Overview

Credits are awarded for flood threat recognition systems based on service level:

• Level 1 is a manual flood threat recognition system that relies on manual volunteer work.
• Level 2 is an automated flood alarm system
• Level 3 is an automated flood warning system that provides time and depth information, which can come from the National Weather Service or U.S. Geological Survey. Coastal areas can use Sea, Lake, and Overland Survey from Hurricanes (SLOSH) models. You can use one or all of these systems, and may use different levels for different flood hazards. For credits, you must have a system for at least one location in your community 24 hours a day, and each system must have a corresponding map.

Considerations

This activity is unique in that you must receive credit for every element in this activity to get any credit at all. Additionally, you are required to have the following:

• A description of the flood hazard including flood depths, historic floods, and special flood related hazards
• An inventory of buildings and critical facilities in your community
• A layered flood inundation map tied to different levels of response with at least three different flood levels
• An adopted flood warning and response plan associated with the map that includes flood warning dissemination methods
• One or more annual flood warning and safety outreach projects that tells community members how they will be warned and what they should do when a warning occurs
• An annual exercise of the plan compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) with an evaluation report.

Documentation

To receive credit for this element, provide:

• A completed 600 series checklist that includes:

  • The flood hazard description
  • The flood inundation map
  • The flood warning and response plan and adoption
  • A description of the flood threat recognition system
  • The maintenance procedures for the community-owned gauge system, if applicable
  • An impact adjustment map showing the areas covered by each element (Flood threat recognition system (FTR), Emergency warning dissemination (EWD), Flood response operations (FRO), and Critical facilities planning (CFP)), and the number of buildings.

At annual recertification:

• The outreach project documentation
• A description of the flood exercise and evaluation report

Credit Calculation

Max: 75 for one of the following:

• 25 credits for Level 1 manual system
• 50 credits for a Level 2 automated system
• 75 credits for a Level 3 automated flood warning system

The impact adjustment for this element involves dividing the buildings impacted by the flood threat recognition system by the total number of buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

Buildings impacted by flood threat recognition system / Total buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)

Overview

Your community can receive credit for having a flood warning dissemination system in place that reaches communities quickly. If the system utilizes sirens or text messages, you must test the dissemination method annually. Television notices and online messages do not require annual testing. Credit is awarded for the following subelements:

• EWD1: providing pre-scripted messages and guidance
• EWD2: providing information on flood levels and when to evacuate
• EWD3: activating a siren system that covers the entire community
• EWD4: identifying the agency responsible for door-to-door or mobile warnings
• EWD5: identifying the procedures, staff, and equipment needed for door-to-door or mobile warnings, using the Emergency Alert System through all channels
• EWD6: disseminating warnings over the telephone (EWD6)
• EWD7: disseminating warnings over the television
• EWD8: disseminating warnings using geocoding or over social media
• EWD9: locating NOAA Weather Radios in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and other critical facilities
• EWD10: posting the flood inundation maps online

The procedures and messages should coordinate with the flood response preparation messages under Activity 330.

Considerations

You must receive credit for every element in this activity to get any credit at all. Additionally, you must have the following:

• A description of the flood hazard including flood depths, historic floods, and special flood related hazards
• An inventory of buildings and critical facilities in your community
• A layered flood inundation map tied to different levels of response with at least three different flood levels
• An adopted flood warning and response plan associated with the map that includes flood warning dissemination methods
• One or more annual flood warning and safety outreach projects that tells community members how they will be warned and what they should do when a warning occurs
• An annual exercise of the plan compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) with an evaluation report.

Documentation

To receive credit for this element, you must provide:

• A copy of the flood warning and response plan with EWD items marked
• For EWD10, copies of the written warning materials
• For EW1, 2, 5, 6, or 7, the pre-scripted messages
• For EWD3, the impact adjustment map with siren locations and coverage
• For EWD6, the description of the call warning system or contract with provider
• For EWD7, the television channel agreement and override procedures
• For EWD8, escription of other forms of notification

At annual recertification:

• A description of the flood exercise and evaluation report

Credit Calculation

Max: 75

Communities get credit for the following:

EWD Element	Credits
EWD1 - Pre-scripted messages and guidance	10
EWD2 - Flood levels and evacuation information	10
EWD3 - Siren system across the community	10
EWD4 - Agency in charge of door-to-door and mobile warnings, OR	5
EWD4 - Procedures, staff, and equipment for door-to-door or mobile warnings	15
EWD5 - Emergency Alert System through all channels	10
EWD6 - Telephone warnings	15
EWD7 - Television warnings	10
EWD8 - Geocoded and/or social media warnings	15
EWD9 - NOAA Weather Radios	10
EWD10 - Posting flood inundation/evacuation map online	10

The impact adjustment for this element is calculated as follows:

Buildings impacted by warning system / Total buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)

Overview

A flood response operations plan outlines response protocol and structure. For this element, you must describe the planned actions, identify each office or person responsible for the action, define the time needed for each action, and include other pertinent information to properly carry out each action.

Additional credits can be awarded for:

• Identifying special needs populations that need help during evacuation
• Creating a list of personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies, and resources needed to complete each action
• Identifying is available within your community and what is needed from outside contractors or jurisdictions (FRO5)
• Planning for mitigation opportunities, and linking this with 332.b Flood response preparations (FRP)(FRO5)
• Identifying measures to prevent property damage during response and recovery (FRO6).

Considerations

Your community must receive credit for every element in this activity to get any credit at all. Additionally, you must have the following:

• A description of the flood hazard including flood depths, historic floods, and special flood related hazards
• An inventory of buildings and critical facilities in your community
• A layered flood inundation map tied to different levels of response with at least three different flood levels
• An adopted flood warning and response plan associated with the map that includes flood warning dissemination methods
• One or more annual flood warning and safety outreach projects that tells community members how they will be warned and what they should do when a warning occurs
• An annual exercise of the plan compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) with an evaluation report.

Documentation

To receive credit for this element, provide:

• The flood warning and response plan, labeled with the acronym FRO to call out the operational procedures
• Other documentation for items not included in the flood warning and response plan

At annual recertification:

• A description of the flood exercise and evaluation report

Credit Calculation

Max: 115

You can get credit for the following:

FRO Element	Maximum Credits
FRO1 - Developing scenarios using the flood inundation maps	15
FRO2 - Identifying flood response actions and responsible parties	35
FRO3 - Linking specific actions to flood inundation levels	25
FRO4 - Maintaining special needs database for evacuation assistance	10
FRO5 - Including instructions for reoccupying homes and businesses, permit requirements during recovery, and promoting and implementing flood loss mitigation measures	15
FRO6 - Identifying actions that help prevent property damage during response and recovery	20

The impact adjustment for this element is calculated as follows

Buildings impacted by plan / Total buildings in the Special Flood Hazard ARea (SFHA)

Overview

As evidenced in other CRS elements, your community can receive credit for protecting critical facilities. The CRS defines critical facilities as facilities needed during flood response and recovery as well as facilities that could be hazardous if flooded. To get credits, start by making a list of critical facilities, and contact the facilities to make warning arrangements if needed (CFP1). From there, you can develop and review individual critical facility response plans for additional credit (CFP2). If there are no critical facilities that can be impacted by flooding, you must state this and provide a definition of critical facilities.

Considerations

You must receive credit for every element in this activity to get any credit at all. Additionally, you need to have the following:

• A description of the flood hazard including flood depths, historic floods, and special flood related hazards
• An inventory of buildings and critical facilities in your community
• A layered flood inundation map tied to different levels of response with at least three different flood levels
• An adopted flood warning and response plan associated with the map that includes flood warning dissemination methods
• One or more annual flood warning and safety outreach projects that tells community members how they will be warned and what they should do when a warning occurs
• An annual exercise of the plan compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) with an evaluation report.

Documentation

To receive credit for this element, provide:

• A list of the critical facilities
• The list of critical facilities with flood warning and response plans, if applicable (CFP2)
• A letter stating that there are no critical facilities that can be impacted by flooding, if applicable

At annual recertification:

• A page from the list of critical facilities, updated annually

Credit Calculation

Max: 75

Up to 25 credits are awarded for providing the contact information of critical facilities, and arranging for flood warnings to those locations. Up to 50 credits are awarded if the critical facilities have their own community approved flood warning and response plans. There is no impact adjustment for this element.

Overview

StormReady is a national preparedness program for severe weather. Under this element, your community can receive credit for being designated a StormReady Community by the National Weather Service. To qualify, you must have a 24 hour emergency operations center, have more than one way to disseminate public weather warnings, create a local weather monitoring system, promote hazard readiness through community meetings, and create a hazardous weather plan (this includestraining weather spotters and holding emergency exercises). The National Weather Service designates StormReady communities on their website and through an award letter.

Considerations

You must receive credit for every element in this activity to get any credit at all. Additionally, you should have the following:

• A description of the flood hazard including flood depths, historic floods, and special flood related hazards
• An inventory of buildings and critical facilities in your community
• A layered flood inundation map tied to different levels of response with at least three different flood levels
• An adopted flood warning and response plan associated with the map that includes flood warning dissemination methods
• One or more annual flood warning and safety outreach projects that tells community members how they will be warned and what they should do when a warning occurs
• An annual exercise of the plan compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) with an evaluation report.

Documentation

To document StormReady designation, you can provide the list of StormReady communities located at http://www.weather.gov/stormready/.

Credit Calculation

Max: 25

There is no impact adjustment for this element.

Overview

Like 612.e, this element awards credits to communities who are designated as TsunamiReady Community by the National Weather Service. To be a TsunamiReady community, your community must meet specific tsunami hazards mapping requirements and adopt a tsunami hazards operations plan that includes specific actions to take if there is a tsunami warning. The National Weather Service designates TsunamiReady communities on their website and through an award letter.

Considerations

You must receive credit for every element in this activity to get any credit at all. Additionally, you need to have the following:

• A description of the flood hazard including flood depths, historic floods, and special flood related hazards
• An inventory of buildings and critical facilities in your community
• A layered flood inundation map tied to different levels of response with at least three different flood levels
• An adopted flood warning and response plan associated with the map that includes flood warning dissemination methods
• One or more annual flood warning and safety outreach projects that tells community members how they will be warned and what they should do when a warning occurs
• An annual exercise of the plan compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) with an evaluation report.

Documentation

To receive credit for this element you must provide:

• The tsunami hazards map with a description of how it was created
• The tsunami emergency operations plan
• The list of TsunamiReady communities located at http://www.weather.gov/stormready/.

Credit Calculation

Max: 30

There is no impact adjustment for this element.