The objective of this training is to provide Local government floodplain managers and building officials in Washington with intermediate level training for making substantial improvement and substantial damage determinations. Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program is a required pre-requisite for this course.
After major disasters, numerous buildings in a community may be substantially damaged. It is important for floodplain managers to have the knowledge and resources needed to process numerous substantial damage determinations during the rebuilding process. The core purpose of the substantial improvement/substantial damage rule is to bring nonconforming buildings up to current floodplain safety standards. It is important for floodplain managers to understand the accepted methodologies to do this.
This course will discuss techniques for determining substantial improvement and substantial damage. We will talk about regulatory requirements and managing substantial damage determinations in the post-disaster environment.
This training will take place on January 25th from 8:30 - 12 pm on Zoom.
Participants will have the option to log on 10 minutes early for a brief introduction to Zoom.
Instructors
Alex Rosen is a Floodplain Management Planner with the Department of Ecology’s Southwest Regional Office. He provides floodplain management technical assistance to communities, and manages Floodplains by Design and other ECY grants. Alex has been with Ecology for three years. Alex received his MS in Natural Resource Mgmt and Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.
Matt Gerlach is a floodplain management planner with the Department of Ecology’s Southwest Regional office. Matt provides technical assistance to local governments implementing the National Flood Insurance Program, manages Floodplains by Design grants and assists with comprehensive flood hazard planning. Matt holds a B.S. and M.S. in Geology.
Meagan Hayes is the Interim NFIP Coordinator for the Washington State Department of Ecology. Meagan’s primary focus of work includes reducing flood losses, acting as one of FEMA’s primary liaisons for the state of Washington, and assisting communities across the state in the implementation of their Flood Damage Prevention regulations. Previously, Meagan worked for local communities as a Land Use Planner and Floodplain Administrator, bringing understanding of the role of the local community to her position with the state. Meagan has a B.S. in Conservation Management and Planning with areas of focus including Communication Studies and Fishery Resources from the University of Idaho. Meagan enjoys reading, hiking, fishing, and is a proud dog-mom.
Sandra (Sandy) Floyd is an NFIP Regional Coordinator for the Department of Ecology’s Central Regional Office. Prior to joining Ecology, her job history consisted of working in local government as subdivision/zoning coordinator and floodplain administrator. In the private sector she worked at an engineering & surveying firm as project manager. Having sat on both sides of the table helps to assist in implementing an effective floodplain management program. She holds a Bachelors and Masters in Geography.
Kayla Eicholtz is a floodplain management planner with the Department of Ecology’s Northwest Regional Office. She provides technical assistance to local governments implementing the NFIP and assists in local floodplain planning efforts. Prior to joining Ecology, she worked in local emergency planning for the Washington Emergency Management Division. She has her B.S. in Environmental Science, a Master of Science in Environmental Science with a focus in ecology and conservation, and a Master of Public Affairs.
