Engineers/Surveyors

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase flood insurance protection against losses from flooding. By being a participant, the community agrees to adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reduce the risk of flood damage.

In support of the NFIP, FEMA has identified the flood hazards throughout the nation. This information is depicted on FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Map ( FIRM)--the basis of the community’s flood ordinance.

Within high-risk areas, develop-ment is regulated. The high-risk area standard constitutes a reasonable compromise between the need for building restrictions to minimize potential loss of life and property and the economic benefits to be derived from floodplain development. Development may take place within the SFHA, provided that development complies with local floodplain management ordinances, which must meet the minimum Federal Requirements.