ICC Foundation: News Room

News Room

International Code Council Foundation, FEMA to help at-risk communities reduce future flood losses

With the 2005 hurricane season kicking off, flooding could impact many communities. More than 54,000 Americans experienced damage from flood losses last year. To help building departments in high-risk areas minimize future flood damages, the International Code Council Foundation and U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are distributing a new publication, Reducing Flood Losses through the International Codes.

Many communities experience a cycle of flood damage and rebuilding. Flood insurance payouts and disaster assistance rarely cover all of the costs of repair and clean up. In 2004, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) paid 1.9 billion dollars in claims to flood victims in 50 states, and the U.S. territories.

"While the NFIP is a critical mitigation activity and provides an 'economic backstop' against flood losses, FEMA believes the nation's model building codes have a tremendous impact on the quality of construction and how structures will withstand the forces of nature. The philosophy of ensuring the quality of construction at the local level before a disaster, by making the nation's model building codes adequate for all hazards, has made the work of FEMA much easier, both before and after a disaster," said Acting FEMA Mitigation Division Director David Maurstad.

Nationwide, more than 20,000 communities participate in the NFIP. By encouraging communities to build in lower risk areas, elevate construction above the floodplain, and upgrade and modify buildings to disaster-resistant codes, FEMA and the International Code Council Foundation want to help these and other communities minimize or negate the impact of future flooding.

"By partnering with FEMA, we can help at-risk communities incorporate flood-resistant design into their construction projects," said International Code Council Foundation President Paul Myers. "Encouraging construction of durable, sustainable buildings and changing the devastating effects of natural disasters is a key part of our mission. Officials estimate every dollar spent in preventing damage can save seven dollars in future losses to homes and buildings."

Communities have to meet specific floodplain requirements to participate in the NFIP. The guide will help community officials integrate the International Codes, the most widely adopted codes in the United States, into their current floodplain management procedures. FEMA and the International Code Council Foundation are providing the publication, free of charge, to International Code Council Chapters to distribute to building departments in flood regions.

For more information on the National Flood Insurance Program, visit www.fema.gov/fima. To purchase Reducing Flood Losses through the International Codes, visit the ICC Store at www.iccsafe.org/FEMAflood, or call 1-800-786-4452. Price: $12 (ICC members), $15 (nonmembers).

The International Code Council Foundation (ICCF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating the devastating effects of natural disasters and other building tragedies by promoting ideas, methods and technologies that encourage the construction of durable, sustainable buildings and homes. The ICCF is a subsidiary of the International Code Council, an organization that develops and enforces the most widely adopted building codes in the nation.

EDITORS NOTE: Photos are available at www.iccsafe.org/floodloss.