Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP 101) is a comprehensive introduction to the information needed to implement a local floodplain management program. The primary objective of this training is to provide floodplain managers, planners, environmental scientists, and insurance professionals in Washington with an introduction to the principals of floodplain management and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Additionally, the course will focus on the implementation of floodplain management requirements found at 44 CFR 60.3 and RCW Chapter 86.16.
The course will be delivered in three 3 hour virtual sessions on Zoom. The sessions will take place from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm on March 19, 20, and 21.
Please reach out to Sara Brostrom (bros461@ecy.wa.gov) if you require an accommodation for this training (audio, visual, mobility, or other).
Instructors
Matt Gerlach is a floodplain management planner with the Department of Ecology’s Southwest Regional office. Matt provides technical assistance to local governments implementing the National Flood Insurance Program, manages Floodplains by Design grants and assists with comprehensive flood hazard planning. Matt holds a B.S. and M.S. in Geology.
Alex Rosen is a Floodplain Management Planner with the Department of Ecology’s Southwest Regional Office. He provides floodplain management technical assistance to communities, and manages Floodplains by Design and other ECY grants. Alex has been with Ecology for six years. Alex received his MS in Natural Resource Mgmt and Master of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.
Kayla Eicholtz is a floodplain management planner with the Department of Ecology’s Northwest Regional Office. She provides technical assistance to local governments implementing the NFIP and assists in local floodplain planning efforts. Prior to joining Ecology, she worked in local emergency planning for the Washington Emergency Management Division. She has her B.S. in Environmental Science, a Master of Science in Environmental Science with a focus in ecology and conservation, and a Master of Public Affairs.
Amanda Richardson is a senior floodplain management planner at the Washington Department of Ecology and serves as the state’s National Flood Insurance Program coordinator, working closely with FEMA Region 10. Amanda has worked on watershed health and regulatory stormwater and floodplain issues for 14 years at the state and local government levels, as well as with nonprofit organizations. She is originally from southern Idaho, has lived and worked all over the western U.S., and spent time overseas as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal and as an English teacher in Thailand.
