FEMA Issues Revised Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Washington County, New York
There will be three Open Houses on Flood Risk and Insurance on April 16, 17, and 18, 2024.
WASHINGTON CO, NY — County, state and federal officials are working to reduce the effects of severe weather and natural disasters. On December 15, 2023, FEMA released preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Washington County for public comments. The new maps give updated information about communities’ flood risk. They are used to identify areas that may require flood insurance coverage. The current effective paper maps for Washington County were developed between the 1970s and 2000s. Some areas show major flood hazard changes when the new preliminary maps are compared to the current effective maps.
FEMA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Washington County officials invite residents to learn if the new maps affect them and what they can do to protect themselves.
The Open Houses will not have a formal presentation. Residents can attend any Open House for any length of time. At these meetings, residents can talk one-on-one with FEMA representatives. They can learn more about their flood risk and to get information on potential changes to flood insurance rates and requirements. If you already have flood insurance, please bring a copy of your declaration page. Residents can also see preliminary versions of the Flood Insurance Study report and the FIRMs here. They can see the updated preliminary maps compared to the old paper maps using the Old Paper Effective vs. New Digital Preliminary Data viewer.
The past FIRMs for Washington County were paper maps that were made between the 1970s and 2000s. Because they will be available online, the new maps provide an additional level of transparency. They also help community members decide how to protect themselves from future flood events. The maps and FIS report are the basis for each community’s floodplain management regulations.
Due to these map changes, some properties in Washington County may no longer be in the high-risk flood zone. This zone is known as the Special Flood Hazard Area. If the building will be outside the high-risk flood zone on the new FIRM, flood insurance is no longer federally required. Flood insurance is still recommended, for both homeowners and renters.
Some properties may be included in a high-risk flood zone for the first time. This may mean that those property owners must buy flood insurance. Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. Community members should know their current flood risk and use the available tools and programs to make their property and community safer.
To request a reasonable accommodation (sign language, real-time captioning or other), please email [email protected] or [email protected], or call (833) 285-7448, FEMA’s Civil Rights Resource Line.
To learn more or to access the flood maps, visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov. Visit floodsmart.gov to learn about flood insurance. You may also contact a map specialist at the FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX) at (877) 336-2627 or [email protected].
For Open House questions, reach out to our outreach lead, Jenny Gutierrez, at [email protected].