The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) to represent an estimate of the risk of flooding in a certain area, and specifically show the extent of the floodplain affected by the base flood or “100-year flood.” This is the severity of flood that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year, and the base floodplain is called the Special Flood Hazard Area. A FIRM is the official map of a community on which FEMA has delineated both the special hazard areas and the risk premium zones applicable to the community. FEMA FIRMs are associated with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Who uses FIRMs?
- Private citizens and insurance and brokers use the FIRM to locate properties and buildings in flood insurance risk areas.
- Community officials use the FIRM to administer floodplain management regulations and to mitigate flood damage.
- Lending institutions and federal agencies use the FIRM to locate properties and buildings in relation to mapped flood hazards, and to determine whether flood insurance is required when making loans or providing grants following a disaster for the purchase or construction of a building.
How can I obtain digital maps?
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center: FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center is the official source of public information about the flood hazard data, contained within the National Flood Hazard Layer. This web map application can be used to view and download a FIRMette, a full scale section of a FIRM that is formatted to be compatible with most printers, or a full FIRM panel.
- The FEMA Flood Map Service Center can be accessed at the following link: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search
- Greene Web Map: The Greene Web Map is a web application that functions as a tax parcel viewer, allowing users to view and search for property boundaries. The National Flood Hazard Layer is available to view on the Greene Web Map. The Greene Web Map is managed by Greene County Real Property Tax Services.
- The Greene Web Map can be accessed at the following link: https://gis.gcgovny.com/greenewebmap/
How can I obtain hardcopy maps?
Since 2009, FEMA has discontinued the printing and distribution of paper copies of the FIRM. Many local government offices have paper copies of FIRMs available for reference.
- GCSWCD Main Office: GCSWCD maintains an inventory of the Greene County FIRMs. These maps are available to view at the GCSWCD Main Office. Contact the GCSWCD Main Office by phone at 518-622-3620 to confirm FIRM availability and schedule a time to view the hardcopy maps.
- Greene County Town & Village Offices: Town and village halls, along with municipal buildings, may have print copies of the maps available for reference. Contact your local municipality to confirm the FIRM availability.