Outreach Georgia Flood M.A.P. Program. GAFM Technical Conference Flood Risk Outreach and Policy Session

Transcription

1 Outreach Georgia Flood M.A.P. Program GAFM Technical Conference Flood Risk Outreach and Policy Session 7 th Annual Technical Conference, Lanier Islands March 29, 2012

2 Risk Communication Key Learnings People who believe they are at risk are more likely to take actions People who hear about risk often are more likely to take action People want to hear about risk on news and through letters Citizens expect local officials to inform them about flood risk People have a higher tendency to take action when they hear the same message from different resources Media Internal Residents/ Business Owners Stake holders

3 Why We re Here Start a dialogue about your flood risk Understand your needs and priorities Communicate available resources Offer partnerships; answer questions Give you a complete, current picture of your flood hazards and risks to help you better: Plan for the risk Take action to protect your communities Communicate the risk to your citizens

4 Open A Channel of Communication Focus on Relationship Building Share tools to make communications easier, local officials may need to take steps to mitigate their community from future flood risk Understand what Products and Datasets allow the local official to communicate more effectively Determine the assistance

5 Georgia Flood M.A.P. Aligned with FEMA s Risk MAP Effort: Mapping Flood hazard and risk identification Assessment HAZUS and other risk assessment tools Planning Hazard mitigation planning and HMA grants Risk MAP Vision Deliver quality data Increase public awareness of flood risk Encourage local/regional actions that reduce risk

6 6 CSLF Affected Properties Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map Flood Zone Changes Floodway Decrease Floodway Increase Special Flood Hazard Area Decrease Special Flood Hazard Area Increase No Change Total Area (sq. miles) % Change (sq. miles) % Change (sq. miles) % Change (sq. miles) % Change (sq. miles) % Change (sq. miles)

7 Identify Areas of SFHA Change

8 Assign Each Parcel a Flood Risk Category These categories encompass all the various flood risk states a parcel can reside in.

9 Generating the Letters Generated based on flood risk status change Letters use the property owner address information stored in the parcels file

10 Awareness Measure Goals of the Risk MAP Multi-Year Plan commits FEMA to: Ensure that a measurable increase of the public s awareness and understanding of risk results in a measurable reduction of current and future vulnerability Research tells us that awareness prompts action and understanding in the general public and local officials Of the 68% of local officials that believe their community is at risk of flooding, 83% say they are likely to take action to mitigate the risk

11 How will Risk MAP increase awareness? Build a RELATIONSHIP while keeping local officials informed Consistent, regular, relevant communications Focus on RISK, not just insurance Create watershed-wide dialogue about risk Insurance is one of many ways to address risk Incentivize ACTION, not data or plans Identify specific areas of mitigation interest Highlight importance of plans, but incentivize actions Find resources to help communities implement the actions Emphasize COMMUNICATION with citizens Help local officials plan to communicate the risks: media releases, talking points, letter templates Bring the public into the meetings to discuss risk and insurance implications

12 Importance of Planning out Engagement Every project has community touch points throughout the timeline Plan for the touch points and relationships with local officials Develop community engagement plan - outlines frequency and purpose of contact Determine relationship contacts Set roles and responsibilities Craft key project messages Regular communications coordination meetings or tracking tools

13 Key Takeaways Our customers are Local Officials Leave local officials empowered, informed, and satisfied with their Risk MAP experience Awareness leads to action Effective engagement efforts will increase awareness and increase the likelihood of communities taking an action to reduce risk All of us play a role in increasing awareness

14 Think of Risk As a When Think of Risk as either an unwanted outcome or a probability that unwanted outcome will occur. It s not an If; It s a When

15 What is the RISK?

16 How to Communicate Risk? a) Communicate Risk in a fashion that will be beneficial to those receiving the message. b) Flood Risk message will need to substantiate this is real, and convey the level of risk.

17 Convey the Risk Message Make It Pertinent! Connect to the audience concerns safety, costs, inconvenience. They could lose their home, all their personal possessions, their savings. Clean-up after a flood can take weeks, months

18 Who Is Your Audience? Outreach must be constant and consistent Internal ( In-Reach ) Elected Officials City/County Managers & staff Stakeholders Local industry; Chamber, Civic organizations Media Local newspaper, radio Public Open House, Library Local Government TV & website Homeowner Association Meetings

19 Georgia Flood M.A.P. Georgia Flood M.A.P. Goals Increase focus on risk assessment and planning Continue partnerships with Federal, State, and Local Agencies Acquire and utilize high accuracy topographic data Deliver risk products and datasets Enhanced Outreach Program Outreach Guidebooks Increased Community Engagement Robust Website (

20 How Can GA DNR Help? GA DNR M.A.P. Website Risk MAP Products E-Newsletter to help keep stakeholders informed. Georgia DNR Outreach Planning Guidebook Sample notification letters Informational brochures/fact sheets Phased suggested outreach schedule 20

21 For Community Officials This section provides resources helpful for community leaders. Download the Georgia Outreach Guidebook for Local Governments Information for Community Officials What Are Your Options of Study Types What Do You Need for Each Study Georgia Flood Map Production Process Timeline for DFIRM Adoption Reviewing Preliminary Data - A Guide for Community Officials Flood Insurance and the Georgia Map Modernization Project Homeowner FAQ - The Effects of Revised Flood Maps Grandfathering Rules for Insurance Agents Vertical Datum Shifts Appeals and Protests Fact Sheet LOMC Revalidations and SOMAs Information About Your Community Ordinance Georgia Flood Map Modernization Program Overview How to Adopt a Floodplain Management Ordinance Model Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance - Riverine Model Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance - Coastal Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, 4220 International Pkwy, Suite 101, Atlanta, GA 30354

22 Georgia Flood M.A.P. Website 22

23 Find Your Flood RISK

24 Resources GA Floodplain Mgmt Coordinator Collis Brown, CFM Georgia Flood M.A.P.: Georgia Community Outreach Guidebook: FEMA s Risk MAP: Flood Insurance: GAFM: FEMA Map Information exchange (FMIX): FEMA-MAP ( ) 24

25 Questions

26 Potential Uses for CSLF Updates areas at risk in flood zones Determining where flood mitigation is needed Inform development decisions and community planning Illustrating changing risk conditions Updating evacuation plans 36