Understanding Your Flood Risk
Is one of your new year's resolutions to be better prepared for emergency situations in 2018? It should be, especially after the year we just had. Several major hurricanes impacted the United States in 2017, some setting records. The flooding associated with these storms was unimaginable. Areas that were unsuspecting of flooding were devastated. In today's blog from Big Bags USA®, we want to help you better understand your flood risk, so that you can better prepare for a flooding situation.
While we have some pretty great forecasting technology today, it's still impossible to predict exactly where flooding will occur and how much. Therefore, it's important for everyone to be prepared for an emergency flooding situation by having a flood mitigation plan in place. Some areas are at a higher risk for flooding than other, possibly due to a nearby river or major body of water.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed a system for determining flood risk, and provides a variety of resources to help communities understand their risk. There are 3 divisions of risk that are shown via a map. These include high-risk, moderate-to-low risk and undetermined risk. By understanding what type of risk your community has, you can better prepare a flood mitigation plan and reduce the damages caused by flooding each year.
Flood maps provide information that allow you to identify special flood hazard areas (SFHA), identify the relation of a specific property in relation to those areas, identify the base flood elevation at a specific site, identify the magnitude of flood hazard in a specific area, locate regulatory floodways and identify undeveloped coastal barriers, where flood insurance is not available. These maps are used by everyone from insurance agents and real estate brokers to community officials and private citizens.
The primary feature of flood maps are flood zones. These are geographical areas that FEMA has defined according to varying levels of flood risk and type of flooding. Regardless of the basic format of the map, every flood map will have a title box, legend, body and basic symbols. Most flood maps will cover only one jurisdiction, and separate flood maps are prepared for incorporated areas. For a thorough guide on how to read flood maps, visit: www.fema.gov.
High risk areas are zones in which there is at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage. Home and business owners in these areas are required to purchase flood insurance. Moderate-to-low risk areas are zones in which that flood risk is reduced, but not completely eliminated. While flood insurance isn't required for these areas, it's still highly recommended. Some maps will also include areas where there are possible, but undetermined flood hazards or unstudied areas.
Knowing your risk is the first step in flood preparedness. If you live in a community with a high flood risk, we highly recommend including some type of easily stored flood protection, such as Big Bags USA®, in your flood mitigation plans. Talk to your community officials and emergency response personnel about the benefits of Big Bags USA® compared to traditional flood protection methods. Our flood barrier systems can handle the highest demands at a fraction of the cost typically associated with rapid deployed systems. For more information on how Big Bags USA® can help your community be better prepared in 2018, visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-337-0537.
What is Your Flood Risk?
While we have some pretty great forecasting technology today, it's still impossible to predict exactly where flooding will occur and how much. Therefore, it's important for everyone to be prepared for an emergency flooding situation by having a flood mitigation plan in place. Some areas are at a higher risk for flooding than other, possibly due to a nearby river or major body of water.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed a system for determining flood risk, and provides a variety of resources to help communities understand their risk. There are 3 divisions of risk that are shown via a map. These include high-risk, moderate-to-low risk and undetermined risk. By understanding what type of risk your community has, you can better prepare a flood mitigation plan and reduce the damages caused by flooding each year.
Reading Flood Maps
Flood maps provide information that allow you to identify special flood hazard areas (SFHA), identify the relation of a specific property in relation to those areas, identify the base flood elevation at a specific site, identify the magnitude of flood hazard in a specific area, locate regulatory floodways and identify undeveloped coastal barriers, where flood insurance is not available. These maps are used by everyone from insurance agents and real estate brokers to community officials and private citizens.
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| Photo From: FEMA.gov |
High risk areas are zones in which there is at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage. Home and business owners in these areas are required to purchase flood insurance. Moderate-to-low risk areas are zones in which that flood risk is reduced, but not completely eliminated. While flood insurance isn't required for these areas, it's still highly recommended. Some maps will also include areas where there are possible, but undetermined flood hazards or unstudied areas.
Knowing your risk is the first step in flood preparedness. If you live in a community with a high flood risk, we highly recommend including some type of easily stored flood protection, such as Big Bags USA®, in your flood mitigation plans. Talk to your community officials and emergency response personnel about the benefits of Big Bags USA® compared to traditional flood protection methods. Our flood barrier systems can handle the highest demands at a fraction of the cost typically associated with rapid deployed systems. For more information on how Big Bags USA® can help your community be better prepared in 2018, visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-337-0537.
MADE IN THE USA ~ 100% Manufactured in Missouri ~ BUY AMERICAN
MADE IN THE USA ~ 100% Manufactured in Missouri ~ BUY AMERICAN
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