Help for New Floodplain Managers

How can you prepare yourself if your community joins the NFIP and appoints you the Floodplain Manager (FPM)?  Being designated the FPM in a community is a fantastic opportunity to assist your citizens in helping them understand their risk for flooding and the options available to reduce risk and vulnerability in your community.

Contact with other FPMs can provide you with the answers to many of your questions. You may consider getting in touch with the FPMs of neighboring communities, the county, borough, or parish, or there may be an association of FPMs in your state. Each state also has a State Floodplain Coordinator designated somewhere in state government. Contact information for all State Floodplain Coordinators can be found at the website for the Association of State Floodplain Managers website (see below).

Online Assistance

There are a number of websites that can provide helpful background information to a new FPM:

NFIP Home Page

The NFIP home page offers a wealth of information including basic information on the NFIP; information tailored to specific audiences such as insurance agents, claims adjusters, and state and local officials; and training and educational opportunities.

NFIP State and Local Officials Page

The state and local officials’ page includes links to the Community Status Book (which identifies NFIP-participating communities), flood map information, and FEMA publications.

NFIP Flood Hazard Mapping Page

The NFIP mapping page provides links for specific user groups. In addition, this page provides a background on FEMA Flood Map Modernization, partnership opportunities, map change information, access to forms, documents and software, and online tutorials to help the user navigate the FEMA mapping program.

Watermark Newsletter

The Watermark newsletter is published by FEMA several times annually. It features information on flood Insurance, flood preparedness and response, mapping, floodplain management and safe construction, and risk assessment, planning, and grants.

eWatermark Website

The latest news about NFIP-related topics appears online as individual articles updated monthly on the eWatermark website. Also included on this website are links to featured flood-related publications, websites, and NFIP stakeholder events.

FEMA Map Service Center

The Map Service Center (MSC) is the FEMA online store for many mapping-related questions and products. A virtual tour of the Map Service Center will help you access scanned versions of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps produced by FEMA. Additional information—including documents, publications, and forms, Letters of Map Change information, other product information, and price lists—can be found on the MSC website.

FEMA Mitigation Fact Sheet Page

The Mitigation Fact Sheet page contains detailed information on the FEMA mitigation grant programs: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP); Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program; Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program; Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC) Program; and Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) Program.

FEMA Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Program Page

The EHP home page includes information about the EHP review process; EHP laws, public notices, and environmental documents; the environment; historic preservation; assistance for EHP grant applicants; and resources for EHP employment and Regional EHP websites.

Insurance Outreach Toolkit for Flood Map Updates Page

This page on the FEMA website provides an insurance outreach toolkit for flood map updates. Outreach material for various audiences including local and county officials, insurance agents, real estate agents, lenders, and builders/developers/surveyors is also highlighted.

Protect Your Property, Home, or Business from Disaster Page

This is an invaluable resource on the FEMA website for identifying opportunities to protect property from many natural hazards. Flood protection information includes Build with Flood-Resistant Materials, Dry Floodproof Your Building, Add Waterproof Veneer to Exterior Walls, Raising Electrical System Components, Anchor Fuel Tanks, Raise or Floodproof HVAC Equipment, Install Sewer Backflow Valves, and Protect Wells from Contamination by Flooding.

Letter of Map Amendment Page

The FEMA website page on Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) provides an overview of the map change process and highlights NFIP regulations, guidance documents, and the effect a LOMA has on flood insurance requirements.

Association of State Floodplain Managers Website

The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) website is for floodplain management professionals dedicated to reducing flood losses. Items of interest include commentary on programmatic and legislative activities, information about upcoming conferences and training, and ASFPM Foundation activities.

Resources Closer to Home

The websites described above are just the beginning of information available to support your work as floodplain manager in reducing the effects of flooding in your community. You may also contact the FEMA Regional Office for your community for more information.

Rhonda Montgomery is a Program Specialist with the Floodplain Management Branch of FEMA. She provides assistance to FEMA Regional offices in community enrollment, eligibility, and compliance with the NFIP and also serves as the National Training Coordinator for floodplain management training. Prior to coming to FEMA, she worked in floodplain management as a local government official and also was the Kansas NFIP Coordinator.