By David A. Farrell, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item
POPLARVILLE —
A revamping and upgrade of the Pearl River County flood management system here, recognized by FEMA, will result in a 10 percent reduction in monthly flood insurance premiums paid by county homeowners.
The head of the Pearl River County planning department, Ed Pinero, Jr., told supervisors on Wednesday that Pearl River County has become a successful member of the FEMA community rating system and that will save residents 10 percent on their flood insurance monthly premiums because the county has moved from an insurance rating of 10 to 8, a lower rating, and the lower the rating the lower the premiums.
Pearl River County went through a lengthy process of streamlining flood insurance policies and procedures in the county, which also helps officials in assessments of flooding events when they arise, such as during Hurricane Isaac in August, Pinero told the board.
Pinero, appearing before the board of supervisors on Wednesday with Teasha Lee, a certified flood manager with the county planning department, who did most of the reorganizational work to get the new rating, gave the board the huge plaque presented to the county by FEMA in recognition of the county attaining the new flood rating and successfully participating in the Federal program.
Lee and Pinero are the only certified flood managers in the county’s system.
Essentially, the work done by Lee in organizing the program here, results in the county’s flood insurance rating dropping from a 10 to an 8, which means a 10 percent rate cut in flood insurance premiums levied here can be implemented.
Some homeowners here are requried to have flood insurance on their homes.
Pinero said the effort was made in the area of flood management after supervisors had asked the planning department to see if it could come up with efforts that would save residents money.
Pinero said upgrading the county’s flood management process was an area where savings were readily available in the reduction of premiums.
Specifically, said Pinero, “we saw a way to save all homeowners, required to hold flood insurance on their homes, ten percent on their flood insurance premiums.”
“We embarked on an effort to upgrade and reorganize our community flood insurance rating system,” said Pinero. Pinero said that during the flooding in Hurricane Isaac, Lee worked with flood managers with the state of Mississippi and visited over 175 homes during an assessment process.
“Improvements were made that allowed us to go from a 10 to an 8, which will save flood insurance customers 10 percent on their premiums,”
Pinero said. “The plaque annouces that we are successful members in the national flood insurance program community rating system.”
“And we want to thank Teasha for all the effort and work she has put in to obtain this new rating,” added Pinero.
