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 22, No. 3                                                                                                   Summer 2016
New from NOAA - Potential Hurricane Storm Surge MapNOAASurgeMap
The 2016 hurricane season began on June 1 and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Hurricane Center (NHC) has a new product  to assist residents and community officials.   This season the NHC will be generating potential storm surge flood mapping, available on the internet, that will allow residents to view a reliable estimate of how many feet of water could soon flood their neighborhood.  The map draws on decades of National Weather Service (NWS) data to generate maps that are regularly updated as weather conditions change.   

Instead of using vague scientific terms, the color-coded map is easy to use. The first map will usually be issued at the same time as the initial hurricane watch, although in some cases it will be issued with the initial tropical storm watch.  The map is based on the latest forecast track and intensity, and takes into account likely forecast errors. The map is subject to change every six hours in association with each new NHC full advisory package.  For more hurricane information, visit the NHC website, www.hurricanes.gov.
FRONTLINE:  Business of DisasterFrontline
On May 24, 2016, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) broadcast FRONTLINE:  Business of Disaster.  The 55-minute program, which can be viewed online, explored who benefits when disasters strike, focusing on Super Storm Sandy and the agencies that were supposed to help and those companies that profited.  
Residential Hurricane Wind Retrofit Fact SheetWindFactSheet
In preparation for the opening of the 2016 hurricane season, FEMA has developed a new fact sheet on wind retrofit projects.  Wind retrofits are enhancements made to strengthen roofs, walls, doors and windows to minimize damage to homes from wind and wind-driven rain caused by hurricanes and other high wind events.  The Wind Retrofits Fact Sheet provides an overview of wind retrofit projects and the streamlined process for determining the cost effectiveness of wind mitigation projects.  The fact sheet compliments FEMA guidance P-804:  Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential Buildings, which provides guidance for selecting and implementing wind retrofit projects for homes in all coastal regions.   
New Products from UCONN CLEARUCONNCLEAR
The University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research (UCONN CLEAR) has recently released two new information products that can be helpful to local officials and residents.

Connecticut's Coast:  Then and Now :  In early 2016, UCONN CLEAR released a story map entitled  Connecticut's Coast: Then and  Now .  This project explores the changes to Connecticut's shoreline by comparing carefully aligned, scanned 1934 aerial photographs with current aerial images to reveal where the shoreline has changed over time by both natural forces and human activity.  The 
story map is a dynamic guide designed so the user can interact and explore t he  maps.
  
State Lidar Coverage:  Connecticut is covered by a number of different Lidar datasets  ca ptured at different times with different specs. UCONN CLEAR and CTDEEP, along with other partners, are pleased to announce that the last piece of the state's Lidar jigsaw puzzle, the U.S.  Geological Survey (USGS) Sandy 2014 Lidar, has been added to the Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online (CTECO) elevation services and viewer.  There is now statewide elevation coverage including hillshade, shaded relief, slope and aspect.  The CTECO  website is a partnership between CLEAR and CTDEEP  to share Connecticut's natural resource geograp hic information with the public.  
Fillable 2015 Elevation Certificate Now AvailableElevationCert

A  fillable version of the new 2015 Elevation Certificate (FEMA form 086-0-33) is now available on the FEMA website .  The pdf form has been enabled to be filled and saved using Adobe Reader.  

For insurance purposes, FEMA will continue to accept properly completed and certified elevation information,  submitted on a different format than the 2015 FEMA Elevation Certificate, through December   31, 2016. Following that date, all elevation data must be submitted using the 2015 FEMA Elevation Certificate. Note that in the future, no further transition periods will be provided when a new FEMA Elevation Certificate is issued. 

The new expiration date of the 2015 FEMA Elevation Certificate is November 30, 2018 .   The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Insurance Committee has prepared a summary of changes on the new elevation certificate .
Video:  Role of States in Disaster RecoveryVideoStateDisaster 
The Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has released the video "Role of States in Disaster Recovery".  This 30-minute video explains the roles undertaken by governors and state agency officials in disaster recovery.  Participants in the video represent governors and state officials from North Carolina and Mississippi following Hurricanes Floyd (1999) and Katrina (2005).  The purpose of the video is to share the lessons learned by these two states with others.  

The video is broken into short segments covering the following topics:  addressing short-term recovery issues; procuring federal and state funding; establishing a state recovery committee; providing housing assistance; incorporating hazard mitigation into recovery; coordinating the timing of assistance; planning for recovery; and leading disaster recovery efforts.  Additional information about the video, including how it can be used as part of a training or educational program, can be found in the accompanying "Role of States in Disaster Recovery Video Training Guide".   
Save the Date - CAFM Conference, October 25, 2016CAFM
The Connecticut Association of Flood Managers (CAFM) will convene its third annual conference on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 at the Savin Rock Conference Center, West Haven.  Details will be coming soon on the CAFM website.  

CAFM has issued a Call for Presenters to present on riverine and coastal flood-related topics at the conference.  CAFM seeks a broad range of professionals to address the many issues and problems associated with managing flood risk, making communities more sustainable, and protecting floodplains and fragile natural resources.
  
Interested presenters should contact CAFM via email ([email protected]) by August 31, 2016 with the information specified on this Call for Presenters announcement. Potential presenters will be notified on or about September 7, 2016.   
Training OpportunitiesTrainingOpportunity
WEBINARS

NFIP-related training webinars are available through STARR, a FEMA contractor.  Below are some of the upcoming webinars.  To register, go to the NFIP training website  and  click "Training Center" on the top bar, and then on the "Upcoming" tab.  When asked during registration what FEMA Region you are in, please reply "1".
  • August 16, 2016, 1:00 pm - CRS:  Preparing an Annual Recertification
  • August 17, 2016, 1:00 pm - CRS:  Developing Outreach Projects (Activity 330)
  • August 25, 2016, 1:00 pm - NFIP Basics
  • September 27, 2016, 1:00 pm - CRS:  Preparing an Impact Adjustment Map
  • September 28, 2016, 1:00 pm - CRS:  Flood Warning & Response (Activity 610)
  • November 15, 2016, 1:00 pm - Introduction to the Community Rating System (CRS)
  • November 16, 2016, 1:00 pm - CRS:  Developing a PPI and an Insurance Coverage Improvement Plan
  • December 20, 2016, 1:00pm - CRS:  Preparing for a Verification Visit
  • December 21, 2016, 1:00pm - CRS:  CRS and Coastal Hazards

VIDEOS

H2O Partners offers short training videos on the following topics:
  • Demonstrating the Elevation Certificate
  • How the NFIP Works for the Floodplain Professional
  • Effects of Flood Map Changes
  • Role of the Elevation Certificate in Floodplain Management

CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS

August 22-25, 2016:  StormCon , Indianapolis, IN, www.stormcon.com .

September 15, 2016:   Living Shorelines III Workshop, Harkness Memorial State Park, Waterford,  visit the  UCONN CLEAR  website for more details and registration.

October 25, 2016: CAFM 3rd Annual Conference and Meeting, Savin Rock Conference Center, West Haven. Check the CAFM website events page  for registration and Call for Presenters.

April 30-May 5, 2017:  A ssociation of State Floodplain Managers 41st Annual Conference , Kansas City, MO, www.floods.org .  


FEMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

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 pass (approximately $100/week).  Below is a select list of floodplain management classes offered into mid-2017. A full list of training classes can be found at the EMI website.    

E170  HAZUS-MH for Hurricane - July 24-27, 2017
E172  HAZUS-MH for Flood - November 28-December 1, 2016, June 12-15, 2017
E176  HAZUS-MH for Floodplain Managers - November 7-10, 2016
E179  Application of HAZUS-MH for Disaster Operations - Sept 26-29, 2016, Sept 11-14, 2017
E190  ArcGIS for Emergency Managers - October 17-20, 2016, July 31-August 3, 2017
E194  Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts I  - January 30-February 2, 2017
E202  Debris Management Planning for State, Tribal, Local Officials - September 12-15, 2016, January 9-12, 2017, June 5-8, 2017
E210  Recovery from Disaster: The Local Government Role -  September 26-29, 2016, October 17-20, 2016, April 10-13, 2017
E212  Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program: Developing Quality Application Elements - May 15-18, 2017
E214  Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program:  Project Implementation and Programmatic Closeout - February 22-23, 2017, June 21-22, 2017
E272  Managing the Floodplain Post-Disaster - February 13-15, 2017
E273  Managing Floodplain Development through NFIP - September 12-15, 2016, October 31-November 3, 2016, May 22-25, 2017, August 21-24, 2017
E274  National Dam Safety Program Technical Seminar - February 22-23, 2017
E276  Benefit-Cost Analysis:  Entry Level  - Decemer 1-2, 20-16, January 18-19, 2017, June 7-8, 2017, August 3-4, 2017
E278  Community Rating System (CRS) - September 19-22, 2016, March 20-23, 2017, June 26-29, 2017, September 11-14, 2017
E279  Retrofitting Floodprone Residential Buildings - May 22-25, 2017
E282  Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts II - April 24-27, 2017
E284  Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts III - August 29 - September 1, 2016, July 24-27, 2017
E296  Application of HAZUS-MH for Risk Assessment - August 14-17, 2017
E313  Basic HAZUS-MH - December 12-15, 2016, April 3-6, 2017
E317  Comprehensive Data Mgmt for HAZUS-MH - August 29 - September 1, 2016, March 13-16, 2017, September 25-28, 2017
E386  Residential Coastal Construction - August 22-25, 2016, August 28-31, 2017
E582  Mitigation for Tribal Governments - May 22-25, 2017
E727  E.O. 11988 & 11990:  Floodplain Management & Wetlands Protection - June 6-8, 2017


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 free 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.    

IS-10.a     Animals in Disasters:  Awareness & Preparedness
IS-11.a     Animals in Disasters:  Community Planning
IS-30a      Mitigation eGrants for the Subgrant Applicant
IS-42       Social Media in Emergency Management
IS-111.a   Livestock in Disasters
IS-212.b   Introduction to Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA)
IS-276      Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) Fundamentals
IS-277      Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA):  Entry Level
IS-279.a   Introduction to Retrofitting Flood-prone Residential Structures
IS-284      Using the Substantial Damage Estimator 2.0 Tool
IS-366.a   Planning for the Needs of Children in Disasters
IS-386      Introduction to Residential Coastal Construction
IS-393.a   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-634      Introduction to FEMA's Public Assistance Program
IS-1100.a  Increased Cost of Compliance
IS-1101     Basic Agent Tutorial
IS-1102     Theory of Elevation Rating
IS-1103     Elevation Certificate for Surveyors
IS-1104     NFIP Claims Review for Adjusters
IS-1105     EC Made Easy:  Elevation Certificate Overview
IS-1106     FEMA Mapping Changes
IS-1107     Adjuster Customer Service
IS-1108     Insuring Condominiums
IS-1109     Understanding Basement Coverage
IS-1110.a  Writing Commerical Exposures
IS-1111     Introduction to Commercial Claims
IS-1112     Introduction to Flood Claims
IS-1113     Coastal Barrier Resources Act
IS-2001     Threat and Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA)
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, Inland Water Resources Division, Floodplain Management Program.  Editor:  Diane Ifkovic, State National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Coordinator, email:  [email protected].
CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
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