Chapter 36 Further Reading: Disasters and Emergency Prep

Flood Risk and Insurance

1. FEMA Flood Map Service Center msc.fema.gov The official repository for all FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Use it to look up your property's flood zone, view the FIRM panel covering your address, and access map revision history. Also available through mymaps.fema.gov for a simplified address-based lookup. Free.

2. "What Is a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)?" — FEMA / FloodSmart.gov floodsmart.gov FEMA's consumer-oriented flood insurance resource. Explains coverage, the NFIP, how to find an agent who writes NFIP policies, and the difference between building and contents coverage. The section on what's covered in basements is particularly important — it's more limited than most homeowners realize. Free.

3. "Understanding Your Flood Risk" — Insurance Information Institute (III) iii.org The III publishes accessible explanations of flood insurance vs. homeowners insurance, how NFIP policies work, and how to evaluate whether private flood insurance is an appropriate supplement. Their annual statistics on flood losses are useful for putting risk in context. Free.

4. "The National Flood Insurance Program's Mandatory Purchase Requirement: Effective but Incomplete" — Congressional Research Service For homeowners who want to understand the legal landscape of flood insurance requirements — including the federally backed mortgage trigger, the 30-day waiting period exceptions, and the ongoing reform debates — this CRS report provides a thorough overview. Available through congress.gov. Free.

Earthquake Preparedness

5. "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country" — USGS usgs.gov USGS's flagship homeowner earthquake preparedness guide, available as a free PDF. Covers regional seismic hazard, building vulnerability, what to do before/during/after, and specific guidance on water heater strapping, furniture anchoring, and cripple wall retrofitting. Multiple regional versions (California, Pacific Northwest, etc.). Essential reading for anyone in a seismically active zone. Free.

6. California Earthquake Authority — Brace + Bolt Program earthquakeauthority.com/brace-bolt California's residential seismic retrofit grant program, which provides financial assistance for cripple wall bracing and foundation bolting. Even if you're not in California, this resource provides an excellent technical guide to the retrofit process, with diagrams, contractor guidance, and typical cost ranges that are instructive nationally. Free.

7. "Is Your House Ready for an Earthquake?" — IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety) ibhs.org IBHS conducts rigorous physical testing of building systems under disaster conditions. Their earthquake and wind research translates into practical homeowner guidance that is more detailed than typical government publications. Their "FORTIFIED Home" program is worth investigating for homeowners in high-hazard regions. Free.

Wind and Storm Damage

8. "Hurricane Preparedness for Homeowners" — FEMA / Ready.gov ready.gov FEMA's multi-hazard preparedness portal. The hurricane and severe storm sections include specific guidance on roof assessment, window and door protection, and the critical pre-storm preparation checklist. The site also has a downloadable emergency plan template. Free.

9. "Hail and Wind Claims: What Homeowners Need to Know" — Insurance Information Institute iii.org Explains how wind and hail claims are handled by homeowners insurers, what documentation is needed, how actual cash value vs. replacement cost coverage differences matter in storm claims, and what the assignment of benefits (AOB) issue means for Florida and other storm-prone states. This is the background reading for navigating a storm insurance claim. Free.

Power Outages and Generator Safety

10. "Generator Safety" — Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) cpsc.gov The CPSC publishes statistics and guidance on generator-related carbon monoxide deaths — an important and preventable problem. The specific guidance on placement distance (20 feet from openings), never operating indoors, and CO detector requirements is authoritative and worth reviewing with any household member who might operate a generator. Free.

11. "Extended Power Outages: Preparing Your Home" — Ready.gov ready.gov Covers the full range of power outage preparedness: food safety, heating alternatives, medical equipment dependencies, and what to include in an emergency kit. The medical equipment section is particularly important for households with members who use powered medical devices. Free.

Emergency Preparedness Systems

12. "Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness" — FEMA / Ready.gov ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/ready_are-you-ready-guide.pdf FEMA's comprehensive citizen preparedness guide, available as a free PDF download. This is the most thorough government preparedness resource available: covers all hazard types, emergency kit contents, family planning, special needs considerations, and community preparedness. The emergency plan templates in this guide directly support building the emergency binder described in Section 36.7. Highly recommended as a companion document to this chapter. Free.