FEMA Issues Revised Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Monroe County

There will be an Open House on Flood Risk and Insurance on November 29, 2022. 

On September 30, 2022, FEMA released preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) in parts of Monroe County 
for public comments. The FIRMs are for the towns of Brighton, Greece, Hamlin, Irondequoit, Parma, Penfield and Webster, and the city of Rochester. The maps give updated information about the communities’ flood risk and are used to identify areas that may require flood insurance coverage. They also help community members to make decisions about how to protect themselves, their properties, and their belongings against future flood events. The maps and the associated Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report are the basis for each community’s floodplain management. 

FEMA will host an Open House on Flood Risk and Insurance on Tuesday, November 29, 2022 From 4 to 8 pm at the Irondequoit Library (1290 Titus Avenue Rochester, NY 14617) .

The Open House will be an opportunity for Monroe County community members to connect with FEMA representatives to learn more about their flood risk and to get information on potential changes to flood insurance rates and requirements. Community members can also learn more about ways to prepare for and protect against flooding. The Open House will be in-person and all are welcome to join. If you already have flood insurance, please bring a copy of your declaration page. 

To request a reasonable accommodation (sign language, real-time captioning or other), please email Michael.Foley3@fema.dhs.gov or FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov, or call (833) 285-7448, FEMA’s Civil Rights Resource Line. 

Due to these map changes, some properties in Monroe County may be included in a high-risk flood zone, known as  the Special Flood Hazard Area, for the first time. This may lead to those affected property owners being required to buy flood insurance. Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. Community members should know their current flood risk and use available tools and programs to make their property and community safer  against flooding. 

To learn more or to access the flood maps, visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov. Visit  floodsmart.gov to learn about flood insurance. You may also contact a map specialist at the FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX) at (877) 336-2627 or FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.