Vacationer’s Guide To Emergencies What Prospective Property Owners Should Know Prepare and Plan Before Disaster Strikes Important Flood Information

 

This notice serves as a reminder that hurricane season is here. The notice is one of the many requirements set forth by the National Flood Insurance Program that will entitle all property owners in Harvey Cedars a 10% discount on their flood insurance premiums, effective October 1, 2013.

 

The Borough of Harvey Cedars is participating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the “Community Rating System” which requires us to annually notify all property owners of this program, the flooding potential in this community, and the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA is now part of the new Department of Homeland Security.

  


For local storm updates & evacuation info call 609-361-6000,
watch the local community cable channel or the Weather Channel.  

The Flood Hazard
Our municipality is located entirely in the 100-year floodplain and, additionally, entirely located in what FEMA labeled a special flood hazard area.  A home within a special flood hazard area has a 26% chance of experiencing flood damage during the term of a 30 year mortgage.  Preliminary Base Flood Elevation maps have been developed by FEMA and are available for viewing online at www.region2coastal.com.  Harvey Cedars is located on Ocean County Map Panel #509. These maps show flood zones with the predicted flood elevations which could be reached or exceeded during a 100-year period.  These maps are also available for viewing at the Construction office along with maps that have been developed to reflect future Coastal hazards as well as historical flooding such as from Super Storm Sandy in 2012.

Every year the hurricane season, June 1st through November 30th, and the winter storm season pose a potential threat to our New Jersey coastline with rising sea levels, wind driven waves and tidal flooding.  Since our community is situated between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Barnegat Bay to the west, we are especially vulnerable to the destructive effects of rising flood waters.  Homes located in the low lying bayside sections may experience severe flood damage, particularly older homes constructed at or near ground level.  Every citizen should be prepared for the eventuality of a hurricane/storm and educate themselves on the local emergency preparedness, evacuation routes, and proper property protection measures.

Flood insurance rate map (FIRM) information is available from the Construction Office 609-361-6016, as well as copies of elevation certificates for properties built after 1984, coastal high hazard areas, conservation and wetlands areas. Historical flooding information available upon request.