FEMA OPEN HOUSE DATES & INFO

Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. Community members need to know their risk and use the tools and programs they have, including flood insurance.

Do you know your flood risk?
FEMA is hosting two Open Houses on Flood Risk and Insurance. If you live in the Town of Ulysses, this is a chance to learn more about your updated flood maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). FEMA representatives will be there to answer questions about flood risk, flood insurance, the recently revised flood maps, and how to prepare for and protect yourself from flooding.

The first Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Attend in person, any time from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Ithaca High School Cafeteria at 1401 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850.
The second Open House is on Thursday, April 27, 2023, between 4:30 and 8:30 p.m., at the Tompkins County Whole Health Building at 55 Brown Road, Ithaca, NY 14850.
The Open Houses will not have a formal presentation, and all are welcome to join.

The previous FIRMs for Tompkins County and the Town of Ulysses were paper maps dating from the 1980s. Because they will be available online, the new maps provide an additional level of transparency for residents. They also help community members make decisions about how to protect themselves from future flood events. The maps and FIS report are the basis for each community’s floodplain management regulations. Due to these map changes, some properties in Tompkins 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.

To learn more, or to access the flood maps, visit https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home.
You may also contact a map specialist at the FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX) at 1-877336-2627 or FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.
For Open House questions, reach out to FEMA's outreach lead, Lisa Blake, at Lisa.Blake@mbakerintl.com.

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.
 

Open House Frequently Asked Questions