Flood risks to be discussed in virtual open house

Vernon and Crawford County homeowners, renters and business owners are encouraged to attend a virtual Open House to learn about their specific flood risks, ways to prevent flood loss and the benefits of having flood insurance. The open house for Vernon County residents will be held via Zoom Monday, January 12, from 3:30 to 6:30. The open house for Crawford County residents will be held Wednesday, January 14, from 3:30 to 6:30.

Those who attend will be able to view their own address on new preliminary flood maps and meet one-on-one with state and local officials as well as experts from FEMA to discuss potential risks to their property. Residents can view and download preliminary versions of the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report and the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) before the meeting at hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload.

Once in effect, the maps will inform flood insurance rates and local floodplain management rules adopted under the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA urges public officials to use the maps to help plan and prepare communities to quickly respond to and recover from future extreme weather events.

For Open House questions, reach out to [email protected]. If you need a reasonable accommodation, such as sign language interpreters, or CART, please send an email to [email protected] at least 48 hours before the event. Last minute requests will be accepted but may not be possible to fulfill.

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