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Know Your Risk: Community Officials

The work of community managers is fundamental to the effective management of floodplain resources and flood mitigation.

This section provides information for community officials about Risk MAP and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Group of buildings with a river running in front of it

Know Your Risk

Know Your Role

Take Action

Know Your Risk

FEMA's Map Service Center (MSC) houses the flood hazard data, maps and other products that can help you better understand your community’s flood risk. The Risk MAP program developed this information to help you plan how to:

  • Reduce flood risk
  • Communicate with your residents
  • Create a dialogue with neighboring communities about ways to work together to reduce risk

Other Hazard Types

Looking for info about hazards other than floods? Visit the Risk Management page.

If there is a Risk MAP project underway in your community, updated maps and/or other products about flood risk are in the process of being developed which can easily be incorporated into your own local plans, mapping systems and outreach materials.

Investing in Coastal Resilience Is Worth the Costs

Coastal disasters are dangerous and expensive. But communities can take action to reduce their losses, speed up recovery and build a stronger future for all residents. Building resilience against natural disasters can improve residents’ quality of life today. It can also protect them from disasters for decades to come.


FEMA developed the Economic Case for Coastal Resilience guide for communities thinking about how to reduce their risks from coastal hazards. It gives background on coastal natural disasters and their effect on communities nationwide—including yours. It then explains how to reduce risks.


The guide also contains two infographics that you can use in explaining coastal risks and resilience options. They are available as PDFs and JPGs for your use.

You can find the Economic Case for Coastal Resilience here.

Every Disaster Is Expensive infographic: PDF | JPG (vertical) | JPG (horizontal)

Coastal Mitigation Is Worth the Investment infographic: PDF | JPG (vertical) | JGP (horizontal)

Living with Levees

Community officials need to identify the steps to protect families, businesses, and the community from the threat of flooding due to levee overtopping, breaching, or seepage.

Levee Safety Materials

Coastal Flood Risk

Coastal communities face a range of unique flooding hazards including storm surge, waves and erosion—all of which can cause extensive damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure.

Coastal Flooding Resources

Know Your Role

Get Involved in the Risk MAP Process

You can take part in identifying a potential mapping need by submitting a mapping need request for a geographic area in FEMA's Coordinated Needs Management Strategy (CNMS) tool (works best on Internet Explorer).

The CNMS tool is FEMA's approach to coordinate and manage the agency's inventory of flood hazard studies and flood hazard mapping needs of areas where a flood hazard study may be needed. CNMS helps community officials analyze and depict flood hazards to better understandflood risk and make informed decisions on community planning and flood mitigation.

Additionally, if there is a Risk MAP flood risk project already underway in your community, your input will be important to make sure that maps and products accurately show local flood risk. View all the steps involved in a flood risk project on the Risk MAP Project Lifecycle page.

Understand Requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

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Any new or updated flood maps and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports will need to be adopted and used by your community.

Failure to adopt and enforce regulatory requirements based on the new flood map can result in suspension from the NFIP. For more information about community responsibilities, refer to Adoption of Flood Insurance Rate Maps by Participating Communities.

Learn about Available Risk MAP Products

While the flood map and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report support regulatory requirements of the NFIP, other Risk MAP products are designed to help you with planning and outreach efforts to reduce flood risk in your community.

Information about the different types of products and how to access them is available on the FEMA Flood Risk Products page.

Take Action

Plan Ahead

If you haven’t already, consider preparing a community hazard mitigation plan. These plans can help you to make more informed decisions based on the risk of flooding and other natural disasters.

Mitigate the Risk

Learn what flood reduction measures are right for your community:

Request a Map Change

FEMA's Online Letter Map Of Change (LOMC) is an internet-based tool that allows applicants to easily request map Amendments or Revisions. It is a convenient way for applicants to upload all information and supporting documentation and check the status of their application online.

Additional Resources

For additional resources visit:

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