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FEMA's Going Digital
General Distribution of Paper
Products to End on October 1, 2009

FEMA Now Distributes Paper and Digital Flood Maps;
That's Changing on October 1, 2009

Since the 1970’s, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has provided flood hazard maps and reports to help more than 20,000 participating communities manage and reduce risks. FEMA currently distributes both paper and digital flood hazard maps and reports.

Beginning on October 1, 2009, customers may order only digital flood hazard maps and reports. FEMA’s Map Service Center (MSC) will not produce or distribute paper Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), Flood Hazard Boundary Maps (FHBMs), or Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports on or after this date, other than a single paper copy provided to communities when their maps are updated.

FEMA Will Convert Orders for Paper Products to the
Digital Equivalent Starting on October 1, 2009

For MSC accounts that have orders for paper maps, FEMA will convert the orders to requests for the FIRM Scan products on CD. Orders for paper FIS reports will be filled with digital files. If you do not wish to receive digital products, please contact the MSC before October 1, 2009, at 1-800-358-9616.

Government organizations will continue to be exempt from fees for FEMA flood hazard products.

If you have questions or comments about this change, please email:

FEMAMapSpecialist@mapmodteam.com

Flood hazard information based on FEMA’s current Flood Insurance Rate Maps can also be found using the Flood Hazard Assessment Tool at www.hawaiinfip.org.

Two more updates to FEMA's
Technical Bulletins

The Technical Bulletins provide guidance concerning the building performance standards of the NFIP, which are contained in Title 44 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations at Section 60.3.

The bulletins are intended for use primarily by state and local officials responsible for interpreting and enforcing NFIP regulations and by members of the development community, such as design professionals and builders. New bulletins, as well as updates of existing bulletins, are issued periodically, as necessary. The bulletins do not create regulation; rather, they provide specific guidance for complying with the minimum requirements of existing NFIP regulations.

As of August 2008, FEMA has updated two Technical Bulletins (TB).

TB5 - Free of Obstruction
Requirements

This updated document now includes a number of sections and photographs to illustrate obstructions and how they affect the performance of buildings when they are subjected to extreme natural forces such as storm surge. There is an expanded discussion of some types of obstructions, including the use of nonstructural fill below and around elevated buildings. The bulletin distinguishes between obstructions below homes and those of large, fully engineered buildings, outlining in particular the differences in slabs and the use of shear walls.

TB9 - Design and Construction
Guidance for Breakaway Walls Below
Elevated Coastal Buildings

In order to provide design solutions that are consistent with the NFIP regulations and building code requirements, TB-9 now includes three design methods: a prescriptive design approach, a simplified design approach, and a performance-based design approach. The updated bulletin includes diagrams and photographs to illustrate damage attributed to poor construction practices and to highlight walls that break away as designed. Also included are discussions of related matters such as garage doors, partial-height walls, exterior façades, and utilities.

Copies of all effective TBs can be found on FEMA’s website, as well as the Hawaii NFIP website (www.hawaiinfip.org).

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