The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant resilience team members have organized a Community Rating System (CRS) workshop as part of the Community Outreach and Strategic Training (COAST) Resilience Institute. The event is planned to occur on Thursday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the offices for the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission in downtown Mobile, Alabama.
First instituted in 1990, the CRS is a voluntary program that communities can enroll in under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The program recognizes communities that go above and beyond the basic NFIP requirements and strive for a more comprehensive approach to flood protection.
At this time, the program consists of 19 activities and more than 90 elements, which are identified in a document known as the CRS Coordinators Manual. The more activities a community completes, the better their score, which results in flood insurance premium discounts for community residents. The scores communities receive translate into a class rating, which is used to determine insurance discounts. Insurance discounts for the different classes range from a 5% discount for a class 9 all the way up to a 45% discount for a class 1.
Since its inception, the program has gone through numerous iterations, and this year is no different. In July, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that they were in the process of gathering public feedback on how the program can be further improved, with the intent of implementing a new program redesign by late 2027.
The rigorous requirements associated with maintaining a community’s standing in the program, coupled with the numerous iterations CRS has gone through since its introduction, means that local governments often require considerable assistance with their CRS projects.
In its quest to enhance community resilience, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant offers workshops and technical assistance to help local communities navigate the Community Rating System and maximize their opportunities for credit.
The November 7 CRS workshop proceedings will focus on the Program for Public Information (PPI), a CRS project communities can undertake to obtain points under CRS activity 330. Attendees will be given an overview of the CRS, learn about the different components of a PPI and have the opportunity to construct a portion of PPI documentation. Information will also be provided on how flood outreach and information is scored and how a community can best structure their flood information approach to maximize their points under activity 330.
Registration for the event is free and continuing education credits will be offered to workshop attendees who are interested. Any individuals who are interested in attending this event are encouraged to visit the registration page for COAST.
If you have any questions about the workshop or have input to offer on future training topics, you can always contact me via email at [email protected] or you can reach out to the project manager for COAST, Qiyamah Williams, at [email protected].
As premium rates continue to rise for flood insurance across the coast, the importance of the insurance discounts associated with CRS only grows. The PPI is a valuable tool in a community’s CRS toolbox if implemented, as it multiplies the efforts of flood communication and outreach activities and provides additional points in the process.
Meet the author
Stephen Deal
Extension Specialist (Land Use Planning)
Stephen works with floodplain managers, building officials, city officials, scientists and Sea Grant partners to provide information and training related to flood and storm resilience. He holds a... Read more
Phone: 228-435-9527
Email: [email protected]