Spearfish council approves recertification for FEMA program reducing some flood insurance rates

SPEARFISH — The city of Spearfish participates in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Community Rating System (CRS); on Tuesday the council approved the recertification of Spearfish's CRS 9 rating.

"(The) program provides communities with the benefit of reduced flood insurance premiums for their residents by encouraging them to implement floodplain management practices that go beyond the minimum requirements, leading to enhanced public safety, reduced property damage, and minimized economic disruption from flooding; essentially rewarding communities for proactive flood mitigation efforts," City Engineer Kyle Mathis said.

By participating in CRS, the city earns a 5 percent discount on the National Flod Insurance (NFIP) offered by FEMA. "Any resident can get flood insurance … they do not have to be in a FEMA flood zone to qualify," Mathis said.

Municipalities that participate in CRS are ranked on a scale from nine to one, with nine being program participation and one being the highest rating.

Mathis said, moving from rank nine to eight, for example, could require a bigger investment from the city.

"Currently it would likely take an additional staff member for the added time and effort needed to improve our rating but the city will continue to look for cost effective ways to improve our rating in the future," Mathis said.

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