State Floodplain Managers and Hazard Mitigation Officers Quarterly Conference Call December 13, 2011 Topic: Digital Floodplain Maps and Products

Transcription

1 Agenda - Call Notes State Floodplain Managers and Hazard Mitigation Officers Quarterly Conference Call December 13, 2011 Topic: Digital Floodplain Maps and Products Using Digital Maps for day to day work, what would make them better? The FEMA MSC web site is difficult to use, slow, service interruptions are frequent and have lasted as long as week. Assisting the general public with navigating the site, typically over the phone, is extremely difficult as the site is not user friendly as it is hard to navigate, or move from map to map, the site is slow even with a fast internet connection and it is not reliable. The site is not designed for the occupational user. Another limitation of the MSC is that you cannot download the Flood Insurance Studies, but are forced to page through the pdf format document on line. Some states are putting up their own web sites to ease navigation, but that has its limitations with data update (more discussion on NFHL later). It would be helpful if FEMA provided web server resources, Silver Jackets and other have much more dynamic web sites. State Offices need to receive a paper copy of the maps as they are revised. When there is pending disaster, there is no time to print dozens of maps or necessarily funds. A state office would have to print hundreds of maps costing thousands of dollars. Mailing of paper maps to local communities do not always reach the right people. Sending the only paper copy to the CEO office does not ensure that the maps are delivered to the appropriate local staff. Local staff may be unaware of changes. Some locations are using low resolution or somehow degraded orthophotos, at the map scale cyan and black dots used for the floodplains obscure the ground features. Digital Tools (FIRMette, map viewer, Eddie, NFHL) feedback, what is needed? The FIRMette tool is very useful, but needs improvement. There should be more investment in this tool to make it easy for the occasional user. The FIRMette tool can be VERY slow loading the orthoimagery, and sometimes the imagery is not even there. Eddie is alright, but many state offices do not allow the installation of outside software. There are other s

2 oftware tools, such as get it right that are better for managing web sites, but again state offices often do not allow installation of this type of software on government computers. It is not easy to find on the web site, need to know it is there and hunt for it. DFIRM viewer for use on the desk top (again an installation issue) is clunky, can be erratic and takes a lot of work to use. The NFHL must be downloaded for an entire state, and then parsed out for communities. This takes time, and with the ongoing updates with LOMRs it is impractical to keep state or local digital data up to date. Furthermore the posting of LOMRs is erratic, hit or miss. There should be regular notifications when updates are made, it is not reasonable to expect the states and communities to be continuously checking for changes. Once LOMRs are posted it is extremely difficult to get the technical data. You can see information on the MIP but cannot download. There is push back from the FEMA library on accessibility and fees are charged. Data delivery on mailed CDs and the MSC; what would make it better? The mailing of the digital data from the MSC is very poorly done. The DVD/ CDs are not labeled and the files are not organized. It is extremely difficult to find the files you want. Multiple disks are delivered in multiple packages with no labels and no instructions. There can be 10 or more CDs for a single county. Duplicates are sent to some state offices, while some mailings are partial. The state floodplain manager s office may not be collocated with the GIS department and there are cases where they are getting different deliveries of the digital data. The png format is not useful for many, pdf format would be much better. Geo-pdfs would be much better as they would allow the turning on and off of layers. The files are massive and cannot be ed. The file sizes need to be reduce so that they can be sent via rather than directing the public to ftp sites. Some of the file formats are not useful (e.g. Arc-Info), additional formats such as KML and KMZ would be useful. Thanks for a great call! Next Call scheduled for: March 13, 2012 at 12:00PM Central Time (1:00PM Eastern, 10:00AM Pacific)

3 Attendee Report Quarterly State Floodplain Management & Mitigation Call / Web Meeting - 12/13/2011 Dec 15, :19 AM PST Actual Start Date/Time Dec 13, :47 AM CST Total Attended 36 First Name Last Name State What is your role within the state? Anita Nance anance@dnr.in.gov IN Water Resource Planner Bill Cappuccio bill.cappuccio@dnr.iowa.gov IA State NFIP Coordinator Bill Nechamen wsnecham@gw.dec.state.ny.us NY Floodplain Management Coordinator Brian Cosson btcosson@azwater.gov AZ ADWR NFIP State Coordinator bruce bender babender@cox.net AZ ASFPM Insurance Committee Co-Chair Ceil Strauss ceil.strauss@state.mn.us MN State Floodplain Manager Christine Shirley christine.shirley@state.or.us OR NFIP Coordinator Dawn Johnson djohnson@scd.hawaii.gov HI SHMO Diana Davisson dianad@illinois.edu IL CTP Jessica Baker jbaker@halff.com TX TFMA VP Jessica Stimson jessica.r.stimson@us.army.mil RI Floodplain Mapping Coordinator JoAnn Mooney joann.e.mooney@maine.gov ME State Hazard Mitigation Officer Joseph Young joseph.young@maine.gov ME mapping coordinator Joy Duperault joy.duperault@em.myflorida.com FL State floodplain manager Karen Johnson kijohnson@dps.state.nv.us NV Mitigation Specialist Katelyn Lynch katelyn.lynch@em.myflorida.com FL State Floodplain Management Specialist Kevin Sneed kevin.l.sneed@wv.gov WV NFIP Coordinator Kevin Wagner kwagner@mde.state.md.us MD Planner, State NFIP Office Kim Davis kadavis@water.nv.gov NV State Floodplain Manager Kim Johnson kim.johnson@wyo.gov WY State NFIP Coordinator Laura Tessieri laura.tessieri@drbc.state.nj.us NJ ASFPM Region 2 Director Mark Roberts mark.roberts@alaska.gov AK SHMO Maureen Towne mctowne@azwater.gov AZ AZ RiskMAP Coordinator Miriam Anderson miriam.anderson@wisconsin.gov WI Planner Pam Lightfoot pam.lightfoot@la.gov LA work in the State Coordinator's Office Phetmano Phannavong phetmano.phannavong@dc.gov DC DC Floodplain Manager Richard Zingarelli richard.zingarelli@state.ma.us MA NFIP Coordinator and SHMO Sally McConkey sally@illinois.edu IL - Shawn Snyder shawn.snyder@twdb.state.tx.us TX Field Coordinator / CAP-SSSE Manager Siavash Beik sbeik@cbbel-in.com IN ASFPM POD/CTP contractor Steve Dolan smdolan@azwater.gov AZ CAP Coordinator & State Training Terri Turner tturner@augustaga.gov GA Region 4 Director Thomas Morey tom.morey@kda.ks.gov KS NFIP Coordinator Timothy Keaton tim.w.keaton@wv.gov WV SHMO Will Meyer riskprepared@gmail.com CO Contractor William Arwood william.arwood@state.sd.us SD State NFIP Coordinator

4 Do you use digital maps on a regular basis for your work? No Answer 7 Occasionally 5 No 1 Yes Have you accessed digital flood maps from CDs sent from the MSC? No Answer N/A Occasionally No Yes Which of the following have you used? Please select all that apply. No Answer N/A National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Electronic Document Delivery (EDDie) FIRMette tool Would you be willing to complete a 20 question survey about digital floodplain maps and products? No Answer No Yes

5 State Floodplain Management & Mitigation Call / Web Meeting TOPIC: Digital Floodplain Maps and Products December 13, am Central Time (11am Eastern, 8am Pacific) Dial: Access Code: Agenda 1. Welcome and call instructions (10 min.) 2. Using Digital Maps for day to day work, what would make them better? (15 min.) 3. Digital Tools (FIRMette, map viewer, EDDie, NFHL) feedback, what is needed? (15 min.) 4. Data delivery on CDs and the MSC; what would make it better? (15 min.) 5. Next call, next steps (5 min.)

6 Audio & Web Settings Please mute your phone. Entering *6 will mute/unmute your phone Do not put your phone on hold. Red arrow button maximize / minimize the web interface The hand icon on your web interface can be clicked to raise your hand and indicate you have a comment or question. Questions & Comments If you have a question or comment, please feel free to jump into the conversation Please introduce yourself You can also ask questions by: Using the hand icon Send a text using the Question Menu texts will go to the Facilitator (only) who can answer via chat or during the meeting.

7 Technical Assistance If you are experiencing connection problems, please contact ASFPM at Phone: and ask for Jason OR, to connect only by phone: Dial: Access Code: Purpose Provide a facilitated forum for exchange of information between State Floodplain Managers and Hazard Mitigation Officers Identify issues that might be taken up by ASFPM

8 Protocol Calls will be held quarterly and will be one hour Call topics to be determined by polling State Floodplain Managers and Hazard Mitigation Officers Ground Rules Participate! One person talks at a time. Monitor time allow everyone a chance to talk. Safe Room - Everyone s input is honored, no one trashed. Don t make it personal, don t take it personally. Your ideas are not you. What is discussed here stays here UNLESS the group agrees that it be shared outside the group. Have fun!

9 Agenda 1. Welcome and call instructions (10 min.) 2. Using Digital Maps for day to day work, what would make them better? (15 min.) 3. Digital Tools (FIRMette, map viewer, EDDie, NFHL) feedback, what is needed? (15 min.) 4. Data delivery on CDs and the MSC; what would make it better? (15 min.) 5. Next call, next steps (5 min.) 10:10AM -10:25AM Central Using Digital Maps for day to day work, what would make them better?

10 Agenda 1. Welcome and call instructions (10 min.) 2. Using Digital Maps for day to day work, what would make them better? (15 min.) 3. Digital Tools (FIRMette, map viewer, EDDie, NFHL) feedback, what is needed? (15 min.) 4. Data delivery on CDs and the MSC; what would make it better? (15 min.) 5. Next call, next steps (5 min.) 10:25AM 10:40AM Central Digital Tools (FIRMette, map viewer, EDDie, NFHL) feedback What is needed?

11 Agenda 1. Welcome and call instructions (10 min.) 2. Using Digital Maps for day to day work, what would make them better? (15 min.) 3. Digital Tools (FIRMette, map viewer, EDDie, NFHL) feedback, what is needed? (15 min.) 4. Data delivery on CDs and the MSC; what would make it better? (15 min.) 5. Next call, next steps (5 min.) 10:40AM - 10:55AM Central Data delivery on mailed CDs and the MSC What would make it better?

12 Agenda 1. Welcome and call instructions (10 min.) 2. Using Digital Maps for day to day work, what would make them better? (15 min.) 3. Digital Tools (FIRMette, map viewer, Eddie, NFHL) feedback, what is needed? (15 min.) 4. Data delivery on CDs and the MSC; what would make it better? (15 min.) 5. Next call, next steps (5 min.) 10:55AM 11:00AM Central Next steps Next Call: March 13, 12:00pm CT (1pm ET, 10am PT) Agenda Items? Thanks! See you next year!