Borough of Stonington
Dear
Borough Resident,
The
Board of Warden and Burgesses is committed to addressing emergency management
issues that affect our community. For
this reason, we have been working on a regular basis with emergency management
officials from the Town and the Town Engineer to identify areas where our
community may be at risk and to plan accordingly. One of the major threats to our community is the possibility of
significant flooding caused by a major storm or hurricane. Therefore, it is
important that every citizen in and around flood zone areas understand the
hazards that exist in flooding events.
You
are receiving this newsletter because all Borough properties are in or near a
flood hazard area as mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA). At least 75% of the structures
in Stonington Borough are within a special flood hazard area. Every year, flooding causes hundreds of
millions of dollars worth of damage to homes and businesses throughout the
United States. Standard homeowners and
commercial property policies do not cover flood losses. Although there have been some major
hurricanes in the past (i.e. 1938, 1955-56), the Borough of Stonington has been
very fortunate that a major flooding event has not occurred recently.
In
line with our proactive approach to emergency management issues, the Borough of
Stonington has recently applied to a special program with FEMA to help educate
the residents and local business on the hazards of flooding. The program is called the Community Rating System (CRS). Upon acceptance into the CRS program,
properties in the Borough, which are in the flood zone, would automatically receive a 5% reduction
in their flood insurance premiums, saving policyholders over $11,000
annually.
As
part of this program, the Borough has agreed to educate people on the hazards
of flooding as well as implement measures that go beyond the bare minimum
expected of the community. Please take
the time to read this newsletter as some of the information could be very
important to the safety of you and your family.
Sincerely,
Board
of Warden and Burgesses
(535-1298)
The greatest flood threats in this
area come from hurricanes, seasonal storms, and seasonal high tides. There are only a few areas in the entire
Borough that are not located within the 100-year floodplain. At this time, there are 208 policies in
force in the Borough of Stonington.
Based upon our estimates, less than half of the structures located in
the floodplain area in the Borough of Stonington are insured. Again, it is important to note that
homeowners insurance will not cover losses due to flood events for properties
within the 100-year floodplain. The
risk of substantial property loss is very real for the Borough of Stonington.
The first thing you should do is
to check your flood hazard. There is a
flood map located in Borough Hall. The Stonington
Free Library also has extensive literature on floodplain issues.
The town of Stonington handles all
building permits for the Borough of Stonington. The town requires elevation certificates to verify that any new
construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have
the lowest floor at least one foot above the base flood elevation.
Measures to protect a property
from flood damage include retrofitting, grading a yard, correcting local
drainage problems, and such emergency measures as moving furniture or placing
sandbags around the structure. While
recent construction practices and regulations have made new homes less prone to
flooding, many existing structures remain susceptible. Retrofitting means modifying a building that
is subject to flooding to prevent or minimize flooding of a habitable space. Some ways to retrofit a structure include;
If you know a flood is coming, it
is always advisable to take the following emergency actions;
Flood warnings are forecasts of
impending storms and are broadcast to the public via local radio, TV,
newspaper, and through local emergency agencies. These warnings are intended to help people prepare, protect, and
lessen their exposure to damages from flooding by establishing time frames and
levels of flooding expected. For
emergency instructions, monitor storm reports on the radio, the television, and
in the local newspapers.
Presently, if a section of Borough
needs to be evacuated, emergency personnel would go door to door (the Paul
Revere Method) to alert the residents of what they should do. The Town is looking into obtaining an
automated emergency warning system, which would allow emergency management
officials to make mass telephone callings with a pre-recorded instructional
message to the residents in a timely fashion.
·
Do not dump or throw anything into drainage ditches or
streams. Even grass clippings and
branches can accumulate and plug channels.
A plugged channel cannot carry water and could lead to potential
drainage problems during rainstorms.
·
If your property is next to a ditch or stream, please
do your part and keep the banks clear of brush and debris.
·
If you see dumping or debris in the drainage ditches or
streams, contact the Borough Highway Department at 535-2127.
· It is very important to contact the town of Stonington Building Official’s Office and the Borough Zoning Office if you are planning any home improvements in flood hazard areas. For additions or new construction, elevation certificates will be required in and around flood zone areas to prove that the finish floor was constructed to the proper elevation.