Resource

Engage with the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) on Wednesday, February 14, 2018 starting at 2:00 pm EST/1:00 CST/12:00 MST/11:00 PST for a webinar on the Community Rating System – A Collaborative Approach to Reduce Flood Insurance.

The National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System (CRS) has been instrumental in bringing floodplain managers and the research community together, offering measurable outcomes for grant funded projects. The CRS is a complex program accompanied by a manual that is nearly 700 pages. There are four categories, nineteen activities, and nearly 16,000 points mentioned. Every 500 points a community can verify and document earns their residents an additional 5% discount on flood insurance. The program is administered through the local  floodplain manager’s office.

Georgia Sea Grant has supported the Coastal Georgia CRS Users Group as communities have made tremendous progress, improving their ratings, passing on savings to their residents, and building the capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from recent hurricanes Matthew and Irma.

This webinar discusses:

• The collaborative approach coastal Georgia has used to improve its standing in the Community Ratings System since 2012.

• The ways University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant have supported these efforts through networking, staff and technical support, and the development of outreach materials.
• The positive impact that CRS has had on the health and safety of coastal residents.

Presenter:

Madeleine Russel has been the Local Government Outreach Coordinator and Natural Hazard Specialist for University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Her work has drawn floodplain managers along the coast into close collaboration with each other and the research community in an effort to improve coastal resilience before during and after natural hazard events. Madeleine has recently moved into a new position with FEMA as a long term recovery specialist in Puerto Rico, but will share her expertise on the CRS program with Extension.

Register TODAY here.

EDEN offers a Professional Development Webinar Series for Extension Professionals.  Preparation is a key component of disaster education and for an Extension Professional finding time to learn about new resources and programs, keep up-to-date on federal programs and building your toolbox for when a disaster impacts your community is challenging.