GRANITE CITY/WOOD RIVER – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will host two in-person “Open House” meetings later this month to introduce Madison County residents to their updated preliminary flood insurance rate maps. The Madison County public is invited to attend these meetings to learn more about how the new maps may impact their property and flood insurance rates.
The first meeting will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at the Granite City Township Hall, located at 2060 Delmar Ave. in Granite City. The second meeting will be held the next day, Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Wood River Public Library, located at 326 E. Ferguson Ave. in Wood River.
Both meetings are scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., but attendees don’t need to be there at exactly 5:30 p.m., and they don’t have to stay the entire time. The event will have “information stations” with different experts, so attendees can choose which stations they want to visit.
There will not be a formal presentation at the meetings – instead, flood insurance professionals, state officials, and the flood map project team will help guide residents through flood risks, flood insurance, the mapping process, and more. Residents can meet one-on-one with experts and look at their addresses on the updated maps to determine their specific flood risk.
You can also view your address on the preliminary maps by searching for it at this link. Preliminary versions of the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report and the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) can be viewed on the FEMA website.
If you cannot attend an in-person Open House meeting, reach out to a Map Specialist by calling the FEMA Flood Mapping and Insurance Exchange at (877) 336-2627 or emailing them at FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.