The CRS Program: Reducing Flood Vulnerability (Source: Texas Flood Today)
By Tak Makino, CFM
In the simplest sense, the Community Rating System (CRS) is a program that can improve the quality of life in a community. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed the CRS to save lives and reduce property losses to flooding. The CRS program is a voluntary component of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The CRS program provides a framework of methods and incentives to strengthen a floodplain management program.
What does it do?
The CRS program accomplishes two major goals. First, the floodplain management practices laid out in the CRS program will help a community reduce flood vulnerability, leading to reduced flood losses. Second, participation in the CRS program can lead to discounts on flood insurance premiums for policyholders in CRS-participating communities, potentially up to a 45% discount.
