Regulatory Products Training
July 30, 2015
Introduction and Overview
• This training covers Regulatory Product Guidance and Technical
Reference updates for May 2015 (and follows a more general training).
• Regulatory Products Team Background
• Scott McAfee (FEMA) scott.mcafee@fema.dhs.gov
• Kristen MacDougall (Compass)
 FIRM Panel Technical Reference Update
 FIRM Panel and Index Guidance Updates
 FIS Report Technical Reference and (new) Guidance
• Dan Horner (IBM)
 FIRM Database Technical Reference and Guidance
Domain Tables Technical Reference Update
 DVT Guidance
 NFHL Guidance
• Andrea Weakland (STARR)
 PMR Guidance (new)
2
FIRM Panel Technical Reference (TR)
Update
FIRM Panel TR
• Clarified use of Public Land Survey System (PLSS) as reference grid [Section 4.1.1,
Horizontal Reference System]
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When PLSS features are present, they serve as the primary horizontal reference grid.
The primary FIRM projection is then shown utilizing both tics and crosshairs and serves as the secondary
reference grid for the FIRM.
If additional projection information is desired to be shown, it is only depicted as tic marks along the opposing panel
edges.
• Clarified explanation for application of Township/Range panel body note [Section 4.1.1,
Table 6]
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Township and Range note for panels with a single township and range present on a panel.
This note is only placed when a panel does not contain any township and range lines.
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Township and Range note for panels with either two townships or ranges present on a
panel. This note is placed when a panel does not contain both a township and a range
line.
4
FIRM Panel TR
• Updates to Notes to User text: FIRM Info & Levee NTU [Section 6]
5
FIRM Panel TR
• Updates to Notes to User text: LiMWA [Section 6]
• Updated scale bar font specification [Section 7]
6
FIRM Panel TR
• Updated various example graphics to reflect specifications in the “Standard” columns.
7
FIRM Panel TR
• FIRM Panel MXD templates relating to updates mentioned above have also been updated
Flood County USA vector template
Flood County USA ortho template
8
FIS Report Technical Reference (TR)
Update
FIS Report TR
• Extracted guidance from TR and placed it into the FIS
Report Guidance document
• Clarified requirements for FIS Report Cover
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Inclusion of Preliminary Note
Handling multi-county communities
Volume number labeling
• Added requirements for alphabetizing entries in tables,
where applicable
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Table 4: Coastal Barrier Resources System Information
Table 9: Levees
Table 27: Incorporated Letters of Map Change
Table 30: Community Meetings
10
FIS Report TR
• Clarified requirements for how certain tables should be populated, based on recent Mapping
Partner questions
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Table 1: Listing of NFIP Jurisdictions
Table 2: Flooding Sources Included in this FIS Report
Table 4: Coastal Barrier Resources System Information
Table 9: Levees
Table 11: Summary of Non-Coastal Stillwater Elevations
Table 27: Incorporated Letters of Map Change
Table 28: Community Map History
Table 29: Summary of Contracted Studies Included in this FIS Report
Table 30: Community Meetings
Table 31: Map Repositories
• Changed format of “Table 23: Summary of Topographic Elevation Data used in Mapping” to
better account for accuracy reporting of LiDAR datasets
• Incorporated Floodway Data Table and Flood Profile creation instructions for flooding
sources at the coastal & riverine tie-ins
11
FIS Report TR
• FIS Report template relating to updates mentioned above has also been updated
12
FIRM Panel and Index Guidance
Updates
FIRM Panel Guidance
• Additional guidance provided in depiction of secondary horizontal grid ticks
(Corresponds to FIRM Panel Technical Reference updates for horizontal reference grid)
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When PLSS features are present, they serve as the primary horizontal reference grid. The primary projection used for
FIRM panel production is then shown with both ticks marks and crosshairs and serves as the secondary horizontal
reference grid for the FIRM. If additional projection information is desired to be shown, it is only depicted only as tick
marks along the panel edges
If PLSS features are not present and the primary reference grid is UTM, then a secondary grid is optional. Other
reference grids (e.g., State Plane) may be used as the primary reference grid. If UTM is not the primary reference grid,
then it is used as the secondary reference grid (shown as grid ticks) and included on the FIRM. UTM and State Plane
Reference grids or grid ticks should be shown extending to the FIRM neatline.
The secondary grid ticks are shown as cross hairs within the body of the map and ticks along the FIRM panel edge.
• Clarifying information added for FIRM title block elements: version number, effective date,
community lists
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•
•
If the community name is long enough to require more than one line, “OF” should never be on a line by itself. If a
second line is required, the complete community title (“CITY OF,” “TOWN OF,” etc.) should be placed on it. This keeps
the proper name and the general title complete on each of the two lines
When more than one line in a community name is required, the subsequent lines in the name should be indented one
or two spaces, for a visual aid in reading the name
A community’s CID, panel number, and suffix should be placed on the last line of the jurisdiction to which they belong,
so users can read an entire community name, then view its community number and FIRM panel information to the
right.
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FIRM Index Guidance
• Clarified county boundary, HUC8 boundary representation on FIRM Index
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The county polygon should have no border. Community boundaries within the county should have yellow borders.
The HUC8 polygons should have no border at the county boundary. HUC8 boundaries within the county should have
green borders.
• Added guidance on what to include with PMR submissions
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Complete S_Pol_Ar and S_FIRM_Pan layers should be submitted regardless of the PMR footprint
o
The complete FIRM panel layer promotes improved data quality by giving QAQC reviewers an opportunity to check the full accuracy of
the index map image against the S_FIRM_Pan layer.
o
The complete political area layer will ensure compliance with Standard ID # 378 (“For PMRs where updated political boundaries are
available for the entire extent of the FIRM database, the S_Pol_Ar feature class shall be incorporated into the RFHL and shown on the
FIRM Index.”). The intent of this standard is to allow for political boundary updates for the entire FIRM Index regardless of the PMR
footprint. Please refer to the FIRM Database Technical Reference, FIRM Database Guidance, and DVT Guidance for full details on
S_FIRM_Pan and S_Pol_Ar submittal requirements. Further details on submitting S_Pol_Ar for PMRs are also provided in Section 9.0
below.
• Clarified guidance for map dates; added reference to the explanation of map dates in the
FIRM Database Technical Reference
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PNPs should not have map dates printed on the Index body
Do not print the “9/9/9999” date placeholder for Preliminary panels
15
FIRM Index Guidance
• The FIRM Index MXD template relating to updates mentioned above has also been updated
16
FIS Report Guidance
(New Guidance Document)
FIS Report Guidance
• New guidance document developed from information previously published in Technical
References/Procedure Memoranda
• Additional guidance to clarify how certain tables should be populated
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Table 2: Flooding Sources Included in this FIS Report
Table 9: Levees
Table 10: Summary of Discharges
Table 13: Summary of Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analyses
Table 14: Roughness Coefficients
Table 21: Stream-Based Vertical Datum Conversion
Table 24: Floodway Data
Table 28: Community Map History
Table 29: Summary of Contracted Studies Included in this FIS Report
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FIRM Database Updates
FIRM Database Technical Reference
• Removed several explanatory sections in favor of the newly drafted FIRM Database
Guidance document
• Increased field with for ZONE_SUBTY and AR_SUBTRV to 72 to accommodate new domain
options and added new combined coastal/riverine domain options to the Flood Zone and
Zone Subtype Crosswalk table
• Increased field width for CONF_TYPE to 26 to accommodate new domain option
• Added information to WSEL_REG field description to include coastal regulatory information
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For cross-sections in the coastal floodplain, the WSEL_REG value should be coded “-8888”. For cross-sections in the
combined coastal and riverine floodplain, this value should reflect the results of the combined rate of occurrence
analysis
• Increased field width for ORIENT to accommodate existing domains
• Removed option to submit projects to FEMA in NSRS 2007 projection. Additional conversion
guidance found in FIRM Database Guidance document
• FIRM Database Template was also updated for these new field widths, domains, and
relationships
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FIRM Database Guidance
• This is the first issuance of this document and it covers several FIRM database topics and
tables.
• General guidance:
o
o
o
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Data sources to use to build a FIRM Database
Tables to include in the FIRM Database for various project types and with consideration to the FIS report updating
to the new specifications or remaining in the old
File formats for production and submission to FEMA
Database deliverables to FEMA across the various MIP tasks
• Spatial Reference Guidance:
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Precision of data populated in the database and how it relates to the NFHL in decimal degrees
Cluster tolerance and spatial resolution specifications and conversions with consideration to latitudinal differences and
the NFHL specifications
• Projection and Datum Guidance:
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Working with a database in native projection and exportation to Geographic Coordinate System (GCS) for submission
to FEMA
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Vertical Datum expectations and a reference to the Vertical Datum Guidance document
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FIRM Database Guidance
• Topology guidance:
 How to preserve topology when converting from the database native projection to GCS
for submission to FEMA
 Explanations of coincident features and a list of spatial relationships between tables
 Expectations of topology within shapefiles submitted to FEMA
 Minimum area requirements to limit the number of small polygons
• Guidance on:
 Documenting data sources in L_Source_Cit
 Edgematching and meeting the relevant standards
 Agreement between multiple layers and agreement between new/revised data and
existing/unrevised data
 Agreement between FIRM panels and communities within and outside of the project area
 Resolving overlaps and gaps and when some overlaps are acceptable
 Database feature Version IDs with a reference to additional versioning information
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FIRM Database Guidance
• Table specific guidance is also included for every table to explain the table usage, where
additional information can be located, and how to meet the standards associated with the
FIRM database and using the detailed information in the FIRM Database Technical
Reference
• Table-specific Guidance of Note:
 Alluvial fan feature relationships to flood zones
 Placement of datum conversion points
 FIRM panel numbering
 Irregular flood zone designations
 Zone AR usage
 New flood hazard line options
 Storing nodes and their relationships with other tables
 Naming political areas in the table
 Storing information for ANIs and multi-county communities
 Populating Z and M values in PBLs
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FIRM Database Guidance
• Additional Table-specific Guidance of Note:
 PBL relationships with water lines and water areas
 PBLs for model-backed Zone As and backwater
 Population and extents of S_Submittal_Info features
 Populating tabular community information regarding historic mapping dates and ANIs
 Recording FIRM panel revision dates and reasons
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FIRM Database Domain Tables
Technical Reference Update
Domain Tables TR
• Added new domain to D_Obscured table:
 “Acceptable Confidence Area” is the new text domain acceptable in the Confident Type
field of the Topographic data table
• Added new domains to D_Zone_Subtype for use in S_Fld_Haz_Ar for combined riverine
and coastal areas
 “Coastal Floodplain”
 “Combined Riverine and Coastal Floodplain”
 “Riverine Floodplain in Coastal Area”
 “Riverine Floodway in Combined Riverine and Coastal Zone”
 “0.2 Pct Annual Chance Flood Hazard in Coastal Zone”
 “0.2 Pct Annual Chance Flood Hazard in Combined Riverine and Coastal Zone”
• As noted in the TR: “These subtypes are only used in coastal areas to specify riverine or
coastal flooding. More information on these zones can be found in the FIRM Database
Guidance document.”
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DVT Guidance Update
DVT Guidance
• Added four new checks as part of April, 2015 release
 2.8.8.2 – Cross-section and BFE elevations should be greater than zero and non-null
o Negative elevation areas will require DVT bypasses
o Nulls must be approved by Region project manager
 2.8.8.3 – Cross-sections should have equal or higher elevations than neighboring cross-
sections with lower stream station IDs
o Only a warning, jumps in station IDs due to modeled reaches will return false positives
 2.8.2.21 – Static BFEs in S_Fld_Haz_Ar should have the 1% elevations also captured in
L_Summary_Elev
o Exports to Summary of Non-Coastal Stillwater Elevations table in FIS report
o Only a warning, there are exceptions and DVT logic is currently being refined
 2.7.2.13 – Newly mapped Profiles Baselines should have polyline Z values populated
o Dependent on version IDs
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DVT Guidance
• Revised three checks as part of April, 2015 release to eliminate discovered defects
 Corrected issues with 2.9.1.3 and 2.9.1.9 to eliminate false positives when features are
not available for QC
 Removed portion of 2.9.1.12 that was checking for nodes on S_Hydro_Reach lines
• Added a section on common DVT bypass reasons:
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2.5.1.6 must be bypassed if there is an ANI in S_Pol_Ar since it will not appear in L_Comm_Info
2.8.6.3 must be bypassed if there is a community included with a county FIPS code other than the primary county FIPS
of the project
2.9.1.8 must be bypassed if there are unavoidable cross-section and BFE overlaps in crowded areas
2.10.1.10 must be bypassed if a full S_Pol_Ar is submitted for a PMR and therefore the political area layer extends
outside of the flood hazard area layer
• Added a section on combined coastal and riverine zone sub-types
 While the zone subtypes are listed in the Domain Tables Technical Reference the use
should be very minimal and will necessitate a DVT bypass
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NFHL Guidance Update
NFHL Guidance
• Document is primarily for use by PTS rFHL teams
• Added guidance to explain projection conversions by rFHL teams to meet the NFHL GCS
requirement
• Added guidance to the maintenance section for the rFHL teams the append the DFIRM ID
for the dataset to primary and foreign key fields in order to make the values unique once
incorporation into the national layer.
• Added guidance to explain LOMR for FIS and when they should be incorporated into the
NFHL
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E.g. edit to floodway data tables, profiles, discharges, etc
• Removed section on error types and the priority for resolution by rFHL teams
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NFHL issue resolution protocol is still in discussion and many data errors should not be resolved with due process
• Added row to “Manual Conversion Needs” table to provide guidance on including LiMWA
features submitted in the 2003 schema
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“SHOWN_FIRM” field must be manually populated after conversion to NFHL schema based on the appearance on
non-appearance of the feature on the FIRM panel(s)
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
Guidance Document
Physical Map Revision (PMR)
Revise a portion of a communities flood hazards rather than a full countywide update to the
regulatory products. Guidance document created from the draft version of PM55.
PMR Project
Planning
PMR Study
Production
NFHL
Processing
Project Planning creating the Mapping Activity Statement (MAS) or Scope of Work (SOW)
• Defining the PMR footprint
 Standard ID # 551
 Boundary of the FIRM panels affected
• FIS and FIRM Database Format – Scenarios Section 4.0
 Mapping Partner and Regional Project Officer decide best fit scenario
 Affects future submission guidelines and requirements, and spatial extent of the PMR FIRM database
• Base Map
 Political Area if updated should be updated for the entire county or community based study
 All other base map data only need to be updated within the PMR footprint
 Updates to local data should be acquired from the local source if possible
 Degrading base map data should be avoided
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Study Production
• Flood Study Engineering
 Includes all hydrologic and hydraulic engineering performed within the PMR study area
• Floodplain Delineation
 May be necessary to revise the PMR footprint in cases were the revised flood hazard data extends
beyond or falls short of the FIRM panels identified during project planning phase
• Receive National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Extract and Merge with PMR footprint
 The NFHL shall be the initial digital flood hazard mapping source of the PMR, Standard ID # 363
 May be acquired as early as the Flood Study Engineering stage of the PMR
 Ensures that the most recent flood hazard dataset, including LOMRs, is being used
• Data Development and Database
 Require the same data validation, integrity and topology as countywide FIRM production studies
 Node to Node edgematch between flood hazard boundaries and other regulatory data (BFEs, XS) from
the PMR and the NFHL
 BFEs may be required in areas due to BFEs on adjacent panels even if not needed due to XS
elevations
 Start IDs should be aligned as well to the existing data in the NFHL
 Source information for data pulled from the NFHL should retain original source citation information (do
not source the NFHL)
 Edgematching issues of regulatory data at the PMR boundary could result in a NTU to correct the data
after effective
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Study Production (continued)
• FIRM Database for areas outside of the PMR study area
 PMR study area is the updated by the studied streams, PMR footprint may contain data not being
updated by PMR, but is required to be submitted. S_Submittal_Info polygon for the floodplain mapping
task should be used to define the area of revised streams.
 S_FIRM_Pan should be submitted in it’s entirety regardless of PMR footprint
 Profile baselines within the PMR study area should contain Z and M values, may extend outside of the
PMR footprint to keep the Z and M values intact
 Profile baselines outside of the PMR study area but within the PMR footprint can retain the null values
in the 3D line from the NFHL and are not required to be updated
• Version ID
 www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-flood-hazard-mapping/guidelines-standardsmaintenance. This is the version number that will be on the FIRM panel, FIS Report and for records
being updated in the FIRM Database.
 Features outside of the PMR study area do not need to have their Version ID updated, unless the
region has opted to have the database completely updated
• Revised FIS, FIRM Panels and Preliminary Distribution
 Panels must be prepared using the latest standards in the FIRM Panel Technical Reference
 No changes to the representation of BFE, XS or other features outside of the PMR study area are
required
 Revised FIRM panels should get a new effective date and have its suffix advanced to the next letter,
including not printed panels
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Study Production (continued)
• Revised FIS, FIRM Panels and Preliminary Distribution (continued)
 Metadata should be submitted in countywide format at all times. It should include all effective source
information for data that has not been entirely replaced by the PMR.
 EADETCIT line in the overview section will need to list only the tables being submitted for the PMR for
the Data Validation Tool (DVT)
• Letter of Final Determination (LFD)
 Mapping Partner is responsible for incorporating LOMRs within the PMR footprint until 60 days prior to
LFD
 LOMRs published less than 60 days before LFD but prior to the PMRs effective date will be distributed
by FEMA with a note for reissuance with the new effective date
NFHL Processing
 Regional Flood Hazard Layer (rFHL) designee will download finalized database and check for
compliance to all standards and incorporate data into the rFHL and submit to Customer Data Services
for loading into the NFHL
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
Sample LOMR Scenarios
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Scenarios
Scenario
Existing NFHL
Digital Data
Existing FIS
Report
Update Scope
Determination
Revised FIRM Database
Requirements
Revised FIS Report
Requirements
Revised FIRM Panel
Requirements
1
August 2013 or
newer Schema
2003 Appendix J
Format
Do not update FIS Report
to FIS Report Technical
Reference Format
FIRM Database Technical
Reference
Remains in 2003
Appendix J Format
Create using FIRM Panel
Technical Reference
2
August 2013 or
newer Schema
2003 Appendix J
Format
Update FIS Report to FIS
Report Technical
Reference
Entire Database should be
updated to FIRM Database
Technical Reference schema
regardless of PMR scope
Entire FIS Report
updated to FIS Report
Technical Reference
Create using FIRM Panel
Technical Reference
3
August 2013 or
newer Schema
Procedure
Memorandum
66 or FIS Report
Technical
Reference
Format
No Format Update
Requirements
FIRM Database Technical
Reference
FIS Report Technical
Reference
Create using FIRM Panel
Technical Reference
4
No NFHL Data
2003 Appendix J
Format
Do Not Update FIS Report
to FIS Report Technical
Reference Format
FIRM Database Technical
Reference
Remains in 2003
Appendix J Format
Create using FIRM Panel
Technical Reference
No NFHL Data
2003 Appendix J
Format
Update FIS Report to FIS
Report Technical
Reference Format
FIRM Database Technical
Reference
Entire FIS Report
updated to FIS Report
Technical Reference
format
Create using FIRM Panel
Technical Reference
5
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Scenarios (current specification vs 2003 specification)
FEMA regions should request that Mapping Partners deliver in the current specifications if the
projects was not started by June 2013, or is scoped to produce 2011 and has not reached the
Develop FIRM Database task, or if data has already gone preliminary since revisions from 2011
to current specifications are minor and detailed in the NFHL Guidance document.
• PMR Scenario 1 - NFHL in FIRM Database Technical Reference schema and the effective
FIS and FIRM panels are in the 2003 Appendix J and K format. PMR scope does not
include update to FIS Report due to small PMR footprint or prioritizing cost.
 FIRM Database in FIRM Database Technical Reference format.
 FIS only tables for fields will be populated with pseudo null values
 Submit data covering PMR footprint only, minus S_FIRM_Pan and updated S_Pol_Ar
 FIS Report remains in 2003 Appendix J format, including any revisions and incorporate any previous
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section 10.0 revisions
Standard ID # 501, add Notes to Users and FIRM legend to the FIS report
If the FIRM Index is not being updates the Map Repositories table and Listing of NFIP Jurisdictions
must be included
Revised FIRM panels created in the FIRM Panel Technical Reference specifications
FIRM Index may remain in the 2003 Appendix K format
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Scenarios (continued)
• PMR Scenario 2 - - NFHL in FIRM Database Technical Reference schema and the effective
FIS and FIRM panels are in the 2003 Appendix J and K format. PMR scope includes
updating the FIRM Database and FIS Report to the FIRM Database Technical Reference
schema and the FIS Report Technical Reference.
 Data for the FIS Report tables outside of the PMR footprint may be incomplete if the tables were not
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part of the effective FIS. LOMR that cross the PMR footprint will be included in the entirety in the FIS
report. Note will need to be added under Table 27 to explain this.
No data outside of the PMR footprint are modified from the effective data
No LOMRs outside of the PMR footprint are shown as incorporated in the SOMAs, LOMR data should
be sewn into the FIRM database, but attributed as effective
Submit countywide FIRM Database
LOMRs entirely outside of the PMR footprint will not be included in the FIS report
Community Map History table FIRM Revision Date is not updated for communities outside of the PMR
footprint
Listing of NFIP Jurisdictions table only show updates to areas outside of the PMR footprint if S_Pol_Ar
was updated and will be reflected on the FIRM Index
FIRM Panels created using the FIRM Panel Technical Reference specifications
FIRM Index is not included in the FIS report
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Scenarios (continued)
• PMR Scenario 3 - NFHL in FIRM Database Technical Reference schema and the effective
FIS is in PM 66 or the FIS Report Technical Reference format.
 Update FIRM Database with PMR revisions and only submit data for the PMR footprint.
 Update FIS report with PMR revisions in the FIS Report Technical Reference format
 FIRM panels created with the FIRM Panel Technical Reference
• PMR Scenario 4 – no data available from the NFHL and the effective FIS and FIRM Panels
are in the 2003 Appendix J and K format. PMR scope does not include updating the FIS report.
Note: FEMAs preference is to use Scenario 5 and process this as a countywide study rather than a PMR.
 FIRM Database delivered in FIRM Database Technical Reference schema
 FIRM Database tables or fields that support FIS tables will be populated with pseudo null values
 FIS Report remains in 2003 Appendix J format. Follow FIS procedures for Scenario 1
 FIRM Index may remain in 2003 Appendix K format
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Physical Map Revision (PMR)
PMR Scenarios (continued)
• PMR Scenario 5 – no data available from the NFHL and the effective FIS and FIRM Panels
are in the 2003 Appendix J and K format. PMR scope includes updating the FIS report.
 FIRM Database delivered in FIRM Database Technical Reference schema
 FIRM Database tables or fields that support FIS tables will be populated with pseudo null values
 Typically submitted in countywide, SOW may be for partial countywide
 FIS Report converted to FIS Report Technical Reference format
 FIS tables will be populated for areas outside of the PMR footprint only for data in existing FIS Report
 Do not build LOMR data into the FIS report for LOMRs outside of the LOMR footprint see Scenario 2
 Most Recent FIRM Date and FIRM Revision Date is not updated for communities outside of the PMR
footprint
 Listing of NFIP Jurisdictions table only show updates to areas outside of the PMR footprint if S_Pol_Ar
was updated and will be reflected on the FIRM Index
 FIS Report/FIRM Index should be delivered to every community in the county regardless of PMR
footprint
 FIRM Panels created with FIRM Panel Technical Reference specifications
 FIRM Index now included in FIS report
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