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Back in 2020, when many of us were working from home and were eagerly waiting Covid19 vaccine, we started the Floodplain Communicator newsletter. It is hard to believe that this edition marks the two-year anniversary. With your support and feedback, we are able to provide useful information to our local floodplain administrators, elected officials, engineers, surveyors, and many other professionals.
Through Floodplain Communicator, we have:
- Introduced a new model code coordinated flood damage prevention ordinance
- Issued emergency newsletter in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ida to assist with the disaster recovery
- Introduced a model flood damage prevention permit
- Introduced a substantial damage plan template
- Advised floodplain administrators of new FEMA guidance documents
- Provided guidance on post-Sandy insurance and substantial damage issues, and
- Encouraged the adoption of higher floodplain management standards in ordinances based upon geotechnical hazards.
We encourage you to visit the Floodplain Communicator Index and webpage to revisit topics from the past issues. When floodplain regulations or guidance change, we will continue to provide updates in the Floodplain Communicator.
Providing technical assistance to NFIP participating communities has always been a priority of our Office through FEMA’s Community Assistance Program. However, this responsibility takes on even more importance as we collectively confront the challenges of climate change.
Strategy 1.2 of New Jersey’s Climate Change Resilience Strategy further reinforces our mission as an action that supports New Jersey’s Climate Change Priority 1: Building Resilient and Healthy Communities. This strategy mentions the challenges experienced by municipalities in maintaining an understanding of the NFIP requirements which stem from the high turnover rate among local floodplain administrators.
Recognizing this challenge, we are proud to announce the release of the Draft Floodplain Administrator Guidebook and the new free online NFIP 101 training developed by FEMA and the Association for State Floodplain Managers.
This guidebook is developed with input from multiple partners at all levels of government (federal, state, and municipal) and floodplain management professionals.
We are also pleased to partner with the New Jersey Association of Floodplain Managers to bring in-person floodplain management training to New Jersey this July. This training also provides an opportunity for Certified Floodplain Manager testing. More details on registration and testing are included in this newsletter.
The Floodplain Communicator will continue to be our primary way of announcing training and technical assistance opportunities. Please pass our newsletter to other interested members of the community and help us spread the information. New subscribers can either visit our webpage to subscribe or click the link at the bottom of a forwarded Floodplain Communicator email.
Kunal P. Patel, Ph.D., P.E., CFM
New Jersey NFIP State Coordinator
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The DEP in cooperation with the FEMA Region II is proud to announce the release of a draft version of the New Jersey Floodplain Administrator’s Guidebook. This draft guidebook is intended to support local Floodplain Administrators in performing their floodplain management responsibilities in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program regulations. It also provides technical assistance on the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act and Uniform Construction Code regulations, both of which contain higher floodplain management standards which must be considered by local governments when making floodplain management decisions. The intent of the Guidebook is to provide Floodplain Administrators with a comprehensive understanding of how all of these regulations impact flood risk and their constituent’s flood insurance premiums as well as their community’s ability to recover after a flood event.
The Guidebook is envisioned as a living document and will be released in updated versions as regulations and FEMA guidance are updated. If you have questions or would like to comment on the document, please direct your comments to Kenya Lovill or Rebecca Jones. We request that all comments be submitted before July 31st, 2022.
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A view from the Hackensack River in 2014 looking towards the American Dream Mall.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the Association of State Floodplain Managers has launched a new online National Flood Insurance Program 101 course which is free of charge and self-paced. This course is composed of nine units covering the following topics:
- Course Introduction
- Introduction to Floodplain Management
- Risk Determination – Maps and Studies
- Floodplain Management Regulations Overview
- Substantial Improvement, Substantial Damage
- Oversight and Compliance
- Floodplain Management Pre- and Post-Event
- Flood Insurance
- Course Summary
NFIP 101 follows the outline of FEMA’s Floodplain Management Course 273 which is a 4 day in-person class. NFIP 101 is estimated to take 14–18 hours to complete and has no time limit for completion. At course completion and following the passing of an exam, ASFPM will award 12 continuing education credits. This is a new option for Certified Floodplain Managers who are interested in obtaining credits for renewing their certification.
To access the training and learn more about this unique course and partnership between FEMA and ASFPM, click here.
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The New Jersey Association of Floodplain Managers is also offering a two-day, in-person course to review the basics of the National Flood Insurance Program. This floodplain management training course will focus on the rules and regulations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s NFIP as the foundational knowledge needed for floodplain managers. The course will closely follow FEMA 480: NFIP Floodplain Management Requirements: A Study Guide and Desk Reference for Local Officials. The course will also include relevant newer guidance from FEMA not included in FEMA 480, as well as a general overview of higher standards required in the State of New Jersey by the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act.
The course will be held at the Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy at 402 Roycefield Rd. Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844 on the following days:
Monday, July 18th - 8:30 am-4pm (Day 1)
Thursday, July 21st - 8:30 am-4pm (Day 2)
Tuesday, July 26th 9am-12pm (CFM Exam only) **
Registration costs are $350 for NJAFM Members and $450 for Non-Members. Registration for the course can be accessed here.
Participants may optionally take the Certified Floodplain Manager course at course completion by making separate arrangements to register and pay the fee to sit for the exam.
Note: This Floodplain Training Course is not a Certified Floodplain Manager Exam prep course; exam takers should not expect to pass the exam without additional study of materials found on the Certified Floodplain Manager Exam Preparation page.
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