No Adverse Impact Lunch & Learn Webinar 10/7/2015

Reposting here for those who may be interested in participating.  Boulder, Colorado had been greatly impacted by riverine erosion flooding in 2013 and they face somewhat similar flooding hazards to parts of Vermont.  As a result of the 2013 flooding, the Colorado Legislature passed a bill that creates a riverine erosion hazard mapping program to plan around flood-related erosion hazards.

-VT Floodplain Management  

___________________________________________

Dear Floodplain Officials & NAI Committee Members,

The Georgia Association of Floodplain Managers (GAFM), No Adverse Impact (NAI) Committee, in conjunction with the ASFPM NAI Committee, is pleased to announce our next Webinar:

Topic: The 90 Mile Road To Recovery - Boulder County’s Flood Recovery Journey

Host: Michael Baker International, Inc.

Presenter: Kevin Doyle, P.E., Michael Baker International

Date and Time: Wednesday October 7, 2015 12:00pm-1:00 pm, EDT

Event Password: event1

**ASFPM has approved this webinar for (1) Continuing Education Credit (CEC).  Note that if you are a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM), please indicate that on the registration page title block (i.e., Your Name, CFM)**

Agenda:

1. Introductions and Roll Call (5 min)
2. Webinar - Presentation (40 min)
3. Question and Answer (10 min)
4. Closing - Future Topics/Presenters (5 min)

**Note you must register in advance to participate and to receive CFM credit.**

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please click on the link below and follow the instructions to register for the webinar:

1. Go to https://mbakercorp.webex.com/mbakercorp/onstage/g.php?d=660746305&t=a
2. Click "Register"
3. On the registration form, please enter your information in the title block and then click "Submit"

Once registered you will receive a confirmation email with the call-in number and web link to participate in the webinar. Registered participants will also receive a copy of the presentation via email the day of the event.

Thank you and we look forward to your participation. 

Sean Roche, PE, CFM

GAFM NAI Committee Chairman

ASFPM NAI Committee Education & Outreach Liaison

FEMA 4-day Course: Introductory Floodplain Management Class to be Offered in Portsmouth, NH 9/28-10/1/2015

ASFPM is co-sponsoring the FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI) 273 course in Portsmouth, NH with FEMA Region I and the New Hampshire Office of Energy & Planning in September. This course is designed to provide an organized training opportunity for local officials responsible for administering their local floodplain management ordinance. The course will focus on the NFIP and concepts of floodplain management, maps and studies, ordinance administration, and the relationship between floodplain management and flood insurance.

A separate (optional) CFM exam will be held on Friday, October 2nd. Course attendance is NOT required to sit for the CFM exam. Please see details below for more information.

COST: Course attendance is FREE, but registration is required. Attendees are responsible for their own travel, lodging, and meal expenses.   

COURSE REGISTRATION:  

Registration deadline: September 1, 2015. To register for the course, please follow instructions in the course flyer.

QUESTIONS?
Please contact Jennifer Gilbert at 603-271-1762 or jennifer.gilbert@nh.gov

CFM Exam* (optional)
October 2, 2015, 9:00AM - 12:00PM

Portsmouth, NH

Separate registration and fee required to sit for the CFM Exam. Exam applications and fee must be submitted to ASFPM not later than September 23, 2015 in order to sit for the exam on October 2, 2015.
*CFM exam is optional, and a separate registration and fee are required to sit for the CFM exam.  Note: The 273 course is not a CFM Exam prep course; takers should not expect to pass the exam without additional study of materials found at the CFM Exam Preparation Guide.

FEMA's Introductory Floodplain Management Class to be Offered in Old Lyme, CT March 9-13

ASFPM is co-sponsoring the FEMA Emergency Management Institute(EMI) 273 course in Old Lyme, CT with FEMA Region I, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT-DEEP), and the Connecticut Association of Flood Managers (CAFM) in March. This course is designed to provide an organized training opportunity for local officials responsible for administering their local floodplain management ordinance. The course will focus on the NFIP and concepts of floodplain management, maps and studies, ordinance administration, and the relationship between floodplain management and flood insurance.

A separate (optional) CFM exam will be held on Friday, March 13th. Course attendance is NOT required to sit for the CFM exam. Please see details below for more information.

LUNCH / REFRESHMENTS 

Lunch and break food/refreshments are available during the Monday - Thursday course for a small (optional) fee:

$25 / person AM & PM breaks, OR  

$80 / person for breaks & lunches 

COURSE REGISTRATION:  

Registration deadline: February 13, 2015. To register for the course, please follow instructions in the course flyer. 

Please contact Diane Ifkovic with questions about the course at diane.ifkovic@ct.gov or call 860-424-3537. 

273 Course
March 9-12, 2015

8:00AM - 5:00PM

Old Lyme, CT

12 CECs for CFMs

Cost: Course attendance is free, registration is required.

--------------------------------

CFM Exam (optional)
Friday, Mar. 13, 2015
9:00AM -12:00PM
Old Lyme, CT

Course attendance is NOT required to sit for the exam.

COST

Separate registration and fee required to sit for the CFM Exam. Exam applications and fee must be submitted to ASFPM not later than March 4, 2015 in order to sit for the exam on March 13th.

*CFM Exam is optional, separate registration and fee are required to sit for the CFM exam. NOTE: The 273 course is not a CFM Exam prep course; takers should not expect to pass the exam without additional study of materials found on the CFM Exam Preparation Guide.

CFM Exam scheduled for 2/11 in Montpelier, VT

We wanted to announce that a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) exam has been scheduled and confirmed for Wednesday, February 11th from 1pm-4pm located in Montpelier.    

What is the CFM program all about you may ask?  Here is a small excerpt from the ASFPM website about the Program:

The Association of State Floodplain Managers has established a national program for professional certification of floodplain managers. The program recognizes continuing education and professional development that enhance the knowledge and performance of local, state, federal, and private-sector floodplain managers.

The primary goal of the ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager Program (CFM Program) is to help reduce the nation's flood losses and protect and enhance the natural resources and functions of its floodplains by improving the knowledge and abilities of floodplain managers in the United States.  A second goal of the CFM Program is to increase the prominence of floodplain management in decision-making by local officials and the public.

Additional information regarding ASFPM and the CFM program can be found at ASFPM’s website or the CFM Program page: www.floods.org,  CFM page

General Exam Information:

The exam will be held at the central Agency of Natural Resource office located at 1 National Life Drive in Montpelier.  If you are interested, you are now able to register for this exam with the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) office.  All registration forms and ASFPM membership applications should be sent to the ASFPM office in Madison, WI. 

If you become a member of ASFPM for $130, the exam registration fee will only be $100 for a total fee of $230.  If you are not a member of ASFPM, then the cost to register for the exam is $450.  
If you are planning to become an ASFPM member and register for the exam at the same time, you should send the ASFPM membership form, the exam registration form and payment for both together for the ease of processing.

Please note that all exam registrations must be received by ASFPM no later than 2 weeks before the exam date.  This means that all registration forms need to be received by the ASFPM office no later than Wednesday, January 28th.  Otherwise, if your registration has not been received by that date, you will not be able to sit for the exam.  The CFM exam registration form and the ASFPM membership form can be found here.

Review Session:

We will also be offering an all-day review session before the exam on Tuesday, February 10th.   The review session will be held in the ANR offices at the National Life Building located in Montpelier. Please contact Rebecca Pfeiffer in advance if you intend to be at the review session so that we can be sure that there will be enough room and so we can determined which date works best for those interested in the review.

If you are interested in taking the exam but would not be ready to do so for this date, please contact Rebecca  so that your name will remain on our list of people to contact when we are planning another CFM exam in 2015. 

Other CFM exams may be offered in neighboring states.  More information about the exam can be found at the ASFPM website.

Please pass along the word to whomever else you think may be interested in sitting for the exam!

ASFPM 2015 - Call for Presenters!

Hello all,

It is October, so that means that presentation and abstract deadlines are on the horizon for the Association of State Floodplain Manager's (ASFPM's) 2015 Annual National Conference in Atlanta, GA!

May 31 - June 5, 2015 

Hyatt Regency Atlanta 

Atlanta, Georgia

www.asfpmconference.org  

Every year, the ASFPM Call for Presenters deadline is on October 31st, so it is time to pull together ideas for both Concurrent Session presentations and Workshop submissions for this end of the month deadline.  The 2015 National Conference theme is Mitigation on My Mind.  The Call for Presenters is seeking a broad range of professionals to address the many issues and problems associated with managing flood risk, making communities more sustainable, and protecting floodplain and natural resources.

Abstract are due by October 31.  Go to the conference website and follow directions for the on-line submission.

In the past, there have been more than double the number of abstracts submitted to number of presentation openings available for concurrent session speakers. To increase your odds of being selected as a speaker for the concurrent sessions, you can review the 2015 Speaker Tips Brochure.

Questions?  Contact ASFPM Conference Planner Chad Ross at chad@floods.org.

August NFIP Trainings

Hello all,

I’d like to present the upcoming free, online trainings available through STARR. These trainings cover a variety of topics, from the NFIP basics through specifics of elevation certificates, and are presented by STARR staff, FEMA, and State organizations. Many of the courses are eligible for CEC credits for Certified Floodplain Managers.

Please feel free to register for any courses you are interested in attending, and invite or pass information on these courses on to potentially interested communities or organizations in your states. Also, if you are interested in using this online platform for any trainings that your state would like to present, STARR can support you in that effort. Please let me know if you’d like additional information on hosting online trainings.

To register for a course or to check on upcoming courses, navigate to https://atkinsglobalna.webex.com/cmp0401l/webcomponents/calendar/calendar.do?siteurl=atkinsglobalna&serviceType=TC&prepared=true

and click the “Upcoming” tab. Below are the courses offered in August:

August 27, 1:00 pm Eastern – Floodplain Development Permit Review

This 90-minute session will highlight eight basic steps to reviewing development inside the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). This is beginner training, recommended for those new to the role of floodplain administrator. 1 CEC for ASFPM Certified Floodplain Managers.

August 28, 1:00 pm Eastern – Inspecting Floodplain Development

This beginner two-hour session will highlight special considerations for plan reviewers and building inspectors when evaluating and inspecting development inside the Special Flood Hazard Area, including basic concepts and terminology, minimum construction standards (from the IBC/IRC), and conducting inspections. 2 CECs for ASFPM Certified Floodplain Managers.

In addition, here is a summary of courses currently scheduled in September. Additional courses may be added, so check https://atkinsglobalna.webex.com/cmp0401l/webcomponents/calendar/calendar.do?siteurl=atkinsglobalna&serviceType=TC&prepared=true for the current list:

Sep 4, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- NFIP Basics Sep 16, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- CRS Webinar Series: Preparing an Annual Recertification Sep 17, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- CRS Webinar Series: Drainage System Maintenance Sep 18, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- Elevation Certificates

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Alex

Alex Sirotek, GISP, CFM
STARR
FEMA Region 1 Service Center
99 High Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-574-4402

CRS Webinar Trainings Available

The CRS offers webinars and workshops to help communities with their CRS requirements. If you are interested in having a webinar on the 2013 Coordinator’s Manual, the FEMA Elevation Certificate, or any other activity, contact your ISO/CRS Specialist. The following one-hour topical webinars are on the calendar, and others can be scheduled as needed. Many of these will be recorded, so they can be accessed later.

Registration is free, but required, as space is limited. Some courses provide continuing education credits for Certified Floodplain Managers (CFMs). For more details and to register, go to www.CRSresources.org/training.

            All webinars begin at 1:00 pm EST

--Introduction to the CRS— May 20, 2014; July 15, 2014; October 21, 2014; December 16, 2014

--Activity 430 (Higher Regulatory Standards)—  May 21, 2014

--Preparing for a Verification Visit with the 2013 Coordinator’s Manual—June 17, 2014; November 18, 2014

--Natural Floodplain Functions— June 18, 2014; August 20, 2014

--Activity 540 (Drainage System Maintenance) — July 16, 2014; September 17, 2014

--Preparing for the Annual CRS Recertification— August 19, 2014; September 16, 2014

--Developing Outreach Projects under Activity 330— October 22, 2014

--Activity 610 (Flood Warning and Response) — November 19, 2014

--Developing a Program for Public Information under Activity 330 or a Coverage Improvement Plan under Activity 370, and Using FloodSmart Tools— December 17, 2014

Some of the other webinars anticipated in 2014 and 2015 are

--CRS Credit for Mapping and Regulations: The 400 Series

--CRS Credit for Flood Damage Reduction: The 500 Series

--The CRS and Climate Change.

For more on the CRS webinar series, to register, and to obtain agendas and required materials, go to www.CRSresources.org/training. If you have questions about the CRS Webinar Series or suggestions for future topics, please contact Becca.Croft@atkinsglobal.com.

Update on the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA)

Last week we had provided news about the US Congress passing the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA) at the end of March.  Since then, FEMA has published an overview of the the bill found on their website and in the FEMA Resource Library.  This overview document can also be found on our Flood Hazard Management webpage.

We have also started to get some information on how HFIAA will impact people in Vermont specifically, as well as the impacts to flood insurance nationally.  Here is a short summary:

• It will take some time to start to implement provisions of the new law:
• In the short term, there may still be individuals that get hit with full actuarial rates due to a new policy on a preFIRM residence (home built before the first Flood Insurance Rate Maps were created).  This new policy could be due to a lapsed flood insurance policy or a new policy being written due to a transfer of the property and/or a requirement by a lender for flood insurance;
• There will also be a lag for people who will be expecting refunds due to the change in their flood insurance premium as a result of the HFIAA.
• If you are a property owner living in Bennington County or in the Town/Village of Richmond here in Vermont:  FEMA will be releasing new preliminary or effective DFIRMs in the coming year.  Richmond's new DFIRMs are scheduled to become effective on 8/2/2014.  Bennington County's new DFIRMs are anticipated to become effective about one year from now (March 2015).  If the new preliminary DFIRMs show your house to be located in the mapped flood hazard area where you had not been shown to be located in the flood hazard area on previous FIRMs, you may be eligible for a grandfathered flood insurance rating.  Anyone who may be eligible for receiving grandfathered flood insurance rates is encouraged to get flood insurance BEFORE the new DFIRMs become effective for your community.  For more information regarding FEMA's grandfathering policy, please see an earlier post that was written for the Washington County map update process.  Please note that the estimated flood insurance premiums discussed may be different due to the effects of either Biggert Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (BW12) or HFIAA.  

UPDATE **For Properties newly mapped into the FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area: your first year would be rated as a Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) rate - i.e. as if you are not located in the flood hazard area.  Policy ratings in subsequent years would be based on the same phase-in method used to eliminate pre-FIRM suubsidies.

• Flood Insurance premiums are going up for everyone.  While the HFIAA is allowing a phase-in of higher rates for primary homeowners, the law is still enabling a push for all policies to eventually reach full actuarial rates.  Property owners should seriously consider mitigating their home or structure(s) to reduce their flood risk and reduce the cost of flood insurance.  Additional information about mitigating your home or structure can be found on the VT Flood Resilience Sharepoint site found under either "Step 5: Insure" or "Step 3: Reduce".  

If you are a local official or someone else that may be helping individuals affected by the changes from the HFIAA, the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) will be offering two upcoming webinars in May and June focused on the changes to Biggert Waters 2012 from HFIAA (see dates below).  From the ASFPM announcement, the first webinar in early April filled up and these two follow up webinars are also expected fill up quickly.  

Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA) of 2014 (AKA Grimm-Waters 2014) meets Biggert-Waters 2012: Impacts and Implications

Learn how the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act modifies and expands on BW-12 implications

1 core CEC for CFMs

$30 for ASFPM Individual Members*

$45 ASFPM Chapters/Agencies/Corporate Partners*

$60 Non-members

*Members must enter the event promo code at registration to receive the preferred rate.  ASFPM members should register through the ASFPM Membership Login page.  

More information about the webinars can found by clicking on the webinar flyer links below:

Friday, May 2nd, 2014; 2:00pm-3:00pm (EDT)

Thursday, June 26th, 2014; 2:00pm-3:00pm (EDT)

Even More Free Webinar Trainings

This announcement from Alex Sirotek of STARR, a FEMA service contractor.  Alex's email contains more information about upcoming webinars offered through STARR.  If you have any questions about the webinars, please contact Alex (information at the end of the post).

Hello all,

I’d like to present the upcoming free, online trainings available through STARR. These trainings cover a variety of topics, from the NFIP basics through specifics of elevation certificates, and are presented by STARR staff, FEMA, and State organizations. Many of the courses are eligible for CEC credits for Certified Floodplain Managers.

Please feel free to register for any courses you are interested in attending, and invite or pass information on these courses on to potentially interested communities or organizations in your states. Also, if you are interested in using this online platform for any trainings that your state would like to present, STARR can support you in that effort. Please let me know if you’d like additional information on hosting online trainings.

To register for a course or to check on upcoming courses, navigate to https://atkinsglobalna.webex.com/cmp0401l/webcomponents/calendar/calendar.do?siteurl=atkinsglobalna&serviceType=TC&prepared=true

and click the “Upcoming” tab. Below are the courses offered in March:  

March 12, 12:00 pm Eastern – NFIP Basics

This one-hour session will cover the history of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), basic terminology, governing authority and provide an overview of the community's role in floodplain management through the NFIP.  The target audience are state and local officials who need a general understanding of the ins and outs of the program and guidance on where to go for more training and answers.  Continuing Education and Professional Development Credits are available.

March 13, 1:00 pm Eastern – Elevation Certificates for A Zones

Training on the proper way to complete FEMA Form 81-31 and best practices for using the Elevation Certification in the floodplain development review process. Special consideration to using the form in A Zone without a BFE.  2 CECs for ASFPM Certified Floodplain Managers (CFMs) that register and attend individually and pass the learning objectives quiz at the end of the session.  

March 18, 1:00 pm Eastern – CRS Webinar Series: Introduction to CRS

This one-hour session will introduce FEMA's Community Rating System, how it operates, the costs and benefits for communities, where to get help, and how to apply.  The target audience is local officials, floodplain managers, and members of the public interest in flood protection.  The Community Rating System (CRS) provides reduced premiums for flood insurance policy holders in communities that implement programs and activities that exceed the minimum criteria for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.  If your community conducts floodplain mapping, regulatory, loss reduction, emergency management, and/or public information activities, you could benefit from this program.  1 CEC for CFMs.

March 19, 1:00 pm Eastern – CRS Webinar Series: Higher Regulatory Standards (Activity 430)

This one-hour session will review CRS Activity 430 (Higher Regulatory Standards).  1 CEC for CFMs.

In addition, here is a summary of courses currently scheduled in April.  Additional courses may be added, so check  https://atkinsglobalna.webex.com/cmp0401l/webcomponents/calendar/calendar.do?siteurl=atkinsglobalna&serviceType=TC&prepared=true for the current list:

Apr 9, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013 Apr 15, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- CRS Webinar Series: Preparing for a Verification Visit Apr 16, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- CRS Webinar Series: Developing Outreach Projects Apr 17, 2014, 1:00 PM Eastern- Elevation Certificates

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Alex

Alex Sirotek, GISP, CFM
STARR
FEMA Region 1 Regional Service Center
99 High Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-574-4402

Spring CFM Exam scheduled for 4/23 in Montpelier

We wanted to announce that a spring Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) exam has been scheduled and confirmed for Wednesday, April 23rd from 9am-12pm located in Montpelier.    

What is the CFM program all about you may ask?  Here is a small excerpt from the ASFPM website about the Program:

The Association of State Floodplain Managers has established a national program for professional certification of floodplain managers. The program recognizes continuing education and professional development that enhance the knowledge and performance of local, state, federal, and private-sector floodplain managers.

The primary goal of the ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager Program (CFM Program) is to help reduce the nation's flood losses and protect and enhance the natural resources and functions of its floodplains by improving the knowledge and abilities of floodplain managers in the United States.  A second goal of the CFM Program is to increase the prominence of floodplain management in decision-making by local officials and the public.

Additional information regarding ASFPM and the CFM program can be found at ASFPM’s website or the CFM Program page: www.floods.org,  CFM page

General Exam Information:

The exam will be held at the central Agency of Natural Resource office located at 1 National Life Drive in Montpelier.  If you are interested, you are now able to register for this exam with the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) office.  All registration forms and ASFPM membership applications should be sent to the ASFPM office in Madison, WI. 

If you are not a member of ASFPM, then the cost to register for the exam is $395.  However, if you join ASFPM as a member for $120, the exam registration fee will only be $100 for a total fee of $220.  If you are planning to become an ASFPM member and register for the exam at the same time, you should send the ASFPM membership form, the exam registration form and payment for both together for the ease of processing.

Please note that all exam registrations must be received by ASFPM no later than 2 weeks before the exam date.  This means that all registration forms need to be received by the ASFPM office no later than Wednesday, April 9th.  Otherwise, if your registration has not been received by 4/9/14, you will not be able to sit for the exam.  The CFM exam registration form and the ASFPM membership form can be found here.

Review Session:

We will also be offering an all-day review session before the exam with the date still to be determined.   The review session will be held in the ANR offices at the National Life Building located in Montpelier. Please contact Rebecca Pfeiffer in advance if you intend to be at the review session so that we can be sure that there will be enough room and so we can determined which date works best for those interested in the review.

If you are interested in taking the exam but would not be ready to do so for the 4/23 date, please contact Rebecca  so that your name will remain on our list of people to contact when we are planning another CFM exam in 2014. 

Please also note that there will be a CFM exam held (somewhat) nearby in Poughkeepsie, NY on March 26.  More information about the exam can be found at the ASFPM website.

Please pass along the word to whomever else you think may be interested in sitting for the exam!

(Virtually) Free Trainings at FEMA's Emergency Management Institute (EMI)

I wanted to let everyone know about upcoming trainings at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) located in Emmitsburg, MD.  If you are a local government employee, the courses at EMI are offered at virtually no charge.  The attendee would be given a travel stipend to cover the cost of travel, there is no charge for the class or your room for the week, and EMI provides a shuttle that would pick you up at either the Baltimore or Washington DC airport.  The only cost to the attendee would be a weekly meal ticket that is ~ $100. These courses would be extremely helpful for any local official that works on floodplain management issues.  There are several relevant floodplain management courses that are offered there throughout the year and would be helpful. CFM credit is often available for any of the floodplain management courses offered at EMI.

Also, if you are a community that is currently participating in the CRS program, you can receive CRS credit if staff members completed certain training sessions, which includes almost all of the classes listed below (E194, E273, E278, E282, E284 or E386). 

You can download an application at the EMI website or find out more information about EMI by reading through their Welcome Packet.  Also, feel free to contact Rebecca (rebecca.pfeiffer@state.vt.us) with any questions.

CRS course (E278)

April 7-10
June 23-26
August 11-14

Managing Development through the NFIP (E273)
March 17-20
May 5-8
June 16-19
September 15-18

Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts (E194)

August 25-28

Advanced FPM Concepts II (E282)

April 14-17

Advanced Concepts III (E284)
July 21-24

Residential Coastal Construction (E386)
August 18-21

Retrofitting Floodprone Buildings (E279)

April 14-17

Benefit Cost Analysis: Entry Level (E276)

April 22-24

August 25-27

Upcoming ASFPM Webinar November 14th on Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act

A third webinar was added by the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) about the Biggert-Waters 2012 (BW12) National Flood Insurance Program Reform Act.  A third webinar was added due to the previous two being sold out.  The webinar will help to clarify the changes that are occurring to flood insurance rate changes, the elimination of flood insurance subsidies and questions about how the changes might affect communities. 

The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, November 14 from 3-4pm EST. 

There will be 1 Continuing Education Credit for CFMs that participate in the webinar.

Cost:
$30 ASFPM Individual Members (you should have received an email with an event promo code that will give you this preferred rate)
$45 ASFPM Chapters/Agencies/Corporate Partners
$60 Non-Members

A link to more information about this webinar, and a link to the registration website.

Upcoming Online Trainings for November

From our FEMA Region 1 Service Center contact, Alex Sirotek:

I’d like to present the upcoming free, online trainings available through STARR. These trainings cover a variety of topics, from the NFIP basics through specifics of elevation certificates, and are presented by STARR staff, FEMA, and State organizations. Many of the courses are eligible for CEC credits for Certified Floodplain Managers.

Please feel free to register for any courses you are interested in attending, and invite or pass information on these courses on to potentially interested communities or organizations in your states. Also, if you are interested in using this online platform for any trainings that your state would like to present, STARR can support you in that effort. Please let me know if you’d like additional information on hosting online trainings.

To register for a course or to check on upcoming courses, navigate to https://atkinsglobalna.webex.com/mw0401l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=atkinsglobalna&service=7 and click the “Upcoming” tab. Below are the courses offered in November:

November 6, 1:00 pm Eastern – Floodplain Development Permit Review

This 90-minute session will highlight eight basic steps to reviewing development inside the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). This is beginner training, recommended for those new to the role of floodplain administrator. 1 CEC for ASFPM Certified Floodplain Managers.

November 7, 1:00 pm Eastern – Inspecting Floodplain Development

This beginner two-hour session will highlight special considerations for plan reviewers and building inspectors when evaluating and inspecting development inside the Special Flood Hazard Area, including basic concepts and terminology, minimum construction standards (from the IBC/IRC), and conducting inspections. 2 CECs for ASFPM Certified Floodplain Managers.

November 20, 1:00 pm Eastern – Determining Base Flood Elevation

Training on methods for determining base flood elevation in AE and A Zones using the FIRM/FIS and other resources, including tips for developing BFEs for A Zones. 1 CEC for CFMs.

November 20, 3:00 pm Eastern – Substantial Damage Estimation

After a large-scale hazard event, structures must be evaluated for substantial damage. When a structure is deemed substantially damaged, specific flood hazard reduction regulations become effective. This one-hour session will walk the attendee through the basics of Substantial Damage Estimation, including downloading and installing the program and gathering and inputting data to assist with the substantial damage estimation process for larger scale events. 1 CEC for CFMs.

November 21, 12:00 pm Eastern – Elevation Certificates

Training on the proper way to complete FEMA Form 81-31 and best practices for using the Elevation Certificate in the floodplain development review process. 2 CECs for ASFPM Certified Floodplain Managers (CFMs) that register and attend individually and pass the learning objectives quiz at the end of the session.

In addition, here is a summary of courses currently scheduled in December. Additional courses may be added, so check https://atkinsglobalna.webex.com/mw0401l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=atkinsglobalna&service=7 for the current list:

Dec 4, 2013, 12:00 PM Eastern- Floodplain Development Permit Review Dec 5, 2013, 1:00 PM Eastern - Inspecting Floodplain Development

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Alex

Alex Sirotek, CFM
STARR
FEMA Region 1 Regional Service Center
99 High Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-574-4402