Wakulla County and City of St. Marks Retain Their Community Rating System Scores

Crawfordville, Florida – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently completed its National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) five-year cycle review for Wakulla County and the City of St. Marks.  Through its review, FEMA determined that Wakulla County will be able to maintain its Class 7 CRS rating and the City of St. Marks will keep its Class 8 CRS rating.  The CRS is a voluntary program which provides insurance premium discounts to communities that participate in floodplain activities that go above and beyond the minimum required by the NFIP.   The Class 7 rating for Wakulla County makes its property owners eligible for a fifteen percent discount on flood insurance premiums for properties in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and a five percent discount for properties outside of that area.  The SFHA includes flood zones A, AE and VE. The Class 8 rating for the City of St. Marks makes its property owners eligible for a ten percent discount on flood insurance premiums for lots within the SFHA and a five percent discount for parcels outside of the SFHA.

Examples of activities that are completed as part of the CRS program include direct mailings of property protection information to homeowners in repeatedly flooded areas and prohibiting dumping of debris in streams, canals and ditches.  These and many other flood mitigation activities are implemented to protect lives, reduce property damage and aid residents with insurance coverage.  “Wakulla County is proud to continue its participation in the NFIP and CRS programs to help the environment and its citizens,” said David Edwards, County Administrator.

For additional information related to this story, please contact the Planning & Community Development Office at (850) 926-0919.

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