Schumer Urges Westchester to be Named as One of NY's "Storm-Ready" Counties - Designation Would Result in Better Flood Prepardness and Lower Flood Insurance Rates for Residents

Press Release

Storm Ready" Designation, Already Enjoyed By Other NY Counties, Would Allow The County To Take Proactive Flood Mitigation Steps and Lower Flood Insurance Rates

In Personal Letter To The Head of Federal "StormReady" Program, Schumer Asks Officials To Work With Westchester To Ensure That The County Meets Program Requirements

Schumer: Westchester Residents Deserve Lower Flood Insurance Costs

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he is calling on the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to work with Westchester County officials to ensure that the county can be designated a "StormReady" county. Achieving this designation would mean improved flood mitigation and storm preparedness techniques, and would also allow the county to begin earning Community Ratings System (CRS) points, which would begin to lower the price of flood insurance for county residents.

In order to achieve the "StormReady" designation, currently enjoyed by 26 communities in New York, Westchester would need to meet a number of requirements including a 24-hour warning and emergency center, multiple ways of communicating storm-related emergencies to the public, and a formal hazardous weather plan, among other qualifications. In a personal letter to Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, Schumer asks program officials to meet with Westchester leaders to develop a clear plan to ensure that Westchester meets the qualifications for the program and can begin lowering the cost of flood insurance for residents.

"Designating Westchester County "StormReady' is critical to residents' security during unexpected natural emergencies, as well as to their wallets," Senator Schumer said. "I am pleased to work with Westchester County Executives to help ensure Westchester remains a safe place to live and work, and urge that the National Weather Service and NOAA do the same. The "StormReady' program is a life-saving investment that will provide the communities of Westchester with indispensable resources and support, so they can be better prepared for emergencies, and as a result will lower the price of flood insurance for Westchester residents."

In his letter, Schumer asks that program officials meet and coordinate with Westchester County executives as the county begins the process of becoming a NOAA and NWS designated "Storm Ready" County. In order to achieve the "StormReady" designation, Westchester would need to meet a number of requirements including: a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center, multiple ways of communicating storm-related emergencies to the public, a formal hazardous weather plan, a system to monitor local weather conditions, and a series of public readiness seminars for the community. Schumer points out that Westchester has already implemented several safety measures that are required of the "StormReady" designation, including an emergency center, multiple ways of informing the public, and a 24-hour warning system. Schumer asks NOAA and the NWS to work hand-in-hand with Westchester to ensure that their plans for the remaining qualifications comply with the program standards.

Once Westchester meets "StormReady" qualifications, the designation can begin lowering the cost of flood insurance for Westchester County residents. The "StormReady" designation would recognize the improvements made in flood mitigation and storm preparedness techniques, and allow the county to begin earning Community Ratings System (CRS) points, which would begin to lower the price of flood insurance for county residents. The National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions meeting the three goals of the CRS: reduce flood losses, facilitate accurate insurance rating, and promote the awareness of flood insurance.

Flooded homes have become a near annual occurrence throughout the county, from Mamaroneck to Elmsford, evidence of the fact that Westchester County could benefit greatly by becoming "StormReady." In fact, just two weeks ago, heavy rains swept through Westchester, causing portions of the Saw Mill Parkway and the Bronx River Parkway to flood and shut down parts of both roads.

The National Weather Service's "StormReady" program is a nationwide preparedness initiative offered to provide guidance and incentives to local communities who aim to be pro-active in improving their hazardous weather operations. At present, twenty-six New York counties possess a "Storm Ready" designation, whereby they have developed emergency operations centers and weather warning alert systems, created systems to monitor local weather conditions, promoted the importance of public readiness, and established emergency weather plans. Schumer states that Westchester is not only eligible, but in dire need for increased flood preparedness that can also lower flood insurance rates for county residents.

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