T h e T o r r e n t

A newsletter of the

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

exploring floodplain management issues

Volume 30, No. 3

Spring 2024

In This Issue
  • Sustainable CT and CRS
  • New CT Coastal Erosion Mapper
  • Severe Repetitive Flooding
  • CT Flood Mapping Update
  • LIS Resilience Resource Hub
  • NOAA Coastal County Snapshots
  • Hurricane Ian MAT Report
  • Training Opportunities

Sustainable CT & Community Rating System

Sustainable CT is a voluntary certification program, providing a menu of sustainability actions that build local economies, support equity, and respect the finite capacity of the environment. The program recognizes and certifies municipalities for their actions and achievements.


In 2024, the Sustainable CT program added a new Action under the category of Action Benefit 5. Dynamic and Resilient Planning:


Action 5.9 Participate in the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System (CRS).


New Action 5.9 provides 20 points under the Sustainable CT program for communities that participate in the NFIP Community Rating System (CRS) program with a Class Rating ranging from 9 to 1. CRS communities can apply for these additional 20 points during the Sustainable CT spring cycle certification (deadline April 10, 2024, 12:00pm).


Connecticut currently has 14 communities that participate in CRS. The CRS program provides discounts on flood insurance to policyholders in participating communities (Class 9 = 5% discount, Class 8 = 10% discount, Class 7 = 15% discount). Below are the Connecticut CRS communities, their CRS Rating Class, and their Sustainable CT Certification Level.


  • East Lyme - CRS Class 8, Sustainable CT Certification: Bronze
  • Fairfield - CRS Class 8, Sustainable CT Certification: Silver
  • Guilford - CRS Class 8, Sustainable CT Certification: Silver
  • Milford - CRS Class 9, Sustainable CT Certification: Silver
  • New Haven - CRS Class 7, Sustainable CT Certification: Gold
  • Newtown - CRS Class 9
  • Norwich - CRS Class 8
  • Stamford - CRS Class 7
  • Stonington, Borough - CRS Class 8, Sustainable CT Certification: Bronze
  • Stonington, Town - CRS Class7, Sustainable CT Certification: Bronze
  • Stratford - CRS Class 8
  • Trumbull - CRS Class 8, Sustainable CT Certification: Bronze
  • West Hartford - CRS Class 8, Sustainable CT Certification Silver
  • Westport - CRS Class 8, Sustainable CT Certification: Silver

New FEMA Coastal Erosion Mapper

In 2016, FEMA received a recommendation from its Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC) to display flood risks in coastal areas that include future effects of long-term erosion and sea level rise.


Because coastal erosion is a hazard that threatens life, property, and resources in New England, the FEMA Region I office implemented a coastal erosion hazard study for the region that covered the coastlines of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts (including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket), Rhode Island, and Connecticut.


To help identify the risks to New England communities, the FEMA Region I Coastal Erosion Hazard Map Viewer was created to display current and projected erosion hazards for 2030, 2050, and 2100, incorporating projected sea level rise. This data is a non-regulatory product to be used by the community for planning and hazard mitigation purposes. It may also be of interest to shoreline private property owners.


FEMA held webinars for Connecticut municipal officials and the general public from January to March 2024 to explain the erosion study and viewer. There are three addtional upcoming virtual town hall outreach meetings for the general public from 6:30-8:00pm at the dates listed below. Please register for these webinars at the links provided below. Although webinars are provided for each county, the webinars cover the same content.


  • March 21, 2024 - New London County Town Hall Meeting, register here.
  • March 26, 2024 - New Haven County Town Hall Meeting, register here.
  • March 28, 2024 - Fairfield County Town Hall Meeting, register here.


NRDC Report - Severe Repetive Flooding in U.S.

On January 9, 2024, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released two new reports - Repeatedly Flooded Homes Demonstrate Policy Failures and Losing Ground: Severe Repetitive Flooding in the United States. The federal government’s efforts to reduce repeated flooding are not keeping pace with current risk, compounded by the increasing risk posed by sea level rise, increased severe weather, and other climate change impacts.


The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) defines a severe repetitive loss property (SRLP) as: Four or more separate claim payments for the building and its contents of more than $5,000 each, OR two or more separate claims payments for the building only where the total of those payments is more than the value of the structure.


Less than 1% of homes in the NFIP book of business are classified as a SRLP but these properties account for more than 10% of flood insurance claims, or about $10 billion in total. Claims in Texas and Louisiana account for almost half of the total payouts. About 20% of SRLPs are located outside mapped FEMA flood zones.


Along with the reports, NRDC also released an updated Losing Ground: Flood Visualization Tool, a data dashboard illustrating the number of Severe Repetitive Loss Properties in each state and county, along with NFIP flood insurance claims. Use the drop-down menus at the top of the map to filter by location, and check the graphs to view trends in repeatedly flooded properties.


Other resources on this topic include:




CT Flood Mapping Update

Below is a status of current flood mapping projects within the State of Connecticut.


  • Saugatuck River watershed - The 90-day appeal period began on February 16, 2024 and will end on May 16, 2024 for the preliminary flood maps and studies released in July 2023. Communities included in this project: Bethel, Bridgeport, Danbury, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Monroe, New Canaan, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Shelton, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, Wilton


  • Farmington River watershed - Hartford County - The 90-day appeal period began on February 28, 2024 and will end on May 28, 2024 for the premliminary flood maps and studies released in June 2023. Communities included in this project: Avon, Bloomfield, Bristol, Burlington, Canton, East Granby, East Windsor, Farmington, Granby, Hartland, New Britain, Plainville, Simsbury, Southington, South Windsor, Suffield, West Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks.


Preliminary flood maps and studies for the two watershed studies listed above may be viewed on the FEMA Map Service Center website, the FEMA Flood Hazard and Risk Data Viewer and the FEMA Flood Map Changes Viewer.



  • Farmington River watershed - Litchfield County - Preliminary flood maps and flood insurance studies are scheduled to be released to communities in June 2024. Communities included in this project: Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Harwinton, New Hartford, Norfolk, Plymouth, Torrington, and Winchester.

 

  • Shetucket River and Thames River watersheds - Preliminary flood maps and flood insurance studies are scheduled to be released to communities in June 2024. Communities included in these projects: Andover, Ashford, Bolton, Bozrah, Canterbury, Chaplin, Colchester, Columbia, Coventry, East Lyme, Eastford, Franklin, Groton (Town), Hampton, Hebron, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Mansfield, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Old Lyme, Preston, Salem, Scotland, Sprague, Stafford, Stonington (Town), Tolland, Union, Waterford, Willington, Windham, Woodstock


  • Lower (Outlet) Connecticut River watershed - Work maps are scheduled to be released to communities in May 2024. Communities included in this project: Berlin, Bloomfield, Bolton, Chester, Colchester, Columbia, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Granby, East Haddam, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Lyme, Ellington, Enfield, Essex, Glastonbury, Haddam, Hartford, Hebron, Lebanon, Lyme, Manchester, Marlborough, Middlefield, Middletown, New Britain, Newington, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland, Rocky Hill, Salem, Somers, South Windsor, Stafford, Suffield, Tolland, Vernon, West Hartford, Westbrook, Wethersfield, Windsor, Windsor Locks


  • Housatonic River watershed - Work maps are scheduled to be released to communities in July 2024. Communities included in this project: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Bristol, Brookfield, Canaan, Cheshire, Cornwall, Danbury, Derby, Easton, Goshen, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe, Morris, Naugatuck, New Fairfield, New Hartford, New Milford, Newtown, Norfolk, North Canaan, Orange, Oxford, Plymouth, Prospect, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Salisbury, Seymour, Sharon, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stratford, Thomaston, Torrington, Trumbull, Warren, Washington, Waterbury, Watertown, Winchester, Wolcott, Woodbridge, Woodbury.


  • Naugatuck River Levee Analysis and Mapping Procedure (LAMP) - For Ansonia and Derby, the initial meeting for stakeholders was held on March 22, 2023. A second meeting was held on September 28, 2023 and a third meeting was held on February 6, 2024. For Torrington, the intial meeting for stakeholders will be held on March 19, 2024. This LAMP study will be incorporated into the Housatonic River watershed study. Communities included: Ansonia, Derby, Torrington.


  • Coastal Erosion Study - Project completed. See article above on new Coastal Erosion Mapping Viewer including Connecticut coastal counties.


  • Coastal Re-Mapping - FEMA plans to initiate a coastal restudy in autumn 2025.


The FEMA Region 1 office in Boston has created a Flood Map Updates Guide that illustrates the map update process under the FEMA RiskMap program. This is a great resource for community officials, real estate and design professionals, and residents on what to expect in the overall flood mapping update process. The Flood Hazard Mapping Updates Overview Fact Sheet may also be helpful in explaining the flood map update process.

LIS Resilience Resources Hub

The Long Island Sound Study’s Sustainable and Resilient Communities team has launched the Long Island Sound (LIS) Resilience Resource Hub, a user-friendly website full of curated tools, information, guidance, and inspiration to support the sustainability and resilience of Long Island Sound coastal communities. Developed in response to stakeholder needs, the site serves as a one-stop-shop for resources related to climate resilience planning and project implementation, including:


  • Curated Resources organized by location, topic, and project planning phase 
  • Funding Database with the latest funding opportunities to support projects and initiatives
  • Interactive Case Studies Map to learn about your neighbors’ recent resilience initiatives
  • Resilience Planning Guide with eight key criteria to guide sustainable and resilient project development
  • Trainings Archive with recordings and materials from past events  
  • Upcoming Trainings and Events focused on building community resilience

 

The LIS Resilience Resource Hub is a product of the Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Work Group of the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), a collaborative bi-state partnership established by the EPA, New York, and Connecticut, which brings together federal and state agencies, user groups, concerned organizations, and individuals dedicated to restoring and protecting Long Island Sound.

NOAA Coastal County Snapshots

Coastal County Snapshots is a Digital Coast tool from NOAA's Office for Coastal Management that turns complex data into easy-to-understand charts, graphics, and information. Users simply select a county and the website does the rest — displaying an automated, easy-to-understand county-level analysis for a topic selected by the user. Topics include: flooding, sea level rise, marine economy, and total coastal economy.


Coastal County Snapshots data are delivered in two ways: as printable handouts (infographics, reports, maps) and in digital form. The printable handouts are a favorite of local officials who want to help educate their citizens and elected officials about local vulnerabilities.


Snapshots are currently available for most coastal counties in the contiguous United States, the Great Lakes, Alaska and Hawaii. In Connecticut, Snapshots are available for all four coastal counties (Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London) covering the topics of flooding, sea level rise, marine economy and total coastal economy, for Litchfield County covering the topic of flooding and for Hartford County covering the topics of flooding and sea level rise. For a look at flood risk to critical facilities on the Connecticut shoreline, explore the NOAA Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper (CFEM).

Hurricane Ian MAT Report

In December 2023, FEMA issued the Hurricane Ian in Florida Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) Report. Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida on September 28, 2022 as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. Hurricane Ian produced catastrophic storm surge, powerful winds and inland flooding that caused extensive damage throughout central and northern Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, with significant harm to the region's infrastructure and communities and 150 lives lost. Economic damage exceeded $112 billion, making it the costliest hurricane to hit Florida and the third costliest in U.S. history.


The MAT Report provides a summary of the observed damages and recommendations for design professionals, building officials, planners, floodplain administrators, emergency managers, academia, industry associations and other interested stakeholders. Additionally, three recovery advisories and a NFIP claims analysis are also available for Hurricane Ian.





Training Opportunities

CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS


March 21, 2024: Sustainable and Resilient Communities - Regional Funding Workshop, 9:30am-2:30pm, lunch provided, Housatonic Community College, Bridgeport, CT.


March 21, 2024: Facilitation Basics for Coastal Managers, CT NERR, UCONN Avery Point, Groton, CT. For more information or to register, email: [email protected]. (Virtual options, April 10-11, 2024 1:00-4:00pm and April 16-17, 2024, 2:00-5:00pm)


March 23, 2024: Connecticut Land Conservation Conference, Wesleyan University, Usdan Center, Middletown, CT.


April 4, 2024: Connecticut Beach Association's Guide to Coastal Activities & Permitting training presentation, 6:00pm, Fairfield Fire School, 205 Richard White Way, Room 102, Fairfield, CT. RSVP by email: [email protected]. Online attendance option also available with Webex, email for details.


April 10-11, 2024: 34th Annual Nonpoint Source (NPS) Conference, NEIWPCC, Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, Old Saybrook, CT.


April 23, 2024: Connecticut Emergency Management Symposium, Camp Nett, Niantic, CT.


April 23-25, 2024: ResCon, New Orleans, LA.


May 7-9, 2024: 2024 New York State Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association (NYSFSMA) Conference, Glens Falls, NY.


May 14-16, 2024: National Adaptation Forum. Saint Paul, MN.


May 15, 2024: Long Island Sound Research Conference, Port Jefferson, NY.


May 23, 2024: 2024 Rhode Island Flood Mitigation Association (RIFMA) Annual Meeting & Conference, University of Rhode Island, South Kingstown, RI.


June 2-5, 2024: National Flood Conference, Washington, D.C., save the date, more information to come.


June 17-21, 2024: National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) 2024 Annual State, Tribal, Federal Coordination Meeting, National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV.


June 23-27, 2024: Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) 48th Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT.


July 14-17, 2024: 49th Annual Natural Hazards Research & Application Workshop, Broomfield, CO.


October 6-10, 2024: Restore America's Estuaries: 2024 Coastal & Estuarine Summit, Washington, D.C.


November 13-15, 2024: 2024 Integrated Watershed Planning Workshop (NAWM & ASFPM), Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.



NFIP & COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM (CRS) WEBINARS

NFIP-related training webinars are available through STARR, a FEMA contractor. Below is a list of upcoming webinars. To register, go to the NFIP training website and click on the "Upcoming" tab. When asked during registration what FEMA Region you are in, please reply "1". All webinars are one hour in length and begin at 1:00pm EST unless otherwise noted below. These webinars are free.

 

  • March 19, 2024 - CRS: Preparing a Verification Visit
  • March 20, 2024 - CRS: FEMA Elevation Certificates (1:00-2:30pm)
  • April 16, 2024 - CRS: Annual CRS Requirements (1:00-2:30pm)
  • April 17, 2024 - CRS: CRS & Floodplain Species Assessment
  • May 16, 2024 - Introduction to Coastal Construction



ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS (ASFPM)

The ASFPM Training and Knowledge Center offers webinars and an online university as a professional development resource for floodplain management professionals. 


  • NFIP 101 Training Course - This on-demand nine unit course covers flood maps and studies, flood regulations, compliance, flood insurance, substantial improvement/substantial damage, and pre/post disaster floodplain management. The combined course duration for all nine units is approximately 14-17 hours to complete. There is a twenty question exam at the end of the course with unlimited retakes. The course can be completed at your own pace.



NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WETLANDS MANAGERS (NAWM)

'The NAWM posts past webinar recordings on its website. Register here for the upcoming webinars listed below.


  • March 19, 2024, 3:00-4:30pm - Predicting and Mapping the Effects of the Sackett Decision


  • May 22, 2024, 3:00-4:00pm - MAWWG-NEBAWWG Webinar Series: Wetland Classifications



EPA SOAK UP THE RAIN WEBINARS & WATERSHED ACADEMY

Soak Up the Rain is a U.S. EPA stormwater public outreach and education program to raise awareness about the costly impacts of polluted stormwater runoff and encourage compliance with stormwater rules and requirements through nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure and low impact development. To view watch recordings of past webinars, visit their webinar archive. The U.S. EPA Watershed Academy offers training and resources on watershed management, including a new Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management training module, intended for water quality and hazard mitigation professionals that are interested in integrating water quality issues and/or nature-based solutions into state or local Hazard Mitigation Plans.




NATURAL HAZARDS CENTER

The Natural Hazards Center, posts past webinar recordings on its website.  



EXPLORING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS WEBINAR SERIES

Past webinar recordings are posted on the CTDEEP Climate Change website.



AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION (APA)

Recordings of previous Planning Information Exchange (PIE) webinars can be found here.



CENTER FOR LAND USE EDUCATION & RESEARCH (CLEAR)



RESILIENT NATION PARTNERSHIP NETWORK (RNPN)

FEMA's Resilient Nation Partnership Network (RNPN) brings together a diverse network of stakeholders committed to help communities act and become more resilient toward natural disasters and climate-related events.




VIDEOS


New Elevation Certificate and Dry Floodproofing Certificate webinars



FEMA Region I Flood Mapping 101 Skill Share Virtual Workshop

On August 8th, 2022, FEMA Region 1 hosted a two-hour Flood Mapping 101 Skill-Share Virtual Workshop for state and local floodplain management and permitting officials in New England. Topics covered included: history of the flood mapping program, overview of flood insurance rate maps and flood insurance studies, Map Service Center tutorial, how to read flood maps and how different flood zones affect local communities, the flood mapping development process, and Letters of Map Change.



Flood Insurance & Risk Rating 2.0

Watch this 2 hour video of a training session recorded on June 8, 2021 for insurance agents to learn more about Risk Rating 2.0. This 1:15 minute video will discuss how Risk Rating 2.0 defines a property's unique flood risk. This 25 minute video of a 2022 Hurricane Season webinar for insurance agents is also available.


Risk Rating 2.0 - Equity in Action videos



Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) Section 1206

Section 1206 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) authorizes FEMA to reimburse communities that participate in the NFIP for the resources needed to effectively administer and enforce building codes and floodplain management regulations following a major disaster declaration. This creates new eligible activities through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Program to carry out required post-disaster activities. FEMA has developed a 6 minute video on DRRA 1206 to educate floodplain administrators, emergency managers, elected officials, and other stakeholders in the recovery process with the information needed for successful reimbursement of these new eligible activities.


Elevation Certificate Training Series

This eight-video training series provides guidance on how to complete each section of a elevation certificate as per requirements of the Community Rating System (CRS) program. The series also covers general issues that are commonly encountered and how to correct an elevation certificate that was filled out incorrectly.  


Rising Waters: Planning for Flooding in Connecticut  

This 15 minute educational video from Adapt CT highlights flooding scenarios within our state along with the social and economic impacts of flooding, and opportunities for mitigation. The video aims to increase the knowledge base of municipal officials to make informed decisions and effective choices supporting resilience. The general public and other stakeholders will also find the video valuable. 


Climate Change in Connecticut

This 13 minute educational video from Adapt CT highlights the effects of climate change in our state. The video aims to increase the knowledge base of municipal officials to make informed decisions and effective choices supporting resilience. The general public and other stakeholders will also find the video valuable.


Legal Issues and Flood Resilience

This 18 minute educational video from Adapt CT, entitled Drowning in Liability: Reducing climate change impacts through municipal planning and zoning, aims to help viewers recognize the planning and zoning interests related to flooding, describes actions that can reduce liability related to planning and zoning decisions, and identifies key resources for further information. The video illustrates the causes of flooding and what has and can been done to protect Connecticut residents, property, and natural resources from its devastating impacts. The video also discusses “takings” and identifies multiple court cases to enhance understanding.


High Tide Flooding

This 7 minute video from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, "Rising Waters" series, discusses high tide flooding, also known as sunny day or nuisance flooding, that is occurring as a result of sea level rise.  Sea level rise is often spoken of in future terms, including projections for impacts we're likely to see by the end of the century. But in many communities in the U.S., sea level rise is already a factor in people's lives in the form of high-tide flooding.  The video visits Annapolis, Maryland that has seen a dramatic increase in floods in recent years. Waters sometimes breach flood walls, or more often, back up through storm sewers to flood nearby streets. 


Can Your Facility Weather the Storm?  U.S. Naval Submarine Base, Groton, Connecticut

This 5 minute video highlights how the U.S. Naval Submarine Base is an outstanding example of preparedness and shows some of the actions they have taken include elevating equipment and materials, using floodgates and having a plan of action in order to be more flood resistant.


Can Your Business Weather the Storm?  Marina located along Connecticut's coast

This 5 minute video highlights a local full-service marina and boat repair business which has implemented a variety of actions to protect the environment and be more flood resistant, including a daily walk-through and connecting with local emergency responders. 


The 21st Century Resilient Business training: Managing Your Chemicals Can Help You Manage the Storm

This 25 minute video will show how to make your business resilient to natural hazards, reduce property damage, environmental contamination and liability. This video will help businesses that use chemicals in their process, sell chemicals and store hazardous waste onsite, including retail stores and service providers. It offers steps businesses can take to reduce risks and keep your business operating, especially those in flood prone areas.  This video is also available as a training course.



COASTAL STATES ORGANIZATION (CSO)

Past webinar recordings can be found by clicking here. You can also sign up for their newsletter.



ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS COUNCIL (EBC) NEW ENGLAND

Check EBC's events calendar for webinars and other events scheduled until August 2024 or view past presentations.



CTDEEP AQUIFER PROTECTION AREA PROGRAM TRAINING

This free, online course assists municipal aquifer protection agencies and their staff with meeting the training requirements under the Connecticut Aquifer Protection Act. The course can be completed at your own place, but must be completed within 60 days once started. It is estimated that the course will take approximately 8 hours to complete. There are 13 modules with text, videos, interactive activities, and practice quizzes. The course provides an overview of the regulatory requirements for local implementation, instructs agency members and staff responsible for knowing the law, and assists them in complying with the law. Register here for the training program.



TRAINING FOR MUNICIPAL INLAND WETLAND AGENTS

Visit the CTDEEP inland wetlands agents training webpage to access the comprehensive online training program, continuing education workshops, archived training material, training videos, and newsletter for municipal inland wetland agents. Also visit the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) webpage for past and upcoming webinars and trainings.



NOAA DIGITAL COAST VIRTUAL LEARNING

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Digital Coast has a suite of recorded webinars, trainings, and educational videos on various coastal zone management topics which are great for virtual learning. Also check out their training calendar for online instructor-led training offerings and webinars.



FLOODPROOFING.COM

All webinars are free. Click here to view 2024 annual calendar and register for the webinars listed below.


  • Understanding Foundation Vents and FEMA's Technical Bulletin 1 - April 17, June 19, August 21, October 16, December 10 - 12:00-1:00pm


  • Designing Passive Floodproofing Solutions Using Floodproof Windows and Wall Systems - March 20, May 22, August 28, November 13 - 3:00-4:00pm


  • Flood Mitigation and Insurance for Small Business Owners - May 1, October 10 - 3:00-4:00pm


  • Flood Mitigation and Insurance for Facility Managers - July 10 -3:00-4:00pm


  • Floodplain Design, Construction and Impacts on Flood Insurance - April 13, May 8, June 5, July 3, August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6, December 11 - 3:00-4:00pm


  • Active and Passive Floodproofing for Non-Residential Buildings in Special Flood Hazard Areas - March 27, June 12, September 25, December 9 - 3:00-4:00pm



FEMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (EMI)

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is located at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland. EMI serves as the national center for emergency management training of federal, state and local government officials. Tuition, housing, and all books and materials are provided at no cost. Participants are responsible for the cost of a meal ticket (approximately $250-$300/week depending on length of class).  Below is a select list of floodplain management classes offered into September 2024.  A full list of training classes and how to apply for admission can be found at the EMI website.    


E101 Foundations of Emergency Management - April 15-19, 2024.

E102 Science of Disaster - May 15-17, August 14-16, 2024.

E103 Planning: Emergency Operations - May 20-21, August 19-20, 2024.

E202 Debris Management Planning for State, Tribal, Territorial and Local Officials - July 29-August 1, 2024.

E212 Hazard Mitigation Assistance: Developing Quality Application Elements - April 14-18, 2024.

E213 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program: Application Review & Evaluation- July 22-23, 2024.

E214 Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program: Project Implementation and Programmatic Closeout - July 24-25, 2024.

E273 Managing Floodplain Development through the NFIP - April 22-25, September 9-12, 2024.

E312 Fundamentals of Building Science - August 5-8, 2024.

E2461 Advanced Building Sciences Series I: Flood Mitigation - May 13-15, 2024.

E2462 Advnaced Building Sciences Series I: Wind Mitigation - May 16-17, 2024.

   



EMI also offers free Independent Study courses on various aspects of the NFIP aimed at community officials, surveyors, insurance agents, and claims adjusters. These web-based courses are offered at no cost and can be taken at your own pace. Below is a sample of courses available. Independent study courses are also available for other topics in emergency management, hazard mitigation planning, disaster response and dam safety. Check out the full course list for all available independent study courses.  


IS-10.a   Animals in Disasters: Awareness & Preparedness

IS-11.a   Animals in Disasters: Community Planning

IS-21.21  Civil Rights and FEMA Disaster Assistance

IS-30.b   Mitigation eGrants System for the Subgrant Applicant

IS-42    Social Media in Emergency Management

IS-111.a  Livestock in Disasters

IS-158 Hazard Mitigation Flood Insurance in Disaster Operations

IS-162 Hazard Mitigation Floodplain Management in Disaster Operations

IS-212.b  Introduction to Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA)

IS-230.d  Fundamentals of Emergency Management

IS-251.a  Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) for Alerting Administrators 

IS-271.a  Anticipating Hazardous Weather and Community Risk

IS-273   How to Read a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)

IS-274   How to Read a Flood Insurance Study (FIS)

IS-276.a  Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) Fundamentals

IS-277.a  Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA): Entry Level

IS-279.a  Introduction to Retrofitting Flood-prone Residential Structures

IS-280   Overview: Engineering Principles & Practices for Retrofitting Flood-prone Residential Structures

IS-284.a  Using the Substantial Damage Estimator 3.0 Tool

IS-285   Substantial Damage Estimator for the Floodplain Administrator

IS-318   Mitigation Planning for Local and Tribal Communities

IS-324.a  Community Hurricane Preparedness

IS-366.a  Planning for the Needs of Children in Disasters

IS-386   Introduction to Residential Coastal Construction

IS-393.b  Introduction to Hazard Mitigation

IS-394.a Protecting Your Home or Small Business From Disaster

IS-552   The Public Works Role in Emergency Management 

IS-554   Emergency Planning for Public Works

IS-556   Damage Assessment for Public Works

IS-558   Public Works and Disaster Recovery

IS-559   Local Damage Assessment

IS-632a  Introduction to Debris Operations

IS-633   Debris Management Plan Development

IS-634   Introduction to FEMA's Public Assistance Program

IS-727   Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands

IS-815 ABCs of Temporary Emergency Power

IS-870.a Dam Sector: Crisis Management

IS-871.a Dam Sector: Security Awareness

IS-872.a Dam Sector: Protective Measures

IS-922.a   Applications of GIS for Emergency Management

IS-1100.a Increased Cost of Compliance

IS-1101.b Basic Agent Tutorial

IS-1102  Theory of Elevation Rating

IS-1103.a Elevation Certificate for Surveyors

IS-1104    NFIP Claims Review for Adjusters

IS-1105.a EC Made Easy: Elevation Certificate Overview

IS-1106.a FEMA Mapping Changes

IS-1107    Adjuster Customer Service

IS-1108  Insuring Condominiums

IS-1109.a  Understanding Basement Coverage

IS-1110.a Writing Commercial Exposures

IS-1111  Introduction to Commercial Claims

IS-1112  Introduction to Flood Claims

IS-1113  Coastal Barrier Resources Act

IS-1117   Severe Repetitive Loss for Agents

IS-1119   Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) & Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F)

IS-1120    Letters of Map Revision (LOMR)

IS-2001   Threat and Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA)

IS-2901   Introduction to Community Lifelines

Visit the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep. Published by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse, Land and Water Resources Division. Editor: Diane Ifkovic, State National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Coordinator, email: [email protected]. View past issues of The Torrent, and other DEEP newsletters at the DEEP newsletter archive webpage or subscribe to other DEEP newsletters and publications.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  If you are seeking a communication aid or service, have limited proficiency in English, wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, or require some other accommodation, including equipment to facilitate virtual participation, please contact the DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at (860) 418-5910 or by email at [email protected]. Any person needing an accommodation for hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program or event.