incentive activities, and quizzes.

  • Smith River Rancheria:

Project Name: ‘Tribal Emergency Response Crossing Borders Coordination Project’

Summary: The Smith River Rancheria lies on the California-Oregon Border. The Tribal Emergency Crossing Borders Coordination Project will seek to educate and network efforts across the State line in order to create a network of prepared communities in the event of a natural disaster.

  • University of Hawaii, Office of Research Services:

Project Name: ‘Hawaii Emergency Preparedness System of Support (HiPSS)’

Summary: The Hawaii Emergency Preparedness System of Support (HiEPSS) will increase community resilience by transforming the most vulnerable members into leaders and subject matter experts to empower, strengthen and unify whole communities. The impact of the project will be measured by the numbers of individuals who are trained, become prepared, or become trainers, and first responders.

 

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FEMA’S 2012 Community Resilience Innovation Challenge Recipients Announced – California, Hawaii, and American Samoa Organizations among Winners to…

FEMA Welcomes Haltom City, Texas to the Community Rating System

DENTON, Texas – Residents and business owners in Haltom City, Texas can now enjoy a reduction in flood insurance premiums because of the city’s active participation in the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). In addition to lower premiums, the CRS program helps to reduce the threat of damage due to flooding.

“The flood insurance program rewards communities for implementing programs and policies that protect their residents from flooding,” said Tony Robinson, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) R6 regional administrator. “By joining this program, Haltom City’s higher regulatory standards, public education outreach, and other initiatives, have earned the city lower premiums as a CRS Class 7 Community.”

Haltom City flood insurance policyholders who reside in Special Flood Hazard Areas will receive a 15 percent reduction on flood insurance premiums and policyholders located outside Special Flood Hazard Areas will enjoy a 5 percent discount. The reduction in flood insurance premiums represents an annual savings in premium costs for Haltom City’s policy holders and will take effect at the time a new policy is written or an effective policy is renewed.

The city’s flood plain management staff has worked hard to insure that Haltom City’s participation in the program pays off. In addition to the reduction in insurance premiums, local officials are more knowledgeable about floodplain management and its residents are more knowledgeable about mitigation and flood insurance.

The program helps to make Haltom City a safer place to live, reduces the economic impact of flood hazards and saves citizens money on flood policy premiums.

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program for NFIP- participating communities. The intended goals of the program are to reduce flood losses; facilitate accurate insurance ratings; and to promote the awareness of flood insurance. For more information on the NFIP’s CRS program, go to http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/crs.shtm.

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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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6  and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

 

Original source: 

FEMA Welcomes Haltom City, Texas to the Community Rating System

Important Information For Louisianians Living In Special Flood Hazard Areas

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging owners of homes and other buildings to get appropriate building permits before they begin any construction work on properties damaged by Hurricane Isaac.

This is especially important for structures located in Special Flood Hazard Areas, also known as regulatory floodplains.

Communities that participate in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) enforce a requirement called the “substantial damage rule.” Properties subject to the rule are those in a regulatory floodplain for which repairs will cost at least 50 percent of the structure’s pre-disaster market value.

For example, if a structure’s market value before the damage was $200,000 and repairs are estimated to cost $120,000, that structure is “substantially damaged.” Land value, which is determined by local officials, is excluded from the determination.

Buildings in regulatory floodplains that are substantially damaged must comply with local floodplain management regulations. Owners who decide to rebuild may need to elevate or retrofit their structures or change them in some other way to comply and to avoid future flood losses. Owners of nonresidential structures have the additional option of making the buildings floodproof.

Owners can obtain specific information about building permits from local officials who enforce the “substantial damage” rule and other requirements.

Floodplain management regulations are designed to mitigate future losses of life and property. FEMA, the state and local communities are working together throughout the areas impacted by Hurricane Isaac to help Louisianians rebuild and recover with safety and security.

Individuals, families and business owners who sustained uninsured and underinsured damages in those parishes can register for assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov, via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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Important Information For Louisianians Living In Special Flood Hazard Areas

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