1. Prince George’s County Flood Forum March 23, 2017
An Overview of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): What You Need to Know
Prince George’s County Flood Forum March 23, 2017

2. Topics Background Three parts of the NFIP: Elevation Certificate
Mapping
Floodplain Management/Regulations
Flood Insurance
Elevation Certificate
Mitigation Opportunities
Community Rating System (CRS)

3. National Flood Insurance Program
Created by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968
Administered by FEMA
Participation is voluntary
Adopt and enforce regulations
Eligible for flood insurance
Benefits of participation:
Flood insurance
Grants and loans
Disaster assistance
Federally-backed mortgages
Partnership between the Federal government and the community (County or municipality)

4. County’s Role Participating community in the NFIP
Flood insurance available to homeowners, business owners and renters (in and out of the floodplain)
Agreed to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations
Based on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
Use FIRMs and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for “development” review process
Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) with FEMA on floodplain mapping

5. MDE’s Role NFIP State Coordinating Office
Provide technical assistance on mapping, regulatory requirements, etc.
Assist communities with public outreach and floodplain management ordinance updates
Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) with FEMA on floodplain mapping for other counties
Developed Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) in Zone A
Regulate activities in the 100-year nontidal floodplain
Waterway Construction Permit

6. Three Parts of the NFIP Mapping Floodplain Management/ Regulations
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)/ Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
Floodplain Management/ Regulations
Based on flood zones mapped on FIRMs
Minimum requirements in Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR 60.3)
Local Floodplain Management Ordinance
Flood Insurance
Available to Homeowners, Business Owners and Renters in the community
Insure Your Risk
Reduce Your Risk
Know Your Risk

7. Know Your Risk – Maps and Data
Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
Effective September 16, 2016
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
Digital FIRM (DFIRM)
Community Identified Flood Risk
County Floodplain
Historic high water marks
Other?

8. Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
Delineates flood risk based on different frequency flood events
Floods don’t follow map boundaries
National standard is the 1% annual chance flood (also known as 100-year flood, or special flood hazard area)
Flood insurance rating
Local floodplain management & development review process

9. Limitations of FIRMs Doesn’t show where all flooding can occur
Doesn’t take into account future conditions
Based on current and historical data

10. Flood Risk Zones
Risk
Zone
Low
X (unshaded)
Moderate
X (shaded)
High (Riverine/tidal)*
A, AH, AO, AE
High (Coastal)* VE
*Mandatory purchase requirements for flood insurance, and regulatory requirements in high risk areas

12. Key Definitions – Mapping
Base Flood – The flood having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year; the base flood also is referred to as the 1% annual chance (100-year) flood.
Base Flood Elevation (BFE) - The water surface elevation of the base flood in relation to the datum specified on the Community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).
Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) – The land in the floodplain subject to a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year. SFHAs are designated by FEMA in Flood Insurance Studies and on FIRMs as Zones AE and VE.
Base Flood creates the 100 year floodplain or SFHA.
This means that a structure built in the SFHA has a 26% chance of being flooded over the life of a 30 year mortgage. The risk of a fire during that same period would be 5%. Poll the audience for number of Flood insurance policies compared to Fire

13. FEMA Flood Map Service Center
Access Products
FIRMs & FIS
LOMCs
DFIRM Database
Historic Products
Flood Risk Products
Access Tools
Make a FIRMette
National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Viewer
Live Mapping Support
FEMA Map Information eXchange (FMIX)
msc.fema.gov

15. mdfloodmaps.net

16. Flood Risk Application

18. Floodplain Management/ Regulations
Subtitle 32. Water Resources Protection and Grading Code, The Prince George’s County Code
Based on MD Model Floodplain Management Ordinance
Applies to County floodplain in addition to FEMA-mapped floodplain
Waiver required for development in floodplain
2 foot freeboard requirement
Coastal A Zone/Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) provisions
Building Codes
2015 International Building Code (IBC)
2015 International Residential Code (IRC)

19. Insure Your Risk – Flood Insurance
Check with your agent
Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover floods
Can purchase even if outside high risk area
Mandatory purchase requirement for structures in mapped floodplain with federally-backed mortgage
Lots of variables affect the rate:
Flood zone, date of construction, building elevations, ground elevations, BFE, etc. or

20. Flood Insurance Rating
Higher rates for:
Subgrade crawlspace
HVAC not elevated
Lack of flood openings
Elevation Certificate may improve rate
Agent to use whatever rating method yields cheaper rate

21. Flood Openings Bottom of opening must be within 12” of grade
Prescriptive: 1 square inch of net open area for every square foot of enclosed area (also an engineered option)

22. FEMA Elevation Certificate
To ensure compliance with community’s regulations
Properly elevated
Adequate flood openings
Flood insurance rating
Proper documentation required
Support Letter Of Map Change (LOMC) requests

23. Reduce Your Risk – Mitigation
Use flood-resistant materials
Install flood openings in enclosures
Elevate HVAC equipment
Anchor fuel tanks
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants:
Floodproofing (dry, nonresidential only)
Relocation
Elevation
Demolition
Purchase flood insurance

24. Community Rating System (CRS)
Flood insurance discount program for NFIP participating communities who exceed minimum requirements
Voluntary program
For every 500 points earned, up to a 5% reduction
Prince George’s County is a Class 5 community (receives up to a 25% discount)

25. Websites FEMA Map Service Center (MSC) www.msc.fema.gov
Maryland DFIRM Outreach Program
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

26. Questions?
Dave Guignet State NFIP Coordinator (office)
Kevin Wagner Natural Resources Planner (office) (cell)

27. Flood Insurance Forum Next Flood Insurance Richard J. Sobota, CPCU
Sr. Insurance Specialist
FEMA Region III