By Beth Christian Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
DAVIS – Two West Virginia Communities were recognized at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge Tuesday for going above and beyond the identified minimum requirements and joined the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System. Parsons Mayor Dorothy Judy, Recorder Nick Carr and Parsons Administrator/Treasurer Jason Myers accepted the award from Kevin Sneed, WV National Flood Insurance Coordinator and Rick Sobota, Senior Program Insurance Specialist for FEMA Region III during the WV Flood Plain Managers Association Conference.
Throughout the United States, there are well over 22,000 voluntarily participating in the National Flood Insurance Program and 278 are here in West Virginia, and each community must maintain minimum requirements to maintain their status and there are only nine communities have achieved the Community Rating System status – and going over and above the minimum requirements to make themselves safer. Parsons and Martinsburg were recognized for achieving the CRS status.
For achieving the class 8 rating, both cities qualify for premium discounts on flood insurance. The city of Parsons is saving each one of their community members an average of $314 on flood plain insurance. This will save $39,206 for Parsons – money that will stay in the community.
Mayor Dorothy Judy said she was pleased with the CRS designation.
“I am really proud of Jason – he has worked really hard for this,” Judy said. “I appreciate all of the work of Region VII. We really appreciate it.”
Also during the Flood Plain Managers Association Conference, Myers was elected to serve on the West Virginia Board of Directors. Additional information about the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System is available online at www.fema.gov/community-rating-system.
