Digital Preliminary Flood Hazard Maps for Pasco County Are Ready for Public Viewing

ATLANTA, Georgia, Aug. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

Residents and property owners in Pasco County can see draft preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for coastal areas at a public open house on August 30.

FIRMs show the extent and risk for flooding. The FIRMs will be used to determine flood insurance premiums and building requirements.

Learn about your risk of flooding and ask questions about what the new maps will mean for your property. You can meet one-on-one with specialists to discuss flood risk, flood insurance, appeals, mitigation, and engineering. Home and business owners, renters, real estate agents, mortgage lenders, surveyors and insurance agents are encouraged to attend.

The open house date, time and location is:

Thursday, August 30, 6 to 9 p.m.

Hudson Regional Library

8012 Library Road

Hudson, FL 34667

The new preliminary FIRMs were developed through a partnership between the communities and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They are based on updated modeling data and show coastal flood hazards more accurately than older maps.

The goal is to inform property owners and the community of their flood risks. Over time, flood risks change due to construction and development, environmental changes, watershed conditions and other factors. Flood maps are updated periodically to reflect these changes.

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on buildings that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Standard homeowners, business owners, and renters' insurance policies typically don't cover flood damage; consequently, flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone subject to coastal flood risks. Flood insurance policies can be purchased from any state-licensed property and casualty insurance agent. Call the National Flood Insurance Program Help Center at 800-427-4661 or visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information.

If you need any reasonable accommodations at the open house, please contact FEMA's Office of Equal Rights at fema-reasonable-accomodations@fema.dhs.gov to make arrangements no later than three days prior to the open house.