PHILADELPHIA – Residents of the Borough of Etna, Pennsylvania are being rewarded by the Borough’s implementation of various floodplain management measures encouraged by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These measures have reduced the risk of flooding and resulted in an overall decrease in insurance premiums for properties insured within the Borough.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) oversees the NFIP, which administers a program called the Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed minimum NFIP requirements. “The Community Rating System activities undertaken by Etna Borough shows their commitment to protecting themselves from the dangers of flooding,” FEMA Region III Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney stated. “We would like to thank Etna Borough for taking actions to protect lives and property.” 
The CRS program includes 10 different class rating levels based on the number and type of activities voluntarily initiated by the community. Each class rating level corresponds to a percentage discount on National Flood Insurance policy premiums for policies written in the municipality.
Under the CRS, local officials are asked to meet three goals: (1) reduce flood losses; (2) facilitate accurate insurance rating; and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance.
As a participant in the Community Rating System, Etna Borough is part of an elite group of 27 communities in Pennsylvania that have achieved this recognition. With the steps taken by Etna Borough to protect its citizens and increase its resiliency, it has advanced in the CRS program to a Class 7 rating, enabling residents with properties located in a high risk flood zone to receive a 15% reduction on their annual flood insurance premiums. Overall, participation as a Class 7 community results in a total savings of over $40,170 annually for policyholders in Etna Borough.
On behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, FEMA Region III, and the NFIP, we would like to thank Etna for their hard work and dedication to reducing flood risk and increasing resiliency within their community.
For information about flood insurance, property owners should contact their insurance agent, visit www.FEMA.gov/national-flood-insurance-program , or call the NFIP's toll-free information line at
800-427-4661. To learn more about the CRS, visit www.FEMA.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-rating-system.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.
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