Georgia week long CFM Course/Test

E-273 – Managing Floodplain Development Through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) /Test

When:   August 24-28, 2009

Where:  Wingate Inn
               4087 Jimmie Dyess Parkway
               Augusta GA 38909

Time:    8:30 am - 5:00 pm

CFM Exam: August 28^th, 9:30 am -12:30 pm

Purpose: This course is designed for local officials responsible for administering their local floodplain management ordinance as well as others involved in floodplain management activities. The course will focus on the National Flood Insurance Program and concepts of Floodplain Management, interpreting the Flood Insurance Study and Flood Map, effective administration of the local flood ordinance, and the relationship between Floodplain Management and Flood Insurance. Both FEMA and Georgia Floodplain Management staff will serve as course instructors.

HEC-RAS / HEC-HMS Training – Augusta, Georgia

"No Adverse Impact (NAI) Using HEC-RAS / HEC-HMS"

When:        July 15, 2009   9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Where:       W R Toole Engineering  (Conference Room)
                     1005 Broad Street, Suite 300
                     Augusta, Georgia 30901

Instructor:  Sam Crampton – Dewberry

This full day course will focus on the basics of HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS. The course will also highlight common modeling errors and will cover how to appropriately ensure that developments have ‘No Adverse Impacts’.

This course will be suitable for those who plan to use HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS for floodplain impact studies and also for community officials tasked with reviewing HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS models for proposed developments.

ASFPM has approved 6.0 core CEU’s for this training session.

Lunch will be on your own.

GAFM Luncheon Lecture – Augusta, Georgia

"Storm Drainage Challenges along the Georgia Fall Line”

When:        July 15, 2009   11:00 – 1:00

Where:       W R Toole Engineering  (Conference Room)
                     1005 Broad Street, Suite 300
                     Augusta, Georgia 30901

Instructor:  Ray Pittman – Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company

GAFM Luncheon Lecture – Savannah, Georgia  

"Understanding Engineered Flood Vents and the Significant Changes to TB-1"

When:        June 25, 2009   11:00 – 1:00

Where:       Office of Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company  (Conference Room)
                     50 Park of Commerce Way
                     Savannah, Georgia 31405

Instructor:  Bruce Sherlock - SmartVent

When:     June 25 2009 8:00am - Noon

Where:    Harrison Hall
                 224 Dalton Street
                 Ellijay GA 30540

Instructor:  Janice Mitchell, FEMA Region 4

This half day training will focus on the changes to the Elevation Certificate.

This course is recommended for surveyors, engineers, building officials, inspectors, insurance agents, community officials and for those interested in floodplain management.


Please RSVP to Vee Burnham at vburnham@gilmercounty-ga.gov
or 706-635-3406

GAFM Luncheon Lecture – Augusta, Georgia  

"Understanding Engineered Flood Vents and the Significant Changes to TB-1"

When:        June 24, 2009   11:00 – 1:00

Where:       W R Toole Engineering  (Conference Room)
                     1005 Broad Street, Suite 300
                     Augusta, Georgia 30901

Instructor:  Bruce Sherlock - SmartVent

GAFM Luncheon Lecture – Savannah, Georgia

"Understanding the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance “No Rise” Letter"

When:        May 14, 2009   11:00 – 1:00

Where:       Office of Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company  (Conference Room)
                     50 Park of Commerce Way
                     Savannah, Georgia 31405

Instructor:  Ray Pittman – Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company

GAFM Luncheon Lecture – Augusta, Georgia  

"Taking the Mystery Out of Calculating BFE’s"

When:        May 6, 2009   11:00 – 1:00

Where:       W R Toole Engineering  (Conference Room)
                     1005 Broad Street, Suite 300
                     Augusta, Georgia 30901

Instructor:  Abbie Margelofsky – Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company

GAFM Luncheon Lecture – Savannah, Georgia

"Low Impact Development (LID) and Sustainable Planning & Storm Drainage Challenges in Coastal Georgia"

When:        April 23, 2009   11:30-2:00

Where:       Office of Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company  (Conference Room)
                     50 Park of Commerce Way
                     Savannah, Georgia 31405

Instructor:  Eric Paul Walsnovich, ASLA – WK Dickson, who will be speaking on Low Impact Development (LID) and Sustainable Planning and Raymond A Pittman, PE, PH CPSWQ, D. WRE – Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company who will be speaking on Storm Drainage Challenges in Coastal Georgia

Georgia week long CFM Course/Test

E-273 – Managing Floodplain Development Through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) / Test

When:    April 13th to 17th. CFM Exam on the 17th.

Where:  Gainesville GA
               Flat Creek
               2641 Old Flowery Branch Road
               Gainesville, GA 30504

Purpose: This course is designed for local officials responsible for administering their local floodplain management ordinance as well as others involved in floodplain management activities. The course will focus on the National Flood Insurance Program and concepts of Floodplain Management, interpreting the Flood Insurance Study and Flood Map, effective administration of the local flood ordinance, and the relationship between Floodplain Management and Flood Insurance. Both FEMA and Georgia Floodplain Management staff will serve as course instructors.

Course sign-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 13th, 2009. The course schedule is Monday through Thursday, April 13th – April 16th, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Course materials will be provided by FEMA free of charge, however, all costs associated with attending the training course – travel, lodging, meals, and miscellaneous expenses – will be your responsibility.

Friday morning, April 17th, the Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) exam will be offered from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The CFM is a national designation that recognizes those persons who have demonstrated a level of knowledge of floodplain management. Earning the CFM designation also tells others that a national program - The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) - has recognized your professional capabilities.

The deadline for submission is March 20, 2009.

For further information, please call Veronica Briers at (404) 656-6382 or fax to (404) 656-6383.

FEMA EMI Training Application

Elevation Certificate Training, Savannah Georgia

When:        March 27, 2009 8:00am - Noon

Where:       City of Savannah Civic Center
                     Bryan Room 2^nd Floor East  Room #1 (Parking Lot Side)
                     301 West Oglethrope Avenue     Savannah, GA

Instructor:  Janice Mitchell, FEMA Region 4

Luncheon Lecture - Augusta, GA

GAFM in conjunction with the CSRA Planners Group is pleased to host noted speaker, Tom Robertson, PE, AICP, RLS, of Cranston Engineering in Augusta, GA. Tom will be speaking on Conservation Friendly Development.

When: February 25 2009 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Where: Augusta Canal Authority Interpretive Center Theatre, Augusta, GA

Cost: Cost: The lecture is free; but there will be a cost for lunch - TBA

Reservations: Tues, February 24, 2009 at noon. Call Terri Turner at (706) 821-1796 or e-mail at tturner@augustaga.gov

4th Annual GAFM Conference Training Sessions
Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, GA

Complete Course Schedule

GAFM CFM Refresher Course/Test

This session is a good refresher course even for current CFMs, who can claim 6 preapproved Continuing Education Credits from the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) for attendance. For attendees who are not yet CFMs, this is a great preparation course for the CFM exam, but will not take the place of intensive study. Prior to this training, we recommend that you read the manual, Floodplain Management Requirements: A Study Guide and Desk Reference for Local Officials (FEMA 480), available for download at www.floods.org/Certification/FEMA_480.asp.

This manual is lengthy, so please give yourself some time to prepare! Please note that signing up for this course does not automatically register you for the CFM Exam, and signing up for the exam does not register you for the course. ASFPM requires that you register and submit payment at least two weeks in advance of any CFM exam.

Should you desire to take the exam you may visit ASFPM’s website - www.floods.org for application information and to view the CFM Exam Preparation Guide. To request a General Admissions Application please contact Garrett Skinner or call at (678) 808-8884.

NAI Information Sessions

No Adverse Impact - "The Basics"

NAI is a set of "do no harm" principles that assist communities in overseeing growth and development by limiting the impact of harmful construction to adjacent and down stream properties and communities. Communities achieve this higher level of protection by adopting stronger regulations that identify acceptable levels of impact, appropriate measures to mitigate those adverse impacts (before those impacts occur) and an established plan for implementation. NAI is intended to save the community money and ensure proper life safety of citizens that reside in or near flood prone areas. Learn how NAI will bring to the forefront topics such as stormwater conveyance systems, retention, detention, "smart" floodplain practices, the role of emergency responders and citizens' life safety.

No Adverse Impact (NAI) Property Rights - Legally Protecting the Rights of All

This session starts with the "Protecting the Property Rights of All" Workshop that was presented at the ASFPM Conference in 2008 in Reno-Sparks, Nevada and expands on it to include an emphasis on life safety issues. It also include information to show local governments how they can use government developed depth/velocity tables to assess risk to people, in conjunction with the issuance of floodplain, wetland, and water quality permits. This legal session is a comprehensive view of water resources and sustainability and is a nice catalyst for the remainder of GAFM's Annual Conference.

In addition, liability for failed dams and levees, professional liability, and the importance of assessing life safety factors when reviewing water resources permits will be discussed.

The Association of State Floodplain Managers has established a national program for professional certification of floodplain managers. The program recognizes continuing education and professional development that enhance the knowledge and performance of local, state, federal, and private-sector floodplain managers.

The primary goal of the ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager Program (CFM Program) is to help reduce the nation’s flood losses and protect and enhance the natural resources and functions of its floodplains by improving the knowledge and abilities of floodplain managers in the United States.

A second goal of the CFM Program is to increase the prominence of floodplain management in decision-making by local officials and the public.

CFM Manual Link

FEMA Manual link - Floodplain Management Requirements: A Study Guide and Desk Reference for Local Officials (FEMA 480)

Legal Challenges When Dams and Levees do not Protect

A confluence of three recent major events has come together to create a huge flood of interest in the national implications of how we, as a Nation understand flood risks, deal with the economics of that risk, and map that risk for areas which are "protected" by dams and levees. The three major events which have brought this matter to prominence in the public consciousness are: a) the failure of the levees in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina; b) the huge financial settlement resulting from the catastrophic failure of levees in California, known as the Paterno Case; and c) the nationwide effort being undertaken by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to update Flood Insurance Rate Maps, known as MapMOD. This Legal Workshop will present the Legal implications of how we can deal with the difficult choices we must make as a society as we re-build, re-map, and reconsider the risks involved in attempting to protect areas fro the consequences of floods with man made structures.

Legal Challenges When Dams and Levees Do Not Protect

Instructor: Edward A. Thomas, Esq., Michael Baker Jr., Inc.

No Adverse Impact (NAI) Property Rights - Legally Protecting the Rights of All

There is serious concern and uncertainty on the part of planners and other regulators as to just what extent property can be fairly, properly, and legally regulated. Many floodplain managers are concerned that they may be harming the "Property Rights" of others to the extent of being sued for simply doing their job of ensuring safety when someone chooses to occupy a portion of Nature's floodplain. This Legal Workshop introduces several themes which flow into a powerful concept know as "No Adverse Impact" which should both ensure reasonable public safety and protect government officials from liability. The themes are:

-Today's floodplain is not tomorrow's floodplain; following the bare bones minimum standards of the National Flood Insurance Program may not bring the extent of protection from future flooding desired by a community.

-Proper and fair floodplain management in snot anti-development; but rather significantly protects the Property Rights of everyone in the community by providing a fair and pragmatic foundation for safe and proper development.

-What are the next steps? A short portion of the Workshop will include a panel of practitioners discussing what local/regional/state governments are doing; and/or planning to do now to actually implement NAI in their communities.

No Adverse Impact (NAI) Property Rights - Legally Protecting the Rights of All

Instructor: Edward A. Thomas, Esq., Michael Baker Jr., Inc.

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