Once again, the NFIP is partnering with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service (NWS) to promote Flood Safety Awareness Week (March 15-19). Throughout the week, it is important to remind Americans of their flood risk and ways they can safeguard their homes and assets, including purchasing a flood insurance policy. This week serves as a great opportunity for communities to remind residents that a flood insurance policy is the best financial protection against flooding and that most homeowners insurance policies do NOT cover flood damage.

Every year, communities are at a heightened flood risk during the spring and summer months as warm days, heavy rains and severe storms sweep across the region. It is critical that communities reach out to local residents now to communicate their increased flood risk and encourage them to protect themselves with flood insurance-only a flood insurance policy will provide financial protection against flood damage.

A new interactive flood map is now available to help you better educate your community residents about their individualized flood risks. This resource depicts how floods have impacted millions of Americans in recent years, and providers users with localized flood event data and damage statistics. Developed by the NFIP's FloodSmart Campaign, in partnership with NOAA, this interactive flood map is being promoted in conjunction with Flood Safety Awareness Week to offer visitors a more accurate picture of the causes and magnitude of flooding in their area. You are encouraged to link to the map on the Flood Safety Awareness Week landing page located at www.floodsmart.gov/noaafloodweek and share this information with your community residents so they can learn more about the financial costs of flooding, how to get a policy, and in the event that a flood occurs, how best to recover.