As a municipal building official, you are charged with safeguarding the safety, welfare, and quality of life within your community through the administration and enforcement of building codes and regulations.
By ensuring that buildings are designed and constructed in ways appropriate to their risks from storms and flooding, you can help protect peoples’ property and lives.
Following are some tools that may be useful:
Hazard Identification and Mapping
- Interpreting Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies
- Understanding the limitations of Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies
- Finding and using additional hazard information
Regulation and Development Standards
- Considering potential future conditions when siting new development
- Keeping public infrastructure outside of damage-prone areas
- Incorporating National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements into local ordinances and regulations
- Ensuring local regulations allow appropriate development techniques
- Using freeboard to elevate structures above predicted floodwaters
- Requiring foundation/building certification
- Conducting inspections of lower-area enclosures
Mitigation and Shore Protection
Infrastructure
Emergency Services
Education and Outreach