Message from Jim

Since its inception in 1968, the National Flood Insurance Program has consisted of three different components: mapping, insurance, and regulation. Each has significant stand-alone value, but their effectiveness is greatly reduced if not appropriately intertwined with the others, since all flood insurance and regulation decisions are primarily driven by the flood maps. Without the maps setting a baseline for flood risk, proper insurance rating and regulation compliance would be very difficult to achieve.

Personally, I like the analogy of the NFIP being a three-legged stool, but the addition of a fourth leg offers better distribution of weight for continued stability should one leg become temporarily weakened. This is exactly the role mitigation provides, since it bridges the three components and strengthens the program as a whole. Perhaps, instead of mitigation being the fourth leg, it is best described as the glue holding the entire stool together as one cohesive program.

To give an example, one of the most commonly used mitigation strategies is Freeboard, a regulation that requires the lowest floor of a structure to be built a foot or higher (in increments of a foot) than the published Base Flood Elevation. States often require Freeboard as a minimum requirement, but communities can require additional Freeboard to further reduce risk of flood damage. Freeboard is particularly helpful in reducing the impact of outdated or inaccurate flood maps. Building higher also protects against increased actual risk from climate change and sea level rise. And of course, taking mitigative action to decrease flood risk can also decrease flood insurance premiums. This is a prime example of all the components working together!

In a report recently released by the National Institute of Building Sciences, every $1 the federal government spends on mitigation projects, such as elevating homes at risk of flooding, improving storm water management systems, or strengthening buildings, reduces future costs by an average of $6. This is an increase from a $4 savings stated in the 2005 estimate (Flavelle, 2018).

Major congratulations should be sent in the direction of Fort Collins, Colorado, who has created a model of preparedness (see article below). The Federal Emergency Management Agency has recognized Fort Collins as a “best of the best” community for its floodplain management and has earned additional accolades from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This momentum has resulted in the creation of a bipartisan group of more than 250 mayors, state legislators, and governors from all 50 states in signing a Flood-Ready Infrastructure Statement of Principles (Lightbody and Tompkins, 2018). This is exactly the momentum needed to improve the flood program.

Updated flood maps are essential for applying appropriate flood insurance and regulation measures, which protect life and property, but having the budget to continually update the nation’s maps will always be a challenge. Since the maps can never be totally accurate, being proactive with sound mitigation strategies is the best path to create a more sustainable and flourishing program. Stricter building codes, preserving floodplains from development, educating program stakeholders, and enhancing public perception are all effective strategies to change society’s attitude and behaviors about flood risk.

Coastal Connection: Just Below the Surface

By Joe Rossi, Wicked Local - Marshfield, May 18, 2018

Joe Rossi, ANFI, CFM, and Principal of Flood Insurance Services of America, wrote an opinion piece which digs beneath some of the "sensational headlines" about the current state of the National Flood Insurance Program, insurance underwriting practices, claims, and planning objectives.

"As a nation we should not be apologists for a Federal program, that despite its pitfalls, is the largest and most successful floodplain management and mapping program in the world. It saves taxpayers $2 billion annually simply due to good land use managment."

Read more!