Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - On August 14, 2012, the Alachua County Commission received a plaque from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for improvement to a Class 6 Community in the Community Rating System. The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program of the National Flood Insurance Program and provides for discounted flood insurance premiums to property owners in participating communities. The citizens of Alachua County will benefit with a 20% discount on their Flood Insurance premiums as a result of this classification.  This amounts to a 5% increase in savings of approximately $28,000 to policy holders. The CRS rating is effective May 1, 2012, and is good for 5 years.

Alachua County has been a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program since 1982 and in the CRS since 1995. The CRS effort is a result of collaboration between various Alachua County Departments including Emergency Management, Growth Management, Environmental Protection and Public Works.

"The Community Rating system is based on several activities that Alachua County does through its various programs in the area of maintaining flood maps and flood data maintenance, effective outreach and hazard disclosure, flood protection information and assistance, higher regulatory standards, stormwater management, drainage system maintenance, flood warning, floodplain management planning and open space preservation." said Mr. Lalit Lalwani, the Community Rating System Coordinator for Alachua County.

FEMA states that, “This rating is a tribute to the effort and commitment by several Departments of Alachua County, and the County Commission to floodplain management and planning. This effort is in the long term interest of enhanced public safety, a reduction in damage to private property and public infrastructure within the County."

Click for more information about FEMA.

Click to find out more about the Community Rating System and the Public Works Department.

For more information, contact Lalit Lalwani at 352-548-1243 or llalwani@alachuacounty.us.