The recent Nor'easters offered yet another example of flooding issues in Hampton and throughout the Hampton Roads community. Numerous homes and streets felt the impact of the storms, and as residents in a water community flooding is an issue that isn't going to go away.

Rest assured your emergency personnel in Hampton take flooding seriously and will do everything they can to assist you with useful resources and information on ways to protect yourself. Just as the city has to plan and preserve public facilities, you too must protect your own home and assets.

What are some of your options to mitigate the problem of flooding to your home and family?

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
     Flood insurance is offered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and can be purchased through your home insurance company. This is the first line of defense to protect you and your family in the event of flooding which most home insurance plans do not cover.
     There are options for flood insurance coverage whereby you can chose to cover the structure only or purchase additional coverage for contents. Please also keep in mind flood insurance does not automatically cover relocation benefits if you are unable to live in your home due to flood damage.
     Visit www.FloodSmart.gov or call your home insurance provider for more information.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
     FEMA's HMGP provides grants to states and local governments for long-term hazard mitigation projects following a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the program is to reduce the loss of life and property in future disasters by funding mitigation measures during the recovery phase (up to one year) of a natural disaster.
     These funds can be used for public and private property and to be eligible a project must provide a long-term solution to a specific risk such as elevating flood-prone homes or businesses.
     During a recovery phase of a disaster, local jurisdictions select projects that could reduce property damage from future disasters and then submit grant applications to the State. The State then submits these applications to FEMA and a final eligibility review is conducted to ensure compliance with Federal regulations.
     For more information on this program, visit www.fema.gov or call Hampton's Emergency Planner Tracy Hanger at 727-2288.

Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA)
     The FMA provides funding to states and communities for measures that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage. Essentially this program provides grants for mitigation planning, projects, and technical assistance with a goal of reducing claims under the National Flood Insurance Program.
     The states serve as program administrators evaluating applications and work with FEMA to approve grants and award funds to communities. This program includes funds for elevating structures in high-risk flood areas. For more information on this program, visit www.fema.gov.

Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC)
     The RFC Grant Program provides mitigation funding for structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program located in communities that cannot meet the requirements of the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program. The long-term goal of the RFC Grant Program is to reduce or eliminate claims under the NFIP through mitigation activities that are in the best interest of the National Flood Insurance Fund.
     The long-term goal of the RFC Grant Program is to reduce or eliminate the number of reoccurring flood insurance claims through mitigation activities that are in the best interest of the NFIF. It provides property owners who are not eligible for FMA funds with an opportunity to mitigate future losses to their property. All RFC grants are eligible for up to 100 percent Federal cost assistance and are awarded to applicants on a nationwide basis without reference to State allocations, quotas, or other formula-based allocations. For more information on this program, visit www.fema.gov.

Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL)
     The SRL program provides funds on an annual basis to reduce the risk of flood damage to residential structures insured under the NFIP that are qualified as severe repetitive loss structures.
     A personal residential property that is covered under an NFIP flood insurance policy and has had at least four NFIP claim payments of over $5,000 and cumulatively exceed $20,000 or have at least two structural claim payments that when totaled together exceed the market value of the building within a 10 year period.
     SRL provides up to 90 percent Federal funding for eligible projects. For more information, visit www.fema.gov.

Additional resources on flood mitigation can be found at www.fema.gov or www.FloodSmart.gov or by calling 311 in Hampton (727-8311 outside of Hampton or from a mobile phone).