Following FEMA’s release of preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for New Jersey and New York coastal communities, local officials and residents reviewed the maps and submitted appeals and comments.  FEMA staff have reviewed these stakeholder concerns and provided proposed resolutions to nearly all appellants.  FEMA will incorporate data gained from the appeals and comments into the flood hazard information on the preliminary FIRMs and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report where appropriate.

To keep local officials apprised of the status of their FIRM and FIS report, FEMA Region II will host a series of webinars for affected communities. The agenda for these meetings include:

• a status update on appeals and comments submitted from local officials and property owners;
• information regarding a technical appeal submitted by New York City and potential impacts on the FIRMs and FIS reports for other New York and New Jersey coastal communities; and
• next steps in the map update process.

Check the project calendar for specific times, date, and webinar login information.

November is Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month. This observance recognizes the important role critical infrastructure plays in our nation’s way of life and why it is important to expand and reinforce critical infrastructure security and resilience.

Critical infrastructure is the physical or virtual assets, systems, and networks that are vital to the security, national economic security, and national public health and safety of the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security has ways you can get involved throughout the month, including:
• Share stories and information about your efforts to support infrastructure security and resilience with your customers, constituents, partners, residents, and employees through newsletters, websites, emails, blog posts, and tweets;
• Reinforce the role your organization or office plays in infrastructure security and resilience by incorporating references to Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month in speaking engagements and events;
• Download the Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month Toolkit to help promote awareness; and
• Download and print the Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month fact sheet for your event, office, or friends.

Make sure you have a plan and supplies in place to keep you and your family safe from harm from hurricanes and other storms.

• Visit Ready.gov for information about how to prepare now to keep safe.
• New York City residents can find more information on the New York City Emergency Management Preparedness page.
• New Jersey residents can get more information from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.

Households, businesses, and communities are encouraged during National Preparedness Month to prepare and plan now for flooding and other disasters that can strike throughout the year. Learn about steps you can take to keep safe from floods on the Reduce Your Risk page or visit Ready.gov for more preparedness information related to flooding and other types of disasters. #NatlPrep

FEMA announced $180 million in funding available through two Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs: Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM). These two grant programs assist state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in strengthening our nation’s ability to reduce the potential cost of natural disasters to communities and their citizens.

Both HMA FY 2015 Funding Opportunity Announcements can be found at www.grants.gov. Eligible applicants must apply for funding through the Mitigation eGrants system on the FEMA Grants Portal accessible at https://portal.fema.gov. All applications must be submitted no later than August 28, 2015 at 3 p.m. EDT.

FEMA’s HMA grant programs provide states, local governments, tribes, and territories funding for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages. Further information on these grant programs is available at www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.

The Preliminary Flood Map Feedback Portal was developed by the FEMA Region II office to support the statutory appeals process for preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) released for communities affected by the New York/New Jersey coastal flood study. It is intended to make the process for submitting and tracking appeals and comments easier for both community officials and members of the public. The Portal:

• allows community officials and members of the public to submit feedback, which will be categorized as either appeals or comments, on the preliminary FIRMs and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports online.
• allows community officials to provide input on submissions from the public prior to FEMA review per National Flood Insurance Program regulations.
• makes it easier for community officials to view and manage all submissions that affect their community.
• allows for all submitters to easily view and track the status of their requests.

The Portal includes learning resources, including step-by-step instructions for local community officials and members of the public. Before you get started, visit the Appeal Period page to learn when the appeal period starts and ends for your community and data requirements that may apply.